Everyone from school was packed into the gym. Laurie and half the cheer squad had even arrived early to reserve some of the seats at the front. I got along with those girls well enough, but they weren’t really my friends. Not in the same way Hayley was.

The two of us ended up closer to the back of the bleachers, sitting with some of the girls from my drama class. There was something about drama that bonded kids together in a way none of the other classes at school did.

“Who’d you vote for?” Teagan asked as I sat down beside her. She’d been the lead in our last three school productions, and I was pretty sure the girl was going to end up in Hollywood one day. It wasn’t just because of her white blonde hair, dazzling green eyes, and perfect skin either. She was just that talented.

“No one,” I said. “It’s not really my thing.”

“It’s for charity,” Teagan said with a tsk. “It’s everyone’s thing.”

“I for one hope you all voted for me to be one of the lucky ladies,” Evan said, coming to sit on the other side of Hayley.

“You going to sweep our dashing bachelor off his feet?” I asked.

“Oh, no. He’s the one who’ll be doing all the sweeping,” Evan said, making us all laugh. If whoever was picked to be the bachelor swung even slightly that way, I had no doubt Evan would win. Evan looked like he belonged in a boy band. He was gorgeous, funny and had a heart of gold.

“I think we all know it’s just going to be a lineup of girls in cheerleading uniforms,” Teagan said, her shoulders sinking. “No offense, Hayley.”

“None taken,” Hayley replied. “Just as long as it’s not me. No boy here has enough chest hair to get a date with me.”

“You and me both,” Evan agreed. “We should really go out together one night, Hayles. I know a great uni-bar downtown that rarely IDs. Lots of hot older guys.”

“You had me at uni-bar,” she grinned.

The room began to quieten as the principal stepped onto the platform erected in the center of the basketball court and stood in front of the microphone stand.

“Many of our lives have been affected by the fires that came through here last year,” Mrs. Green began, her monotone voice vibrating softly through the speakers around the gym. “As a way of giving back to the community and helping those who lost so much in the devastation, your student council has set up a contest to help raise much-needed funds. Please welcome your student council president, Mr. Angus Fable, to tell you more.”

The room erupted in a cheer as Angus leaped onto the stage. He pulled the microphone from the stand and strode around the small stage, soaking up the applause. He grinned brightly at the crowd, not an ounce of nerves showing on his face. I’d hate to have to speak in front of the whole school, but Angus thrived on the attention.

“Thank you, Lincoln High!” he shouted into the microphone, causing the speakers to screech awkwardly. It didn’t throw Angus off his game though.

“You have all voted, and it means so much to this community,” he said. “I can’t wait to get this contest started. The film club is ready to record every romantic minute, and you’ll be able to watch a new episode every Sunday night. And, of course, you can vote for your favorite contestants each week, for a small fee, all for a good cause.”

There was a smattering of applause, led by Principal Green, who was beaming proudly at Angus. I really seemed to be the only person who wasn’t excited about the True Love contest.

“Now for the moment you’ve all been waiting for,” Angus called, waving a piece of paper above his head. “I have the results!”

The room went wild again, and Angus grinned broadly at the reaction. Looking around me I could see eager anticipation on every student’s face. I’d really underestimated how much interest there was in this competition.

“When your name is called, please make your way down to the stage. I’ll start with our bachelor. Drum roll please…”

The students began slamming their feet against the ground, and the stands rumbled with the sound.

“And your bachelor is…none other than Lincoln High’s star football player, Cole Kingston!”

Screams erupted and people jumped to their feet at the announcement. I slowly stood so I could see over everyone’s heads. There was no cheering or clapping from me though.

“Why the hell would they pick him?” I asked Teagan.

She shook her head at me but smiled. “Have you seen Cole? Why wouldn’t they pick him?”

I looked back toward where Angus was standing to find that Cole had joined him. Cole was grinning broadly as he stood on the stage and lapped up the attention. Tilting my head, I tried to understand what everyone else saw in him.

