Page 17 of The Masks We Wear

An announcement echoes through the stadium, and I realize the band is on the field. “And for your halftime entertainment, the Emerald Falls very own reigning Regional Champions, EFH cheer squad.”

Everyone in the stands erupts in a furious cheer, rising to their feet as the girls walk across the stage.

My heart picks up pace, but I force my eyes back on my phone, staring at the text when the drums begin their percussion. I do well for a few minutes, but then Ifeelher. My nerves light up, and a string of goose bumps trail down my arm even though I’m wearing a damn hoodie.

When I look up, Lily’s the first thing I see.

She illuminates the space around her, and everyone else seems to disappear. Her hair whips around in the wind, twirling around her neck and falling in between the valley of her breasts. Her hips move to the beat of the band, her arms whirling around, curling around her body, accentuating her curves.

She’s half goddess, half hell, and she lights my fucking heart on fire.

Lily’s eyes lock with mine, and just like that, every thought I’ve had, and the resilience I’ve built over the last six days, disintegrates in her flames.

The air thickens, leaving me struggling to swallow. The knot in my throat grows and soon breathing becomes harder. She keeps my gaze, rolling slower and jutting her ass out more, while like a dipshit, I greedily eat it up. My dick struggles against the zipper of my jeans, and I think if I clench my teeth any tighter, I may crack my molars.

It feels like ripping two strong-ass magnets apart, but I finally break eye contact and head for Remy. A new revelation washes over me, heating my face to a painful temperature.

Why deny it? Whether I want to or not, I do care. Too goddamn much.

And it pisses me the fuck off.

EIGHT

So he can’t come to school, but he can come to a football game? Something he’s never been interested in before?

The audacity.His ass knew I would be here tonight.

Irritation rolls in my stomach, and I chew the inside of my lip a little too hard, tasting the bitter blood on my tongue.

Tonight’s game is packed, and while I have our routine on repeat in my head, it all comes to a stop when Ifeelhim set foot in the stands. The fine hairs on my neck stand at attention, and the air blows a little warmer, despite the string of clouds moving in. When I look back, I find him without much effort, sitting next to that Remy girl.

I suck my teeth. Fine, since he wants to come to my turf and ignore my presence entirely, I’ll put on a show. It’s halftime, and the announcer summons us to the field.

We saunter onto the grass, and I ignore the hundreds of eyes on me, focusing on just one. And the second those amber orbs lock on mine; it’s on.

My hips flit to the sound of the drums, soaking up every ounce of attention he gives me. The attention I should have had over the past five days. I find it intoxicating that despite what I did, he can’t seem to break away from me. Maybe that’s why he couldn’t come to school. Because even though he doesn’t want to, he’s attracted to me now, and it eats him up that he won’t get me.

I’m not sure if it’s satisfaction, rage, lust, or a combination of the three, but a tingle radiates through my body before nestling in my pussy, driving my body to pick up the pace. My hands slide down my curves and up again, showing him everything he almost had. Everything that was at the tips of his fingers.

A shiver descends my spine, and even though it’s strange how euphoric it feels, I live in the moment. Reveling in the way he lights my body up without even knowing.

Until suddenly, he snaps his eyes closed and walks away. As if he’s bored with the view.

The act hits me in the chest, leaving a hole in the dead center, allowing the nip in the air to flush the desire out like being dumped in a cold bath. There’s nothing I hate more than becoming invisible and left behind.

I bite back the burn in my throat and jump into the counts.

Screw him.

AFTER WHAT FEELSlike the longest game of the season, I drive home, Lo-Fi flowing through the speakers. It’s well past ten, but even in the dark, the low-hanging clouds loom over, ready to spill their belly on the earth below.

I hurry home, parking in the driveway, and run to the front door, hopeful I make it inside before the downpour starts. But the light pouring out from the front window stops me in my tracks. My heart bottoms out, hitting my hollow stomach, instantly making me nauseous.

She’s home. She’s never home.

I stare at my keys, considering where I might go. Blaze is probably buried balls deep in somebody, and Amora is most likely just as busy. My eyes flash to the dark house behind mine, but I don’t let them linger too long.

Letting out a slow breath, I meander to the front door. Maybe I left the light on while rushing out this morning. It’s true my mind hasn’t been able to focus in the past couple of weeks.

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