Page 48 of Get Even

I burst out laughing, “You’re ridiculous, you know that?” Kat didn’t laugh and my smile faded quickly. “No. Tell me you’re fucking with me.”

Kat shook her head slowly from side to side and I groaned. “Oh man, I can’t believe you told me! No wait, I can’t believe she kept this a secret from me!”

Kat winced, “You’re clearly into Ryan and she’s upset, okay? Just give her some space.”

It felt like there was too much spit in my mouth and I swallowed, looking away and back to the match as Ryan got possession of the ball and I gave a half-hearted cheer.

“You’re wrong,” I said. “There’s no way.”

Kat shrugged, “Suit yourself.”

I cursed, Kat was a gossip but she wasn’t usually a liar.Fuck.How had this happened? I liked Liv a lot, she was gorgeous and funny and sweet but I was–

My eyes found Ryan’s back, standing in position as I looked on from the bleachers. I liked Ryan. I had for a long time if I was being at all honest with myself. Liv was amazing and she deserved the world, but what I really needed from her was a friend. I’d made that decision right after I’d kissed her at the bar and hadn’t regretted it since.

I pushed my hand through my wind-blown hair and tugged out the tangles impatiently. “This is a fucking mess,” I said and Kat nodded her agreement. “How long have you known?”

“I don’t know,” she said, avoiding my eyes. “A week? Maybe two?”

Fuck. Liv had liked me for a while then and there I was, waxing on about Ry and having him over to the apartment…

“Hey,” Kat said, placing a cool hand on mine, “don’t beat yourself up. You didn’t know and she didn’t want to tell you. So just pretend I never said anything okay? Liv will get over you.”

Clearly I was predictable. I sighed, trying to ease the chaos of my thoughts by focusing on the match. We were up by two points. Or tries. Or whatever the fuck this sport used. But it looked like we were winning and if nothing else, this was a great time to simply sit back and enjoy watching Ry’s muscles work.

“How are things between the two of you?” Kat said, nodding to where Ryan stood and clearly trying to keep my mind off of the bomb she’d just dropped about Liv.

“Good I think,” I smiled slightly as Ryan looked up and spotted us in the crowd, shielding his eyes against the bright lights highlighting the game and waving. “He’s different to anyone else I’ve ever been with.”

“I’m glad,” Kat said and then smirked, “Aaron was an ass. About time you dated someone half-way decent.”

I laughed and smacked her arm lightly. The truth was that if Taylor’s complaint came back in her favor and I was suspended, I still would have had possibly the best few months at college since I’d arrived because I’d got to spend them with Ry, Kat and Liv. I hadn’t realized I was lonely until suddenly I was no longer alone. I wasn’t sure how long it would take them to reach a decision and let me know, bureaucracy tended to take a while, but given how desperate Davis was for me to be gone…

A whistle blew and Kat and I shared oblivious looks as the people surrounding us cheered and clapped. “I guess it’s over?” I said hesitantly as people began to gather their stuff and make their way down the steps to leave. The campus didn’t have its own stadium but regularly used the one across town for practices and matches. It had been a little bit of a trek to get there but if it made Ry happy I would go to every single game.

They stood too and headed for the exit. The small parking lot was packed with people and cars attempting to leave and they stood off to one side nearer the changing rooms, waiting for Ry, Kit, Xander and Leo. I hadn’t really paid the other guys much attention as they’d played but it still boggled my mind that such different guys were all on a team together, it definitely challenged my own jock bias. Just then Cody and Brad stepped out of the small building and sent me half-smiles and I nodded. When I thought about jocks, those two were definitely more what I pictured. Not the ever-cheerful Kit with his bright blue hair and multitude of piercings.

He came out of the changing room with Leo, ruffling his hair before he spotted me and Kat and then charged over.

“Hey guys, you did great!” Well, at least I’d thought they had.

“Thanks,” Leo said slightly stiffly while Kit slid his lip piercing back in.

“Can’t believe you guys came and watched,” Kit said with a grin once his arrow was secure in his lip again.

“It was fun,” Kat said with a shy smile at Leo and I tried not to smirk.

“Yeah, especially because we had no clue what was going on,” I said enthusiastically and Kat glowered at me. “So we made up our own rules like, when Ry gets the ball he had to pass to the person with the second cutest butt. Though Kat and I disagreed a little on that front, right?” Kat took half a step back from Leo and I laughed with Kit at the expression on her face.

“It definitely sounds like a more interesting way to play the game,” Kit winked and Leo frowned.

“It’s a bit inconsistent though,” he said and Kit clapped a hand over Leo’s mouth with a laugh as his eyes widened.

I shot Kat a look that saidI told you soand she sighed.

Strong arms swept around my middle and I shrieked in delight as I was turned around, the smile on my face dying when I found Aaron and not Ryan behind me.

“See boys,” he said with a sneer as he dropped me, “I told you I could still make her squeal.”

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