Page 20 of Pucking High School

Pulling away, his eyes bore into mine, and looked at me the same way he did earlier. I felt something deep in my bones. Something I wasn’t sure I’d ever feel again. His lips parted slightly, and I was on the tips of my toes, waiting for him to finish off what he was saying before his name was announced, but then he quickly shut his mouth.

Nothing. He was going to say nothing again, and I couldn’t help but be disappointed, because it felt like he was holding something back and I desperately wanted to know what it was.

What was on his mind? I was more than happy to tell him what was on mine.

“Congratulations, Big Man,” I said before I was ushered to the side as he took pictures with his new manager and team jersey. Oh, how I wanted to steal it and sleep in it every night. Too bad that was only in my head because after this, Dash was leaving. He’d go to college and be some hot shot goalie and forget about me.

“I’m sorry. We didn’t get your name earlier.” The woman asked. I glanced down at the microphone now sitting by my chin and realized that I was going to have to speak. The camera was live and I didn’t want to embarrass Dash, so I decided to go with it and have a little fun. It was just a few fluffy questions, after all. How bad could they be?

“I’m Madison.”

“Great. So, Madison, how do you feel about Daniel getting drafted in the first round?”

“I’m so excited for him. Das-Daniel is one of the most loyal and determined guys I’ve ever met. He deserves this and every other success that comes his way.”

Dash’s words from the beginning of summer suddenly echoed through my head again.“You deserve a guy that will make you their everything.”Was he going to say something like that again tonight after finding out about Kyle? It felt like it, but what didI know? I had one boyfriend who was obviously cheating on me, but I was too infatuated to notice.

“His dad couldn’t make it tonight, unfortunately, but I know he’d want me to say how proud he was, too.”

“And going to do anything tonight to celebrate?”

Kiss him.I smiled before taming my lips into a frown because I didn’t want the camera giving my thoughts away. No. Kissing him was only something I thought about it my dreams lately. No wonder Cade was worried about me getting up so late. I wasn’t sleeping well, I could admit that, but it wasn’t just down to Henry as Cade thought. It was down to a lot of things.

Huge changes were about to happen in my life. My brother was moving across the country, and he was taking his best friend with him. A fact that I would have been fine with three short months ago. But now, I wasn’t so sure.

“Dash is pretty low key, so we’ll probably just celebrate with a quiet night in.”

Why was I having visions of me and Dash sitting on my sofa, eating popcorn while he grumbled about the romcom I was forcing him watch?

Had I become obsessed with Dash?

I wasn’t sure, but the more I stood there and talked about him, the more I wanted to text Kyle and tell him I was taken because my heart wouldn’t be owned by anyone else at this point.

“You must be very proud.”

“I am.”

The wide smile instantly dropped. “Thank you so much.” And that was all she said before she walked away.

Dash's girlfriend? My heart fluttered at the mere thought even though my brain knew I was being delusional.

But was delusion really that bad?

Chapter 7

Madison was standing in front of me, talking to the reporter and I could hear every single word.

She was proud of me? Did she really say that? Why did those unprompted words make me want to stand a little straighter?

I shook my head, cursing out because I knew it was wrong. So. Damn. Wrong.

Saddling up next to her, she jumped a little when she realized I was there. “Dash,” she said in this breathy, kind of hot way.

I thanked the reporter and when she was far enough away, I leaned into Madison.

“Have you been telling people you’re my girlfriend?”

She blushed at my words, and shit, it was the cutest thing I’d ever seen. I kept my mouth in a tight line, stopping myself from smiling because I liked it.

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