As I watched him shake Angus’ hand, Cole seemed to have a genuine smile on his face. He had a nice smile—I had to admit that. But he usually reserved a cruel smirk for me. His dirty blonde hair was also always messy. It was constantly hanging in his eyes, and he looked like he needed a good haircut. He was ripped, which I guess all the girls loved. His face must have been what really pulled them in though. He was unbelievably handsome. Even I couldn’t deny that.

Still, there had to be sweeter guys out there; kinder, more considerate boys, who wouldn’t enjoy the opportunity to break nine girls' hearts into a million pieces. Cole was like a god this school worshipped, and that was fine, but he was also a jerk and obviously not the right person for this contest. Lincoln High had picked the wrong bachelor.

“Alright, alright,” Angus called into the microphone. “Settle down, kids. We still need to announce our lovely ladies.”

The crowd quickly fell silent, but a few whispers remained as people tried to predict whose name would be called first.

“Our first girl is none other than the captain of our cheer squad and the captain of our hearts, Miss Laurie Wilson.”

People clapped as Laurie jumped to her feet, an unconvincing look of shock covering her face. It didn’t take long for her to gather herself before she skipped up onto the stage.

“Well, there’s our winner right there,” Evan said.

I couldn’t help but agree with Evan as Laurie stood next to Cole and smiled brightly up at him. They looked perfect together.

“Girl number two also comes from our fabulous cheer squad. She’s got the spirit, and she’s got this part, but can she win our bachelor’s heart? Give it up for the other half of the Wilson twins, Miss Brooke Wilson.”

As the students applauded once again, Laurie’s sister made her way to the stage, looking every inch as eager as her twin had. Brooke had always been the quieter one of the Wilson girls, and I got along with her much better than with Laurie. They weren’t identical, but the two girls looked scarily similar when their bleach blonde hair was pulled back into high ponytails.

“This takes sibling rivalry to a whole new level,” Hayley murmured to me.

“Tell me about it,” I agreed.

I slumped back in my seat as the next two names were announced. Anna and Sally, two more cheerleaders, were called up to the stage. I was beginning to think that Teagan had been right. We really would be watching the whole cheer squad chase after Cole. There was no need to pay for that though when we could just watch it in real life.

I perked up a bit as one of the girls from the basketball team, Maria, was called up. She looked so excited, and I started to smile as I watched her take the stage. I’d heard how friendly she was, and I’d seen her tear up a basketball court. Of all the contestants so far, she’d be the one to get my vote. That is, if I was planning on voting at all.

“Zoe Night,” Angus called the next name. Another surprise. Zoe practically ran the school newspaper, and I almost wondered if she’d somehow tricked her way into the lineup. She would do anything for a good story, and where better to get one than from the inside of the True Love contest?

When the next name was called the room fell silent, and only a few pathetic claps followed the girl to the stage. I even heard a few laughs.

“Willow Clarke, everyone!” Angus cheered, trying to draw a reaction from the crowd. “Come on up here, Willow.”

I frowned as I watched Willow approach the stage slowly. Glancing at my friends, I saw my own confusion reflected on their faces.

Willow was in my art class. She didn’t talk much, but she was sweet whenever we chatted. She was somewhat socially awkward and kind of kept to herself. It seemed strange that people had voted for her, but she was strikingly pretty, and the only thing that made her appear out of place on the stage was the nervous look on her face. As Willow walked down the row of contestants, I noticed a smirk spreading across Laurie’s features and she whispered something to her sister. Something about the way Laurie was grinning had me worried for Willow.

“What’s Laurie up to?” I murmured to Hayley.

“I overheard her talking with some of the other cheerleaders,” she replied. “They were all talking about nominating Willow as a joke. I didn’t think they were actually going to go through with it though.”

My stomach dropped. “Why would they do that?”

Hayley shrugged, looking as confused as I was. “Willow’s pretty shy. They probably thought she’d hate it.”

“I hope Willow beats them,” I growled, turning back to face the stage.

“Yeah, that would certainly show Laurie,” Hayley agreed.

Willow looked so lost up on the stage. She was like a rabbit stuck in the headlights. Her eyes were large, and she appeared to be frozen in place. I watched as Cole gave her a reassuring smile and Willow’s lips lifted in a small smile of her own. The gesture seemed kind, and for a brief moment I caught a glimpse of a Cole that didn’t seem quite so awful. Knowing him though, it was all for show. The entire school was watching him, after all.

