Chapter 3

Jet: Heading to my car.

Me: K. Be there in like 2 min.

I dropped my phone on my bed and hurried to my closet, still trying to decide which pair of heels I wanted to wear for the first day of senior year. This was my debut with Tucker to the student population. When summer had hit, I’d still been with Zane. I could just picture all of the drama, the whispers and the stares when everyone realized who I was with now. That Tucker had finally settled down. With me. God, how had this actually happened? I still didn’t believe it at times.

I pushed back the nerves that fluttered threateningly through my stomach, knowing Jet was waiting, and my fingers flitted between black and purple pumps, debating which I liked best with my deep purple lace wrap top and frayed jean skirt I’d finally set on. Deciding to go bold with the purple, I grabbed a pair of earrings and a bracelet before checking my look in the mirror one last time. Then I grabbed my bag, racing out the door to meet Jet.

“That was more like seven minutes,” he greeted me when I opened the door to his Mustang.

“Yeah, well, since when am I not late?” I grinned, earning a matching one from him as he backed out of his drive.

“You ready for today?”

“Yeah, Annie wasn’t, though. I think she only made it to practice on time because she was riding with Tucker.”

Jet nodded. “Couldn’t pay me enough to do cross country. Up before dawn’s just too dang early. Unless it’s for surfing. I’m surprised your sister does it. Well, except that it’s running.” He laughed.

“Yeah, it gets her her fix.” I laughed back. “Annie’s planning to stay and watch your football practice today, so I’ll just catch a ride with Tucker after school. If that’s okay?”

Jet popped a shoulder, adjusting the radio as we turned onto the main road. “I figured that would be the plan.”

We fell into companionable silence for the rest of the drive until one of my favorite songs by Paul Russell came through the speakers, and Jet and I had a sing-off in the car, using my phone as a mic between us. Laughing, we pulled into an empty spot in the middle of the parking lot and headed to our usual meeting spot under the oak tree in the courtyard.

Annie and Tucker were already there, and I rushed forward, hurrying into Tucker’s arms. He leaned down as I tiptoed to meet him in a gentle kiss, and gasps and murmurs erupted around us, spreading through the courtyard faster than I could pinpoint. I turned, looking around at the shocked stares and cell phones aimed our way. Even a few evil eyes from some girls that used to hang off Tucker’s arm just months ago.

Immediately, I flushed, and Tucker wrapped an arm around my shoulders, shielding me from most of their views.

“What? Can’t a guy greet his girlfriend?” he barked at the crowd.

“Tucker,” I hissed, slapping his middle.

He grinned down at me, not an ounce of sorry in his expression. “What? They were bound to find out sometime, and I’d rather the rumors be accurate since they’ll be starting, anyway.”

Point.

He captured my lips in another kiss, my nerves forgotten as I melted, my face tilting to rest in the hand he held cupped to my cheek. I groaned as his hand slid around to the back of my neck, his fingers wrapping themselves in the hair at my nape as he pulled me to him, and my hands came up to grip the collar of his shirt, pulling him closer.

I was so lost in the feel of him, in the way he was claiming us, that I wasn’t even sure how much time had passed before I heard Jet clear his throat.

Tucker released a playful growl, pecking my lips twice before slowly releasing me, and it was several slow seconds of my brain coming down from the high to realize the show we’d just made. Again, my cheeks flushed even as I smiled, and I tucked my face into Tucker’s side to hide from the attention of the crowd. If there’d been any questions about our status before, they were gone now.

Waiting out the last few minutes before the bell, we headed to the gym for the welcome assembly amidst all of the stares and found a seat at the top of the bleachers. I blocked out most of the back-to-school speech, still too aware of all the attention from our classmates. Tucker didn’t even seem fazed, keeping his arm around me, blatantly claiming me as his whenever someone looked our way.

Butterflies swarmed my middle, half swooping in despair from the extra attention and half soaring with each caring touch and possessive move Tucker made. We’d declared what we felt to each other that first night we were together, but this felt like the first real test. Out in front of all of our peers. He wasn’t shying away, and I couldn’t deny the relief that coursed through me.

