91

Piper

Something Important

From long-winded speeches by, what seemed to be everybody, to dinner with tables of the loudest football players possible, the night was pretty magical. The rest of them could pretend to yawn during Coach Lawson's toast. I didn't care. I was just happy to be there, right next to everyone I'd spent the semester with.

"Take a shot every time Ryan says hard work," June whispered as he stood up to make a toast.

"Alcohol poisoning isn't a joke," Adam retorted.

At the other end of the table, Ryan held up his glass. "Hard work and dedication—"

June downed a gulp from one of the little bottles she snuck in and I had to bite back a giggle.

After dinner, people were allowed to walk around what wasn't under construction in the aquarium and dance or just hang out at their tables. June broke out a box for Headbanded but Adam and I walked along one of the hallways, busy with football players and their dates.

"This is amazing…" I whispered, peering into the enormous tank built into the wall. "Look at these starfish . Do you see how huge they are?"

Adam stared at the glass. "Aren't they supposed to be that big?"

"Look, on the sign it says they've successfully had them grow past their normal size in the southern hemisphere."

"You know I can't read."

I threw him an exasperated look, and Adam burst into laughter, following after me. He was being a pretty good sport about it. Every sea fact I tossed at him, he took smiling. I smiled and leaned down to the other exhibit, checking through it to some beautiful jellyfish bobbing gently by.

Through the water, something caught my eye.

Is that…Kassie and Ryan on the other side?

I frowned, trying to get a good look through the blurry reflection as the two of them walked along to a side door. That didn't look like one of the ones we were allowed to go through. Ryan took a look behind his shoulder and opened the door, bringing Kassie inside.

"Adam?" I grinned.

"Huh?"

"Do you see what I see?" I asked, walking around the tank and heading towards the next hallway. "I'm pretty sure I just saw your team captain sneaking off to a restricted section with his girlfriend."

Adam clicked his tongue and shook his head mournfully. "Likely to commit some sinful behavior."

"A tragedy," I said, shaking my head. "You know what would set them on the right path?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"We could sneak behind them and play some sirens," I suggested, heading towards the door. "Maybe you could yell out you're surrounded?"

"That'd scare the shit out of them."

"Yeah." I bit my lip. "Too much?"

"Woah, there. I didn't say that." Adam propped open the door and ushered me inside. I took a quick glance down the hallway before I walked through. Nobody was watching.

This was definitely one of the places we weren't supposed to go. There was caution tape stretched out over different parts and ladders were propped up to the walkways up above. Mechanical parts littered the floor.

And just ahead, we could hear the quiet footsteps.

"This place is like a maze," I whispered.

A few steps behind me, Adam was quiet. "Let's get a bird's eye view."

I turned back with a frown—confused by what he meant—to see Adam pointing towards one of the ladders that stretched up to the half-finished walkway above us. It'd be way easier to scare them from up there.

I bit back the grin. "Are you just trying to see up my dress?"

"Two birds, one stone." Adam shrugged and I giggled, grabbing the first rung of the ladder.

We had to be extra quiet not to let anything creak or give our position away. The whole point of doing this was a surprise prank. I dusted off my dress and reached down to help out Adam, but he brushed away my hand easily.

"Don't make me laugh, ice princess." He chuckled.

I rolled my eyes and walked along the walkway that connected to the second floor, getting a good look at the maze below us. Adam stepped up beside me, checking it out too. I could hear him open one of the doors behind us as I peered out over the maze.

Where are they?

A piece of dark clothing caught my eye. Ryan. It had to be. If we walked all the way around the walkway, we could hurry to catch up with them—

"Piper?" Adam called to me.

"I found them," I whispered back to him, hiking up my dress. "We're going to have to hurry."

" Piper ."

"Hm?" I glanced back to see Adam, holding a door handle a weird look on his face. Slowly, he gestured me over with two fingers and when I frowned at him, he just motioned me closer.

"Aren't we doing the prank?" I asked, my voice low.

"You need to come here. You need to see this," Adam urged.

I hesitated by the walkway. If we left now, we'd miss our chance, but Adam was determined to see me walk over. What could convince Adam to walk away from a prank? Slowly, I went over to him and he pushed open the door, placing a hand on my back.

The entire room was bathed in warm blue light from the aquariums, but darker than the rest of the building. It took me a moment to realize what I was looking at as I took careful steps into the room, over the construction equipment close to the door.

Turtles. All turtles.

It was a room entirely dedicated to turtles in their little habitats. In a steady path, turtles soared through the water, up to their resting areas. My hand leaped to my mouth as I took it all in. They were so beautiful. And being there…it reminded me so much of home. Not Oklahoma itself, just relaxing at the aquariums my mom's team worked with.

Soft music played from the other side of the room and I glanced over, surprised.

Adam propped his phone up on another ladder and smiled at me. "Hey."

"Hi," I whispered back.

"We can't dance out there," he murmured, holding out his hand.

I stared at his hand for a long moment. My eyes flickered back and forth between his hand and the man who needed to wear suits more often because they just looked so good on him.

"Are you…?" I struggled with my question. "You're serious."

Adam made careful steps over to me and took my hand in his, running his thumb over the back of my hand.

"Hey," he murmured again.

"Hi," I breathed out.

"This is a lot different than dancing with you drunk." He chuckled. "You've got control of your limbs now."

I blushed and ducked my head, but Adam captured my chin and brought me back, gazing down at me. His fingers curled over my face until he cupped the side of it. Slowly, he dipped down and brushed his lips over mine. The kiss made my heart pound.

But that's what Adam did. He made my heart pound.

I'd never been in a friends-with-benefits situation, but I was positive it couldn't be like this. There was no way that's what this was like. I kissed him again, drawing him down to me, and wrapping my hand around his neck. The way my heart squeezed when I felt him grin against me, it was everything.

"I need to talk to you about something," he whispered against my lips.

"Yeah?"

Slowly, he nodded and kissed the edge of my lips. "It's important."

" Oh my god! "

Adam and I jerked apart at the same time. What was that? I bunched up my dress and hurried over to the door, confused, but I glanced back when Adam remained behind.

"Hey?" I waved at him. "We have to go check it out."

He paused. "We could give it five minutes."

" Adam. "

He sighed, closing his eyes. "It's probably some bullshit. I want to talk to you and I'm not part of the Scooby Doo gang."

" Adam . Someone could be hurt ."

"Goddammit," he muttered and followed after me to the ladder. Adam went down first, shaking his head, and when I tried to ease myself on it, he called up to me from down below. "Just jump, Piper."

"I'm not jumping—"

When I stepped down low enough, he grabbed my waist and yanked me down to the ground, spinning me back. Before we could figure out what happened, football players started streaming inside.