“LIV! HEY! LIV!” GREY IS ON MY TAIL AS I BURST OUT OFthe shadow of the main building and into the parking lot.
Oh, hell no.
I pick up the pace until I’m literally sprinting toward where Helena’s parked next to an island.
A crush of disappointment, shame, and anger constricts my lungs until I can’t breathe. It’s like I’m piled under a bunch of bodies yet again, nose to the turf. Still, I weave through the cars. Why the hell are there so many people still here?
“Liv! O-Rod,please.”
The tears squeak through my eyes now. Goddammit, why can’t they wait until I’m in the car?
I will not sob. I will not break down. I can’t—
“Olive.” There’s a hand on my shoulder.
Fresh tears immediately fall as I wrench myself away. I don’t want him touching me again. Not now. Not ever. I wheel on him, backing toward my car.
“Don’t.”
Grey’s hands are raised in front of his body. I want to slap him. I want to leave angry red fingerprints on his cheek.
“Liv. Listen—”
“Don’t you dare.”
“If you’d let me explain—”
“Explain what?” Car doors are swinging open, people coming to see what the commotion is all about, and I suddenly don’t care. Let them see and hear the whole damn thing. “That you didn’t mean to use me as revenge? Against Stacey?” My eyes tighten. “To make yourself feel better aboutyourcolossal mistake?”
Grey draws himself up to his full height, hands down, features granite. Bastard. “Don’t act like you weren’t out for revenge, too.” He leans in, suddenly mindful of our growing audience. Out of the corner of my eye, I recognize Jake taking a step toward us, only to be pulled back by Kelly. “You can say it was all about getting on the softball team. But I know you. I know that deep down in your heart, being on this team was just as much about steamrolling Jake as it was about impressing my mother.”
He’s right. I saw my opportunity for revenge before Grey and Shanks had even finished their pitch.
“Maybe that’s true,” I shoot back at him, not bothering to lower my own voice. There’s definitely a crowd now. The bodies are a blur—teammates, classmates, teachers, parents. Hell if I know. A big fat tear rolls into my mouth as I draw in a breath. “But youliedto me. I believed you when you said you wanted to be my friend. I believed you when you said you liked me. I believed you when you kissed me. I’myour girlfriendand you still used me. I may have had my own motives for joining the team, but Ineverlied to you.”
I place both hands squarely on his chest and shove him away.
But Grey’s not done.
“I overheard you in Mom’s office and I felt sorry for you—I know how much of a hard-ass she can be. And then I saw you play with your brother and I had to tell Shanks. So what if you punched my ex-girlfriend? Who cares what she would think?”
“Then why didn’t you tell me about Stacey? She ruined my life.Youknew that. A lie by omission is still a lie.” Staring him down, I dare him to glance away. Dare him.
And suddenly, there’s real anger in his face, not just frustration. “She didn’t ruin it.Youpunched her. You broke her nose. You got yourself kicked out of that fancy-ass private school. You did that. Nobody else.”
The words sound like something he’s told himself overand over since his stupid car crash. Maybe something his mom drilled into his head.
But, even still, the words hit their mark and anger rips through my veins, shoving past the sadness. The embarrassment. The shame.
I finally get my fingers wrapped around my keys. I yank them out of my bag and stare him down. “I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
I turn and stuff my keys into the lock, but Grey dares to touch me again. “I did this for you. Ninety-nine percent of my motivation was to help you and the team. I swear.”
I want to believe it. But I just can’t.
“Bullshit, Worthington.” Jake’s wiggled out of Kelly’s arms and moved next to Grey, his left eye swollen shut. Behind him, I see half the team there—not just Kelly, but Topps, the whole offensive line, Sanchez, Brady, Tate, Smith. I don’t see my family, though, or Addie and Nick, and it’s a major relief. “You were using her and we all knew it.”
Jake’s defending me. But somehow that makes it worse. I’ve been a part of this team for weeks—so many sweaty hours together, and no one,no one, warned me that Grey had a past with Stacey. Any one of them could’ve pulled me aside and filled me in on the backstory so that I wouldn’t be so blindsided.