“Come on, let’s go get our schedules.”

Annie’s voice startled me from my thoughts, and I looked around, surprised to see everyone up and moving. I stood before grabbing my bag, and the room swayed. Tucker quickly reached out for my hand, steadying me before I could fall.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, just dizzy for a second there. I rushed out this morning and forgot to grab breakfast.”

“Here.” Jet pulled a couple of granola bars from his backpack.

“Thanks.” I pulled open a wrapper, taking a large bite as we got in the alphabetical lines for our schedules. Jet and Tucker headed to the other end of the gym while Annie and I headed to the one near the door.

Someone bumped me from behind, and I jolted forward, my granola bar flying out of my hand.

“Hey, watch it,” Annie barked.

“Oops, sorry. Didn’t see you there.” Lisa giggled, flipping her long strawberry waves over her shoulder. Larissa and Phoenix flanked her side, and the three of them gave me disdainful looks before sauntering off with their noses in the air.

“Bitches,” Annie muttered.

“That’s one word for them.” I scooped up the ruined granola bar, slipping it into a side pocket of my backpack, thankful that Jet had given me two. “Could’ve been worse. Could’ve been Zane.”

“Ugh.” Annie’s nose scrunched. “Don’t even start. I’m so freaking pissed at him. Thank God we haven’t seen him yet. Come on. We’re next.”

We met the guys under the oak again to compare schedules and see which classes we had together. My heart dropped to see I only had one class with each of them. After exchanging short kisses with our guys, Annie and I headed off to homeroom, chatting with Megan and a few other friends we’d barely seen over break.

“You tell me if you see Zane at all or if he gives you any issues,” Annie said as we headed back into the hall for first period.

I rolled my eyes. “The school’s not that big, sis. I’m bound to see him at some point.”

“You know what I mean. Izzy.” She grabbed my hand, pulling me to a stop so that I’d meet her gaze. Nothing there but protectiveness and worry. I immediately felt bad and nodded.

“I know.”

Hurrying off, I rounded the corner and darted into honors English, grabbing one of the front seats in the room. Whispers still carried around me, and I pulled out a notebook, letting my pen make random shapes and patterns on the paper to ignore the attention. For some reason, I suddenly felt the urge to look up, and my stomach flipped to see Zane standing in the doorway watching me.

He winked and took a seat by the window a few seats over, his dark gaze still fixed solely on me. My palms started to sweat, my heart beating faster. Because Oh, heck no. I wasn’t doing this. Not without Annie, Jet, or Tucker in this class with me, too.

Grabbing my things, I darted out of the room just before the bell, ignoring the teacher’s demand for me to come back. It was like salt being rubbed into my conscious to do it, but I knew I needed to. Heading straight for the office, I charged in like I might as well be Annie and rushed up to the desk.

“I need a schedule change. Please.” The words rushed out of my mouth. The lady behind the desk was new. She looked up, seeing my distress, and pointed to the chairs in front of the counselors’ offices.

I took a seat, my heels tapping as my knees bounced, so much nervous energy in my system. Had Zane really affected me this much? That just seeing him without anyone around could send me into fritz’d out mode? Or was this just a culmination of everything that had happened with guys in general? Maybe I’m just in my head after what Annie said? I didn’t know. All I knew was that I did not want to be in that class.

“Izzy?” Ms. Lane’s voice jerked me back to the present, and I hurried into her office. “What can I help you with?”

Ms. Lane was a slightly plump, middle-aged blonde woman with a stylish bob that was longer in the front by her shoulders. Wearing black pumps, a bright red pencil skirt, and a white silk wrap top with long sleeves, she headed around her desk to perch in a high-back desk chair. Pictures, plants, and books adorned the spread of shelves behind her desk, with a rich purple and cream rug filling the floor space at the center of the small office.

I was well familiar with the room. Months of visits after Daddy’s passing were spent in this office last year. I immediately began to feel at ease and pulled up the cream-padded chair. “I need to change classes.”

