“I’m good, Lucy. It is a really nice offer, but I worry about Alex.”
“I understand.” I glance at Khalani. “I tried. It’s your turn to convince her.”
Khalani shifts in her seat. “I will. I’ll make sure she transfers.”
“Are you two seriously talking about me as if I’m not even here?”
I laugh. “Yeah, we will not give up, trust me.”
After thirty minutes, we arrive, and my expression turns serious when I enter the parking lot. “Linda, please don’t tell anyone about me and Mason or how I am close to Alex.”
She nods. “I won’t, girl code and all that, but if you have sex with my brother, tell him about Mason, so he knows. He won’t care that there is a history if he isn’t getting between you two. There is no future with my brother because of who he is and what he has done with his life, but he deserves to know the truth and I’m glad you told him. You are a good person, Lucy. You have a heart and care. I saw how upset you were about telling him, even if you didn’t get what you wanted out of it. If things were different, you are definitely the girl I would want my brother to be with.”
My stomach sinks and I feel deflated with what Linda said about Smiley not being able to have a future with me. Deep down I was hoping there could be a chance of having a relationship with someone like Alex. He seems carefree and genuine, and his sexy voice gives me butterflies in my stomach. When I’m near him, there is an excitement that moves through me because there is a chance I could experience his touch without having someone ruin it, but like always, something always ruins it for me and it all seems hopeless. I’ll just have to accept things the way they are.
“Thanks, Linda.”
Chapter Seven
Mason
“Are they here yet?” I ask Aiden in the locker room, already dressed for the opening game of football season.
“Yeah, they’re here. Khalani texted me ten minutes ago. They went to pick up Linda.”
My eyes widen. “You let Lucy go with Khalani to the east and pick up Linda?”
“Yeah, genius. Who else would be able to? Colton is playing and we can’t have gang members with switches roll up in here in their Impalas and not draw attention. Let me know if you have a better idea?”
He’s right. Who else could pick her up if not for Khalani and Lucy? Khalani is familiar with the east, but not Lucy.
“What’s wrong, Mase?” Leo asks.
I slam the locker door. “Nothing. I’m just worried about the girls driving into the east.”
“Most of the time, Colton will be the one picking Linda up. He’s driving Linda back after the party at our house off campus. It’s all good,” Leo says.
“Yeah, I’m just thinking about shit too much lately.”
We walk out onto the field to the loud sound of people cheering in the stadium. Gloria waves her fingers in my direction, and I roll my eyes. She’s always trying to make a show. More than anything, she likes the attention she gets by acting like she is with a King. Colton just sees her as a hole to get his dick wet because she doesn’t hesitate to open her legs whenever she can.
My eyes scan the seats where Lucy and her parents are supposed to be seated and find her near Khalani and Linda. When her face turns toward the field, I wave at her, but she acts like she doesn’t see me. It’s been the same since the day I hurt her. She never waves back at me or supports me while I play.
Last year, in high school, she wore another player’s jersey, and it devastated me. I called her out on it, and we had a big fight. It felt like a betrayal. It was the first time she wore another guy’s jersey. She was cheering for him, and I got benched for missing the pass. Lucy always cheered for me when I would catch a pass from Aiden and make a touchdown before that day. She still clapped and cheered, but if it was a play involving me, she stayed silent. Little by little, her hate toward me grew, and I have only myself to blame for dimming that special light in her eyes she had for me. All I see is darkness in her blue gaze when it’s aimed toward me. I’m conflicted because there are times I think I should have never claimed her as mine if I wasn’t sure I could be with her. I can’t take it back, but sometimes the selfish man inside of me wouldn’t take it back.
I convinced myself letting her go was the right thing to do, but the caveman in me doesn’t want her to be happy with someone who isn’t me. I’m so fucked for Lucy. Sometimes, I want to say fuck it and tell her I want her and not give a fuck what anyone says, consequences be damned. We head onto the field as the game begins.
“Yo, Mase. Let’s go!” Leo says, getting into position for the next play.
We nail the next play and I make a touchdown. The crowd goes wild but when my head tilts up to look at Lucy, like always, she is the only one sitting on the bleachers while everyone is standing and cheering.
We are in the fourth quarter, the next play goes smoothly, and Leo makes the touchdown. The crowd screams and cheers because we are winning and it’s already the last two minutes of the fourth quarter. I look up to see Lucy standing and cheering for Leo, and my stomach plummets. I know without a doubt I have lost her. My gaze is still trained on her when the coach sends in the special team for the last play. I’m tired and sweaty, and as much as I love the game of football, it’s not the same anymore without Lucy smiling at me.
The game ends, and our school cheers as the band plays the song of victory as we run off the field. Colton screams and acts crazy like he always does, cracking jokes.
I’m walking toward the locker room when an annoying voice calls out, “Nice game, Mason. We couldn’t have won without you,” Gloria says, standing next to another girl on the cheer squad, thinking they’re sexy in their too-short skirts and push-up bras under their uniform.
“Yeah, thanks,” I say dryly.