Page 4 of Pinkie Promise

As well as being one of the most important athletes on the squad, Aisling runs the executive committee, meaning that she has intel on the cheer calendar that no-one else but the Carter U board has access to.

“Technically,” I say quietly, dropping my eyes from the beautiful cheer ribbons of my dreams, “technically youcouldtell me what the event is, now that I got kicked off the team and all.”

I’m hyper-twiddling with the end of one of my blonde curls but I can still feel the moment that Aisling’s gaze zaps over to me, the sudden understanding dawning on her from across the room.

She sinks down onto the couch, legs crossed and facing me directly.

“You weren’t kicked off the team, Fallon,” she says, her eyes wide as she mentally face-palms herself. “It wasn’t even your fault that you were… that you were…”

Benched. That I was benched. Because the coach wanted to give a freshman girl a chance but when she started making blunders I was the one who took the fall. Literally.

One too many times.

I rub my head, remembering the seemingly never-ending series of falls that took place during our first two weeks this year of pre-season training.

So now I have not only no job and no money, but also no extracurricular.

This is going to lookso goodon my grant application.

Aisling pushes on, determined to drag me out of this rough patch. “You’re still the best flyer Carter U has ever seen and maybe this re-shuffle will only be temporary.”

I sustained two concussions in under two weeks so it’s not going to be temporary, but Ash already knows that. Carter U might value me as an athlete but there’s no way that they’re going to keep me on their public competition team when the repercussions of continued brain trauma could literally kill me, and without being officially on the squad I’m unable to apply for another full Carter U sport scholarship. Which I need.Desperately.

“Also,” she continues, this time giving me a sparkly hopeful look that piques my curiosity. “Close your eyes.”

I want to scowl at her but, at the end of the day, she’s my best friend. And there’s also the fact that Aisling’s family owns this entire block of stunning pool-topped condos and they let me live here rent-free, meaning that I am low-key the O’Malley family sugar baby.

So I close my eyes.

I hear the sound of Aisling springing free from the couch, the whack of her full-body-slamming into her bedroom doorframe, the small howl of pain followed by one-footed hobbling noises, and then she’s back in front of me, placing something in my hands.

“Open them,” she says, the smug lilt in her voice telling me that she is very pleased with herself.

I wait a beat and then I peek one eye open, squinting down to my lap so that I can see what she’s handed me.

When I see the two beautiful ribbons that she’s ordered for me despite my not being on the comp team anymore, I almost burst into tears.

I throw my hands up to my eyes and set my elbows on my knees as I try to rein in my overflowing emotions.

“Fallon,” she coos, a sad concerned wobble in her voice as she wraps her slim arms around my head. She pats my hair affectionately as I regulate my breathing. “We’ll find a way so you don’t have to go back home, okay? We’ll find a way to keep you at Carter U. And, you know, you have your secret manuscript...”

I shake my head because I don’t think that that will be possible – staying at Carter U, getting the arts funding,ordoing anything with my manuscript, if I ever even finish it – but I keep my mouth shut because I hate being a burden, especially to someone like Ash who deserves a fun uncomplicated friend who she can study and party and cheer with.

I lift my head and she gives me a sad smile.

“It’s fine,” I say shakily. She offers me her lip-gloss and I accept the glittery doe-foot.

I roll my lips together as she sticks the applicator back in the tube and then I swipe my fingers over my cheeks as a knock sounds on the door.

Aisling immediately rolls her eyes, knowing exactly whose fist is pounding on the wood.

“Go away,” she calls out loudly just as it swings open.

“Hey, gorgeous. You ready?” Aisling’s two-hundred-pound, soon-to-be NFL star, hunk of a brother is leaning just inside the doorframe, a pleased-with-himself smirk on his face as he looks me up and down.

Connell is Aisling’s twin but they’re fraternal and total opposites.

Admittedly, Connell is another perk of being the O’Malley family sugar baby. Having slept with most of the female population that Carter U has to offer, Aisling has forbade him from going anywhere near me, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t enjoy accepting rides in his car to my lecture halls and his ridiculously hot outer-packaging. He’s a safe zone for someone like me who needs to put all of her concentration into her grant application but doesn’t mind some harmless flirting in the meantime.

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