Page 140 of The Off-Limits Play

Space. I don’t want space!

Shit, I wish I could just stop thinking about him. My brain has been torturing me, running on repeat as I try to figure out what got him so worked up in the first place.

Things were going great between us, and then snap! He’s coming home from practice in a rage and kicking me out of his life.

And now he’s a wreck.

You’d think since he was the dumper, he’d be in a better place than I am, but by the sounds of it, he’s dived headfirst off the rails, and his friends are left to pick up the pieces.

I want to be there for him.

But he needs space right now.

My lips tremble, my chin bunching as I fight off yet another wave of stupid tears. I don’t want to feel like this!

I just want to rewind back to last week when everything was perfect.

When—

There’s a soft knock at my door. “Nylah? You in there?”

Shit, not right now, Dad!

Closing my eyes with a short huff, I grip the edge of my bed.

Do I just stay quiet and hope he’ll ignore me?

“Nylah, please. I know you’re in there. Let me in.”

I shake my head, clenching my jaw to stop my lips from trembling.

“Baby, I’m not leaving until I make sure you’re okay. I’ll stand out here all day if I have to.”

My shoulders slump as I let out a little huff and shuffle to the door. Snapping the lock, I let it open and hurry back to my bed, not in the mood for one of Dad’s hugs right now.

The door creaks as he shuffles through it, then closes it with a flick of his fingers and gazes across the room at me. His eyebrows dip in concern. “Are you sick?”

I shrug. In a way I am.

Heartsick counts, right?

Dad studies me for a long, painful minute, sliding his hands into his pockets and assessing me the way he does one of his players.

“Stop,” I whisper, closing my eyes and figuring I may as well just tell him the truth. I lied on the phone last night to get out of dinner, but now that he’s looking at my face, I don’t think I have the strength to keep this secret anymore. “I got dumped.”

Dad blinks, his head jolting back. “I didn’t even realize you had a boyfriend.”

My mouth works to the side, my heart starting to thrum as I spread my arms wide and show him the Nolan U Football hoodie I’m wearing. “I couldn’t tell you because… of your stupid rule.”

The temperature in the room drops by a thousand degrees as Dad stares at the baggy hoodie and swallows. His nostrils flare while I try to decide whether I should give him a name or keep it anonymous. It’s gonna drive my dad insane, but I don’t want him taking it out on Carson.

“So, one of my players. Should have known.” He shakes his head. “I knew something was off with you, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. It didn’t occur to me that you’d…” He lets out a huff. “That you’d disrespect me this way.” His voice starts to rise, and I bristle right along with him.

“This has nothing to do with you! I met him, I liked him. We had a connection, so I went for it. You can’t always control who you fall in love with!”

He goes still, his lips parting as his eyebrows rise to the top of his forehead. “You’re in love?”

I spit out a brittle scoff and shake my head, my eyes starting to ache as tears threaten to expose just how deep the feels are.

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