Page 41 of The First Play

Can’t I just spend every waking minute with the girl who makes me feel alive?

The thought of leaving her to go away to college fucking sucks. Which is why I’m secretly glad no other scouts or coaches have come. If I go to Brighton, she’ll be close enough to still see all the time.

Which means I only want Brighton.

I’m not going to some school hundreds or thousands of miles away! We can’t be that far apart. I won’t do it.

“Look, I’ve spoken to Coach.”

“What?” My head springs up, and I gape at my father.

“He’s helping me put some more feelers out there, suggesting colleges on the West Coast. Plus, he’s hoping the offensive coach from Kelsey U will come to your next game, and he’s even?—”

“I’m not going to Kelsey U. It’s miles away! And screw the West Coast!”

“You may not have a choice!” Dad thunders back. “Besides, Kelsey U is a good school with a great football program.”

“No way.” I shake my head. “I get that you loved going there, but I’m not you! And I don’t want to be that far from home.”

“Because of a girl?” Dad sneers.

I clench my jaw and glare at him.

“You can’t base life decisions on a girl.”

It makes my hackles go up, and I’m about ready to yell him out of my room when he starts going on about how his plans were thwarted because he didn’t play it safe. He could have had a football career if he’d kept his head out of the clouds and focused on the game, but instead he?—

“I don’t want to play it safe!” I cut him off before I have to hear any more of this bullshit. “Just because you and Mom didn’t work out doesn’t mean every couple who meet in high school can’t last. Stop projecting your shit onto me! This is my life!”

“He’s just trying to protect you.” Mom appears behind Dad, and for once they’re actually agreeing on something.

Perfect.

Well, isn’t that just fucking perfect.

They fight abouteverything, but when it comes to me and Sienna, they’re in complete agreement.

I feel totally ganged up on as I slump back into my desk chair and listen to their lecture on how I’m still so young and don’t really know what I want yet.

Screw them!

They don’t know fucking shit!

“Hey, family!” My sister’s voice travels up to my room from the front door, and I’ve never been so grateful.

“We’ll finish this later.” Dad points at me.

“Can’t wait,” I seethe, brushing past them to run downstairs and greet my sister and grandparents.

Thank God they’re staying the night. It’ll keep me safe for the next twenty-four hours.

But then they’ll leave, and I’ll be stuck here with Mom and Dad, who are determined to ruin my life.

CHAPTER 15

SIENNA

Zander has been kinda off this week. I noticed it the second I saw him on Monday morning, but he won’t admit that anything’s wrong.

---