Page 101 of Second Down Darling

We’re sitting on her couch in her dark living room. Her two other roommates went to bed when I showed up out of the blue. I couldn’t call her because I’m not sure where I left my phone. Thankfully, Roxy was home or Duke, Winkie, and I would’ve spent the night in mycar.

Duke is curled up at our feet. Every now and then, he whines like he knows I’m upset. Winkie is sitting in the windowsill and happily ignoring me now that he’s had sometuna.

When Roxy lets go of me, I reach for another tissue and blow my nose. “I’m sorry for crying all over you. I know that what I’m going through is nothing compared to what you are rightnow.”

She grabs my hand. “Don’t say that. You can’t compare people’s personal challenges like they’re pieces of fruit and one might weigh more than another. This thing with your sister is ridiculous, and when I get my hands on Jake, I’m going to wring his pretty littleneck.”

“He’s doing his best. Now that I’ve gotten some space from the situation, I know how upset he must be that my sister is bringing up their custody situation. I just… I just wish he’d reacted differently to the pregnancy news. I mean, I’m obviously not pregnant seeing how I got my period the moment I got here—thanks for the tampon, by the way. But you should’ve seen his face when he thought he’d knocked me up. I swear he looked like he was going to passout.”

Her expression goes flat. “Fine. Maybe I won’t strangle him, but it sucks to hear how he was so sweet to your crazy-ass sister when she told him she waspregnant.”

“That’s what I can’t get over.” A few more tears leak from my eyes. “I love Jake, but I’m really upset with him right now. We’ve been through so much together over the years, but I don’t want a lifetime of comparing myself to Kota, and it’s impossible not to if she’s going to rear her head around every corner like ahydra.”

Roxy wrinkles her nose. “What’s ahydra?”

“From Greek mythology. It was this huge snake with, like, seven heads and razor-sharpteeth.”

“That does sound like yoursister.”

“Right?” My laugh turns into a moan. “What am I going todo?”

We’re quiet for a moment, and then she pokes me. “You fight thatbitch.”

“How? Look at me. I don’t even have the money to rent a motel for the night. My sister is rolling in cash, and ugh, Rox, this would be so much easier if she were a troll, but she looked so beautifultonight.”

“But that girl has an ugly soul. No amount of hair product, makeup, or money will ever changethat.”

She has a point, but I’m not ready to look on the bright side yet. “How many views does that video havenow?”

“Nope.” She tucks her phone under her butt. “You’re not looking at thatagain.”

The one that went viral was taken from the stands. Someone captured the whole thing. Me kissing Jake and smiling like an idiot just before I got a face full offood.

When I got here an hour ago, it had four million views and had been uploaded to all the big gossip blogs. I guess people care since I’m related to Kota, who’s one of the most popular celebrities on her dumb show. Plus, Jake is a hot commodity now since his football season is going sowell.

But Jesus, thecomments.

Why would he dump Dakota to be withthatgirl?

Dakota is a smoke show compared to hersister.

What does Jake see in that bitch? She’s sobland!

“Why are people so mean?” I wipe the corner of myeye.

Leaning back, she sighs. “I don’t know. Kinda wish there was a bad karma dating app, so you could set up assholes with each other. Because then I’d set up Ezra with Dakota. They’re perfect for eachother.”

I wince. “Did you talk to him yet about everything?” I haven’t asked her if Ezra is the father of her baby, but based on that comment, I think heis.

“No, but he’s not going to take it well. I suppose he could surprise me. I’m not holding my breath,though.”

“If it’s any consolation, your father will probably take him out with ashotgun.”

“That’s an accurate assessment. But I love my father, even if he can be an overbearing ass sometimes. I can’t tell him about Ezra, or he’ll go ballistic. Ezra is his golden-boy quarterback. It’ll break hisheart.”

I frown. “Are you sure? Doesn’t Ezra deserve some payback for being such a dick toyou?”

“Oh, he definitely deserves some payback, but it can’t come from my father.” She lets out a long sigh. “I need to sleep onthis.”

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