جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 140

It's Saturday, and I'm curled up on my bed, staring at River's messages from last night, still turning over how easily I said yes to all of this. A sharp knock on my door makes me jump, and it swings open before I can even answer. My sister's head pokes through the gap. I scream, loud enough, phone tumbling out of my hand as I scramble off the bed and launch myself at the door."Oh my God, Mave, what are you doing here?" I wrap my arms around her, and she's already laughing into my shoulder. "You didn't say you were coming! Mom didn't even mention it.""I was in town, figured I'd swing by." She steps fully inside, glancing around the room. "Didn't bring the twins this time.""Are you staying over?" We settle onto my bed together, and she takes my hand, studying my face like she's cataloguing every change since she last saw me."I like the new hair, by the way."My fingers drift up on intuition, catching a few strands between them. "It has started to grow out. Give it a couple more mon

***~~~RIVER~~~***I'm standing on her doorstep now. My knuckles are raised, drifting an inch from the wood, by the time she pulls the door open.Sophia's eyes go straight to my face, eyes wide— the bruise along my jaw, my lip split and stinging every time I breathe through my mouth. "Oh my god. What happened to you?""Bad day." I try to shrug like it's nothing, but it pulls a sore in my shoulder and I wince instead. "Are you going somewhere?" I hadn't even knocked before she'd opened the door."No. I saw your headlights and recognized your car." She steps back, waving me inside without another word, and I follow her into the living room. She guides me down onto the sofa, sloping my chin toward the lamp with two fingers, studying the damage. "Who did this to you?""Lost the game tonight. Got distracted out there. My fault, honestly." I keep my voice light, like I'm narrating someone else's night. "One of my own guys got in my face about it after." I don't tell her the rest, that hal

I stare at my boyfriend, my heart slamming so hard against my chest. What is he doing here?My eyes finally settle after his do, and I don't say a word to him. I just look away.Miss Sophia chimes in smoothly. "Hello, Mr. Dawson. You came." She reaches into her locker, picks out a folder, and flips through it. "I looked into extracurriculars you could pick up while you're sitting out these two games. Unfortunately, there's no vacancy in any of them right now.""Thank you.""But of course, I'll reach out the moment something opens."He nods, then glances my way and smiles quickly before turning and heading out the door. I turn back to Sophia, who's already smiling at me pleasantly, and then my head snaps back toward. He never even mentioned any of this to me. I could've actually helped him find something.I push myself up out of the chair. "I should — actually, I should go.""Wait, Miss Rhodes—""I'll — come back." I'm already moving, rushing out the door, craning my neck down the hall

I watch his face after the question. There’s a flicker of hesitation before he jerks his head in a shake.“No. No. I’m not.”I could have sworn I saw it, that tiny pause.“Why would I?” he adds. “I only like you.”He takes my hand. I step forward and wrap my arms around him, pressing my face into his chest for a second.“You can’t like someone else,” I murmur. Because you have no idea how long I’ve liked you. What I risked. What I’ll lose because I liked you.He lifts my chin with two fingers and kisses me carefully, like he’s afraid of smudging my lipstick. When he pulls back, his eyes are warm.“Go. I don’t want them calling your name and finding you missing when it’s time for your award.”I’m taken aback. “How did you even know about the award? I never told you.”“Cortney did.”My eyebrows lift. “You guys talked about me?”“Not really. She was so excited she just… spilled it while we were eating last night.”I nod, a small smile tugging at my mouth. “Okay. But you have to be there.

***~~~ RIVER~~~***I’m happy Chan and I are back together. Picking up that diamond necklace was a fucking smart move.I made tonight romantic for her on purpose, and I’m glad I did. She talked more than she has in weeks—more than she has since we started dating. It felt good hearing that side of her, the one my sister always gets to see.I’m just walking into the house when my phone starts ringing. I pull it out, see the name, and almost ignore it. I’ve been trying hard not to talk to Sophia. The guilt of me cheating on my girl is already heavy enough. But of course I answer anyway. I always do.I put the phone to my ear as I head upstairs and shut my bedroom door behind me, already searching for an excuse to keep the call short.I drop onto the bed. Her voice comes through, soft and tired.“A student confided in me about a boy. I’m really not the best person to be giving that kind of advice. Look at my life—I’m a mess. Single. Rough past. And I’m sure she’ll bring it up again the n