Page 100 of Fall Fake-Out

Fantastic. Exactly what I needed tonight.

Ari immediately scrambles upright.

I stand too, brushing grass off my jeans. “It’s after school hours.”

“You’re standing—or should I say lying—on the high school football field. Nothing about this is after hours.”

Dad nods once as if he agrees. But it’s the look on his face, the disappointment I’ve seen my whole life from him, that gets me the most.

Jex folds his arms. “Just remember, Wade. People are always watching.”

My chest fills with anger. At my dad. At Mr. Jex. But mostly at myself for doing something so stupid when I know I’m already on thin ice.

Silence takes over as they walk away. But it’s too late. The damage is already done. I feel like a failure, not good enough once again.

“Wade—”

“I know.” I start pacing. “I know exactly how bad that looked.”

“That wasn’t what I was going to say. We were just messing around. Surely they know that.”

“Jex already thinks I’m a joke.”

“Wade.”

“I know my dad agrees with him.”

“Wade.”

“I'm trying so hard not to screw this up.” The words come out rougher than intended. “And yet⁠—”

Ari steps directly in front of me. Her hands settle on my shoulders, immediately grounding me. “Look at me.”

I do.

“You are a good principal.”

I laugh bitterly. “Tell Jex that.”

“I don't care what Jex thinks.”

“Unfortunately, half the town and the district do.”

“Who cares about them? Any of them?”

It’s in that moment that it hits me.

I don’t actually care.

Right now, all I care about is what Ari thinks of me.

Every time something goes wrong, I end up here. With her. I don’t know when or how that happened. I only know that somehow Ari Langford has become the person I look for first.

I open my mouth to speak but stop myself when I see Ashtyn over Ari’s shoulder, walking straight toward us with purpose. And suddenly, everything from tonight crashes together.

Dad.

Jex.