I was analyzing the interaction so intently I didn’t hear as Angus announced the next contestant—probably another cheerleader. But as applause rose up from the students around me, people started turning in their seats to look at me. Hayley slammed her elbow into my side.

“Ow!” I exclaimed, shooting her a glare.

“Get up, you idiot, he’s calling your name.”

I whipped my head around to look down at the stage, where Angus had his hand reached out toward me. “Come on down, Madison Matthews. Don’t pretend you don’t want to!” he said into the microphone.

My blood turned cold as I realized what was happening.

“Who on Earth would vote for me?” I grabbed Hayley’s arm, desperate for it to be some horrible mistake. “I have a boyfriend.”

“That doesn’t matter right now, just go!” Hayley exclaimed. She practically shoved me to the end of the aisle, and I stumbled as I started down the first few steps. I was in a daze as I descended toward the basketball court and the podium where the rest of the contestants were waiting.

This could not be happening.

I felt sick to my stomach at the thought of being part of the competition and utterly bewildered as to why I had been picked.

As I looked up at the other contestants, Cole caught my eye. He was smiling broadly at me, just like he had been with the other girls. But I could have sworn there was a hint of smugness in his eyes. I was probably being paranoid, but I got a bad feeling that he wasn’t quite as surprised by my selection as I was.

I fell into place beside Willow. Up close, she looked even more terrified at the prospect of being on the stage than I had first thought. I could feel her trembling at my side. I wanted to reach out and squeeze her hand, but I couldn’t do it while all the vultures in the audience were watching. I didn’t want to draw any more attention to her if I could avoid it.

Instead, I looked across the bleachers, searching for Jake. I needed his reassurance right now. Even just a nod of his head to tell me everything was okay. When I finally spotted him in the crowd though, he was scowling and refusing to look in my direction. My stomach lurched at the sight. I kept watching him, waiting for him to turn my way, but he kept his focus on Angus, the frown at his forehead growing more pronounced with every minute that passed.

The next contestant to be announced was Teagan. She jumped to her feet, and I swear I saw her clench her fist in celebration. I wondered if it was because she liked Cole, but I also knew how much she would enjoy being on camera. She was so bright and confident as she came to stand next to me, and I felt a twinge of jealousy as I watched her. She’d made it look so easy to be in front of a crowd. All I wanted was to completely disappear.

The loudest cheer of the afternoon rattled around the gym as the final name was called and Evan began to descend the staircase. I looked down the line to see Cole’s reaction. He was laughing and gave an exaggerated shrug of his broad shoulders. Evan blew him a kiss and Cole playfully pretended to catch it. The show had already started, and the students seemed to love every second of it.

Everyone was still cheering as Evan moved to stand on the other side of Teagan. He took a grand bow, lapping up the adoration.

“Well folks, that’s our bachelor and our ten contestants,” Angus announced, waving a hand down the line at us. “Our very first episode will be airing this Sunday, so don’t forget to tune in, open your hearts, open your pockets and vote for your favorite!”

He flipped the microphone up in the air and caught it before he jumped off the stage and handed it back to Principal Green. She dismissed the assembly but asked all the contestants to stay behind for a briefing. As students began to file out of the gym, I tried to catch Jake’s attention, but he disappeared through the door in a flash. He didn’t look at me once, and I felt a surge of disappointment and rejection in my chest.

I let out a breath and walked over to Angus. He’d gotten me into this mess; surely he could get me out of it. We’d always gotten along well enough, and if there was anyone who could help me out, it was him.

“Hey, Angus,” I said, as I approached.

“Hey, girl,” he said, drawing me up in a hug. Angus was a hugger. Some people said he hugged his way to student council president and it was almost believable.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, as he dropped his arms from around me and noticed my expression.

I pulled him slightly aside so the others couldn’t overhear. “I can’t be a part of this,” I said.

“What do you mean?” he asked with a frown.

