The heat in my tummy is doused as if by a bucket of ice water. Humiliation creeps from my neck to my cheeks. My skin must be bright red. Did I really think he was about to askmefor sex?
Stupid Amy. Life is not aPride and Prejudicefanfic.
“What makes you think I want to win this competition?”
He smirks. “I know you’re not rich, Amelia. You want that ten-grand scholarship.”
A tingling heat ripples over my skin while my stomach sinks. Fuck rich kids like Tristan. They never resist an opportunity to throw their good fortune in your face. Tristan didn’t even need whatever football scholarship he was granted, but he got it anyway.
The world is unfair.
“I got a scholarship,” I say in a small voice.
That malicious smile grows. “A full ride?”
I raise my chin, refusing to cower. “No, not a full ride.”
He sets his hand on my shoulder and gives it a squeeze. “You need this scholarship. Let me give it to you.”
I groan. “You of all people should understand why I’d be reluctant to do anything for you or Harper.”
“Yeah, I can see why you wouldn’t want to help me, but a part of you still feels something for her. You know you do. Harper’s still messed up from her dad’s overdose, and I know the end of your friendship was…complicated.”
My face grows as hot as a furnace. Fuck him for using the pain of our ruined friendship to get what he wants. He’s the reason she and I aren’t friends anymore.
Still, he’s right that I could use that scholarship. I already have a mounting debt from living expenses. An extra ten grand would mean less time working my ass off to make my monthly loan payments years from now.
I need to be objective here.
He nods. “She broke up with me at the beginning of the summer because of a stupid argument she might not even remember, but she’s stubborn and wants to punish me.”
My smile must look like a sneer. “Smart girl.”
He narrows his eyes, though his lips quirk. “I didn’t ask for your opinion, just if you’ll help me win her back.” His face sobers. “Will you?”
I want to say no. That childish part of me that never wanted him with her in the first place is screaming inside me. But I can’t listen to it. There’s no hope for me and Harper to reconcile. Her life—and who she chooses to date—is none of my concern.
“Yeah, I’ll do it.”
Tristan stares at me for a long moment, his eyes narrowed. Why does he look disappointed that I said yes?
He’s up to something. That’s what this is. He’s not really trying to win Harper back but colluding with her to embarrass me again.
I wish I knew exactly what his game was. He’s constantly keeping me guessing.
“What exactly do you expect me to do?” I ask.
He leans against his wall, studying me intently. “You know Harper loves attention. And she gets jealous easily. We need to make her think that we’re really falling for each other during this competition, but without letting anyone else in on our secret.”
My palms tingle. I don’t like this. I don’t like it at all. The idea of getting that close to Tristan is…uncomfortable.
But then again, isn’t it the perfect opportunity for me? If I want to get revenge on Tristan, this is my way in. This is how I’ll show him that he can never have me. That no matter what he tries, I won’t fall for him. I just have to make sure I can keep calm and aloof.
“Fine,” I say. “I’m in. Reluctantly.”
His gaze grows hooded. “That’s my girl.”
Warmth creeps into my cheeks.My girl. Why do I like it when he says that? Just like this morning when he called me his nerd.
