Page 80 of Rinkmates

Boston, here we come.

It’s about time we took a break from our demanding training schedule—constantly pushing ourselves to perfection is exhausting while Stacey keeps on badmouthing Priya and me behind our backs. We try to ignore it but it’s draining. We trained each day for weeks and there’s no such thing as a weekend. I knew it was going to be hard and a busy time, but it’s also going to end soon too. It’s just about pushing through, making the best out of it. And so far, I met real friends for the first time.

If anything, this is a huge win for the show already.

But it’s hard to slow down because, withGrace on Icetaking off, our social media is exploding. Luckily, Nina promised to handle all the interview requests coming my way—she’s great at filtering out the crap. Speaking of which, she’ll be snapping somepics today for us to post later. We have to keep those internet trolls fed, right?

Priya reaches over from the front and offers me some of her veggie chips. I grab a few, crunching on them as I nod at the blue and white fabric draped over her shoulders.

“So where didyouget Derek’s jersey from?” I ask.

She grins mischievously. “He sent it to me when he found out I was coming to the game. Isn’t that sweet?”

I arch an eyebrow. “Uh-huh. Real sweet…” Jesus Christ. That guy is so after her panties.

She rolls her eyes, catching my sarcasm.

Priya’s still a virgin, waiting for her knight in shining armor, but I hope she’s not tossing all her principles for a guy, or rather two. Because as far as I know, Mason’s still in the picture, though she goes silent each time I ask about him. Priya’s a hopeless romantic, and that jersey stunt likely scored Derek major points. She’s the sweetest girl, but her taste in men is earth-shattering bad.

I can’t understand why she would choose to flirt with Derek instead of, for example, Jayce? After all, he seems like a decent guy. And if he’s not her type, then maybe one of the other twelve hot guys on the Falcons?

Anyone but Derek. Or Mason.

“Speaking of jerseys, how come you’re not sporting Riley’s?” Aiden asks casually.

My stomach twists.

Shit. I can’t exactly tell him that wearing his name feels too real right now.

“Oh, you know, jerseys don’t really flatter me,” I say with a forced laugh, waving it off. “Too bulky.” Wow. I’m abadliar.

I know it’s a stupid excuse, and Aiden’s not convinced. Truth is, I don’t want Riley reading too much into it. He invited me to his game, to support him, but wearing his name feelslike crossing a line. Like I’m just another fangirl craving his attention. Overthinking, as usual. Classic. But I can’t shake the fear that one wrong move could mess up what we’ve got. So I left the jersey at home, neatly folded away. Out of sight. Out of mind.

Priya leans over again, eyes sparkling. “You won’t believe this.” She practically shoves her phone in my face, showing her Insta feed.

I snatch the phone. “Wait. Is that you kissing out in the wild?”

Priya sighs like a princess who got the wrong pearls. “He kissed me after the show yesterday.”

“He chose to kiss you in front of the studio rather than backstage?” I say, my eyebrows arched.

Nina leans in, squinting at the screen. “And it’s already out there?” She frowns at me, like she smells something fishy too. “Awfully convenient to kiss you once and already have ‘paparazzi’ ready to take a photo.” She forms air quotes with her fingers. Mason’s on the bottom of his acting career, basically a one-hit wonder. There’s no way the paparazzi would be interested in him on his first show.

“Priya, he’s using you,” I say.

I love her too much to not be brutally honest with her about this. Friends aren’t here to sugarcoat the truth. We need to look out for each other, because let’s face it, love can make us blind as bats in broad daylight.

“Why would he?” She’s not amused, but she needs to know, even if her heart’s got her head in a spin. I’ve got a bad feeling about him. “If he wants to do this for PR only, he could have asked. I mean, it’s nothing people haven’t done before to get those votes up.”

“Did he ever say he actually likes you?” I ask, while Nina checks his profile next to me.

Priya hesitates. “No.”

“Does he ask about your private life, outside the show?”

“No.”

“There. He’s using you for clicks.”

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