“Exactly.”
She shakes her head. “It wasn’t your fault. You couldn’t have stopped it.”
I’m one of the fastest guys on the team, renowned for my fast reaction time. I could absolutely have prevented this.
Hadley huffs out a gentle breath, then gently swivels, setting her foot on my lap. “My mom jokes that I have superpowers when it comes to healing. I’ve never broken a bone, and I hardly bruise. It will take a lot more than an extension cord to cause damage.”
I lace my fingers over the top of her foot and press my thumbs into the heel of her foot. She moans, a deep and throaty sound that sounds so damn dirty and good, I repeat the action.
“I lied. My foot’s broken and I need this every day.”
I smirk, rubbing a circular motion over her heel. “The tradition at the theater doesn’t involve running.”
She scowls. “I don’t think I like your implication, Payne.”
“Oh, Cutlass. You don’t have to.”
“What’s the new tradition?”
“Are you coming to the game Saturday?”
“Is it happening afterward?”
I shake my head, and when she narrows her eyes, I press the pad of my thumb over her foot again.
“I might,” she says, closing her eyes. “Someone invited me to a party Saturday.”
“Someone being Luke?”
Hadley opens her eyes long enough to smirk at me again. “You’re kind of a jealous friend.”
“Is that a yes?”
“No, it was an observation.” She’s quiet for a moment. “Hannah invited me. It’s a neon party. You’d hate it.”
“Why would I hate it?”
“Because you hate being told what to do and they have a dress code.”
“When you’re me, there isn’t a dress code.”
She scoffs, but it’s half-hearted.
“You can come to the game and show up to the party when it’s over. We can go together.”
Hadley swallows, and I think she’s going to tell me no, that we can’t keep blurring things and that we’re testing the bounds of friendship. “I didn’t really know Katie or Hannah last year. Our fourth roommate, April, and I were close and did everything together.” She blinks, turning her gaze away and then back to me. “I had no idea Hannah liked Ethan or that she’s programming a videogame in her spare time. And I had no idea Katie loves foreign films. I’m trying to be a better friend and a better roommate.”
“April’s studying abroad?”
She nods, but her lips are pursed, and though I’ve known her just shy of a month, I know something’s bothering her and that she doesn’t want to talk about it. “Want to watch an episode ofOnly Murders in the Buildingor will that be hard to read through my class notes?”
I grab the remote from the bedside table and flip on the TV that’s diagonal from us, atop her dresser. “I’ll read them tomorrow.” I load the next episode and set the remote down so I can massage her foot some more.
“Did you see the pictures April posted?” Hannah asks, coming into the room, head down, scrolling through her phone. “This guy looks so much like Ezra—” She stops, looking between me and Hadley, a smile forming. “Sorry, I didn’t realize I was interrupting.”
“You’re not interrupting. The trainer said rubbing my ankle will help it heal faster,” Hadley says, but as she sits up, she slides over a few inches.
Hannah frowns. “Is it pretty sore?”