“Yeah, it will.”
“Yo, Thompson,” a voice bellows.
My shoulders tense as I turn around to find Reese, one of the guys from the football team I abandoned last year after my drinking started getting out of control. I release a silent sigh as I merely nod at him.
“What’s up, Reese?”
He’s with a group of his mates whose names I barely know—I should, but I don’t.
Reese smirks at me. “I heard you went to rehab this summer. Is that true?”
My chest tightens at his words, and I curse internally because someone has clearly run their mouth. The one thing I asked to stay in confidence.
“Go away, Reese,” JJ mumbles.
Reese’s brows hit his hairline. “So, it’s true?”
“And what if it is?” I rasp. “It’s got nothing to do with you.”
“Shit.” He covers his mouth as the rest of the boys look equally amused. “Coach is never going to let you back on the team now.”
I scowl at him. “I don’t want to be on your shitty team anyway.”
Reese’s eyes flare. “Yeah, well, it’s better now you’re not on it, Thompson. You were dragging us down.”
My eyes roll. “Whatever.”
When they leave, all the boys look at me as I take a sip of my water. “Ignore them,” Silas says dismissively. “The football team thinks they’re in the Premier League.”
I snort at that. “Trust me, they’re the last thing I’m thinking of.”
My eyes flick between the three of them, and the silence is almost deafening.
“Any of you guys say anything about me going to rehab?”
JJ’s face scrunches up. “I would never.”
Silas agrees with him, and when I look at Ronan, he releases a long breath that tells me everything I need to know.
“It slipped out, Finn.” Ronan drags a hand down his face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think it would go around like that.”
“Wow.” JJ shakes his head in disbelief. “You are an asshole.”
I release a cold laugh. “Slipped out, huh?”
“Finn,” Ronan murmurs. “I’m sorry. I fucked up.”
Without another word, I grab my bag and sling it over my shoulder. I stand from the bench and head to class early because I don’t know what I’ll say to Ronan if he continues talking.
When you ask your friends not to say anything, it’s loyalty that you don’t.
I’m not perfect by any means, but this is something I wanted to keep to myself. Not have the entire university know that I’m an alcoholic and had to go to rehab to get back on track. Maybe I am embarrassed, but I shouldn’t be when it gave me a new lease of life.
If I didn’t go to rehab, I fear where I’d be right now.
The second my class starts, I can’t wait for it to be over. All I can think about is Maya and Skye. It’s the one afternoon Maya said I could come over when Nina is at work, and I said I’d be there without a doubt.
As soon as I’m in my car and on the way to her house, butterflies fill my stomach. My clammy fingers clutch my steering wheel at the thought of seeing them again. It’s all I’ve been able to think about for days.
