Page 88 of Forever Golden

These are the collective responses given by me, Dane, and Sterling, hoping like hell Joss spares us.

She ignores us, of course.

“What brought on this idea? I mean, you’re fully committed to this whole‘supportive boyfriend’thing, aren’t you?” she adds with a grin.

“Just doing what she would’ve done for me during football. You know, had I not been such an ass.”

“You weresuchan ass,” Joss reiterates with a laugh.

No point in sugarcoating the truth.

“Pandora’s gonna eat this shit up. Youdoknow that, right?” Sterling asks, eyeing my shirt with a grin.

I shrug, pretending that wasn’t the point, but honestly? This is intentional. I need Southside to know she has my heart, know I care more than I’veevercared, because things are going to change soon.

This week has been one filled with harsh realities. Starting with the conclusion I reached about two nights ago regarding my dad. Grandpa made a solid point, and I haven’t been able to get his words out of my head. He’s right about my dad being smart, tactical. Even if we don’t see it, he’s watching us. Watching to see if she’s making the right moves. Watching to see if I’m still head over heels for her or if things are starting to fall apart. Which means we have to play our roles and we have to play them well.

As if the universe just heard my thoughts, the unlikely answer to all my and Southside’s problems comes strolling into the gym.

“Watch my things. I’ll be right back.”

I feel Joss and my brothers’ eyes on me when I stand, grabbing my hoodie before shooting a quick text and heading down the bleachers to the court. When I pass Ricky, he glances down to his phone to read the message.

West: Meet me out back near the track.

If ever there was a conversation I didn’t want to have, it’s this one. Ricky’s been a pain in my ass since the first time I saw him dancing with Southside at the block party. What kills me is the emotion I see in his eyes for her. But tonight, I’m almost relieved he hasn’t been able to let go yet, because his love formygirl might be the only thing that saves us.

* * *

“This better be good. It’s fucking cold out here.”

I peer up from my phone when Ricky pushes through the doors, announcing himself.

“Wouldn’t have asked you to meet me if it wasn’t.” I haven’t even gotten into what I need to say and, already, I feel ill.

“What is it?” he asks.

“Honestly, I don’t even know where to start.”

“Well, maybe I should leave your ass out here to freeze to death while you figure it out.” He starts heading for the door again and I just say it.

“Augustin Ruiz is your grandfather, right?”

Ricky stops in his tracks and turns to face me but doesn’t speak.

“I think you’ll want to see this,” I say next, showing the image I’d been studying before he came out here. I snapped a pic of the birth certificate Boone shared with Southside and me, knowing Ricky would need more than just my word that this was real.

“The fuck am I looking at?”

“My father’s birth certificate,” I answer, enlarging the document a bit, zooming in so he sees clearly the section markedFather’s Name.

He snatches my phone and glares at it. With how his shoulders are suddenly heaving, I’m guessing this isn’t what he wanted to see tonight.

“This isn’t possible. My grandfatherlovedmy grandmother. If this shit were true, it would mean—”

“It’d mean he had secrets,” I interject. “Listen, take it from someone who’s been where you are right now. It sucks hearing that sometimes people we respect can really fuck up, but it doesn’t take away from whatever he was toyou.”

He shakes his head and hands my phone back. “Nah, this ain’t real. I don’t know what you thought this was gonna prove, but the Augustin RuizIknow, was a good man.”

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