My Fake Boyfriend Is the School Bad Boy novel Chapter 48

Chapter 48 A Party Meant to Seal the Rumor

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Chase Montgomery’s house wasn’t just a house; it was a sprawling, three-story glass and steel compound tucked into the hills above the city. The massive front doors were propped wide open. A spill of harsh blue LED light bled out onto the manicured driveway, illuminating the chaotic swarm of Crestview Prep students. The air was already thick, reeking of stale beer, sweet vape smoke, and the sharp bite of

expensive perfumes.

I stopped at the edge of the brick walkway. My stomach completely hollowed out.

I didn’t do parties. I spent my Friday nights organizing my study guides for the upcoming week or helping my mom close down the diner. The sheer volume of the music and the press of warm bodies terrified me.

“We don’t have to go in.”

Ryder’s low, rough voice broke through the thumping bass. He stepped up beside me, the worn leather of his jacket brushing my bare shoulder. I had worn a simple black top and jeans, trying to blend in, but standing next to him made me painfully aware of how exposed I

felt.

I looked up at his profile. The harsh porch light caught the fading yellow bruise on his cheekbone.

“We have to,” I replied, my voice sounding incredibly thin over the noise. “Harper was questioning the timeline again in third period. If we don’t show up tonight, she’ll tell everyone we’re just putting on a show for the hallways. We need to solidify our status. We need them to

see us outside of school.”

“I don’t care what Harper thinks,” he muttered, his jaw locking tight.

‘I do, I reminded him, my fingers curling tightly around the strap of my small crossbody bag.

But as I stared at the sharp line of his throat, I knew the cheating rumor was only half the reason my heart was hammering a frantic,

uneven rhythm against my ribs.

I’ve been standing right behind you for four years. You just never turned around.

The devastating confession from the empty English classroom yesterday had completely rewired my brain. Every time I looked at him, I didn’t see the terrifying bad boy anymore. I saw the boy who memorized my coffee order. I saw the boy who bought an obscure sci-fi novel just because I gave a presentation on it.

The fake dating contract was entirely dead. The lines were so blurred I couldn’t even see them anymore. And walking into a dark, crowded party with a boy who harbored that level of intense, quiet devotion felt like walking directly into a burning building.

Ready?” he asked, turning his head to meet my gaze. The golden shards in his hazel eyes were sharp, catching the blue light.

Yes, I lied

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12:50 Fri, Jul 10

Chapter 48 A Party Meant to Seal the Rumor

Ryder didn’t offer a reassuring smile. He didn’t tell me it would be fine. He just reached out, his large, calloused hand completely enveloping mine. His rough fingers laced through mine with a heavy, grounding finality. The burning heat of his skin sent a massive jolt

of electricity straight up my arm.

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He pulled me forward, and we walked into the house.

The heat inside was absolute and suffocating. The hallway was packed shoulder-to-shoulder with sweating teenagers holding red plastic

cups. The bass was so loud it rattled my teeth.

Ryder didn’t hesitate. He led the way, his broad shoulders cutting through the crowd like a knife.

The reaction was instantaneous,

People didn’t just step aside; they completely stopped talking. A senior girl laughing loudly mid-sentence choked on her drink as her eyes darted from Ryder’s bruised face down to our joined hands. A group of guys from the lacrosse team flattened themselves against the hallway wall to let us pass, their expressions a mix of fear and completely unguarded shock.

“She actually came with him.”

Look at his grip.

I thought it was just a rumor.”

The whispers hissed through the crowd, completely audible over the deafening music.

Ryder ignored them entirely. He kept me pulled tight against his side. Every time someone bumped into my shoulder, his grip on my hand tightened, a dark, heavy warning that made the offender scramble backward with frantic apologies.

We reached the massive, open-concept kitchen. The bright overhead lights were glaring. The marble island was covered in sticky pools of spilled alcohol, empty bottles, and scattered lime wedges.

Jenna was standing near the refrigerator, holding a hard seltzer. When she saw us walk in, her eyes widened to the size of saucers. She immediately tapped the arm of the girl next to her.

“Stay here, Ryder murmured, his mouth hovering just an inch from my ear. The smell of cedar and peppermint completely washed over me, a brief, intoxicating relief from the sour smell of the kitchen.

He let go of my hand. The sudden absence of his heat left me shivering, despite the stifling room.

He grabbed two clean red cups from a stack on the counter, filled them with water from the refrigerator dispenser, and walked back to me. He handed me a cup. The plastic was cold, the condensation instantly dampening my palms.

Drink, he ordered softly. “It’s just water. You look like you’re about to pass out.

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12:50 Fri, Jul 10

Chapter 48 A Party Meant to Seal the Rumor

I took a slow sip. The cold water soothed my dry, completely raw throat. I looked over the rim of the cup.

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Ryder was standing incredibly close, his body angled to block me from the staring crowd. He wasn’t looking at the party. He was entirely focused on me, his dark eyes tracking the frantic pulse beating at the base of my neck.

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