Page 77 of The Sky Between Us

“It’s you who keeps playing,” Jake injected, making the Harvard players laugh. “Spreading lies about me, working him up so he misses his biggest chance of even coming close to beating me. Cute, but I know how to handle myself against him.”

Aiden’s body grew rigid under my touch and all I could think about was kissing him to snap him out. But that wasn’t something I felt comfortable doing in front of all these people.

The two coaches approached with the referee shouting at the players to go back to their position and instructing me to leave.

“This is your cue, baby girl,” Jake smirked at me. “Go, leave your little boyfriend.”

Aiden let out a low growl and it was clear he was done standing down. Elliot’s grip fastened on his arm, and two other players caught him too, pulling him back with all their strength.

Turning on my heels, I faced my ex and his laughing teammates. “It’s sad how you get off by ruining other people’s lives.”

“I didn’t ruin your life,” he stepped closer to me, his voice dropping dangerously low. “You tried to ruin mine with your little trick.”

“Do you really think I wanted that to happen?” I asked him quietly. “Do you think I made this plan when I didn’t even want to have sex with you? I was naïve and stupid, letting you control me like that. But it was your choice to not man up and take responsibility. And I let you go. I never once expected anything from you. Now you come here and stomp upon all the pieces I finally pulled together after you left me? I won’t let you do that.”

“And what are you going to do about it?” he challenged me. Before his voice turned mocking. “Go cry to Daddy? Maybe he gets you into another school to finish off the year or finds you a job? You are useless without someone holding your hand and guiding you. Just a pretty face, nothing else. Good to pass the time, but never the one you would consider for the long term. Learn your place finally.”

With every word I felt like a dagger was pushed through my heart. Jake knew me and my insecurities and he was firing them at me like missiles. The old me would have crumbled, cried and dissolve back into the shadows from the truth coming to life, but I wasn’t that girl anymore. With Aiden, I’ve learnt I could build my life back up. I could be strong.

My hand fisted and all the muscles in my body tensed. Fight or flight mode activated inside of me, and before I realized what I was doing my arm lifted and my fist connected with his jaw.

Pain shot through my arm making my eyes tear up. “Shit,” I muttered, shaking it out.

“Baby,” Aiden grabbed me from behind, his strong arms circling my waist and his body wash mixed with sweat filled my nose.

Shouts erupted around us as Aiden dragged me backwards, and Elliot caged me from the front.

“That was awesome,” he grinned at me pleased. “Didn’t know you could hit.”

“Me neither,” I muttered, grabbing Aiden’s hand. “I can walk, stop dragging me.”

Aiden turned to look at me, his concerned eyes scanning my face, before his lips collided with mine in a desperate and passionate kiss, which only lasted a few seconds. A whimper left me as he pulled away and gave me a small smile.

“We need to get ice on your hand,” he said with determination in his voice as he laced his fingers with mine. “Come on.”

“But what about the game?” I asked confused, as the rest of the Dolphins followed us off the field.

Elliot shrugged as he stayed at my side. “Who cares. They are leaving too.”

Throwing a glance behind me, I saw Jake clutching his nose. Two hits at the same place really got him bleeding. Satisfaction sparkled in me as my eyes slid to Elliot. He winked at me in return and I allowed a smile to break free.

I punched Jake. And it felt amazing.

Chapter 18

We got disqualified.

Technically both Harvard and Baywater got removed from the final four leaving Ohio State and MSU to battle for the championship title. Our entire team was bummed, but for me this loss counted twice, because the LA Galaxy pulled the plug on me and let Coach know they were no longer interested in a hotheaded player that let their personal life interfere in what was going on during a game.

We both lost everything that day.

The fact that they said the same to Kellerman was not helping me sleep at night, either. His loss didn’t matter to me when my own was echoing in my mind.

At least you got the girl,said Elliot in hope to console me and divert my roaring thoughts from the failure I was. Little did he know it was a high price I paid to get the girl. Especially when that said girl was drowning in guilt. Her smile faded away, her eyes grew tired and dark by every passing day. Our lovemaking grew shorter and our texts less frequent.

I watched her move at the bar, taking orders with a fake smile. Her hair was twisted up in one of those fancy buns called French twist and the brown button-down flare cord skirt swung with every little step she took, while her black long-sleeved shirt hugged her curves perfectly.

Despite my emotional state, my cock twitched in my pants. Christmas was approaching quickly with finals on our neck and with the temperature growing colder, my relationship with Hazel turned frosty too.

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