Page 82 of Drifting

I nod to her. If I say anything, it won’t be pleasant.

Nick, Paige, and I walk out of the room and into the main area, where Carrie, Maddie and Jenna are crying to their parents.

Ignoring them, my eyes fall on my guys, and I rush over to them.

Each of them hugs me.

“How did it go? They don’t look so happy.” Cam nods toward the girls.

I tell them how everything turned out, how Mr. Davis was sent to Mr. Sullivan’s office, more than likely to be fired, and how Ms. Webb was going to be investigated.

“So, are you sprung?” Mav asks with one of his smiles.

“I’m free,” I say.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

While the past week has been an emotional roller coaster, my thoughts haven’t strayed far from Cin. It’s hard staying happy when someone I care about could be hurt.

When Friday arrives, Nick stops me as I get out of his truck. “Are you still planning on going to the game?”

On the way here, Nick explained how this is a big game for them. It’s against their arch-rivals, the Lancaster Wolves. Lancaster’s one town over, and no one knows why the feud started. It’s just always been there.

When I told him it had to be because of a girl, he laughed and agreed.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” I yell over the roar of the engine. “Since you have game prep right after school, you don’t have to bother with taking me home. I’ll just stay at school and wait for the game to start.”

I’ll only need to find something to do for three and a half hours. I can spend that long reading a good book.

“Don’t forget to cheer for me at the assembly,” he teases before driving away to park.

Walking into school, it feels like a different place.

Banners hang all over the place. Go, Knights! Beat the Wolves! Each football player has a flag with their name and number hanging in the halls. The cheerleaders wear their uniforms and the football players have their jerseys on. With three of the head cheerleaders on suspension, a few of the JV team stepped up.

I can’t help but feel the excitement; it’s all around.

At the pep rally assembly, it’s just like all the other rallies I’ve gone to except now I have friends on the team. Cin and I used to sit in the back and make fun of all the cheerleaders.

I sigh. Everything reminds me of her.

Cam must hear me, because he grabs my hand and kisses it.

Paige, sitting on my other side, gives me a crooked smile.

The vice-principal starts the assembly by introducing the football team, and the gym becomes deafening as everyone stands and screams, stomping their feet on the bleachers.

When they call Sam’s name, Paige rises onto her tiptoes to see him.

His eyes search for her, and when he finds her, he smiles and nods.

I hip bump into her, and she blushes profusely.

My guys are the last names to be called. They call Mav first, who does a backflip, making the crowd go nuts. When he spots me, he blows me kisses.

Dom’s next; he just stalks in and stands behind everyone in his usual pose. By the snarl on his face, it’s clear that he hates this.

When Nick’s name is announced, I scream his name, and his ears turn red.

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