My chest tightens with anger, but beneath that is the ache, the sting. I blink, shaking my head. “Nothing.” I cut a quick glance toward Noah, who has yet to spot Chase, but is now moving toward me. “I don’t expect a thing from you, Chase. I learned my lesson.”
Chase’s brows crash, but he says nothing.
Thankfully, Mason walks around the corner in the next second, his eyes narrowing as he takes in our awkward face-off.
“Ari?” My brother swings his pinched gaze to Noah as he steps up beside me. “What are you doing here? Come to check out the place?” he asks me.
I don’t break it all down, instead sticking with the simplest of answers. “I was looking for you.”
He steps closer, propping his elbow onto the wall to block my face from the others, worry lines building across his face, but I shake my head.
I’m okay. Swear.
Mase nods.
“Can you take me home?”
“Yeah, I’ll grab my keys,” he says, right as a blonde girl tucks herself under the arm he has posted up. As soon as he looks down, he grins.
“You know what, it’s fine,” I rush out, a sudden, desperate need to get away creeping in.
“What, no.” He rolls his shoulder, essentially giving the girl the brush off. “It’s fine. Course I’m gonna take you.”
“I’ll take her.” Chase starts walking toward the door, as if his words are final, but my brother jerks forward.
“No, I’m good.” Mason shakes his head, giving the girl a quick glance.
I offer her an apologetic smile, glancing at Noah as he steps closer, and that breath I’m holding quickly turns into a lump I swallow past.
Nerves tingle along my skin as I wait, knowing what’s coming, and having no clue how it will unfold.
“I got her, man.” Noah grins easy. “Wanted to take her anyway. Told her so before we came in here.”
My stomach clenches at his direct admission, and I wait for my brother to snap back.
Mason swings his gaze my way, his frown hard and on me, but then he grins, swinging his attention to Noah. “Bet she turned bright red, huh?”
My mouth gapes, and Noah chuckles, but he doesn’t confirm. He keeps that knowledge for himself.
“You sure, bro?” Mason reaches out, and they clap hands in the way boys do.
“Positive.” Noah turns to me, nodding toward the door.
As I prepare to pass, my eyes slide to Chase.
He stands with his jaw set firm and pointed straight ahead, but he says nothing.
Why would he?
Noah takes me home, tells me goodnight, and leaves.
I lie down, another day ruined when tears I can’t hold back begin to fall.
Chapter 16
Arianna
* * *
“How is it so fucking hot?” Cam whines as she peels herself from the bleachers and begins packing up her books.
“Sitting on these plastic seats doesn’t exactly help. I’m a pile of sweat.”
“We should make the boys put a canopy up for us.”
“Because they have time to do that before practice.”
She laughs, knocking my feet from the back of the chair in front of me, so she can pass. “True, but can we talk about why it’s still so hot and we’re officially in October? I mean, what the hell is this shit? We’re in Southern California, for fuck’s sake.”
“It’s the metal and the turf and the sun. You know this. Step into the shade and it’ll drop a solid fifteen degrees.”
“Which is why I suggested the canopy.” She smirks. “K, bye. My professor wants me at the child development center to meet some of the parents at pick-up today.”
“You’ll be home tonight?”
“Yep. See you later.”
I wave and lay my book on my chest, closing my eyes to bake in the sun’s soft glow.
I’m not sure how much time has passed when the clacking of cleats against cement meets my ears.
I shield my eyes with my hand and squint at the approaching figure.
“You trying to get a sunburn?!” Noah shouts from a few rows down.
I still can’t see his face but sit up in my seat with a smile. “No way, the sun and me, we go way back. She’s good to me.”
Noah chuckles, and as he climbs the next two stairs, he finally comes into view.
He’s red in the face, dripping with sweat and… ridiculously attractive.
He smiles, swiping a hand through his slick, dark hair, and the soft, sun-made highlights show themselves.
“What are you doing up here, come to watch me?” he teases.
“Ha! Sorry but been doing this for years. I guess you’re simply a bonus.”
His shoulder pads lift and he winks. “I figured as much, considering I spotted you up here weeks ago.”
“Did you now?”
He only grins, so I tap on the book covering my chest. “Me and Cam started coming out to their practices back in high school, so we carried it over once we got here.”
“Nice.” He nods.
“You guys done for the day? It’s a little early.” I peek at my phone.