Page 60 of The Way the Heart Breaks: Jade’s Story

Fair.

Then Jade finally notices me, really notices me. Not from the parking lot, the back of a truck, or across the pond. Face-to-face.

Blue eyes lock on mine, and for half a second, neither of us looks away.

She’s such a pretty girl. I don't know why that's the first thing that pops into my head.

Maybe because she's standing in the middle of a crowded hallway looking stunning without trying as hard as the others, even after someone tried to bring her down, she didn’t let it.

The name’s gonna stick.

Pretty girl.

Way prettier than I remembered, which is saying something.

Unfortunately, she realizes she's looking.

Then her brow arches, and it feels a hell of a lot like a challenge, one she wants me to take, but isn’t sure I will.

And then I hear, “What the hell are you looking at?” her cousin snaps.

And I follow her line of vision; Lucas is smirking at her.

“That’s my sister, Links.” Alex steps like he’s going to go after him, and his sister steps between them.

“Lucas.” I nod down the hall to avoid the inevitable confrontation we will have.

Lucas points at him. “You may want to watch it. You’re on my team now.”

“I’ve been on theirs since birth,” Alex snaps.

“Ease up, Ross. Just enjoying the scenery.” Lucas winks at his sister.

She does something real stupid, and she doesn’t even know it. “You have a better chance of seeing God.”

He laughs. “Challenge accepted.”

And there it is…

I corral him into walking down the damn hall. “Don't.”

“Don't what?”

“You know what.”

“I won’t fuck up your shot.” He shrugs.

Ross mutters something that sounds suspiciously like idiot before heading toward the auditorium.

“Just yours?” He rolls his eyes, neither a confirmation nor a denial. “Senior year's starting strong.”

The auditorium is packed, and I’ve lost sight of my pretty girl. Lucas nudges me and nods to a few empty seats. “Chill, Romeo, we have a season to get through before you get your head all fucked up.”

I would say, pot meet kettle if I hadn’t witnessed him play our game even in the worst of times, so I don’t. And yeah, he’s right. I need to give it everything I have to give myself a chance to follow this dream we’ve had since we were little boys playing flag.

I stretch my legs out into the empty space in front of me and glance toward the stage. Nothing happening yet, just teachers trying to herd a few hundred teenagers into seats. A losing battle, but one well fought.

And then I spot her a few rows ahead, Pretty Girl pulls out a little compact mirror, and I can't help but grin.