Page 12 of The Forever Play

“Nah, I’m good, bro.” I shake him off and start walking back to the field.

He wanders along beside me, not saying anything. He’s good like that, never demands shit I don’t want to give.

But by the time we reach the grass, I feel like I owe him an explanation.

When Wily walks over to check on me, I spit out a small semblance of truth.

“Just thought I saw someone I used to know.”

“Oh yeah?” Wily wiggles his eyebrows. “Was she hot?”

I snicker and can’t help tipping my head to the side. “Still gorgeous.”

“Ahhh.” They start to razz me, and I let them, because I can’t tell them everything right now.

They don’t know how I broke Sienna’s heart.

They don’t know how she broke mine.

And they can never know how I returned to Kelsey U and, in an attempt to deal with my personal tragedy, systematically fucked up my freshman year in the worst way possible.

CHAPTER 5

SIENNA

By the time, I get back to Russell’s place, I’m ready to throw up. I basically ran the whole way back, pushing the stroller and carrying Zoey until I couldn’t breathe. She got sick of being jostled around and soon started squawking until I slowed to a shuffle and panted my way to the front door.

It opens before I can turn the handle, and Russell greets us with a cheerful “Hey, family! How’s my little girl?” Reaching for Zoey, he takes her out of my arms, tickling her tummy and making her giggle and squirm.

But her humor doesn’t last long. Soon she’s grousing and then starts crying.

“What’s the matter, lil’ bug? You tired?”

“Y-yeah.” I find my voice. Having stored the stroller with trembling hands—wrestling it shut with a desperate grunt—I manage to stand and face my roommate.

“Are you okay?” He frowns, concern flashing through his eyes. “Sienna, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” I smooth back my hair. “I’m just notfeeling great. I think my period might be due or something. I’m not sure.”

Zander called me Sparks. I haven’t heard that nickname in three years. I didn’t even realize how much I missed it until he whispered it on the playground. I shouldn’t want to miss it!

He destroyed me!

The words in my head are screaming so loud, I miss the first part of Russell’s sentence.

Blinking, I try to focus on what he’s saying.

“…it sucks, but maybe it’s coming early.” He gives me a sympathetic smile while my forehead wrinkles.

Does he know my cycle?

You live together. He’s not stupid… and he takes out the trash.

I try to talk myself out of the chill that’s racing down my spine and shake my head. It’s not weird that he knows when I have my period—it’s weird that he knows when it’sdue. I’ve only been here a month, so I would have had at least one. But surely he didn’t make some kind of mental note or?—

Ugh! Just stop thinking about it. Put Zoey down for a nap and then fold yourself into a corner and cry. You know that’s all you’re capable of right now.

“Well, do you want to go lie down? I can give Zoey a drink and settle her for you.”

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