Page 29 of Rivals

My eyes narrow slightly, trying to figure out what it is she’s really asking. She looks fucking jumpy as hell right now, wound tight, waiting to hear the answer. “No. It was a challenge and you won.”

Her eyes blink, but they still have that hardness there that I hate. I feel like she wants to close herself off to me and a tendril of panic creeps up my spine. “If you were mad, would you take it out on me?”

“How? Like get back at you?”

She shrugs, and again her teeth attack her bottom lip. I can feel myself losing control over the situation. I don’t know if I should hug her or just shake her. I set my laptop down right as my phone decides to go off.

CARTER: 911 meeting room

I slump back and type a quick reply. Normally I’d ignore him when I’m with my girl but the 911 has me on edge. “I have to meet up with Carter and Leif quick.”

I get my shit together and she stands slowly, silently following me over to the door. I don’t want to leave her like this. We’ve been apart more this week than I like and a part of me is screaming that if I walk away right now she isn’t going to be okay. Her question caught me off guard and I wish I had more time to talk about it with her.

“Look, no more challenges against each other, okay? Unless I’m doing one with you. Or if it involves you and me naked then maybe.”

A small laugh escapes her and she looks a little less freaked out when she walks me to the door. I bend and kiss her quickly, knowing that if I indulge too much I’ll never leave. My phone vibrates again and I tear myself away. “Bye.”

“Bye.” She gives me a little wave and closes the door behind me. I hear the lock click back in place before I head out. This emergency better be life or death.

Reign

Our team is winning, just like I knew we would. Seven to one is a ridiculously high scoring game and their only point was scored on our junior varsity goalie, who was pulled up to play so Leif didn’t have the opportunity to get injured. This pre-season match up was a joke if you ask me, so I didn’t mind that I missed it. Our starters only played one period, where the majority of our goals were scored. Regardless, I did what was expected of me for this game. I dressed in my jersey and sat on the bench, cheering the team on. At least my penance for Coach Silver’s car going into the bay is now considered paid. I learned my lesson, or whatever bullshit it was my dad had been going on about. I know why I was blamed and I would do it again just to see the fire in Riley’s eyes. She beat me that night at my own game. I was impressed and fucking dying for her.

Scanning the area again I look for any sign of my girl. I had taken my time browsing the stands where the girls’ hockey team sat earlier but couldn’t find her. Every chance I had, I looked in the other parts of the stands and even behind the bench a couple of times to see if maybe she showed up late. By the time it was the end of the third period, Riley still hadn’t shown. Irritation tickled the back of my mind. It wasn’t a regular season game by any means, and I wasn’t even playing. I couldn’t explain the need to have her there other than to cheer our team on with the other girls on her team. Riley was so worried about not fitting in and being accepted because she used to be a Pirate. I was looking for any excuse to help her feel secure in her decision to be at All Saints with me. Why did I think it would be this easy?

The game ended with an eight to one victory. I followed my team into the locker room and listened to our coach’s speech before giving my own. Carter and Leif watched me with questions in their eyes, probably because I sounded rushed with nothing very inspirational to say at the moment. I wanted this obligation to be over so I could track down Riley and ask her why she didn’t come tonight. My mind has replayed the past few days over and over. Every time she tensed up or couldn’t meet my eyes. She was guarded last night before I left her room and we barely had time to discuss her question. It didn’t sit right with me and if it hadn’t been for Carter’s emergency, we would have finished talking about it. His fucking emergency. I wanted to hit him upside the head right now for how stupid it had been and the time with Riley it cost me. He was all concerned that one of the jersey chasers was hacking his social media accounts finding him. It took Leif all of three seconds to point out that Carter posted everything there and that was probably how the girl was finding him. By the time we were done making sure I couldn’t go back to her dorm because it was too late. I went to bed with my head spinning and now that she didn’t come to the game, I feel the pressure building in my chest from the need to see her.

I need to know why she would think I would try and get back at her about the challenge when all I clearly had to do was sit on the bench for a pre-season game. I’ve never once ducked out of a challenge that has come between us over the years. If anything, I practically jumped at the chance for her to initiate something because then I had her attention. Her entire focus was on me and I thrived under it. It just took a week at camp for me to realize why I wanted her attention so badly and that was so she wasn’t giving any other guys her attention. I wanted her. I wanted her to be mine.

Once I could leave the locker room, I stepped out into the hall and turned my phone back on. No new messages greeted me. My hand clenched around my phone while I pulled up our text thread and sent her a message.

ME: The game is over, where are you?

It takes a few minutes before I see those three magical dots dancing on the screen. I hold my breath the entire time, wondering what her reasoning is. I wish she would just come out and say exactly what it is that is making her upset At least then I could fix it and she could quit trying to put distance between us.

RILEY: I told you I had to study this weekend. Big test on Monday.

My grip on the phone tightens more

ME: There’s a party later. How about you study a little longer then I’ll pick you up.

RILEY: At Weston’s?

RILEY: I’m already going with Sam and Emma

Fuck me. I can’t catch a break. It’s also painfully obvious she’s avoiding me on purpose, trying not to spend time around me at all. My suspicion grows that I’m missing something, something vital that is making her cautious. I want nothing to get between us. Whatever the threat is, I need to find out and destroy it before more seeds of doubt are planted in her brain.

ME: I’ll see you there, babe.

The anger I’m used to when I don’t feel in control with Riley settles in my gut. Quickly I pocket my phone and leave the arena. Tonight I’m getting answers.

The basement party at Weston’s parents’ home is flooded with people and this time Saints students are outnumbered by Pirates. Weston’s family lives close to the border of the schools and even though he could be at All Saints, he is a huge player for the Pirates baseball team. He also plays hockey, but it’s mostly for conditioning during his off season. He’s holding up court in the middle of the basement by the pool table and nods at me when he sees that we’ve arrived. His eyes flash over to a different corner, but I already found her the minute my feet hit the bottom step. My body was instantly aware of where Riley was tucked in the corner of a makeshift dance floor with her friends.

I tug the edge of my beanie lower on my head and walk through the crowd to where Weston is.

“Keg is in the back.” He nods behind him before wrapping an arm around a blonde girl at his side. She sinks further into him, after giving me a small head nod.

“Thanks for the invite and for…” I tilt my chin in the direction of where my girl is sexily swaying her hips.

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