“She trusts you, you know. I know how she comes across, but she doesn’t do that easily. If she’s decided she’s in it with you, she’s in it for life.”
I nod my head. I know what he’s asking me, even if he doesn’t fully understand it yet. Will I be sticking around? A month ago, I wouldn’t have been able to answer. I can answer now. There is not a doubt in my mind that I’ll do everything in my power to stay here, with her, with them.
“I know you’re not telling us everything, or anything really of importance. Peyton though? She’s all I have. Whatever you’re caught up in, please keep her out of it.”
I rest my hand on top of his as I look at him, showing him just how serious I am. “I won’t hurt her. I don’t want to hurt any of you. You have my word.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
I survived my whole life in foster care, then grew up to survive Clarke’s ideals on how to make me stronger, more endurable, I survived a week in the woods with fuck all provisions, but this? This might just be the death of me. I say an abridged version to Peyton, and she guffaws like I’m a damned lunatic.
“You’re so dramatic. Come on, Briar. It’s the first game of the season, we have to go. Besides I’m first up for performances and how can I do that when my best friend isn’t cheering me on in the stands?”
She practically drags my ass out of the room and down to the fields. Since it’s a home game, each team member is allowed to reserve two seats each. When she first told me, I thought it worked out perfectly until they dropped the bomb that Blakely always has a reserved seat from Nash at the requests of the Spencer’s. According to Peyton she never comes, but naturally when she found out we were going to be there, it was unquestioned that she would make an appearance.
We make our way there already seeing Leo and Blakely sitting in their seats. She’s pawing all over him and he’s trying to gently shove her hands away from him. I, on the other hand, am ready to throw down if she doesn’t keep her hands to herself. She’s making him uncomfortable and that’s freaking harassment.
Peyton must see feel my rage or know that it was coming because she leans over and clasps her hand in mine as we take our seats. I go to take the far one so that she can slip in beside Leo, but she gives me a push until I take it, spouting off about how she’ll need to leave at half time anyway for her routine. We both know it’s a damned lie, and the conspiratorial wink she does makes it more than obvious.
Leo smiles at me when I sit which I return easily. It’s getting so easy to smile and be around him that I’m starting to forget why it was so hard in the first place. Blakely however frowns and tries to grab his attention. Peyton sits quickly on her phone, glancing from the screen to up further in the stands before slumping down further in her seat.
I frown. I know she’s looking for Milo and the distance he’s re-establishing between them is killing her. If he didn’t plan on sticking around, she should have just stayed gone. I want to give him a piece of my mind, but he’s my friend too and I see just how much he’s hurting. There is no win for them, right now.
The team is announced and the crowds howls in response, chanting their favorite plays as they run on the field. The guys are easy to spot, Jack’s dark hair is stark against the blue and grey stripes of the uniform, making him go from devilishly handsome to positively sinful, and Nash looks every bit the golden god he thinks he is. There is a reason he’s cocky and he has every right to be.
“Are you coming to the party tomorrow night?” Blakely’s voice grates on me with every word she says, but I feel the prickle in my ears, waiting for Leo’s answer.
“You know I am.” Leo’s tone is bored, and he follows the statement with a yawn before flopping his head closer to me so that he can whisper in my ear.
“Peyton wanted to surprise you, but you don’t strike me as a girl who fancies surprises.” He waits for me to shake my head before continuing, “We’ll be heading out after the game to the Spencer’s mansion. It’s Nash’s birthday tomorrow and every year he throws together a party.”
I want to bitch and moan about going to the Spencer’s residence but this could be exactly the break I need here. I hesitate another second before slowly nodding my head in acceptance. Nash hasn’t even mentioned his birthday which is at odds with the rest of his personality. He seems like the type he doesn’t need an excuse to celebrate anything, so apart from the party why haven’t I heard that his birthday is coming up?
The questions must be clearly seen over my face because Leo just shakes his head at me, mouthinglaterand tilting his head in Blakely’s direction, not that she notices.
I refocus in on the game. I’ve seen the boys practice, but that has literally nothing on this. I watch as the ball flies across the field, being passed back and forth between players. I don’t know what it is about men and sport, but hot damn. At one point Nash stops the ball with his chest and I’m done for, I swear my panties disintegrate on the spot.
I must be jolting a lot because Leo clamps his hand on my thigh, grinning over at me shaking his head. Peyton stands up to yell at the referee from her seat and I’m kind of loving this side of her. She’s usually so demur in public that to see her go wild over a bad contact call is pretty awesome.
When it’s time for her to leave and go get ready for her performance, she bends down quickly and kisses Leo and I on the cheek and saunters away. Blakely watches her go, but the look she’s giving her can only be described as predatory. I straight up in my seat and stare back at her. She knows that I saw, but we both know she won’t say anything with Leo right here.
Half time is called, and the cheer squad go out and do there thing. I’m not really paying attention to them; my focus is aimed entirely at where Peyton is talking with her brother. He looks angry as he paces back and forth, and then shoots a look at us in the stands. He sees me watching them and narrows his eyes at me.What the fuck did I do?
I must be wearing my thoughts on my face today because Leo nudges me to gain my attention, leaning in so close his chest presses firmly against my shoulder. “It’s not you.” I don’t know what else it could be but decide to not push it when I see Peyton and her dance team walk out center field.
She is amazing. It’s obvious how much she loves to dance and despite the routine being exactly the same, she outshines the other dancers. I sneak a quick glance at Leo who’s staring at her with a wide grin on his face, and when I check below, I see Jack and Nash sporting similar looks. We’re all so freaking proud of her. The only person who doesn’t look happy is Blakely.
I look around for a certain redhead in the stands, but he’s not there. I sigh, starting to turn back to the performance when I see him in the shadows, watching her. His mouth is parted as he takes in every moment she makes and once again, my heart aches in my chest for them both.
Before I realise it, the dance is finished and we’re all jumping to our seats, whooping loudly. Jack runs on the field and hugs her tightly, swinging her around before she’s off the field and the boys are back on.
We’re all packed tightly in Nash’s bright purple car. The same purple car he used to splash me one my first day. He reminds me of the fact, and I graciously remind him that I’m still a little twitchy about the subject and he should refrain from reminding me unless he wants some light stabbing.
The maniac just laughs at me and I kind of want to show him what I’m capable. The boys talk animatedly about their win, with Jack scoring two goals. Nash is the primary goalie so even though he didn’t score any, he didn’t let any through him either. The guy is a freaking legend on the field.
We rock up to the Spencer’s property around midnight and despite the fact that Nash reminds us that there is no one in the house at the moment, we still all try to keep it down. The whole place is beautiful, if not a little creepy. The color tones are set in moody colors, offset with more dark colors. Maybe it was how the house felt unused, no signs of life.
There were no portraits on the walls, no books on a bookcase. The place felt like a shell of what could have otherwise been a beautiful home. Nash assigns us girls to share a room and the boys filter into the private rooms they have here before we all head to bed.