Chapter
Forty
Rumors
Rys cornered Paige as she was looking for
her folder in her locker the next morning at school.
“Hey, are the rumors true?”
“What rumors?”
“The rumors that you and Shiloh are going
with Darcy and Ryan to the junior prom? Because I couldn’t believe you’d go
with Darcy, even if I’m not available.”
“I… I’m not planning on going with anyone.
I mean, no one’s even asked me.”
“So, if he did ask you, you’d go?”
“That’s a hypothetical question.”
“Whatever. Anyway, you won’t mind hearing
what someone told Wednesday.”
“Who?”
“Mackenzie Bingley.”
“What does she know about this?” Paige had
long suspected Mackenzie had a hand in this whole dating disaster.
“Well, I got talking to Wednesday on the
weekend, at some charity event she was helping out at and she mentioned the
whole story. Apparently Mackenzie had been laughing about what a dope your
sister was to actually think Ryan would be interested in her...”
“Uh huh…” Paige wasn’t shocked and realized
Rys looked disappointed when she didn’t show her anger.
“Anyway, she said her brother had been
just as deluded about Shiloh and was fully intending to ask your sister to
prom. To her credit, Mackenzie admitted Shiloh was both pretty and one of the
nicest girls she’d ever met, but then Ryan changed his mind.”
“Why would he do that?”
“Well, apparently, his father questioned his
taste in girls.”
“What do you mean?”
“He wanted to know why Ryan would take some
unknown girl when he could take the girl
of a partner his dad was doing some bank deal with.”
“Are you serious? Ryan doesn’t seem like the
kind of guy who would be so into money.”
“Well, I don’t think he is. In fact, he
started arguing with his dad about it until…”
“Until what?”
“Until Darcy agreed… with Ryan’s dad.”
“What do you mean?”
“He told Ryan that he didn’t think Shiloh
was into him anyway and it might be easier just to go along with his father’s
request to take the daughter of his work colleague. Apparently she’s friends
with Mackenzie too…”
“Really?”
“I only told you because I thought you’d
think it was funny.”
“Hilarious,” Paige said without smiling.
“Thanks for sharing.”
“Hey, I wouldn’t be too bothered, I’m so
over school proms… and debate club. You and Darcy are welcome to an Easy A. I’m
so over study. Oh and FYI? I’d love to take you to prom, girl, but I’m over
them too.”
But Shiloh wasn’t, Paige thought.
“… Hey, cheer up, Paige. I’d totally have
asked you if I were even going to be here…” he droned on. Suddenly Paige
realized what a fair weather friend Rys had become since the rush of popularity
he’d experienced online dating. Or maybe that’s who he had always been: the
egotistical bearer of bad news.
