Chapter 13

Noah

Two hours after I last saw Natalie, I still can't get her out of my mind. That bruise on her cheek is haunting me. It's been throwing me off my game all morning.

Did Natalie really fall down the stairs?

I keep thinking about her bruise while practicing. Football has always come easy for me, but I'm not focusing today.

Coach is yelling and telling me to work harder, but I'm running across the field like a goddamn zombie. I ignore physical pain and mental exhaustion daily, but Natalie?

I can't shut her out.

I don't fear the three-hundred-pound linebacker trying to take me out during a game, but seeing Natalie injured? It got my heart racing. I felt like a bull ready to charge seeing her injured.

It frightens me. I mean, Natalie is right—we can't be dating each other. It could ruin everything. People would talk, and the gossip would probably ruin my career.

I wouldn't be able to think without worrying about what other people are saying behind my back. But at the same time, how do