Goodbye, dreams.
“Violet?” Jess leans into me. “What’s wrong?”
I realize I have a tear rolling down my cheek. I quickly brush it away and take a deep breath. “Sorry, guys. Didn’t mean to…” I gesture to my face. “I’m not able to come back to the dance team. Doctor’s orders.”
“But, Coach—”
“Talked to my doctors and agreed,” I finish quietly.
Their stares are heavy. Sad.
I shake my head and force a smile. “It’s okay. I’ll cheer you on from the sidelines. Yeah?”
Amanda scowls. Her gaze lifts, and she tosses back her shot. “They’re coming over here.”
I take a second to rein in my emotions. Not easy when I suddenly feel like I’ve let everyone down… again. I stare at the table until I’m sure my eyes aren’t burning.
“Hey, Steele,” Amanda sings. She’s in the middle of the table, perfectly poised to be the center of attention. Her cheeks are pink from the tequila, and her smile widens.
“Amanda,” he greets her, then turns to Jack. “Hey, buddy. Have you met our newest left wing?”
He and Jack slap hands and bump fists.
I finally glance up and realize that Steele isn’t alone. The blood drains out of my face.
He stands beside Steele, looking like… like nothing ever happened?Impossible.
The man who hit my car and ruined my life.
Greyson Devereux.
2
GREYSON
My teammate nods to the guy sitting at a table full of girls. “Jack, Greyson. Jack is the quarterback on the football team.”
I quirk my lips. The football team lost spectacularly this year, no thanks toJackhere. It’s a good thing the hockey team is picking up the slack and bringing some attention back to this school.
That’s where I shine.
In the spotlight.
Well, correction: that’s where I used to shine.
My gaze goes to the girl beside Jack, who seems like she’s about to be violently sick. She looks familiar in the way most girls do. Like I might’ve had a chance encounter with her at some point in my life but nothing worthy of me remembering.
Maybe we ran into each other here, at Haven. After a game.
I smirk at her, and she flinches. Not the usual reaction.
Interesting.
Steele is going around the table, introducing the dance team. I register it faintly, still trying to figure out the girl under Jack’s arm. She’s watching me, too. Her blue eyes on mine are like daggers. I’m intrigued.
“And Violet,” Steele finishes. “Back from…”
“Hiatus,” she says faintly.