Page 16 of The Masks We Wear

Maybe just this once; I need to forget for a little while too.

Me: See you at 6.

REMY ROTATES IN THE MIRROR,inspecting her outfit of choice. Jeans I didn’t even know she owned hug her wide hips, lifting her ass to a perfect perk. Her small waist is on full display under the tight AC/DC shirt that’s slightly ripped and hanging from one shoulder.

Her eyes catch mine in the reflection, and she twists around, a rose blush tinting her cheeks. “I look stupid, don’t I?”

I decide not to lie since it’s apparent she’s stepping out of her comfort zone. The real question, though, is for who?

“Honestly, Remy, you look hot as fuck.” I smile, leaning back on her fluffy futon, propping my arm across the back.

Her smile widens, and her cheeks push up, nearly causing her eyes to close. “Thanks, Spence.”

My heart stutters. Only one person has ever called me that. Hearing it now from Remy feels... unfamiliar. I clear my throat, shoving the feeling back into the hole it belongs in.

Remy puts her school ID around her neck and shoves on a thin jacket. She tilts her head while looking at me, eyebrows raised, and I notice she’s all but bouncing. I stand and move toward the door at a snail’s pace.

She purses her lips and narrows her eyes. “Come on already!”

I yawn, stretching as I put my arm around her shoulder. “Let’s go. Get this over with.”

Remy socks me in the bicep, forcing a laugh from my throat. She threads a hand through her dark hair, her eyes softening.

Being around Remy is easy. It’s carefree and smooth sailing, with no drama or secrets lurking in every corner. I once played with the idea of what it would feel like to be with her. Be with someone so unproblematic. But my body doesn’t hum with the same high it does with…

No.I shake the disturbing thought away. Fuck her.

We load into my truck and make our way toward the game. The ride is refreshingly pleasant as Remy flips on the radio and immerses me into a full-on private concert. Her infectious laugh fills up the cabin as she struggles to hit the high notes. It melts away the tension of my morning, and for the first time in a week, happiness floats through my body.

We pull up to the stadium, and when I pull into a spot, I pause, turning toward Remy. “So, who’s the guy? Am I allowed to know or?”

That same pink tint from earlier paints her face. She shifts, tucking a stray hair behind her ear, and bites into her bottom lip.

“It’s fine. You don’t have to tell me...now,” I joke, turning the ignition off and opening the door. I whip around and open her side, holding my elbow out to support her as she hops out.

We join the large crowd swarming into the stadium. Tonight’s game is against our rivals on the east side of the city, and it seems as if all thirty-five hundred students are here.

Remy agrees to find seats while I grab us some hot chocolate from the concession stand. Luckily, everyone hasn’t made it down yet, so the line isn’t too long. I pull my hoodie up and scroll on my phone while I wait, reading another article on color, when I hear her name.

“Have you seen Lily?” The frail redhead in front of me huddles close to her friend. Her cheeks are rosy, matching her Rudolf nose.

The friend nods. “Yes, that bitch is so freaking pretty it’s sickening. I can’t wait till the halftime show. You know it’s going to be epic.”

My chest tightens, and an ache spreads from the pounding organ.

I don’t care about her. Not anymore.

Repeating the short mantra, I bury my attention in my phone, doing the best I can to ignore the girls and the throbbing between my temples. After about fifteen minutes, with our hot chocolate in tow, I find Remy seated next to the band—far from where the cheerleaders are stationed.

The game actually turns out to be a nail-biter. Defense on both sides keeps either from scoring, and the offense can’t seem to push through. I notice the way Remy sits up a little straighter when Blaze gets the ball or how she gasps when he gets rocked by the opposing team, but I keep my mouth shut.

When halftime comes, the score is still a big goose egg on both sides.

“I’m going to grab us some nachos.” Remy stands and disappears in the flow of people probably doing the same.

I unlock my phone and finish the article I was on. Tonight isn’t so bad. The cool fresh air is nice, and the game is pretty entertaining, to say the least. I spread my legs, leaning an elbow on my knee as I open my text thread with William. He wants to take a road trip to visit, and I know I can’t keep putting him off.

His ass misses me, and I’m not sure our FaceTime tutoring sessions are doing much good. The boy has it made with money and doesn’t think he needs a fucking brain to run his family’s potatoes distributions company in Idaho.

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