Page 144 of Sporty Girls Don't Fall For Loners

I shake my head. “We’re acting like it never happened.”

Rylee frowns. “That sucks.”

Mia rests her hand on my arm. “The important thing is that you like each other. Everything else will fall into place.”

I hug her. “Thanks.”

Kade finishes chatting with the teacher and heads to me and my friends. He smiles as he greets us.

“Hi,” I greet back. “What was that about?”

He shrugs. “She was telling me how impressed she is with my progress in bio. Says my grades have improved significantly since my first day.” He shrugs again. “Not that I noticed.”

“Well, you’ve been doing your homework like a good little non-bad-boy, so of course your grades have improved.”

He chuckles. “A non-bad-boy? Is that my new nickname?”

“Nah. I prefer Bad Boy.”

He smiles. “Me, too.”

I can feel my friends swooning as they watch us. Ugh. Sometimes I’m so caught up in Kade that everything else around me disappears.

The bell rings. Darn it. I wanted some more time with him. Now that we’re not living together, it’s hard to squeeze him into my busy schedule.

“We’ll figure out a day to go shopping,” Mia tells me and Rylee. “But mark my words, we are so buying dresses for the dance.”

I scowl, but Rylee laughs as we, along with Kade, enter Aunt Ally’s classroom. Mason manages to slip inside right on time.

“Hey, welcome back, Zoey,” he says to me.

“Thanks. I got you something, but I’ll give it to you after class.”

“Cool, thanks.”

Kade sits across from me, and it’s hard to concentrate on Aunt Ally’s lesson when I feel him watching me. He smiles so sweetly when our eyes lock. There’s such a difference between the Kade of now and the Kade from a few weeks ago. He’s happy, truly happy. Actually, he looks even happier ever since he found out he’ll be living with my aunt and uncle permanently.

I catch Aunt Ally noticing Kade and me staring at each other throughout her lesson, but she doesn’t say anything. I wonder if she knows I have feelings for Kade, or that there’s something going on between us. Uncle Brayden knows and I’m pretty sure he told Aunt Kara, who probably told the rest of the Musketeers. And my parents. Ugh. Do my parents know?

Sometimes, it sucks that our families are so intertwined. There’s no privacy.

Mia throws me a knowing smile. Fine, my feelings for Kade are strong. But would I say I’m in love? What does it even mean to be in love?

I told myself I wasn’t interested in boys, but that’s not true anymore. I want this boy in my life. I want to see him smile and I love listening to him talk about everything. And I love that he gives me his full attention when I talk.

And I can’t wait for us to dance under the stars—or leaves—at the fall dance.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Kade

I don’t know why I’m so nervous as Zoey and I enter the facility Mom is at and sign in. I’m not embarrassed for her to see my mother. I guess I’m worried she might see me differently. Even though I know Zoey isn’t like that. But maybe she’ll realize I’m too much and she’ll leave me.

No, my mind reprimands me. You’re talking about Zoey Hastings. The girl who changed your life.

I guess I’m nervous about being vulnerable. To expose so much of myself. But I once again tell myself to relax. She’ll love Mom and Mom will love her.

“Are you okay?” Zoey asks as we walk down the hallway. “You’re so tense.”

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