Chapter 23

 

Elsie

 

After we spent the entire weekend together, Trevor wants to see me again. Score! I wonder what it’s going to be this time? Dinner and a movie at my place? Or will he take me out and we go back to his place? I’m dreaming of the endless possibilities as I skip along the crowded sidewalk to my car. I smile at strangers as they walk by me. I feel joy swell my heart. I never thought this level of happiness would ever find me, but my time has come. Finally.

I round the corner, then jog across the street even though the crosswalk sign is clearly flashing ‘DON’T WALK’ and when I’m closer to my car, I see Priscilla standing there in full winter gear with her arms crossed. She looks p-o’d but I don’t let her foul mood destroy my happy one.

“Hey, Priscilla.”

“I take it you’ve been busy,” she says with an unwarranted attitude and a slight edge to her voice.

“I have. What about you?”

“Um…not busy at all. I’ve just been wondering where my best friend has been these days since she doesn’t call on text me anymore.”

I can’t believe she’s trying to make me feel guilty. “I’ve been busy,” I tell her, hit the button to unlock my car doors and toss my backpack on the backseat.

“Busy with who? Trevor Myerson?” I frown and look at her trying to figure out how it’s possible that she knows my boyfriend’s name when I’ve never introduced the two.

“Yeah, I know him,” she says as if reading my thoughts.

“How do you know him?”

“Okay, I have to tell you something. I’m sure you’ll get a kick out of it.”

“What’s going on, Priscilla?”

“Trevor Myerson is not who he says he is, okay, and he probably doesn’t even like you. I found him on a social media site and basically, I told him to ask you out.”

My frown deepens. Heart races as it slowly begins breaking. “You’re lying.”

“No, I actually did it,” she says, matter-of-factly. “I met him at a coffee shop, gave him your information and offered him a consultant position with Billie if he asked you out. He accepted my offer.”

My head is spinning. This can’t be real. It can’t be.

“I know it’s hard to believe, but—”

“Why would you do something like that, Priscilla?”

“Because you told me you wouldn’t talk to a guy unless he was the man of your dreams. Well, I found the man of your dreams and when he asked you out, he told me you said no like I knew you would. It was supposed to end there, but he took it upon himself to convince you to have dinner with him.”

I can’t wrap my mind around what she’s telling me so, I question her further. “So, this was all a joke to you?”

“Well, no—I was trying to help you, Elsie.”

“Help me do what? Make a fool out of myself!”

“No.”

“Then what?”

Priscilla stares at me but doesn’t answer my question. After a moment of silent guilt passes, she says, “Look, I just wanted to come clean before you get too wrapped up with this guy. I mean, think about it. If he’ll be willing to go out with you in order to get a position with Billie, I don’t think he’s the right kind of guy for you. But don’t worry. There will be others.”

I’m tempted, I’m so freakin’ tempted to peel off this glove and slap her, but I’m hurting. The man I thought I was falling for—the man I thought was falling for me is nothing but a liar. He didn’t meet me by chance. He met me through a stunt, a joke that Priscilla had planned out.

“I can’t believe you would stoop so low and do something like this to me, Priscilla.”

“I’m sorry. Jeez. If I could take it back, I would, but—”

“But you did do it, and you call yourself my friend?”

“Elsie—”

I open the door to get in my car and she jumps in the way so I can’t close it.

“Move out of the way, Priscilla.”

“Just wait a minute, Elsie.”

“Move! And if I have to say it again, I’m going to get out of this car and push you out of the way.”

She moves this time. I slam and lock my door before speeding off. How could I have been so blind? So stupid? So easily fooled into thinking that a man like Trevor would find me interesting? Now, that I know the truth, it all makes sense. This was a hoax cooked up by Priscilla to see if I would turn down a chance to go on a date with the man of my dreams, and then Trevor saw it as an opportunity to befriend me so I could play the role of his fiancée in front of his parents. I guess, in the end, everyone got what they wanted, except for me. All I am is a fool and a fake fiancée.