The Fill - In Boyfriend
Episode 9

“Ya, I saw.”

She kept handing me the phone and I saw a picture of us seven crowding around the table during the prom. Most of my date's head was hidden by my own head and I found myself wishing I hadn't. I endured a sigh of frustration over the thought and returned the phone.

I was thinking, Jules said.

Not a good thing, I thought.

"It's weird that Bradley knew someone else from our school. Not only know him but have a relationship with him behind your back. What possibility? "

Rubbish. Our story is hollow. Huge ones. Everyone seems to be analyzing this statement as all their eyes are on me now to explain. A harmless lie. I thought that was all I had to say that night at the prom. I just changed the order of the show. And now here I am, still lying. I feel myself building the web and I fear the only one who will get stuck in it is me.

“He used to live here before I knew him. Before he went to school. He must have known her since then. "

“Who is he exactly?” Claire asked this time. “We have to find him and talk to him. Tell him to stay away from Bradley. "

“I don't recognize it. Maybe he didn't even go to school here. Maybe he went to prom with a friend. " My anxiety is rising, my heart is pounding. I don't like to lie. Luckily for me, Daniel Carlson stepped out into our group, wrapped his arm around my shoulder. I'm happy for the disruption, knowing he'll turn the subject into the OSIS stuff we've been working on for the last few weeks. Or at least that's why I think he's here. That's all we ever talk about again.

“So, now you are single. . . ”

Or maybe he won't change the subject. "I'm not repeating it, Daniel."

She laughs. "Too bad for you."

“Ya, it makes me sad.”

“So,” said. “Rally emergency. The sound system for the gym is down. Mr Green did not know if this would be fixed by Friday. "

Okay, we'll talk about it at today's meeting.

“As vice president, I feel it is important to report this immediately because I am just a servant of your authority.”

Check it. "Bodo time. See you after school. "

I'm dismissed, boss?

I smile. "Go."

He ran away, joined a group of other girls in front of us. Claire and Laney had been left a few steps behind, talking about calculus homework, but Jules was still by my side.

“I think he said that he doesn't know our city very well. He asked if we had an arcade, ” said Jules.

I blinked, confused. "What?"

Something inside me flinched. I won't stand this anymore. I've been trying to play well for months now, thinking if I didn't do it, they would probably choose him over me. But now, I have to take risks because I am tired of feeling like I have to defend myself whenever I hang out with my best friends. So in the lowest and most resolute voice I could do, I said, "I'm done. You met Bradley. He's clearly real. If you keep playing any game you play, I'll take my friends and you'll go. ”

My hand trembled and I put it in his pocket so he couldn't see how upset I was to say that. I assume that what I told Bradley last night was true — that he thought I was the leader of this group. If he thought so, this power play would work.

He narrowed his eyes and his head clinked one notch to the side, like a lioness who was judging the next meal. “I'm not sure what you're talking about,” her mouth said despite her gaze saying, “Game on.”

"good. It was just my imagination. " I took the steps to building C quickly, going beyond the group. “See you at lunch.”

The group's farewell echoed from the three of them and I ducked into the building while they continued on to the next one. I pressed my back against the wall, counted ten deep breaths until the unsteadiness disappeared, then proceeded to the classroom.

I sat in my chair and the girl in front of me, a girl who used to sit on the other side of the room, turned around to give me a quiz that Miss Rios had already shared.

"Thank you," I said, upset Mrs. Rios has chosen to give us a short quiz on the Monday after the prom. I pulled out my phone and quickly tweeted: PSA: Pop Quiz in Government. That should have given me some points with my followers. It makes me feel better to do something good after what I just said to Jules. I took a breath and slipped my phone.

"Bad day?" the girl in front of me asked.

I met his eyes with a pitch-black line, as usual, and gasped. It fills Bradley's sister.

CHAPTER 7

Bec? I asked.

He just grinned at me then turned around, took a pencil from his backpack.

"That's very unfair" I said. “You don't look like this at prom.” I pointed towards her clothes, which were plated in black with more black, then to her face, which was almost the same as the makeup my grandmother wore that was hoarding makeup on bingo night.

“It was a social experiment. You failed." Bec stop. “Or managed to prove us right. Anyhow. "

“So you're mad at me for not recognizing you when you intentionally made it impossible.”

If it was your worst offense, I'd consider myself lucky.

I did something else to him? Something worse?

Madam Rios cleared her throat. “Girls, don't talk. Time for a quiz. "

This morning did not start well. Fill-in Bradley could have told me that his sister usually dressed up as a member of a heavy metal band. I might remember it at that time. He has only been here a few months — transfer middle of the year. As far as I can remember, I didn't say more than two words to him, so I'm not sure what my other offense was.

I was sidetracked for the whole quiz, my mind barely registering a question let alone being able to answer it in a smart way. I tried my best, then stared at the back of Bec's other head in the class waiting for a chance to talk to him. When the bell rang, I grabbed my backpack as fast as he grabbed his bag and adjusted his steps to step out the door.

"What?" he barked while we were in the hall.