LOGINMayaI was losing.Badly.The annoying part wasn’t that I was losing.The annoying part was that Cole Ryder wasn’t even trying to hide how much he was enjoying it.“That’s another point for me.”I looked up from my golf ball and glared at him.“You’ve said that after every hole.”“Because I’ve won every hole.”“You are the worst.”His grin only got bigger.“No. I’m winning. There’s a difference.”I rolled my eyes so hard it physically hurt.The mini golf course sat on the edge of town, tucked between an old arcade and a little ice cream stand that looked like it had been there since the nineteen-eighties. Strings of lights hung overhead, slowly flickering on as the sun sank lower in the sky.When Cole had first pulled into the parking lot, I’d honestly thought he was joking.A mini golf date?This was what he’d dragged me away from my homework for?The star quarterback of the university had chosen miniature golf.No expensive restaurant.No fancy plans.No showing off.Just mini golf.
ColeBeing Maya Bennet’s boyfriend is surprisingly difficult.Not because of Maya.Maya is actually the easiest part.It’s everyone else.Specifically:Jake.Markus.Bree.And apparently half the damn campus.By Wednesday, I can’t walk across campus without somebody making a comment.“How’s married life?”“Shut up.”“Did Maya let you stay out past curfew?”“Die.”“Ryder got domesticated.”“Still alive somehow.”The football team has become unbearable.I slam my locker shut after practice and immediately hear Jake behind me.“So.”“No.”“You don’t even know what I was going to ask.”“Whatever it is, the answer is no.”Markus appears beside him.“How many pictures of Maya do you have on your phone?”I freeze.Mistake.Huge mistake.The locker room erupts.“Oh my God.”“He froze.”“HE FROZE.”Jake points dramatically.“He has pictures.”Everyone has pictures of their girlfriend.Right?Right?Apparently not according to these idiots.“Leave me alone.”Jake grabs his chest dramatically.“
MayaBy Monday morning, everyone knows.I don’t know how everyone knows.I don’t know who told everyone.I don’t know if there’s some secret campus alert system that sends out breaking news when a football player gets a girlfriend.But somehow, before I even make it to my first class, people are already looking at me.Again.Only this time it feels different.Not exactly worse.Not exactly better.Just different.Because before, people were whispering because nobody knew what was happening between me and Cole.Now they’re whispering because apparently they do.I walk across campus clutching my coffee in one hand and my backpack strap in the other, trying very hard to look like a normal person.Normal people probably don’t internally panic every time someone glances in their direction.Unfortunately, I’ve never been great at pretending.“That’s her.”I hear it from somewhere behind me.My shoulders stiffen instantly.Nope.Do not react.Do not look.Just walk.“She’s Cole Ryder’s girlf
ColeI make exactly twelve hours before my teammates find out.Twelve.A personal record, honestly.The disaster starts during film review.We’re all sitting in the meeting room watching game footage when my phone buzzes.Normally I ignore it.Today?I make the mistake of looking.Baby:Good luck at practice ❤️The second I see it, I smile.Tiny smile.Barely noticeable.Unfortunately, Jake sees everything.“Oh my God.”My head immediately snaps up.“What?”Jake is staring at me.Horrified.Absolutely horrified.“Markus.”Markus looks over.“What?”Jake points dramatically.“HE SMILED AT HIS PHONE.”The entire room goes silent.For one horrifying second.Then all hell breaks loose.“No.”“Absolutely not.”“Who was it?”“Show us the phone.”I immediately shove it into my pocket.“Mind your business.”That only makes it worse.Jake stands up.“He said mind your business.”Markus gasps dramatically.“IT’S SERIOUS.”The entire offensive line starts yelling.Our running back nearly falls o
MayaI should be studying.Instead, I’m staring at my phone.Again.My philosophy paper is open on my laptop.Three research articles are spread across my bed.And somehow I haven’t read a single word in twenty minutes.Because my phone keeps distracting me.Specifically:Cole Ryder.Cole:How’s the paper going?Me:Poorly.Cole:Because it’s hard?Me:Because you keep texting me.Cole:Sounds like a me problem.I roll my eyes.Unfortunately, I’m smiling.Which is exactly the problem.Everything feels different now.Not bad different.Good different.Terrifyingly good different.My phone buzzes again.Cole:Come outside.I stare at the message.Me:No.Cole:Why?Me:Homework.Cole:Liar.Me:Rude.Cole:Window.I blink.Then slowly turn toward my bedroom window.Sure enough—Standing in the yard below is Cole.Looking entirely too pleased with himself.Idiot.I grab my hoodie and head downstairs before I can talk myself out of it.The back door opens.Cool evening air hits my face.C
LoganI hate football.Not really.But right now?Absolutely.“Football is overrated.”Cole nearly chokes on his drink.We’d ended up outside after ice cream while Maya and Bree disappeared inside the house.The Florida sun was starting to dip lower.For once, things were quiet.No hockey practice.No classes.No chaos.Just me and Ryder standing in the backyard.Cole looks over.“Excuse me?”I shrug.“Hockey is clearly superior.”“Hockey players skate around on knives.”“We call those skates.”“You carry sticks.”“You wear tights.”Cole immediately points at me.“They are compression pants.”“Tights.”“They are not tights.”“Tights.”Cole shakes his head.“Hockey players get punched in the face for entertainment.”“We call that passion.”“We call it assault.”I grin.“See? Football guys are soft.”Cole laughs.“Whatever helps you sleep at night.”The conversation settles for a moment.Easy.Comfortable.The way things had become lately.Which honestly surprised me.A month ago I prob
ColeI’m leaning against the railing on our porch when the front door of Maya’s house opens.Light spills out across the yard.A second later, Maya Bennet steps outside.She pulls the door shut behind her and stands there for a moment on the porch like she just needed air.Her shoulders rise and fa
MayaI walk into the house knowing the house meeting is about to happen.Honestly, I’m expecting a fight.Last night had been completely out of control.When I walked into the living room this morning it looked like a hurricane of beer bottles, pizza boxes, and random strangers had blown through th
Maya The hockey team winning tonight apparently means my house is now the unofficial after-party location. Which I definitely did not sign up for. Yet here we are. Ten hockey players currently occupy my living room, loudly arguing about the game while drinking beer like they just survived a war
Maya The next few days after the incident with Tessa were… strange. Before all of that happened, the football guys next door mostly just waved if they saw me outside. Now? Now it’s: “Hey Maya.” “How was your day, Maya?” “You doing okay, Maya?” It’s sweet. But also a little weird.







