Page 43 of The First Play

“I just… got into my head a bit.”

“About what?”

“You and me?” I cringe and bite my lip. “Things have been kinda weird this week, and my brain started spiraling, you know?”

He doesn’t say anything, and the look on his face makes dread pool in my stomach.

Oh shit. I’m right!

Just get it over with, Sen.

With my heart sinking down to my knees, I quickly blurt, “Look, if you want to break up with me, you should just do it fast. It’ll be brutal, but I think I’d prefer that to you stringing me along and—” My voice starts to wobble and pitch, my throat swelling as I clench my jaw and look away from him.

“Sparky,” he whispers, his hands cupping my cheeks and coaxing me to look up at him. “Why the hell would I want to break up with you?”

“Because your parents don’t want us together!” My voice pitches desperately.

He snorts and shakes his head. “Like I’d let them stop me.”

“But…” I sniff and grab his wrist, brushing my thumb over his pulse. “You’ve been off lately, and I can tell there’s tension at home for you. Am I the reason why? I’ve been trying to ask you about it, but I’ve been too scared to just come out and say it.” I huff. “Your parents don’t like me, do they? They don’t want us together. I mean, I knew they didn’t want us getting too serious too fast, but now they’re wanting you to end it. Right?”

He sighs, resting his forehead against mine. “It’s not about you. I mean… you could be any girl on the planet and they’d be having issues. They don’t want me withanyone.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s a distraction.” His nostrils flare, and I can feel the anger vibrating off him. “They’ve been riding me big-time over football, and they’re desperate for me to get this letter of intent, but we’re still waiting on verbal offers… or written offers. Any offers, really. Until I get one, they won’t chill out. They want me to focus on my studies and football and not get distracted by anything else.” His face mottles when he lets out another huff. “It’s been going on ever since we got together, and I’m so over it. Mom’s usually on my side, but she and Dad are double-teaming me on this thing, and it’s fucking painful.”

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to make life difficult for you.”

“You don’t.” He tugs me forward, kissing me like he means it before leaning away and whispering, “You are the best thing in my life right now, and I hate that they’re getting in the way of that. I want to be with you, Sen. I want to spend every waking second with you, and it kills me every time they interrupt us or threaten to confiscate my phone like I’m a fucking five-year-old.” His voice gets snappy and terse.

I gaze up at him, feeling how torturous this all is. It’s unbelievable. He’s basically an adult now, and they’re treating him like a toddler who needs monitoring 24/7.

“I don’t understand why they’re acting like this,” I murmur.

He sighs. “They’re just projecting their shit all over me,” he mutters. “They got together in high school, and now they’re divorced. They both always go on about how being together held them back and how great their lives would have been if they’d managed to go off and find themselves and not been caught up in a serious relationship. Mom got pregnant while they were in college, and Dad seems to think that’s the reason he didn’t get drafted into the NFL. He got distracted with baby stuff instead of focusing on the game.” His expression buckles.

And my heart sinks, which must show because he leans forward and whispers against my cheek, “That’s not going to happen to us. I don’t give a shit what they say. I’m not breaking up with you.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” He’s so emphatic, it makes my belly start to flutter again. “And I don’t care that they want me to consider colleges that are miles away. I’m not going anywhere but Brighton. I’m not leaving you.” His eyebrows rise, and I could drown in his gaze right about now.

He’s got the big feels… for me.

My smile grows a mile wide. “I love you.”

I didn’t mean to just come out and say it like that. But there it is. Three little words that I can’t take back. But I mean them with everything I have, so why would I even want to?

I hold my breath, wondering how he’ll react.

But his gaze softens, cloaking me like a warm blanket. “I love you, too, Sparky.”

Yes!!! I can’t believe he just said it so easily!

He loves me!

Reaching up, I curl my arm around his neck and plant my mouth on his.

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