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Chloe: You’ll see… I take it we’re not inviting Harleigh?
I hesitated. I didn’t want to deceive my sister, but things were different between us lately. She wouldn’t understand.
Me: No. Let’s keep this between us.
Chloe: Sounds good. See you later.
Chloe: And Celeste?
Me: Yeah?
Chloe: Don’t let them get to you.
I didn’t ask how she knew. But I was glad she did.
Because even though she wasn’t here, it made me feel a little less alone.
Zane
“Looking good out there, son,”Coach Farringdon called as I held out my hand to help Warner Myson off the ground.
“Jesus, Washington, what the fuck did you have for breakfast?” he murmured.
“Sorry, I—”
“It’s all good. Play like that Friday and the Terrapins won’t know what’s hit them.”
He wandered toward Coach and the assistant coaches, but I lingered, giving myself a chance to catch my breath.
It had been a brutal practice, but only because I’d pushed myself so hard. I needed it though. Needed to expel all the restless energy zipping through me.
Kye spotted me and jogged over, dropping his arm over my shoulder. “Shit, Z, man, I’m surprised Warner walked away from that.”
“He can handle it,” I said.
“We hanging tonight?”
“Yeah. I promised Grams I’d take her to this support group thing on Wednesday.”
“Zane Washington, heart of the community, everyone.”
“Fuck off, asshole. She thinks it’ll be a good way to meet people in a similar situation.”
“You or her?” He flashed me a sardonic glance.
“Haha, very funny.”
“Relax, I’m only busting your balls. I think it’s a good thing. Things are only going to get harder for her. Some support wouldn’t hurt, for either of you.”
We filed into the locker room and started stripping out of our sweaty uniforms.
“Where’s Nix?”
“In with assistant coach Jameson. They’re going over game tapes. Everyone’s feeling tense going into Friday’s game.”
It was to be expected. A win would put us in the playoffs. Everyone had something to prove. My teammates. Coach and his staff. The school.
Being DA’s poorer state-funded cousin meant we didn’t have the best equipment or training facility. Our football stadium, if you could call it that, was old and tired. But what we lacked in resources, we made up for in grit and determination.
