chapter two

As much as I tried to steer clear of anything involving Josh at school, it was impossible to escape him at home. In my mom's mind, Josh and I were still friends. And technically, we used to be—years ago. Freya, Nathan, Josh, and I had been inseparable until everything between Josh and me fell apart. To this day, they didn't know the full story, but they had stood by me when it all crumbled.

  Our moms, however, were a different story. My mom and Sarah, Josh's mom, had been best friends since high school. They went to the same college, got married around the same time, and apparently decided to continue their tradition of being in each other's lives through their kids. So, even after the fallout—which my mom was blissfully unaware of—she still managed to bring him up in conversation like nothing had changed.

  "So, tell me, how was school today?" she asked as I walked into the kitchen.

  "The usual," I muttered, grabbing an apple from the counter and biting into it.

  "Come on, you know I live through you," she teased with a laugh.

  I rolled my eyes but couldn't help smiling. "Okay, fine. Today was uneventful. I signed up to be class president."

  Her eyes lit up. "That's great, sweetie! You've wanted that since you were seven."

  I nodded. "It'll look great on my college application for Yale. Nothing—and I mean nothing—is going to ruin it for me."

  "By the way…" Her tone changed, casual yet far too deliberate. "I invited Sarah over for dinner tonight. She's bringing Josh. You two can catch up."

  I nearly choked on the piece of apple in my mouth. "Mum! You should have started with that! I'm going to Freya's!"

  "No, young lady, you're staying here and having dinner with us," she said firmly.

  "But Mum—"

  "No buts."

  "But Freya—"

  "Will understand," she interrupted. "I can't go back on my word, Leah. Sarah's been dying to see you for months, and you know how busy she's been with her book tour."

  I groaned, slumping against the counter. It wasn't Sarah I had an issue with—I adored her. It was her son I couldn't stand. "I'm going to pass on the sad news to Freya," I said dramatically, throwing my head back for effect.

  Mum rolled her eyes. "Tell her I'm sorry."

 I groaned and trudged upstairs to my room. Once I closed the door, I leaned against it and slid down to the floor. Pulling out my phone, I hit speed dial for Freya.

  Freya: "What's up, bitch?"

  Leah: "I have bad news."

  Freya: "When do you ever have good news?"

  Leah: "Hey! That's not true. The bad news is…I won't be coming over because Mum planned this dinner I can't get out of. She invited Sarah. And Josh."

  Freya gasped dramatically. "The horror."

  I could hear her stifling laughter, which only annoyed me further.

  Leah: "It's not funny, Frey. My nemesis is going to be in my house."

  Freya: "Why haven't you told your mum you and Josh aren't friends anymore? You can't stand each other."

  Leah: "That would break her heart. Both their hearts, actually."

  Freya sighed. "Well, then, keep pretending. You're both pretty good at it anyway."

  Leah: "God, I hate him. Have you heard from Nate?"

  Freya: "He's fine, surprisingly. It's weird. I thought he'd be more heartbroken."

  Leah: "Maybe he's just pretending to be fine."

  Freya: "I don't know, mehn. I think I'd know if he was pretending."

  Leah: "I'll call—"

  "Leah! Come downstairs now, Sarah's here!"

  Freya: "Looks like your nemesis has arrived. I'll see you in school tomorrow. Love you."

  Leah: "Bye. Wish me luck."

  Freya: "Win."

  I hung up and stared at my phone for a moment. That was exactly what I needed to do—win. By being the best pretender in the world. Standing up, I opened the door and plastered a smile onto my face. As I walked downstairs, my heart raced, my steps slower than usual. And then, there he was. Standing in my living room, looking smug as ever.

 Josh Salvatore. My nemesis.

  "Well, hello there, Jay," I greeted sweetly, letting the nickname roll off my tongue like honey. 

  Josh froze for a moment, then staggered back in mock surprise. His eyes narrowed as I smirked—victory was mine. I hadn't called him that name in years, and I knew it would get under his skin. 

  "What games are you playing now?" he asked, his voice low and suspicious. 

  "Me? Nothing at all," I said, feigning innocence as I tilted my head. I walked towards him slowly, keeping my smirk intact. The mantra repeated in my head like a drumbeat: *I hate you. I hate you.* 

  "Look at you! Ugh, my baby is all grown up," Sarah's voice rang out behind me, warm and familiar. 

