Page 15 of Holiday Power Play

The radio playsStargazingby Myles Smith and I sing aloud to the chorus.

The grinch laying in the backseat stirs and slowly rises, just as Mick joins me in singing too.

The song ends and I look back to see her face buried into the sweatshirt she was just using as a pillow. Her shoulders are have the gentlest shake to them, and for a second, it looks like she might be crying. She takes a deep breath before pulling the sweatshirt away from her face revealing wet, red eyes.

Shewascrying. She quickly wipes her face and breathes in deeply before meeting my eyes.

"Man, I really gotta pee," Mick says, breaking up our shared gaze. He hasn't picked up on his sister's tears. "I'm just going to pull over here."

He pulls the car into a tiny gas station off the highway in a small town that I'd never considered stopping in.

"I'm good," I say, pulling the hoodie down off my head.

"Lana?"

She clears her throat. "Nothing for me. Thanks, V."

"Alright, well. Text me if you guys change your minds. And try not to kill each other," he adds, shutting the door behind him as he bounds to the entrance of the gas station.

I turn to Lana. "Was it the song?"

She takes another deep breath. "I'm fine."

I don't believe her for a second. "That's literally what every woman says when they'renotfine."

"I'm not every woman, Sincaid."

I watch as she looks out the window avoiding me again.

"Stargazing is a pretty romantic song… maybe it made you think of an old fling?"

"Stop digging. You're not going to find out so just stop."

"Alright, little grinch. You've been burned that much is clear."

"And none of your business," she adds.

"And none of my business," I agree.

"So let's not keep doing this," she says, motioning between us.

"Talking?" I harrumph. "My bad, let me stop being a friendly human to the grumpy woman who happens to be related to one of my best friends. It's called being nice, Lana."

"I don't want your niceties, Trevor. I want your silence."

"Well that's too bad," I say, pushing the door open to the SUV. "I slam it shut and round the vehicle, popping back up at the driver's seat. "Because now I'm driving and it's driver's choice."

"Driver's choice?" She parrots questioningly, arms crossing over her chest.

"Yes, and in order to stay awake, we're going to play a game to get to know each other." I pull the mirror down a bit and glare at her through it.

"I'm out of here," she says, pushing her door open and sliding out. Without saying another word, she slams the door and stomps over to the mini-mart entrance, swinging the door open as she glares back at me and disappears.

"Tough crowd," I mutter to myself.

I didn't ask for this. And right about now I feel an anger boiling in my stomach at the way this girl is treating me. I mean, what the hell did I personally do to her to become the villain here?

I get it if she doesn't like me because I'm a male athlete in professional sports. One who she assumes had it easy because she doesn't have the whole story. But Lana doesn't know the half of it.

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