Page 83 of Burning Embers

It’s the following morning, though I didn’t sleep a wink the night before. I blame Ethan. We started playing Fortnite online, and I only retired to bed when Hale caught me and warned me that I had school tomorrow.

A strange thrill shoots through me at the thought of the shy, awkward twin. The two of us have been gaming together almost every day after school, though he hasn’t come over again since the incident with Jake. I love getting to know him, and I can readily admit that I can see myself developing a crush on him.

I glance down on my phone to see new messages from both Emery and Grayson.

Emery

I’m freaking out over the game tonight.

Izzy

Does that mean you passed your math test?

Emery told me that he was stressed over a test he took a few days prior. If he failed, he risked getting benched for this game and the next.

In response to my text, Emery sends me a picture of himself holding a sheet of paper. On the top is a bright-red C+.

My breath hitches, and it’s not because of the grade.

No, it’s because Emery is shirtless in the photo, his defined six-pack on display. I dart my gaze to the trail of golden hair leading down into the waistband of his sweatpants. He has so many tattoos that I can’t help but zoom in and study each individual one.

On his arm, I spot a rose surrounded by prickly thorns. And lining the length of his chest are angel wings. They look so real and lifelike that I half want to stroke them like a creeper.

“Whatcha doing?”

I jump about a foot in the air, accidentally dropping my phone in the process.

“Fuck, Lissa!” I screech as I turn to face her.

She simply blinks at me innocently before her eyes trail over my outfit for the day. A wide, beguiling smile tugs up her lips as she squeals.

“Ohmygawd! I can’t believe you're showing your school spirit already! You look so pretty!!! The guys are going to go insane. You’re going to find out that the students and teachers take the football games very seriously. Honestly, everyone wears school colors on game day. Just look at me!” She gestures to her Bulldog shirt. “OMG! Does Jake know you’re wearing his number? That’s amazing! Are you two dating? You’re not dating, are you? That would be weird. But if you are, I’d be?—”

“Lissa!” I have to physically place a hand over her mouth to stop her verbal diarrhea.

Even still, she tries yet again to talk, even with my hand muffling the sound.

“I’m not dating Jake. He just asked me to wear his number, and I accepted.” I subtly study my reflection in the mirror yet again.

Unlike Lissa, who has a dozen or so shirts with the Bulldog logo on it, I don’t own anything that showcases my “school spirit.” Instead, I chose to wear a black skirt that stops just before my knees and swishes around me when I walk and a red, off-the-shoulder blouse—our school colors.

I kept my hair down, and the blonde curls tumble around my shoulders like a waterfall of silk. With black paint, I’ve written the number 32 on my right cheek. Jake’s number. He practically begged me the day before to wear his number, claiming he’s the only loser on the team who never has anyone supporting him.

“Besides, it’ll make me look good to have a girl as pretty as you cheering me on,” he said, knocking his shoulder against my own.

I reluctantly agreed, though it wasn’t because I harbored any romantic feelings for my foster brother.

I said yes because he has quickly become one of my closest friends.

I check to make sure I have everything as Lissa prattles on and on about how wearing Jake’s number is a public declaration that the two of us are in a relationship. I can’t help but smirk.

I wonder if Jake asked me to wear his number to make a certain brunette ice queen jealous…

Desiree actually FaceTimed me earlier this morning, just to make sure I was planning on wearing school colors today. She’s on the cheerleading squad, along with Mimi and Emilia, so she’s required to wear her uniform. But she stressed over and over again thateveryonedresses up on game day.

I swear people treat football like a religion over here.

Lissa follows me out of our room, and the two of us head to the kitchen, where Jake is already sitting at the counter, eatinga bowl of cereal. His eyes light up when he sees me, and before I can get a word out, he’s rushing towards me with a wide, enigmatic smile. He grabs me by the waist and spins me around.

---