Page 12 of The Quarterback Sneak

“Exactly, they aren’t my friends; they are all assholes, except for Mike, of course.” The mention of his name makes me think of something. “You know what? If you don’t believe me, ask Mike about the bet. He was there, and when I mentioned it to him, he didn’t think it was a big deal. I know he wasn’t planning on telling you, but he’s the worst liar. He’ll confirm it’s legit.”

She rolls her eyes, shaking her head with an exasperated breath, then looks around the parking lot. Once she’s confirmed we’re alone, she pushes into my space again. “If you’re lying and adding further stress to my life, you know I will crush your tiny balls in my hands until I have to get a new manicure, right?”

I stare at her blankly for a minute, unable to get that image out of my mind. I swear my balls shrivel. “I’m not lying. I wouldn’t risk my balls like that.”

Leaning one arm over the car, she thinks it over before shaking her head. “Your whole idea is ridiculous. Even if the football team has a bet on me, it’s not like anyone will believe you and I are dating.” She scoffs.

Tilting my head, I study her face for the first time. She’s always been prone to a heavier makeup look than I like, but today, it seems the dark liner has faded and her lashes are a little lighter. Without it, I can see the delicateness of her features: perfectly narrowed eyebrows, a small nose but full lips. She kind of reminds me of a doll.

“Why’s that?”

She pops her hip and takes me in. “You know why,” she says. I get it. No one will believe the richest girl in the state is fawning over the poorest boy in South Point, but that’s why I’m here. To change that narrative.

“Then let’s surprise them,” I challenge. “No one will ever suspect that you’d look at the scholarship kid, let alone call him your boyfriend. Imagine how humiliating it will be for Jamie to know you picked me over him. That you’re now dating the best quarterback this school has ever seen and not some second-string monstrosity with a tiny dick.” She bites her lip. Yeah, she’s seen his tiny peen. “Bet kissing the kid your father pays to be here will tick your parents off a little too.”

Honey sighs, checking her watch one last time. “Look, I’ve got to go. I’m really late now.”

She turns away, leaving me hanging without an answer, but I don’t want to push my luck, so I rest my palm on the roof of her car—the paint job is textured, which means it was done incorrectly, making it even more of a travesty—and lean in.“Ask Mike. He’ll tell you about it, and then let me know your thoughts.”

She mumbles something inaudible, and I move out of the way so she can shut the door. Peeling out, she leaves me standing there with no answer or confirmation that she’ll think about it, but for some crazy reason, I’m hopeful. I’ve got no idea if she’ll agree to this plan or not, but I’m not done trying. This is only the start for Honey.

Chapter Five

Honey

“Come on, Honey,” Olivia growls, tugging me across the concrete parking lot. “It won’t bethatbad, I promise.” I dig my heels in the ground, but the loose pebbles work against me, pulling me closer to the burning warmth and my impending embarrassment.

“That’s easy for you to say. It’s not like you’re stuck wearing your ex-boyfriend’s jersey and going to an event celebrating his team.” I shake my head, laughing bitterly to myself. I was thinking I was home free when my mom canceled her dinner with Jamie’s parents, but I was wrong. The dinner was canceled because she heard through the grapevine that Jamie and I were having “trouble,” and she didn’t want to risk making it worse. Instead, she thought sending me out in his jersey to cheer him on would make more sense. I can only hope she hasn’t heard the real story about him screwing another girl; otherwise, her sending me out like this would be seriously fucked up. Especially since she’s been treating me as though I’m the one who needs to grovel and make sure Jamie is satisfied.

When she requested, or more like demanded, I go, I didn’t know what else to do except comply. Pleasing my mom felt likethe right thing to do, but now that I can see the bonfire flames licking the dark night air, I know I made a mistake.

Olivia tilts her head back and looks at me with an eye roll. “You’re being so dramatic. It’s been over a week since the whole Jamie fiasco. Things have moved on. Kelsey Lanford flashed the boy’s soccer team, and Matt Waters got pied in the face for his promposal. Your humiliation is yesterday’s news.”

Biting my bottom lip, I hold back on admitting that even though I’ve changed my number, somehow, I’m still receiving countless messages taunting me about Jamie every single day, but saying it out loud will make it look like it hurts me, and no one can know that. Admitting that to anyone would make me look weak, and my father would hate for a Sanderson to look anything but strong.

“Can we at least switch jerseys?” I pull the green meshy fabric forward and look down at Jamie’s number 7 with distaste. “I’d rather be wearing Mike’s than this traitor’s.” When the fabric pings back to my skin, I grimace, thinking about how Jamie was the last person to wear this jersey. His nasty cologne clings to the fabric, serving as a constant reminder that I’m betraying myself by wearing it.

Students’ laughter from the bonfire floats through the air, and licks of flames scatter into the night sky, filling my heart with trepidation. I should have stayed in the car. Olivia’s cheeks are tinged pink when I turn to her, and she steps from one foot to the other. “Umm, I guess we can switch. It’s just that… I kind of saw Mike before I came to your house, and things got a little out of hand…”

I raise my hand, close my eyes, and hope the images I have of Mike and Olivia getting down and dirty leave my mind. “Say no more. Please. My ears can’t handle it.”

“Oh, come on. It’s not like you didn’t fool around with Jamie while wearing his jersey.” I don’t know what’s worse,imagining your best friend getting down with her boyfriend or remembering the last time you had sex with your ex.

“I don’t want to talk about him right now. In fact, I’d rather never speak his name again.”

“Fat chance of that happening, sis.” Olivia snorts, looking at me up and down. “You know, I think the fact that you’re wearing his jersey to this gives you more of an edge than the school has ever seen. What other badass would wear their cheating ex’s jersey to his own pep rally? No one. You’ve got to have balls to act like that, and it’s essentially one giant F you.”

“If you say so.”

She swivels on her heels to stare me down. “Hey,” she says calmly. “Look, I know this whole thing stinks and your mom sucks for forcing you to come, but you’re here now, and you’ve got to look at the positives. Besides, the only way you’ll get through this humiliation is by proving to everyone that you’ve moved on and don’t care about what happened.”

“But Idocare,” I mumble, since admitting it out loud hurts. I wish I was as badass and coldhearted as the school made me out to be, but I’m not. I’m a compliant little thing. Always doing what my father and mother want. Without realizing it, Jamie was also on that list. I ignored the warning signs and did everything he asked because my parents would back off when he was happy.

“I know you had it in your head that you and Jamie were soul mates, but he didn’t deserve you. Has he spoken to you since you were sent that video?” I shake my head. “Texted?” Another shake. “Geez, H. Has he even broken up with you?”

“Technically, no, but I’d say blocking someone’s number and ignoring them in school is enough of an indication that you’re done.”

Olivia shakes her head. “Asshole,” she mutters. “You know what, you need to show him what he’s missing. He’s had youwrapped around his little finger for too long. Maybe you should go on a few dates.”

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