Page 89 of The Fate Of Us

“Hey, guys,” I said a silent thank you to Seb for breaking up the silence. “We’re readywhen you are.”

My head springs up, still in Nate’s shadow. I angle it around to see Seb a few feet away,just beyond the edge of the fake lockers. He had a semi-smile on his face now, which made me happy.

“We’re ready.” I nod at him, before latching my eyes onto Nate. “Right?”

He nods down at me, smile and bright eyes gone. “Yeah.”

“Alrighty then. Places everyone! Let’s get the cameras positioned on each actor and lithead-on. Extras, make sure you hit your markers and try not to look directly into the camera this time…” Seb’s voice fades as he stalks over to his director’s chair, as the swarm of extras flutter in behind us, all dressed in typical clothes and carrying a myriad of textbooks and folders, at the same time, Nate and I shuffle on to our starting markers.

There’s no time to utter words as Addy and Nate, before someone raises the clapperboardas Seb screams, “Action!”

And Addy fades away. As does Nate.

“Did Coach Benners collar you about the last home game?” I ask Nate, as Anastasia,ignoring how nice it feels to let my smile shine up on him.

“What do you think?” he jests, nudging my folded arm. I don’t let my eyes stray on theextra that passes between us, as they were instructed to before he carries on. Smile back in its rightful place. “He made it clear that if we repeat what happened last time, he’ll replace me the second the game’s over.”

I shake my head. “But that’s not fair. West High’s quarterback is—”

“A giant? Believe me, the twinge in my arm from when he broke it the first time Icollided with him reminds me all the time.”

I dish him a sorry smile, as we turn and start walking down the hallway. The cameras tothe right and in front of us start to trail backwards.

“You could always just try the old reliable technique.” Nate eyes me, no idea whatAnastasia’s talking about. “Canon balling it down the field and hoping James catches it like he did in the final game of last season.”

“That worked once, it’ll never work again.” he shrugs. “But, hold on, can we justrecognise that you just said James’ name without cringing—”

On cue, I screw my face up. “Oh, God, I nearly forgot. Don’t let me do that again.”

He rolls his eyes. “Stas, he asked you to prom via text, he didn’t murder your family.”

“But it’s so insulting. There was no thought behind it, no special treatment… nothing. Iwould have preferred—”

“Me?” He stops walking, the cameras halting as I stumble forward a few extra pacesbefore I’m supposed to realise he’s stopped.

I throw my arms up slightly, letting out a breath. “Will you stop with this whole idea thatI want you to take me to prom?”

He shrugs again, the green and gold jersey shuffling underneath him, his toned forearmsjust as distracting as they were this morning—

Don’t think about this morning. Not now.

My eyes come back into focus as he, Harry, asks, “Would you let me take you if I askedyou?”

“What? No. No… I wouldn’t…” Anastasia stumbles on her words, clearly showcasing toeveryone behind the screen when they watch this that she’d want nothing more. “I—”

“Here,” Nate pulls the backpack off his shoulder and unzips it, pulling out a wrapped gift.

“Maybe this will boost my odds of taking the coolest,” he takes a step closer. “Funniest,” Another step. “Completely gorgeous girl I know, to our last prom.”

The bell that rings doesn’t startle me because I know it’s coming, but the way Nate’slooking down on me does. It makes me shiver, like that feeling you get when you’re inches away from the one thing you’ve always dreamed of seeing.

I suppose over the years we were apart, Ihaddreamed of seeing Nate look down on melike he used to, like I was a diamond. A ruby. Precious and sure of itself. It knows its worth, knows what power it has over the people who gaze upon it. Knows it’s meant for so much more than sitting pretty in the same bullet-proof case for years on end.

Like he knows the person underneath the facade.

Like he loves the person.

Like he loves me.

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