“Your True Love contest,” I said. “I have a boyfriend, it wouldn’t be right for me to compete.” Not to mention the fact that I hated the idea of fighting for a guy’s attention, especially when said guy was such a jerk.

Angus hesitated as he considered his response. “I know you and Jake are together, but it’s not like this is real. It’s just a bit of fun for charity. Plus, you’ll get extra credit for taking part.”

“I understand that, but I still don’t think it’s right,” I replied, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Look,” Angus said. “The people in our school voted for you for a reason. They like you and they look up to you. Do you really want to let them down?”

I chewed on my lower lip. Would I really be letting the rest of the school down if I didn’t play along?

“At the end of the day you have to remember that this is just another charity fundraiser,” he continued. “And it’s for an excellent cause. We both know people who lost everything in those fires last year. I know I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I didn’t try to do everything in my power to help them out and I think that this will work.”

I suddenly doubted my own convictions. I knew Angus was just trying to make me feel guilty, but everything he was saying was true. Was I really so selfish that I would back out because of Jake?

“What seems to be the problem?” a voice asked behind me. I didn’t need to turn to know it was Cole.

“Madi doesn’t want to take part in the competition,” Angus said.

I glared at him. Traitor.

Cole came to stand at my side. His eyes appeared to be filled with concern, but I could never be sure when his expressions were genuine. “Is this true, Madi?” he asked.

“It just doesn’t look right when I have a boyfriend,” I replied. However, I was beginning to have doubts about whether that was a good enough reason to back out. Angus really knew how to load on the guilt when he needed to.

Cole huffed out a breath and ran a hand through his messy hair. He watched me carefully for several moments, his eyes calculating. I began to feel uncomfortable under the intensity of his stare, though I’d never admit it aloud.

“Can you give us a minute?” Cole eventually asked, glancing at Angus.

Angus nodded, leaving the two of us to talk. I really wished he’d stayed. Cole was still staring at me with those penetrating eyes.

“I understand why you’re worried,” he said, surprising me.

“You do?”

“Yeah,” he replied. “But I know Jake trusts you and will understand if you want to take part. If you’re willing to give it a try, I think you’d be a really great addition to the competition.”

I’d expected him to joke around or try to goad me into committing to the contest. A part of me even expected him to say he didn’t want me in the competition anyway. I certainly hadn’t expected him to be supportive, and I didn’t know how to respond. He thought I’d be a great addition? What did that even mean?

My eyes narrowed as I considered his words further. There was no way he could actually mean that. Knowing Cole, he probably just wanted to watch me make a fool of myself in front of the whole school.

“Nice try, Cole,” I replied. “But is your vendetta against me really so important that you’d drag me into this competition when it’s clearly not fair to me or Jake.”

Cole frowned, and his eyes dropped to the ground. For a brief second I thought he looked sad, but when he lifted his eyes again, his usual confidence had replaced whatever ghost of an emotion had appeared in his gaze.

“Think what you want, Matthews,” he said, before taking a step closer to me. “But, just so you know, if you back out of this, I’m going to know it’s because you’re scared.”

“You think a little competition scares me?” I asked.

“I know it does,” he replied.

“Well, you’re wrong.”

“Prove it,” he said.

There it was. The goading I’d initially been expecting from him. I didn’t feel the need to prove anything to him, but I’d already begun to consider joining the competition. I’d only been thinking of myself when my name had first been announced, but I was starting to realize we’d be doing a lot of good for charity. Showing Cole that I wasn’t scared would also be a bonus.

“You don’t have to prove anything,” Angus said, re-joining us and shooting Cole a dirty look. “But if it makes you feel any better, we can script it so Cole dismisses you in the first round,” he added. “We really want you to be a part of it though.”

Cole frowned at him. “That doesn’t seem to be in the spirit of the competition,” he said, his words rigid and unyielding.

“It works for me,” I said, butting in before Angus could decide to take the offer back. I was still uncertain about the whole thing, but it felt wrong to back out of the competition entirely. This seemed like a good alternative.

“Then we’re agreed,” Angus said with a smile.

Cole looked pissed, but I let out a breath, feeling a sense of relief. I could take one week of this. I just hoped that Jake would understand.