Page 131 of I Choose You

Kody tilted his head. “Uh, prom?”

I furrowed my brow. “I thought you were taking that girl from our chemistry class. Brooke.” I knew he was. I saw and overheard him ask from a seat in the back of the room.

He frowned, pensive, then cracked up. “Oh, yeah!” Shaking his head, he smirked at me. “Well, she couldn’t have believed I actually meant it. She had to know it was a joke. Why would I take her when I could bring someone like Tiffany instead?”

The girl walked back in at that moment, beaming at his compliment.

Shit. I felt terrible. My shoulders slumped as I headed upstairs to get away from my immature twin. He was such an ass. I remembered the way she lit up when Kody asked her.

I can’t let him do this to her.

I didn’t want to go. I wouldn’t. But I couldn’t stand the thought of him standing her up. She didn’t deserve that.

I’d only had my car for a week, but it was long enough for me to feel confident in speeding to school. Dad would be pissed if I got a ticket, but I had to hurry.

Brooke stayed at school late on Fridays. I wondered if it was because she didn’t have a ride and her mom worked so much. Maybe she was just nerdier than she seemed and liked the library. Either way, I knew she’d probably be there. I could run in and tell her.

Dammit. I didn’t see her.

“Come on,” Paige said around the corner. “We’ve got to get ready, Brooke.”

“I’m hurrying. I’m hurrying.” Brooke grumbled near the next row of bookshelves. “Who assigns a report due over prom weekend?”

I drew in a deep breath and stepped forward. Paige had headed out already, and it was just me and Brooke.

“Oh.” She smiled, surprised to see me.

Or not me. I flicked my hair back in that annoying way Kody did. “Hey.”

She frowned, confused, but then grinned. “What brings you to the library, Kody?”

Good, she thought I was him. “I can’t take you to prom tonight.”

Her expression fell. The tips of her ears turned red and she dropped her gaze to the floor. “Just… just like that?” she asked, her voice trembling.

I watched her withdraw as she looked back up at me posing as my asshole of a twin.

She was humiliated, and my anger grew. He had no right doing this to her. But I couldn’t think of anything to say. I was posing as Kody, and he never apologized or offered excuses for why he was such a jerk.

I turned and left. Saying nothing had to be better than continuing this lie.

But I felt marginally better knowing she wouldn’t be waiting all night for someone who’d never come.

44

BROOKE

“Hey,” I said gently.

Kaden blinked, raising his brows as he came back to me.

“Where’d you go?” I asked, smiling as he softened his expression from one of blank musing.

“Just thinking.” He cleared his throat. “About what you said.”

I frowned. Which part? He’d looked so upset and bothered by whatever memory or idea had struck him.

“High school.”