Page 111 of Out of Bounds

"What do you mean?" She blinked, confused. "You’ll be on winter break?"

Her not knowing about the fake relationship was one thing but I knew for a fact that Ryan had his own agenda to meet with coaches out of state around Christmas time. He wanted to take advantage of the break. And Donna had…no idea.

She doesn’t know he’s declaring for the draft.

That was enough. I couldn’t be the one to tell a mom that her son could be moving across the country at the end of next semester. What kind of kid doesn’t tell their ownmom?

I can’t tell her about the draft.

I can’t tell her about Christmas.

I can’t do this anymore.

The door opened and Ryan walked through, thumbing through a list of folders. "How early are we getting to KYU?"

I stared at him, struck.

That’s all he has to say?

His eyes flickered over to the couch and he nodded to his mom and me before he turned back to Cleo, outlining the day of the KYU game, the most important thing in the world to him.

I can’t do this.

"I’m so sorry," I apologized to Donna and Donna only. "There’s something I—uh—I—"

"Be right back?" she suggested warmly. "Because we have to get lunch!"

No excuses offered themselves. I managed to walk out of Cleo’s War Room and that was all the decorum I saved up. The moment the door closed behind me, I quickened my pace down the hall. And then I sprinted. Hands pumping at my side, sneakers squeaking on the linoleum kind of sprinting.

The door opened behind me.

"Kassie?" Ryan called after me. "Kassie?"

Shit!

Run, bitch!

I wasn’t competition for a football player who ran track as an early morning warmup. He easily caught up to me. That was about as humiliating as it gets but that wasn’t nearly as embarrassing as how easy it was for him to stop me, sidestepping to prevent my escape.

"Where are you going? We have a meeting."

"I can’t do this anymore," I blurted out.

Ryan’s face cleared instantly and he held out a hand, scanning the doors on either side of us. I didn’t know what he was doing but he could figure that out while I gave him the slip.

Easier said than done.

He snagged my elbow and tugged me into the nearest empty room. With a click, the door shut behind us.

43

Kassie

Oh No

The escape plan had been a hurried, jumbled mess but at least it was better than having to face the quarterback head-on. Ryan crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for an explanation. An explanation thatIhad to give with clammy hands.

"I’m not good at this," I finally said.

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