Three years ago

Sienna had made a mistake.

A very stupid mistake.

She had agreed to watch Jace practice.

She stood outside the basketball court five minutes later, staring through the glass doors.

Inside, about ten guys were running drills.

They were loud.

Sweaty.

Aggressive.

And somehow having fun.

Sienna looked down at herself.

Then at the court.

Then back at herself.

“I don't belong here.”

“You're already here.”

She jumped.

Jace stood behind her, holding a basketball under one arm.

“You need to stop doing that.”

“Doing what?”

“Appearing out of nowhere.”

He smiled.

“I've been here the whole time.”

“That makes it worse.”

He opened the door.

“Come on.”

Sienna followed him inside.

The noise immediately hit her.

Sneakers squeaked against the floor. Someone shouted for a pass. A basketball bounced across the court and nearly hit her.

Jace caught it.

“Careful.”

Sienna stared at the ball.

“Your workplace is violent.”

He laughed.

“It's basketball.”

“I've seen calmer boxing matches.”

Jace shook his head.

“You're staying over there.”

He pointed toward the bleachers.

Sienna nodded.

“Gladly.”

“And don't get hit.”

“That's your responsibility.”

“My responsibility?”

“You invited me.”

He smiled.

“Fair.”

He jogged back onto the court.

Sienna climbed the bleachers and sat down.

For the next few minutes, she watched.

Jace was different when he played.

The joking disappeared.

He was focused, constantly calling out to his teammates and moving before anyone else seemed to realize what was happening.

Sienna found herself watching him more than she'd planned.

“You're staring.”

She turned.

One of the players was standing beside the bleachers.

Tyler.

“I wasn't.”

He laughed.

“You've been watching Jace for five minutes.”

“I was watching the game.”

“Sure.”

“I'm serious.”

“Okay.”

He sat beside her.

“So you're the mystery girl.”

Sienna frowned.

“What mystery?”

“Jace hasn't stopped talking about you.”

Her eyebrows rose.

“He talks about me?”

“Not exactly.”

“Then what exactly?”

“He asked where you were from.”

Sienna looked at the court.

“That's not talking about me.”

“He also asked if you were coming today.”

“Still not talking.”

Tyler smiled.

“He likes you.”

Sienna laughed.

“He doesn't know me.”

“That's never stopped him before.”

She looked at Tyler.

“Does he do this with every girl?”

“Pretty much.”

“Great.”

Tyler laughed.

“Relax. You're different.”

“That's what everyone says right before something terrible happens.”

He looked at her for a moment.

“You're weird.”

“Thank you.”

“You keep saying that.”

“Because people keep insulting me.”

“That wasn't an insult.”

“Then you're doing it wrong.”

Tyler laughed.

A whistle blew.

“Back to work.”

He jumped off the bleachers.

“Try not to fall in love while I'm gone.”

Sienna nearly choked.

“Go away.”

He grinned and ran back onto the court.

Practice ended an hour later.

Sienna was scrolling through her phone when Jace dropped down beside her.

“You survived.”

“Barely.”

“Why?”

“Your teammates keep trying to kill me.”

“They're nice.”

“Tyler told me not to fall in love.”

Jace looked amused.

“He said that?”

“Yes.”

“He's an idiot.”

“Good to know.”

Jace leaned back.

“So?”

“So what?”

“What did you think?”

“About practice?”

“Yeah.”

Sienna pretended to think.

“You sweat a lot.”

Jace stared at her.

“That wasn't the question.”

“You asked what I thought.”

“I meant about my playing.”

“Oh.”

She nodded seriously.

“You're decent.”

He laughed.

“Decent?”

“Yes.”

“Just decent?”

“I don't want you getting a big head.”

“Too late.”

She smiled.

“Clearly.”

Jace looked at her.

“You really don't care, do you?”

“About?”

“All this.”

He gestured toward the court.

“The games. The attention. People knowing my name.”

Sienna shrugged.

“Should I?”

“Most girls do.”

“I'm not most girls.”

He smiled.

“I noticed.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Sienna stood.

“Well, this has been fun.”

Jace looked up.

“Where are you going?”

“Home.”

“I'll walk you.”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because I have legs.”

He laughed.

“That doesn't answer the question.”

“It does to me.”

She started walking.

Jace followed.

“You always this stubborn?”

“Yes.”

“Always this difficult?”

“Usually.”

“Always this funny?”

Sienna glanced at him.

“Now you're flirting.”

“Maybe.”

“That's unfortunate.”

“Why?”

“Because you're not very good at it.”

Jace laughed.

“You're enjoying this.”

“Maybe.”

He smiled.

“See? You can admit it.”

They walked across campus.

For once, Sienna wasn't thinking about the strange messages.

She wasn't thinking about the reason she'd come to Westbridge.

She was just walking beside him.

And that bothered her more than anything.

They reached the student center.

Vivienne was standing near the entrance with two girls.

Her eyes immediately landed on Jace.

Then Sienna.

Her expression changed.

Barely.

But Sienna noticed.

Vivienne smiled.

“Jace.”

“Hey.”

“You disappeared after practice.”

“Had somewhere to be.”

Vivienne glanced at Sienna.

“With her?”

Sienna smiled politely.

“Hi.”

Vivienne looked her up and down.

“You're the new girl.”

“That's what I've been told.”

“What's your name again?”

“Sienna.”

“Right.”

The way she said it made the name sound like something she'd already forgotten.

Jace frowned slightly.

“She's my friend.”

Vivienne's eyes moved back to him.

“Friend?”

Sienna looked at Jace.

He looked at her.

Neither said anything.

Vivienne smiled.

“Well.”

She adjusted her bag.

“Enjoy your evening.”

She walked away.

Sienna watched her leave.

“She's pleasant.”

Jace laughed.

“You don't like her.”

“I don't know her.”

“You've already decided.”

“I decided she's terrifying.”

“That's fair.”

Sienna laughed.

Then she noticed something.

Vivienne had stopped walking.

She was talking quietly to one of the girls.

And she was looking back at Sienna.

Later that night, Sienna sat on her bed with her laptop open.

Maya was asleep.

The room was quiet.

Sienna checked her phone.

Nothing.

She relaxed.

Then—

Buzz.

Her heart jumped.

Unknown number.

She opened it.

Ask Jace about three years ago.

Sienna stared at the screen.

Her fingers went cold.

Three years.

She knew exactly what the message meant.

But she couldn't understand how the person sending these messages knew.

She deleted it.

Then deleted the conversation.

She put the phone down.

A minute passed.

She picked it up again.

Another message.

You don't have much time.

Sienna stared at it.

Then came a knock on the door.

She quickly locked her phone.

Maya stirred.

“Who is it?”

A male voice answered from outside.

“Sienna?”

She froze.

She knew that voice.

Jace.

She looked at the door.

Then at her phone.

Three years.

Jace.

The warning.

Her hand tightened around the phone.

“Why is he here?” Maya mumbled sleepily.

Sienna didn't answer.

Because suddenly, she wasn't sure she wanted to open the door.

And for the first time since she arrived at Westbridge, the person she was supposed to get close to was standing on the other side of her door.