“I met someone,” I sigh, leaning next to him.
“I fell for him, but it’s over,” I whisper, thinking about Mason’s smile, his laugh, his body.
“Babe,” Harry sighs, pulling me into his arms.
“Want me to talk some sense into him? I’ll even beat him if it helps.”
“It won’t help,” I mumble, hugging him back, wishing it would.
“I’m going to go home,” I sniffle, fighting my tears back.
“You’ll come to the game, right? Jonah said he’s coming.” He blushes slightly.
“I wouldn’t miss it,” I half-smile.
After school, when I get home, I get straight in the shower, turning it on scalding-hot and sitting down on the floor, wrapping my arms around my legs.
After I don’t know how long, I hear Ava calling my name from somewhere in the house. I’d forgotten we had plans to meet up before the game.
She finds me in the shower, says, “Lily, are you okay?”
When I shrug, she turns off the water.
“Come on,” she says gently as she wraps a towel around my shoulders.
I let her help me up and lead me to my room.
I sit on the end of the bed as she dries my hair for me.
“Thank you,” I croak out.
“Lily, you can’t let Olly get to you,” she sighs, sitting next to me.
“It’s not Olly,” I sigh.
“Your mom?” she asks, getting up and going through my wardrobe.
“Yeah,” I lie.
“You can stay with me whenever you want,” she offers, pulling out a pair of black jeans, a white long-sleeve, and my red jumper.
“Can I tell you a secret?” she asks, shoving the clothes into my lap.
“Of course,” I nod, pulling the long-sleeve over my head, not bothering with a bra.
“You have your nipple pierced?” she gasps, looking at my now-covered chest.
“Yeah,” I mumble, thinking of Mason’s face when I got it done.
“What’s your secret?” I ask, changing the subject, wrapping the towel around my waist and grabbing a pair of panties.
“I think Leah is sleeping with him,” she whispers.
“Oh? What makes you say that?” I ask, pulling on my jeans.
“I’m almost certain I saw them making out after school,” she says as I sit next to her again.
“Oh well, I guess these things happen,” I shrug.
“You don’t care?” she asks.
“Life goes on,” I say, mustering my most I-can’t-be-bothered voice.
Ava changes the subject with an eye roll.
“Are you ready to go? Jonah is meeting us there.”
“Almost,” I say, pulling on my shoes and grabbing my face paint. I quickly paint two lines on both my cheeks, then Ava’s.
“Now we’re ready,” she smiles.
As Ava pulls her car into the parking lot, I instantly spot Mason’s car on the other side.
“Jonah is by the bleachers,” Ava announces, tapping on her phone.
“You go find us a seat. I’m going to pee,” I tell her before making my way to the bathroom.
As I’m leaving the bathroom, my phone starts ringing in my pocket.
“M” flashes across the screen, making my heart race and palms sweat.
“Mason?” I whisper, answering the call.
“Sorry to disappoint, princess,” an unfamiliar voice replies.
“Who is this?” I ask, moving to stand behind the small brick building, facing the visitors’ locker room.
“Liam. I’m Mason’s friend,” he says.
“Why are you calling me?” I ask, chewing my nails.
“I swiped his phone and read his texts,” he replies coolly.
“Okay?” I draw out.
“He spent the summer with you?” he asks curiously.
“A little bit,” I answer, kicking a loose stone with my foot.
“So why’d you stop talking to him?” Liam asks casually, and I bite my lip.
“He stopped talking to me,” I mumble, wanting to cry. Why did things have to be like this? I wish we could’ve just stayed how we were in the summer.
“Are you crying?” he asks as I swipe a stray tear away.
“Maybe,” I mutter, resting my head against the wall and looking up at the dark sky.
“How much do you know about Mason?” he asks in a low voice.
“What do you mean?” I ask, clearing my throat.
“I mean about Callum,” he states, and my whole body freezes.
“Judging by your reaction, he told you.”
I frown, looking around. I spot a Greendale player with the number fifty-five on his chest scowling at me across the parking lot.
“What reaction?” I reply, trying to sound as casual as possible.
“Pretty sure I’m looking right at you,” Liam states.
“Nope. I’m at home,” I lie, hoping like fuck he believes me.
“Look, I’m going to be honest with you,” he says, pushing himself off the wall, and I panic for a moment thinking he’s going to come over here.
“Mason is-shit,” he hisses, looking at the door that’s opened, and a fuming-looking Mason storms out.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I hear Mason’s voice through the phone as I watch him stomp up to his friend.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.