Page 13 of Broken Rivalry

“Liam!” he calls out loud, hoping for backup.

“Fine, shut the fuck up!” I bark, pulling the page from under Poppy’s schedule and pushing it toward him on the counter. I am not in the mood for another speech about how sports and friendship come before girl drama.

Cole grabs Eva’s schedule and lets out a low whistle. “Man, she’s got more brains than the both of us combined. And she’s into… medieval poetry? What the hell is that?”

I snort, shaking my head. “Beats me. Maybe she’s into knights and dragons.”

Cole snorts, leaning back on the counter, his laughter filling the room. “Maybe she’s looking for her knight in shining armor. Think I can pull that off?” He strikes a pose, puffing his chest out and placing a hand on his hip.

I roll my eyes. “Very funny. I think you should stick to being the idiotic fuckboy.”

Cole flips me off, his grin unwavering. “What about yours?” He leans closer to look at Poppy’s schedule.

Hearing him call her “mine” does things in my stomach that I hate.

He snickers. “You better forget that one too, brother. She’s studying sociology. She probably knows you’re a common fuckboy too.”

I flip him off, too, my face heating up. “She’s different.”

“What if we work together? Two brains are better than one.”

“Work to what?” I ask, not sure that his intention toward Evangeline is the same as mine for Poppy.

What are your intentions? the voice in my head asks, and I have no idea.

“I’m not certain yet, but one thing I know.” He points a finger at me, a mock serious expression on his face. “No more missing gym sessions for stalking missions. Got it?”

I laugh, nodding. “Got it, Coach.”

He grins, clapping me on the back as he heads toward the door. “Good. Now, let’s go get some real food. I’m starving.”

“Should we ask Liam to join?” I ask, pointing at the door once Liam’s shower stops.

“So he can force kale on me? I swear one more time, and I will completely lose it.”

I laugh. “Yeah, I need junk today.”

As we head out, I can’t help but feel a bit lighter, the burden of the earlier conversation with my father lifting slightly. Cole’s humor and easygoing attitude always have a way of doing that. And for that, I’m grateful.

We step out into the night, and the city lights are bright and vibrant. The cool breeze brushes against my face, a refreshing counterpoint to the heated conversation from earlier. We walk down the street, our laughter mixing with the hum of city life.

“Pizza or burgers?” Cole asks, his eyes scanning the various food joints lining the street.

“Burgers,” I reply, my mouth already watering at the thought.

He nods approvingly. “Good choice, man. Let’s destroy some burgers and forget about the world for a while.”

I couldn’t agree more. The night stretches ahead, filled with the promise of greasy food, good company, and a temporary escape from the chaos of life.

Chapter 6

Poppy

Nessa: Want to grab pizza?

Me: I wish I could, but not tonight. Eva needs me at the library for a project, and then I have a shift.

A pang of longing tugs at my chest.

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