Page 68 of Come Break My Heart Again

I snort, glancing around. I don’t recognize anyone in the other groups camped around the water.

Tall maples shade the edge of the water, casting skinny reflections on the pond’s surface. A tire swing hangs from the tallest one. The water looks clear, but I’ve never actually swum here. Dapples of sunshine filter down through the trees’ leaves.

I’ve only been here once before, and it was freshman year. Elle has a photo from that trip as her phone background, and it’s one of many parts of our conversation on Friday night that’s haunted me.

Something hits me in the cheek.

“Oy!” I swat the air and glance at Reese, who’s doubled over with silent laughter.

I pick up the grape from the grass and throw it back toward her. My aim is as good as hers, bouncing off her shoulder.

“Bet you can’t do this,” she tells me, tossing a grape in the air and catching it in her mouth.

“Try me,” I say.

“Fine. Ready?”

“Ready.”

She pitches another grape my way. I catch it neatly in my mouth, flashing Reese a satisfied grin before chewing and swallowing.

“Beginner’s luck,” she grumbles.

“He’s weirdly coordinated,” Tuck says, plopping down in the grass beside me. He went over to greet Phoenix and the other guys, which seemed unnecessary to me. We spent most of the day together. “You knew that.”

“There’s nothingweirdabout it,” I tell him.

“Yo! Incoming.”

I roll my head to look at Phoenix. He’s focused on the opposite side of the pond, so of course the rest of us do too.

The group coming down the path is large, at least fifteen people.

My gaze goes straight to Elle, who’s walking with several other girls. Archer Hathaway and a bunch of his football buddies are trailing a few feet behind, all of them headed toward a picnic table near the tire swing.

“This should be interesting,” Reese comments, lying back on her elbows.

I glance at Tuck, who’s keeping busy plucking blades of grass. I think that means Keira’s part of the group, but I don’t know what she looks like to confirm.

“Hathaway’s looking rough,” Roman comments. He’s a fellow senior and Two. A cool guy, as far as I can tell, but I don’t really know him that well.

“That’s what going oh and five and getting dumped will do to you,” Phoenix responds, chuckling. He’s pulled out a joint, the sweet smoke replacing the scent of grass and sunshine.

My chin jerks in his direction, betraying my interest. “What are you talking about?”

“Football team hasn’t won a single game this season.” Nix shakes his head and blows more smoke. “You should really reconsider playing, James. It’s past pathetic at this point.”

I ignore the advice and ask, “Hathaway got dumped?”

Roman shrugs. “Supposedly. Hard to know with the Ones. They like to keep it all in the family, you know.”

“He definitely got dumped,” Zane says, taking the joint from Nix. “Hathaway is in my Spanish class, and all he does is bitch in English. Lately, it’s been about Perry Welch moving in on his girl.”

“Nah, she’s fair game if they broke up,” Roman replies. “Good for Welch. Didn’t know he had those balls on him.”

“Have youseenElle Clarke?” Nix asks. “Every guy on the team must be taking a pass at that.” He glances at Zane. “We should hit the postgame party this week, man. I bet I can talk Cruz into bringing some favors.”

I glance at Tuck, who’s watching me more closely than I’d like. He’d obviously already heard about Elle breaking up with her boyfriend, and I’m surprised he didn’t tell me. I guess he believed me when I said I was over her, or he’s been too wrapped up with Keira to mention it.

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