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But I’m not looking at Oakley, drawn instead to Reese as he jogs over to them. His long, muscular legs eat up the field, his brows drawn tight in concentration. He always looks so serious and brooding, but then a smile breaks over his face as Oak hugs him, and my heart stutters in my chest.
“Liv?”
“Y-yeah?”
I don’t look at Abi.
I can’t.
I can’t pull my eyes off Reese and my brother, the two of them wrapped in an embrace. They need this. They need to repair the damage between them. But as I watch them, I can’t help but think that I’ll never have that again. Reese and his arms wrapped tightly around me. Emotion surges inside me and I check my watch for the time. Thankfully, the match is almost over and we can leave.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
She takes my hand in hers and squeezes gently. “Everything will work out, you know.”
I wish I could believe her. But I can’t. Because some girls don’t get the boy or the happy ending. All they get is memories and heartache.
Damn you, Reese Whitfield.
As if he hears me across the field, his head lifts and he finds me in the crowd.
“Wow,” Abi murmurs. “I hope someone looks at me like that one day.”
“I…”
Words fail me, because Reese is still standing there, staring at me.
“I can’t do this.” I snatch my hand away from Abi’s and push through the crowd. I shouldn’t have come. It hurts too much.
All week, I waited for him to barge his way into my room or drag me into a store room at school and make me listen. God, I half-expected him to get down on his knees and beg for forgiveness. But he didn’t.
And I know why.
I know, I just don’t want to admit it.
But as I get out of there and suck in a ragged breath, I can finally acknowledge the truth.
He’s letting me go.
“Olivia, wait,” Abigail calls after me, but I keep moving toward the car park. I can’t be here, I can’t—
“Will you wait a second?” She grabs my arm and tugs me backward.
“I can’t, Abi. I can’t do it. I can’t pretend everything is fine. I am not fine.” Tears burn the backs of my eyes as I fight to keep them inside.
“You can. I know it hurts, but—”
“No, Abi. You don’t get it. I expected him to fight for me. I expected him to make me listen and he didn’t. And I know it sounds crazy because I should hate him, but that hurts more than anything. Knowing that he just let me go.”
“Liv, he didn’t—”
“I want to go.”
“But I thought we were going to Tally’s?”
“We can. I just… I need to get out of here.”
