Page 122 of Going All In

Chapter 25

“You really aren’tcoming to the game tonight?” Ally asked Friday night. “It’s game six, and they’re down,” she said, pulling on her Strikers jersey.

“I really should stay here—”

“And study? Yeah, I get it. But this could be the end of the season. Let’s hope not, but it’s always a possibility.”

“Jake and I are done, remember? Why would I go?” she asked.

“Because you’re an idiot and you’re nowhere near done if this moping is anything to go by.”

“I’m not moping, I’m concentrating. You know, on my project.”

“Please. You are moping. Don’t think for one second that I believed you were over Jake as soon as your tears dried three days ago,” Ally said, pointing an accusatory finger at Darcy.

“Ally, it’s over. And it’s for the best. I mean, he hasn’t reached out. He’s probably happy to have his freedom back. Bet he banged his way through Vegas.”

Fuck. Even the words hurt coming out.

“First of all, have you texted or called him?”

Darcy stared at the living room carpet. “No. But he doesn’t want to hear from me.”

“Bullshit. You need to call him. Fix this. You’re being ridiculous. This blasé shit doesn’t work on me,” Ally said, waving her hands toward Darcy. “You are not even close to being over him. And I know for a fact that he hasn’t been screwing his way through Vegas.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because he’s in love with you, you dumbass. And I talked to Penny about it. She went to Vegas for game five, and Jake is apparently as mopey as you are. Has been since game five.” She paused for dramatic effect. “Gee. I wonder what happened right after game four. Oh right, you were an idiot.”

“A little harsh, don’t you think?”

“No, I don’t. He really is mopey. And it’s probably affecting his game. If you’re not going to do it for him, do it for the Strikers.”

Darcy snorted out a laugh. Well, it was a combination of a snort and a scoff with a hint of sadness.

“What the hell was that?” Ally asked.

“I honestly have no idea. But you’re ridiculous. Jake’s numbers are great.”

“You’ve been checking up on him.”

“I like stats,” she grumbled.

“You’re in love with him and being an idiot, and he’s in love with you, but after what you said to him, he’s probably nervous to reach out to you.”

“Please. Jake has never been nervous about anything.”

“Please. Jake fell in love for the first time and you ended it.”

Darcy sat back on the couch. She had done that. She knew that he’d never said those words before. Not to anyone that wasn’t family. He’d told her that one night. And she’d trampled all over it. She’d regretted the words as soon as they’d left her mouth and he’d walked away. But she was a chicken. And what if he’d had time to think about it and realized they weren’t right for each other?

She hadn’t even told her family about their breakup. Her mother had already texted her saying she hadn’t seen new pics of Darcy and Jake in the last week and asked if everything was okay. Darcy said she was busy. And she was. Wallowing took a lot of energy, in between finishing up her literature review and project.

She didn’t want to admit the truth to anyone else.

That she’d messed up.

Horribly messed up.

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