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“You can’t let him in, man. He knows the Eagles are out of the play-offs and now he’s trying to sabotage our shot.”
I concentrated on my fist as it pressed against my thigh, uncurling and curling it. Squeezing until the blood drained from my hand. Thatcher was under my skin, like an annoying itch you couldn’t quite get rid of no matter how hard you scratched.
Asher’s face appeared between the gap in the two seats in front of us. “Maybe we should just go over the river and give him what he wants?” Mischief lit up his face. Asher might have been the joker of the bunch, but he was always down for a rumble.
“Seriously, you think that’s going to solve anything?” Cameron let out a frustrated breath.
“Better than sitting around waiting for him to come at us.” Asher turned back around.
“Don’t listen to him,” my best friend’s tone was serious. “Thatcher will get bored eventually.”
But for as much as I wanted to believe him, I couldn’t. Thatcher would keep coming, keep pushing my buttons, until eventually I snapped.
Because we were more alike than I gave him credit for. I’d hurt his sister... and now he was determined to hurt me. I’d been arrogant enough to think I was untouchable. Believed Thatcher couldn’t hurt me because the list of people I gave a shit about was next to none.
But I cared.
Deep down, I fucking cared. And I hated it.
Because caring made me vulnerable.
It made me weak.
Something I couldn’t afford to be.
Felicity
“Remind me why I agreed to come to this thing again?” Mya grumbled as I dragged her and Hailee to the concession stand for pre-game refreshments.
Fenn Hill had a much smaller stadium than our school, but it didn’t stop the crowds swarming. Our blue and white painted faces and shirts and ball caps barely made a dent in the sea of yellow and green.
“It’s fun,” I yelled over the noise.
“Fun?” Mya arched a brow, glancing at Hailee who threw up her hands.
“Don’t look at me. I’m only here for Cameron.”
“I’m confused,” our new girlfriend said. “I thought you hated the football team and the whole ‘institution of the game’?” She air quoted Hailee’s words from earlier this week.
“Oh, we do,” I explained. “But we’re also embracing it this year.”
“Right.” Mya frowned. “So which one do you want?”
“Want?” I spluttered, almost choking on her insinuatio
n.
“Well, yeah. I mean it makes sense why she’s here.” Mya pointed at Hailee. “But what I can’t figure out is why you’re here if you’re not crushing on one of—”
“There is no crushing,” I rushed out, a little too quickly. “I so happen to enjoy the odd game of football. Even if the whole institution is whack.”
“So you’re in denial.” Her brow went higher.
“I’m not...” The argument dried on the tip of my tongue. “I just want to support Cameron and the guys.”
“The guys? You mean Asher and Jason—”
“Well, well, if it isn’t Chase’s girl and the sassy one.” Thatcher’s friend, the one he’d called Gallen appeared, his predatory gaze fixed right on me. “Looking good, baby.”
