“Bullshit.”
The two of them started pulling off their gloves and heading in our direction.
“How much longer do you think I’ll have to train before he’ll let me fight?” Max asked as he jumped down off the ring.
“So eager to get your ass handed to you?” I snorted.
“I’d take you any day of the week, Washington.”
“Big words for a little kid.”
He flipped me off, before grabbing his water bottle and chugging the thing dry. “You guys doing anything after this?” Max asked Nix.
“Jessa’s away for the weekend, so we’re going to hang out at my house,” Nix said, his brows furrowing. “You want to come with us?”
Max shrugged. “Beats going home.”
“Didn’t realize this was the babysitters club now,” I muttered, and Max flipped me off.
“My sister won’t be there, right?” he quickly added.
“As far as I know Harleigh is home alone, studying.”
“Good. I don’t need Celeste riding my ass about this any more than she already is.”
“Aw, is big sister giving you shit?” Kye hooked Max around his neck and ruffled his hair.
“Fuck off, Carter.”
We all piled out of Buster’s, heading for Nix’s car.
“You guys feeling good about next Friday’s game?” Max asked as we climbed inside.
“Hell yeah.” Kye whooped. “One step closer to the playoffs. Although we’ll have to make sure this one doesn’t get injured now that he’s headed for Albany U next year.”
“Don’t inflate his ego any more,” I said. “Or his head won’t fit in his helmet.”
Max howled with laughter. “He’s got a point.”
“You’re only jealous, assholes.” Nix fired up his car and backed out of the parking spot. “Come next year, I’ll be at college with my girl, and you’ll be stuck in this miserable fucking town.”
My stomach sank. It was a joke—he was joking. Except, it wasn’t.
It was my reality.
I would still be here. Nix would be long gone, and fuck knows what Kye would be doing. Even if he stayed in The Row though, he’d make it work.
High school would be over.
And everything would change.
Celeste
“Celeste,can you come down here please,” Mom called upstairs.
With a heavy sigh, I left my AP English homework, and went down. I peeked around the kitchen door. “Yes.”
“I’d like to talk to you about something.”