Ms. Lane’s brow raised just before it dipped in a frown. “Did something happen? Or did we accidentally put you in something that isn’t down your career track?”

“No.” I’d kept mine pretty general, my life so obsessed with dance. “It’s just…my ex is in my first class. We didn’t end on a good note. A pretty rough one, actually. I’m not comfortable in there with him.”

I immediately felt stupid for saying it, like she had to think I was overreacting. People broke up all the time. Why should I be special and get to change classes over it?

I met Ms. Lane’s green stare from across the desk, trying to keep my breathing calm while maintaining the sincerity in my expression. I was not comfortable in a class with Zane. Not with how it had already started this morning.

After a long look between us, Ms. Lane nodded and swirled around to face her laptop. “I’ll approve the switch since it’s just the first day of school, and I know your history. After last year, you deserve the least amount of stress possible.”

“Thank you.” I released a gush of breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.

“What’s his name?”

“Zane. Zane Hernandez.”

The rest of the morning went pretty quickly. My first class was now with Annie and Emma, and the one after that with Tucker. The only downside was my third class had Lisa. She stepped in front of the door before I could leave the room.

“So, what’s the deal with you and Tucker?”

I somehow managed not to roll my eyes and met her glare. “We’re together.”

She cocked her hip. “Since when?”

“About a week ago, after Zane and I broke up. Not that it should matter to you. I know you like him, Lisa, but I’m sorry, I just don’t think that’s ever going to happen.”

Her eyes flashed as her nostrils flared. “You don’t know anything. Tucker and I have history. You’re just the pathetic best friend that he can’t stand to see moping around anymore. You’re the pity date, Izzy. So don’t get used to him.”

She flipped her hair, whipping me in the face, and spun on her heels to stalk off down the hall, leaving me gaping and stunned.

My brow furrowed, my lips pressing together with some stupid random urge to cry, but I quickly shoved it back and took a deep breath. It was Lisa. I knew how Tucker felt about her. Or how he doesn’t feel about her.She’s just jealous.

Pulling my shoulders back, I headed to dance class, which should have been the freaking brightest spot in my day, but Lisa stuck in my head every second I wasn’t zoned into the music. Thank God Casey and Dinah were there to distract me through most of it. By the time class wrapped up, I was rushing out to the courtyard to meet my friends for lunch.

“Hey, gorgeous.”

I cringed, my stomach instantly feeling sick at the familiar comment, like I could still feel Ryder’s voice sliding across my skin. “Yeah, I’m not a fan of that one,” I said as I set my tray next to Tucker’s, taking the seat beside him. Annie and Jet were already across from us, the benches and tables around ours filling with other juniors and seniors from our crowd.

Tucker frowned. “Well, you are, but you’re right. I had it right the first night.” He ducked his head by mine, his nose tucking beneath my hair as he whispered in my ear. “You’re fucking perfect. My princess I get to worship at my side.” He kissed at my neck, my belly melting into jelly before he sat straight and took a bite of his chicken sandwich, a cocky smirk on his face while I blushed crimson.

Jet just continued to eat with a small smile while Annie watched us, her next bite of sushi held just inches from her open mouth. A piece dropped back down to her tray before she shook her head. “I don’t think I want to know.”

Tucker popped a shoulder. “Just letting her know who I worship.”

“Oh, God. Knowing you, that could be all kinds of dirty.”

“Only if you make it that way.” Tucker met her stare, stuffing his mouth. He wrapped his arm around my back, and I flushed all over again, but at least that put any doubts Lisa had tried to drive home to death. I snuggled up to Tucker’s side as I picked at my grilled chicken salad, giving Lisa a pointed look when I saw her glaring from a few tables over.

Jet glanced over his shoulder and gave me a funny look, raising an eyebrow. I shook my head. Lisa wasn’t even worth the drama of bringing her up.

When lunch was over, Tucker and I grabbed Annie and Izzy’s trash and then kissed our girls goodbye before heading to athletics. It had been a pretty good day so far. I’d had both a welding and a mechanics class this morning. Football was next, my life and breath within school, aside from Annie, and I’d have her in my last class this afternoon. It was shaping up to be a good year.