  I turned to her, my smirk softening into a genuine smile. "I've missed you so much," I said as I pulled her into a tight hug. She patted my back gently. "I've missed you tons, sweetie." When I pulled away, I studied her face. Her green eyes sparkled more than I remembered, and the new hair color suited her perfectly. 

  "Ginger looks good on you," I said, gesturing to her hair. Sarah raked a hand through her auburn locks, her smile sheepish. "You think? Josh said he hates it." 

  "I did not," Josh interjected quickly. "I only said it's... different." 

  "Different is good," I said pointedly, turning my attention back to Sarah. 

  "You get it. *He* doesn't," Sarah teased, giving me a playful wink. 

  *Leah: 2. Josh: 0.* 

  I bit back a triumphant grin. Tonight, I had come to win. "Tell me everything that's been happening, sweets," Sarah said as she linked her arm through mine and pulled me toward the kitchen. Her warmth was contagious, and for a brief moment, I felt at ease. 

  "Where do I even begin?" I mused, glancing back over my shoulder. 

 Josh was still standing there, arms crossed, watching me like a hawk. His eyes narrowed suspiciously as if trying to decipher my every move. I offered him a cheeky wave, which only made his frown deepen. Satisfied, I turned back to Sarah, letting my voice brighten. "Well, for starters, the town has been its usual chaotic self. The summer festival was a hit" "tell me about *you*! How's the book tour? Any juicy stories?" Sarah grinned, her enthusiasm spilling over as she launched into a tale about her travels, and for a moment, I could almost forget the presence of the boy who irritated me more than anyone else in the world. Almost. Because even as I focused on Sarah, I could still feel his gaze burning into my back. "I ran into your favorite author while on tour," Sarah said casually, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "I have signed copies waiting for you at home." 

  My jaw dropped. "*What?!* Are you serious?" 

  She laughed as I squealed, practically bouncing on the spot. "I love you so much, Sarah. You're the absolute best." 

  Before she could respond, Mom's voice carried from the kitchen. "Dinner's ready, everyone!" 

  Sarah gave me a knowing smile. "We have so much to catch up on, but let's go help your mom before she comes after us." 

  "I heard that!" Mom's voice chimed again, making us both laugh. 

  "C'mon, Josh," Sarah said, calling to her son, who had lingered near the living room. 

  I waited for him to approach, my lips curling into a taunting smile. "Whatever game you're playing, you should stop," he muttered under his breath as he came closer. 

  "Whatever do you mean, Jay?" I asked innocently, tilting my head. 

  "This!" He gestured vaguely, his frustration bubbling over. "Leave my mom out of whatever twisted agenda you have." 

  My expression hardened slightly, but I quickly masked it. "I would never hurt Sarah." 

  He scoffed, brushing past me without another word. 

  I rolled my eyes, muttering under my breath, "You really think the world revolves around you, don't you?" 

  Shaking off the moment, I made my way to the kitchen, determined not to let him ruin my evening. The dining table buzzed with laughter and chatter, Mom and Sarah diving into stories of their wild high school days. Their joy was infectious, and for a brief moment, I forgot about the tension between Josh and me. 

 I sneaked a glance at him. He was leaning back in his chair, smiling softly as he listened to his mom. His curly blonde hair fell over his eyes, and for a split second, I felt the strangest itch to brush it away. I quickly snapped out of it. 

 "Congratulations are in order for the soon-to-be class president!" Mom said suddenly, lifting her wine glass with a proud smile. 

 My eyes widened. "Mom!" 

 Sarah turned to me, her face lighting up. "Really? You're running? Oh, Leah, that's incredible! I remember you talking about this dream since you were little. I'm so proud of you." 

 I shrugged modestly, trying to downplay it. "I haven't exactly won yet. I just applied." 

 Sarah waved me off. "Oh, please. We all know no one else deserves that position but you. Isn't that right, Josh?" 

 I froze. My eyes darted to him, silently pleading with him to stay out of it. But when he turned to me, the smirk on his face sent shivers down my spine. 

 "I'm just finding out about it now, Mom," he said smoothly, his voice dripping with fake innocence. 

 "Well, now that you know," Sarah continued, oblivious, "you have to help her with anything she needs for her campaign." 

 Josh leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. His smirk deepened. "My pleasure," he drawled. 

 No one else noticed the subtle malice in his tone, but I did. His smirk felt like a warning, and I knew he was already planning something. To everyone else, he looked like a charming, supportive friend. But I knew the truth—Josh Salvatore was anything but an angel, and I'd just given him a reason to ruin me.