The Secret Life of a Dream Girl (Creative HeArts) Read Free Page A

teeth just when he’d finally sacked up and started across the gym to talk to her. He’d planned on opening with a joke, making her laugh. Then he’d strike up a conversation before finally asking her to dance.
    It had seemed like a good plan, a solid plan—right up until Finn fucking McCain swooped in and grabbed her up from practically right in front of him.
    Normally, he liked Finn—even considered him a casual friend, as they sat next to each other in three classes. But considering the way he was currently holding Dahlia on the dance floor, his hand on her lower back, his body wrapped around hers, it was becoming harder and harder to remember that he was a decent guy.
    Turning away from his own group of friends, most of whom were huddled together trying to work out where to go for the after-party, he ducked under the half-open edge of the tent and went looking for a bathroom. Or any other place he could be by himself for a few minutes. And if there happened to be a tree nearby for him to beat his head against, so much the better.
    It was just his luck that his friend Jacen followed him, clapping him on the back as they wandered through the venue’s elaborate grounds.
    “What’s up?” Jacen asked as he pulled a black flask with a skull and crossbones out of his inside jacket pocket and offered it to him. Keegan thought about taking a drink—God knew he could use it right about now—but in the end, he just shook his head. This was a school function, and the last thing he needed was to get caught with alcohol on his breath. His mom had enough to deal with right now without him adding a suspension into the mix.
    Jacen shrugged, then twisted off the cap and took a long swallow before shoving the flask back into his pocket. He didn’t say anything for a little while, and neither did Keegan. Instead, they just listened to the music leaking out from the tent, and the occasional whoop or cheer that punctuated the otherwise still garden air.
    But eventually, Keegan couldn’t stand the silence anymore. Too much time to think about how easily Finn had moved in on Dahlia. Too much time to wonder how he was supposed to compete with the son of a freaking movie star.
    “So, did you guys decide where the after-party’s going to be?”
    “Finn volunteered. Said we could take it back to his and Willa’s place as long as we keep it small.” Jacen grinned, obviously excited. “What do you think the odds are we’ll get to meet Mia McCain?”
    Finn’s house? Seriously? The universe was screwing with him. It had to be. There was no other reasonable explanation. Because why else would Finn be throwing the after-party? “You know, maybe I’ll skip out. Go home early.”
    “ Go home early? What are you talking about?” Jacen stared at him like he’d lost his mind. “This is senior year! Senior year! And with everything he’s got in that huge house, this is guaranteed to be the best after-party ever! I bet there will even be karaoke. And Mia McCain !” he said again, like the possibility of meeting her couldn’t be overestimated.
    “Yeah, well, I wouldn’t hold your breath about that. I’m pretty sure she’s got something better to do than hang around a high school party.” He shrugged. “Besides, I’m just not really feeling it, you know?”
    “What’s not to feel?” But when he saw the look on Keegan’s face, he got serious pretty quickly. “Hey, you okay? What’s going on?”
    Keegan just shook his head. This whole senior year thing wasn’t turning out quite like he’d expected it to. When summer had started, he’d felt like he had the world on a string, like this bright future was right there in front of him, just waiting for him to snatch it up. Now, though? Now he was just praying to make it through the next few months with his world intact.
    All of a sudden, Jacen cursed under his breath. “Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t think to ask. Is everything all right with your dad?”
    “Yeah, he’s good.