I’d been starting quarterback since I was a sophomore. It was whether I wanted to take it further with college that was my real issue—especially this year. I’d had some colleges show interest before, but I just wasn’t in the right headspace to commit last year, not with Patrick literally on a steep decline and then dying during football season. Annie had been my priority. Izzy, too, but thankfully, Tucker had stepped up big time with her.

I laughed to myself at how that had turned out. Losing Patrick sucked, but everything happened for a reason.

Which was what I kept telling myself going into this season. I was really hoping to catch some interest again. At least keep my options open. Hopefully, with one of the schools Tucker had an offer from. Coach had advised me to take it more seriously last year when they’d started coming in, but hindsight and all that…

I was just stepping out of the showers at the end of practice when Coach Riojas called me into his office.

Throwing on my clothes, I closed the door behind me when he motioned and took a seat. “Yes, sir?”

“I need your thoughts, Thanos. I know last year was rough, but where are you now? Are you serious about looking to play in college next year?” He steepled his fingers, leaning over his desk.

I drummed my fingertips on the smooth metal arms of the chair, the sound tinkling and echoing in the room as I debated what to say. Coach had my back last year, helping to fill recruiters in when my interest was down, encouraging them not to lose faith in me. And in all honesty, my family wasn’t loaded like Tucker’s or like my uncle and cousin over in London. We did well enough, but a scholarship would make things a lot easier if I decided to go to school. Being a certified mechanic was always still an option. I’d set that career path the second I saw it on the school list freshman year. I was born for it. But I loved football, too, and it was the surefire path to not being left behind when my friends all went off to school.

“Dead serious.” The words left my mouth before I even knew my brain thought them.

Coach smiled, his grin spreading across the bottom half of his face. “Perfect. We need to update your scholarship highlight film, really make it shine, and I’ll call up some of my contacts, see if we can get any of last year’s schools down here again. You’ve got what it takes, Thanos. Whether you know it or not, you do.”

“Thanks.” I cleared my throat, not sure how to respond. “I’ll work on that highlight reel.”

“Yes, definitely. I’ve got a few clips in mind I can recommend to you, too. You’re a great player. Don’t let life hold you back this time.”

I nodded and stood. “I won’t.”

Coach’s words still echoed through my head as I came out of the office. I headed back to my locker to grab my bag when I heard voices rising around the corner. Fuck.

I sprinted down the aisles, one voice in particular resonating.

“The fuck is your problem?!”

Tucker shoved Zane in the chest just as I rounded the corner, and Zane barreled forward, shoving his chest into Tucker’s ribs.

“Your fucking cousins. How the fuck did Izzy choose you when you’ve got family that fucking does shit like that to her?! Again!”

“Shit like what again?!”

I threw myself in between them before Tucker could shove back, pushing them apart, and Zane spun around, storming a few feet the other way before whipping back around.

“Fucking throwing a bag over her head and shoving her in the backseat of their car!” Zane yelled, throwing an arm out.

Tucker staggered while my jaw dropped. Um, what? My brain couldn’t seem to catch up. Neither could Tucker’s.

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Saturday. At the races. I’d just walked off after talking to her when I saw your cousins pull up and grab her. Thank God David was parked nearby, and we went after her. No telling what Ryder fucking had planned for her!”

Tucker shook his head. “You’re fucking lying.”

“What? She didn’t tell you?” Zane laughed, the sound hollow and deep. “What a great start. She doesn’t even trust you enough to tell you.”

“All she told me about was you threatening to get her back. Wanting to force her back to you. Over my dead body, by the way.”

Zane just smirked and shook his head. “That can be arranged if you want it, Pierce. Because I mean it, I will get her back.” He shoved the last of his football gear in his locker and stormed off, and I pushed Tucker back against the lockers when he moved to follow, the sound of the metal door being shoved open echoing in the distance just as Coach came around the corner.

Well, fuck.