LOGINSydneyStaring at him in that aisle, with the sound of Maeve rustling through clothes—gasping and groaning like this was life or death, I realized I hadn’t really noticed Tyler at school today.And I was pretty sure it had nothing to do with the speech I’d made about ignoring the basketball team.It was almost like they’d been absent throughout school hours. Yet here they were, looking through outfits.Female outfits.Maeve suddenly gasped, pulling something off the rack. “Oh my God, Sydney! Check this one out.” NoNo, Maeve did not just squeal my name.Tyler turned before I could look away. My breath caught in my throat.Micheal lowered the dress in his hand, slipping his phone into his pocket as he followed Tyler’s gaze.For a moment, I held my breath, my eyes unable to move, my hand tightening against my sweater.Tyler just stared back, his face blank in that way that always made me feel like something bad was about to happen.But Micheal nudged him in the ribs, and Maeve jumped
Sydney Maybe I should have just called in sick and stayed at home. Because after practically yelling at Lakeview’s golden boy in the hallway, it took me a full twenty minutes to completely stop myself from shaking. Actual shaking. The kind that could be passed for a fever if Mom had seen me early enough. But life doesn’t pause for humiliation. I still had to open my eyes the next morning, still listen to my bed groan slightly as I got up, get dressed, and then get into the back seat of the car to get to Lakeview High. “He can’t be nice to girls like…” Those words clung to me like alcohol on a drunk. Because that was the way Tyler Sinclair saw me. An oddity in a perfect city where the elite ruled. Still, I walked through the doors of Lakeview High, keeping my head low. Probably because I was still a bit shaken from yesterday. Ignoring the fact that I’d wet my pillow wishing my dad was still alive, and I didn’t have to move. But somehow, the hallway seemed a lit
Tyler Thud.Thud.Thud.“He can’t be nice to girls like…” Thud.“Girls like me can’t be happy, right?” Thud.“I also don’t like the way I am…but there’s nothing I can do about it.”Thud.“Why do you hate me so much?”THUD.Smash!And there went my reading lamp and my Xbox.Still, I didn’t get off my ass to check the damage because whatever I’d just broken probably didn’t come close to what I felt sitting in my chest.I should have let it go. I knew I should have let it go. But somehow I’d chosen to shove down every common sense I still had and walked up to her in the hallway.And that…that had happened.“Fuck, Tyler,” I sighed, running my hand through my hair. Because this was different. This wasn’t Sydney Walker yelling at me in her kitchen or challenging me in class. This was her standing right in front of me, asking why I hated her.And the worst part?I had the answer.I could’ve stopped her. Could’ve grabbed her wrist, pulled her back, said something—anything.Maybe told he
Sydney So here I was, planning a secret mission to stay in the library until the entire school emptied out so Maeve and I could make a quiet exit. Little did I know that a grey eyed butthole was somewhere waiting for me to show up. I didn’t even notice him at first. Maeve was going on about what happened at her grandaunt’s wedding—some of which I could swear she was exaggerating. But I was listening anyway, letting her on so she wouldn’t drag me to the boutique later on to pick out clothes I probably wouldn’t wear. I didn’t even see him standing there—maybe because I didn’t expect anyone to still be in school that late. Especially not jocks like him. But the moment Maeve stopped talking and nudged me, I knew something was wrong. I turned, my eyes landing on Tyler’s. He was just standing there, blank face, damp hair clinging to his temple, his bag slung over his shoulder in a way that looked normal on everybody else but somehow looked cool on him. I swear, I didn’t know wh
TylerPractice started the same way it always did.Sneakers squeaking across the gym, balls bouncing from different angles, the guys talking and chuckling when they could, and coach’s whistle shrieking whenever he barked orders.But none of it calmed the storm raging inside me, or kept my mind focused.This time, the cheer squad weren’t even there on the sidelines, forgetting to gossip in low tones.But because my brain had decided to replay three steady things on a loop.Sydney’s smile at Dean, her cheeks flushing in class.And then Dean’s sick ass voice. “Girl’s too easy. Trusts easily, too.”Whistle shrieked across the court.“Warm up!” Coach yelled.The guys jogged to their spots, balls thumping across the court. They stretched, laughed, and ran on the spot.But for some reason, I dribbled harder, bouncing the ball really hard on the ground.“Dude,” Michael said, raising a brow, “Your mom planning on changing the floors soon?”“Shut up.” I muttered as he laughed.My eyes strayed t
TylerThe next day should have been easy. Just another day at Lakeview—classes, practice, and the usual trash talks in the hallways.I was mostly over Sydney’s smile yesterday, and I forced myself to laugh at Dean’s jokes throughout the first period.But the thing about lying to yourself is that it eventually hunts you. Because somehow, my brain still kept noticing Sydney Walker everywhere.At her locker, walking past the science wing, sitting two rows ahead in history class.The way she tucked her hair behind her ear, and ducked her head when laughter grew too loud.Focus, Tyler. Focus.I had better things to worry about. Like the game next week. Or the fact that coach had managed to convince the principal to let us practice during lunch and through the last period.So that meant the gym would basically be ours until the end of school.Perfect distraction, right? No Sydney, nothing to remind me of that insignificant exchange between her and Dean.But before I could look away and sin







