My smile grew.“Why are you looking at me like that?” She frowned.“Oh nothing, but I think you and I are going to be great friends,” I declared, dragging her down the hall. “Welcome to Rixon High.”“So this is the cafeteria,” I announced as Mya trailed behind me. She had insisted on doing her own thing at lunch, and I had insisted she come with me to meet Hailee. Apparently, my persistence outweighed hers.“Aaand it looks just like my old cafeteria except without the drug dealing and fights.”My head whipped around and I knew my mouth was hanging open like a fish.“Joke,” Maya said. “I’m joking. Well about the drug dealing, mostly.”“It was that bad?” I asked as we joined the line.“Fallowfield High was a jungle. I’m lucky I escaped.”“How did you?”“Long story,” was all she said before turning her attention to the lunch items. “Same shit food though.”“Oh, I don’t know. The tacos are usually good and Friday is spaghetti day.”“Hmm, sounds delicious,” she replied drolly.“Just wait,

“That’s what worries me.” Cameron gave me a pointed look before standing up and grabbing his bag. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said before walking away.There was a day when we did everything together. But now he had Hailee and everything was different.And fuck me, if it didn’t suck.I grabbed my shit and headed out. I didn’t expect to run into Asher and Felicity in the parking lot, laughing and joking like old friends.“We’re thinking of heading to Bell’s, you want to come?” Ash said with an easy smile, as if she was part of our group now. I frowned, my eyes sliding to hers in question. She lowered her face, heat creeping into her cheeks.“What, are you two now like fuck buddies or something?” Felicity blanched while Asher’s eyes shuttered as he let out a heavy sigh.“Jase, come on, it isn’t like that—”“Whatever. It’s none of my business. You do you, but I think I’ll pass.”“Maybe I should go,” her soft voice drifted over me like a warm current. I was being a dick, but she was every

“Almost there,” I squeaked, grabbing Hailee’s hand and squeezing.I knew how important it was for her to be here for Cameron after everything they had been through.The final whistle went and our tiny section of the bleachers erupted. Even Mya was on her feet, hooting and hollering as the high of the win settled deep in our bones.It was weird. Throughout high school I’d never been part of anything. I wasn’t in band or on the cheer squad. I didn’t get invited to parties or to join the debate team or compete for an athletics club. I had Hailee and our simple lives—hanging out at The Alley, gate-crashing the odd party, eating our body weight in ice cream at Ice T’s—and it was enough.Until I wanted more.Until I wanted to soak up every experience I could in senior year and experience all the things I’d never gotten to because we’d been outcast by our peers all because of Jason and his stupid grudge against Hailee. But here, cheering on the team, I felt like I belonged.As soon as the pl

Raised voices made me pause when I reached his door.“Tell him, Cameron.”“And then what? What do you think telling him will do except incite war?”I crept closer, straining to hear, the hairs along the back of my neck standing to attention.“So what do we do? Wait until Thatcher really hurts one of—”I burst into the room, my eyes narrowed to slits. “Tell me what?”“Jase, man, we didn’t know—”“Tell. Me. What?” I focused on Hailee since she was the only one who thought telling me whatever the fuck had happened was a good idea.“Thatcher was at the game last night.”“What the hell did you just say?” I saw red, my fists clenched, liquid fury coursing through my veins.“We saw him before the game and again after...” Hailee’s eyes slid to Cameron who was deadly still.“And why the fuck am I only just finding out about this?”“Hailee only just told me. I swear, man.”“It’s true,” she added. “I didn’t know what to do and Flick—”“What does she have to do with all this?” Hearing her name se

“Whatever, Jason.” She looked at me again. “This, us, it’s all a game. And like I said the other night in your bathroom, I’m not sure I want to play anymore.”The bathroom. Shit. That had been a mistake. I was drunk and angry and she was right there, my own personal punching bag.Rather than acknowledge that clusterfuck, I inched closer, erasing the sliver of space between us. “You sure about that?”Felicity’s lips parted on a soft intake of breath. “What are you doing, Jason?” Her voice trembled.“I thought it was obvious. I’m here because I couldn’t stand the idea of Thatcher hurting you.”“Because you’re jealous.” It didn’t come out sassy this time.“I’m not…” Rubbing the back of my neck, I mulled over what to say next. When really all I wanted to do was kiss her. After all, didn’t they say actions spoke louder than words?“You’re so fucking beautiful.” My lips hovered dangerously close to hers. It would have been so easy to crash my mouth down on hers. But I wanted to savor her, t