Page 68 of Penalty Shots

I watch the hall nervously to see if I catch a glimpse of the young woman with dark hair and hazel eyes. She isn't here yet.

"I had to hear it fromhim,of all people, and when I confronted Rina, she didn't want to say anything. She was too embarrassed."

"I told you I didn't like him," I say.

"Yes, but a little context would've helped. I broke things off with him, obviously."

"Well, good."

"Yeah," she sighs. "I just can't believe you knew and you didn't tell me."

I sit on Ryker's bed across from her.

"I'm sorry, Jenny. But you literally told me that you wanted to break things off with me because you had feelings for someone else. What was I supposed to do? Convince you not to go out with him? That was your choice to make. You broke it off with me for him."

She huffs. "Yeah, I know. And I guess I'm glad I found out now before something happened that I might regret. Imagine if I would've slept with that creep?! I wouldn't be able to forgive myself."

She makes a face, and for the first time, I feel guilty about what's been happening with Rina. Because maybe it was too soon. Maybe I amthatguy.

"I should've warned you about him. I'm sorry." I reach out and take her hand.

She squeezes it. "It's okay. At least we can still be friends, right?"

I swallow and say quietly, "Right."

She smiles, and I swear she's about to lean in and kiss me. I can see it in her eyes.

But there's a light knock on the door. And it breaks the moment.

Both our heads whip to the door as it opens and Rina walks in carrying a bag of Chinese food. "I figured we could work up an appe—"

She nearly drops the bag when she sees Jenny in my room. Her eyes land on our hands, still holding each other, and I quickly drop mine.

"Hey!" I say, jumping to my feet. "You made it."

"Uh… maybe I should come back later?" she asks.

Jenny looks at her hand as if it were burning. And she brings her eyes up to meet Rina's.

"Oh my god," Jenny says, barely above a whisper, then louder, she repeats, "Oh my god."

Rina and I exchange panicked glances.

"You two have been… oh my god," she says again with more disgust.

"That's why you were in my room that morning," she says to me, then she turns to Rina. "And you! I thought you were my friend. This whole time, you were…" She shakes her head, tears forming along her lash line.

Rina drops the bag of food on Ryker's desk. "It's nothing like that, Jenny."

Jenny cocks her head. "Please, don't patronize me, Rina. You two have been ogling each other for months. I should've seen it from day one when I saw you walking into class with his jersey. You two are… despicable. I can't believe I ever trusted either of you." She stands.

"Jenny—" I attempt to say something, but she cuts me off.

"No! I'm not an idiot. I have eyes, Keelan. So JR was what? A distraction? So you could get rid of me and hook up with my roommate? Is that it?"

She storms to the door and brushes past Rina. "I'm done with both of you. I'll have my things moved out in the morning," she says to Rina.

Rina's eyes are clouded with tears. "Jenny, I swear it wasn't like that."