I didn't leave any time for her to respond, turning back into the locker room, leaving her still swooning from the stagnant attraction between us.
Once I crossed the threshold and the door closed in front of my face, I could already feel their taunting coming. All the guys jeered with their mocking.
I ignored them, going back to my locker and wrapping my fingers in the way I made a habit more than a need at this point.
Nyx bumped into me without any words, just a solid look that warranted thanks for looking out.
I nodded back in my own silent way. That was the thing that was irreplaceable about Nyx; we both hated talking and didn't actually need to.
The game was physically taxing, and every muscle in my body wrenched with ache, even the water pressure pouring out of the shower felt like torture.
Jasper was in the shower next to me, almost inconceivable, celebrating the win. He was dancing under the water when he turned towards me leaning over the shorter partition. “We celebrating tonight? Pizza shop? I'm fucking starving.”
For the record, he was always hungry, and I never celebrated.
Arianna
The whole game I felt distracted by Bolton, not him physically playing, but the way he felt on my lips long after the kiss was over.
The feeling was all consuming, and I nearly tripped on myself more than once. Kate shot me draggers with her eyes each time.
Other than the slight malfunctions, my first game wasn't terrible. I forgot some of the chants and ended up mouthing them. That went noticed by our captain and proclaimed “Queen Bitch.”
After the game, the girls headed to the locker room to shower and get changed, while Kate’s hand wrapped around my forearm pulling me back from the double doors.
“Is he gonna be a problem for you? I don't let girls use the team to get some football ass.”
I looked at her, half petrified and half concerned with what people thought. I still hated him, no matter how much I liked his mouth on mine. I knew how crazy that would be to explain… to anyone.
“No, no. He's not a problem.”
I couldn't even bring myself to say his name to her. That would only solidify that there was a thin line between hate and love; if I wasn't careful, I’d fall one way more than I was willing to.
She grilled me, waiting for the faintest reaction or slip up. I was unflinching; I was good in a crisis.
“Go shower, then Pizza Palace… Telling, not asking.” She slapped my ass playfully and forced me forward, switching gears from fearless leader to friend effortlessly.
I was impressed.
Girls like her, at least from my past experiences of being the new kid, didn't have dimension. They were 2D, all bitch, and no apologies.
Kate may be dubbed “Queen Bitch,” but she was so much more.
Pizza Palace was crawling with students—footballers, cheerleaders, supporters, even some facility all blending together in a sea of maroon and navy pride. Without a second thought, I searched the room for Bolton.
What was wrong with me?
I chanted, silently and in my mind, “you hate him… you hate him… you hate him…” hoping it was enough to keep the fine line from swallowing me whole.
Leo and Beau waved me over to the booth we sat in the last time I was here. This time, I contemplated not sliding in; last time, I nearly had to hop over a few bodies to escape.
I made up an excuse that I was going to the counter for a milkshake. I waited in the line with no real commitment to an actual milkshake, even though my stomach was twisting in envy of the thought.
Austin cut the line, leaning against the counter, waving me down, and asking, “What's it gonna be?”
My stomach convulsed, pushing me to say a chocolate shake and fries. I liked to dip them, mixing salty and sweet into one treat.
Austin ordered a burger and fries, but quickly added a veggie burger and fries with no salt to the end of his order. No doubt that part was for Kate.
He twisted around, now back against the counter, and he was suddenly serious. “It's not a good idea… you know that, right?”
With effort, I kept my features placid, almost innocent. I could never give you fully innocent; that never looked right on me. “The milkshake? Oh, I'm not lactose intolerant. No worries.”
He didn't even crack a smile. “Bolton. Bad idea.”
Austin was Bolton’s friend, making his statement all the more confusing. The waitress slid over my milkshake, as I contemplated not even engaging, but my silver tongue had other plans, like it always did.
“Bad ideas are kind of my thing.”
My hair bounced in a too bubbly way when I spun around, leaving Austin to judge what was good and bad for me without my blessing.
He shouted from behind me: “He's not coming!”
I spun around again with quizzical eyes, hoping he'd get to the point quicker.
“He never shows up here, so don't hold your breath.”
I watched him grab the tray of food, when I noticed the mark inside his wrist, similar to Luna’s and Bolton’s, but a different sign.
Taking a step to the right, I blocked his path and planted myself in front of him. “What's that? Tattoo? Birthmark?”
He stuttered around it, like he couldn't think on his toes. He finally spat out, “It’s a burn from years ago, Nancy Drew.”
I was fishing for reactions, glitches in his facade, answers that were honest instead of the bullshit he was feeding me.
“Luna and Bolton have them too. What are you guys…? A cult?”
Austin pulled down the sleeve of his flannel that he had over his black shirt in hopes to cover up what I already saw.
Pointless. I was ruthless type of relentless when it came to information I wanted.
“A cult? This is 2020, Arianna.”
He pushed past me, and I already found it boring without Bolton.
I headed for the door, when Jasper came in. (He was the jester, if we were still playing by royal titles.) He was loud and cocky, and if he wasn't laughing himself, he was making others hold their sides and flick away the tears. He was fun, but he wasn't living on the edge enough for me.
I needed a dangerous element to feel alive.
It all started when my mom died… I just kept finding new ways to feel the rush I'd get, and before I knew it, I wasn't just chasing danger; I was dangerous.
I waited for Jasper to commandeer the attention of everyone in the room so that I could slip out unnoticed, when as if appearing out of nowhere, Bolton stood against the doorway looking at me.
“Everyone said you don't show up here.”
I leaned against the opposite wall, where we were blocking any traffic from coming or going.
“I was forced against my will.”
I squinted at him. “Austin has the same mark/tattoo/thing you and Luna have.”
I wanted to catch him off guard and assess the damage it would do, if any at all. His features stayed in place—calm, cool, collected—in a way I had never seen someone maintain all day, every day.
It was my new favorite kind of danger, being kept in the dark from everything he felt. “And? Any new conclusions?”
He toyed with my desire to figure this place out and its occupants that were connected somehow, but I didn't know how deep that actually went or what the marks meant.