“Is that what you think? That I was talking about you?” I stepped closer. “That was a mistake. You were a mistake. One I don’t plan on making again.”Felicity’s breath hitched, pain flashing in her eyes. “Fuck you,” she seethed.“Baby,” I reached out, pulling a strand of hair. “We already did that.”“I hate you.” Her voice trembled.Good. She needed to hate me. I didn’t need her getting the wrong idea about us.About me.For as much as I hated to admit it, Hailee was right. I needed to stay away from Felicity. She was too naïve, too fucking pure. Until New York, until me, she’d been a virgin for fuck’s sake.I stepped forward again, putting us almost chest to chest. I hadn’t planned on getting this close, but there was no denying she pulled me in. Almost made me want to finish what we started in New York. My eyes dropped to her lips; soft pouty lips I knew the taste of. Her tongue darted out as she watched me watching her.“Jason, what are—”“Shut the fuck up,” I ground out. Her chest
Felicity“Happy game day.” I flashed Hailee a wide smile, but she frowned.“You’re... happy.”“Is that a crime?”“No, of course not, I just thought...”“That I’d spend the week moping after Jason?” Laughter spilled out of me, but it was strained. “Like I already told you yesterday and the day before that, it was a mistake. A blip. Jason, who?”Hailee’s eyes scrutinized me. Sharp and assessing and filled with doubt.“If it makes you feel better,” I went on, filling the awkward silence, “I added another item to my list.”“You did?” Her brows went up as the school came into view.“I did. Number eleven: Do not, under any circumstances, fraternize with the football team.”“Asher’s on the football team.” I felt her heavy gaze on me.“Asher is a friend.”“Is that what we’re calling it. He likes you, you know?”“He doesn’t like me. He likes the idea of me.”“We could double date.” She sounded happy at the prospect; too happy.“Hails,” I glanced at her, “Don’t get any ideas about me and Asher,
True. I did. Lists kept me organized; reminded me of things I needed to do. Lists for the grocery store. Lists of the celebrities I crushed on. Not to mention my senior year bucket list.Lists made me happy.“You’re right. I am an excellent maker of the lists. It’s an undervalued talent for sure.”“Oh come on.” She nudged my shoulder. “You know what I mean. Just because you’re not really good at one thing doesn’t mean you’re not good at lots of little things.”“Yeah, you’re right.” My smile was forced, the knot in my stomach tightening.It wasn’t that I was jealous of Hailee, I wasn’t. She was gifted and I was excited for the Seniors Night unveiling. For her. But it only heightened my self-awareness of how lacking I was. It was senior year. The year of college applications and chasing future dreams. A future my parents had all planned out for me since the womb. They wanted me to follow family tradition; attend UPenn, get my business degree and work some white-collar job in the city.B
“You’re a good friend, Felicity Giles.” Hailee wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tight. “And I promise to do everything in my power to make your senior year as awesome as it can possibly be.”“Ride or die,” I said.Hailee pulled away, grinning at me. “RideJason“Yo, QB, check it out.” Grady flipped me his cell phone. I caught it, my eyes narrowing on the tweet.@ThatcherQB1: Raiders better watch out, the Tigers are on the prowl #Tigersgohunting #Raiderscansuckit“Doesn’t Thatcher’s cousin play for the Tigers?” he asked me as I handed back his cell.Shrugging, I grunted. “Fuck if I care. He’s just bitter we put their asses in the ground Rival’s Week.” We’d played them a couple weeks back. It had been a dog fight, both teams refusing to roll over. But, in the end, we got the win, and Thatcher had gone back to Rixon East with his tail between his legs.“Should we be worried?” Cam leaned in, whispering in my ear.“Do I look worried?” Thatcher was clutching at straws. He couldn’t tou
One of their players was glaring over at me. I stood taller, tipping my chin slightly, sending him a silent ‘fuck you’. He narrowed his eyes, pointing his finger at me before dragging it across his throat.“Yo, Coach?” I asked one of our assistant coaches. “Number twenty-three. What position is he playing?”“Linebacker,” he said warily. “Should I be concerned?”“Nah, Coach. Just wondered.”He gave me a pointed look. “No bullshit out there, okay?”“Did I hear someone say bullshit?” Coach Hasson called us in. “Listen up. Millington came here to win. If they don’t, they can kiss a shot at the play-offs goodbye. So that means they’ll be gunning for blood. Your blood. You hear me?” We nodded. “They’re desperate and desperate men will do anything to get the win. Keep your cool and don’t get dragged into their games. That goes for you too, QB.”“Yes, Sir.” My eyes flicked over to Millington. Like us, they were now huddled around their coach, who was no doubt telling them to use every trick i
“Go, GO! The entire stadium seemed to yell, propelling me forward. Giving me the strength I needed to make one final push.Someone reached for me and I leaped to the side, the thud of their body hitting the ground behind me reverberating in my ears.Fifteen yards… ten… five. I was so close. So fucking close I could already hear the echo of ‘touchdown’ ringing in my ears. But a Millington player appeared out of nowhere slamming straight into me, the ball fumbling out of my hands. “Fuck,” I grunted, the ground beneath me breaking my fall.“That one’s for Thatcher.” Twenty-three came down hard on me. His elbow—or was it a fist—clipping my ribs with purpose. Once. Twice… Pain splintered through my side.“Get the fuck off me,” I sneered, pushing him off. He rolled away, clambering to his feet. The second I was upright, I got up in his face, barely aware of the game still going on around us. “What the hell was that?”Dead Man Walking had the balls to smirk.“Oh, you think this is funny. You
When I reached Jason the words, “Where’s Asher’s Jeep?” fell from my lips.“I drove.”“Oh,” I said, eyeing his car.Jason kicked the gravel, sending a plume of dust into the air. Everything about him screamed ‘stay away’. A murderous expression. Waves of anger rippling off him. The way his jaw clenched so tight it looked painful.He was a nuclear bomb just waiting to detonate.And suddenly, I didn’t want to ride anywhere with them. Even if Hailee had driven us here and was now attending to Cameron’s needs.“Change of plan.” Asher sauntered up to us, his lip in a grim line. “My parents are on their... aaaaand here they are.” Headlights illuminated the three of us, and I glanced over to where his gaze was fixed.“They want to take me to dinner.”“They do?” My expression must have given me away because Asher chuckled.“Don’t look so worried, Jase can take you home. Can’t you, QB?”The guy in question grunted something inaudible.“I can walk,” I rushed out, wanting nothing more than the g
“Sometimes, when it all gets too much, I make a list.” The words were out before I could stop them.“A list?” Jason snorted.“Yeah, it helps me process things.”“And these lists,” his voice was drenched in sarcasm, “What do you put on them?”“Anything really. Sometimes I use them to help me organize my life: to do lists, grocery store lists, homework lists—”“You have a list for homework.” His brow went up and then he smirked. “Of course you do. What else?”“Celebrities I’d like to date, books I want to read, that kind of thing.”“And your senior year bucket list?”“How did you...? Asher,” I groaned. “Asher told you.” I felt my cheeks burn.“Don’t worry. He didn’t tell me what’s on the list.”Because he didn’t know. He and Cameron had overheard me talking to Hailee about it once. But I refused to share the details, because, holy crap, that would be embarrassing.About as embarrassing as Jason asking me about it.“Good. That’s good.”“Why do you look so worried, Giles?” He leaned close