Page 51 of The Lie
“Oh, hello there again, sweet thang.”
We don’t say anything as Roman opens the door to the pouring rain.
“Aww, don’t leave. I bet I’m a lot more fun than he was.”
Yep, throwing up now.
TWENTY-ONE
MILA
Spirit week. The school is covered in red and black posters and streamers. Everyone is pumped for the homecoming game on Friday against the West Maitland Wildcats. It’s going to be a great game; they’re an amazing team, so the Rebels have their work cut out for them. But I know we can win this.
Well, we could if Jace wasn’t still fighting with the guys…hell, half the team. His own brother still isn’t talking to him, and I have no idea how this is going to go down. The team is more fractured than ever.
Jace has pissed off the guys who are loyal to Grady, while others now look at Grady like he’s going to watch them changing in the locker room or come on to them.Assholes.So, there’s a divide in the team, and it all comes back to Jace and Britney. They equally damaged the team’s morale.
The cheerleaders are extra bouncy today. Guess they’re trying to get dates for the homecoming dance on Saturday. I technically don’t have a date. I know Hunter will be mine, but he hasn’t asked, so until he does, I’m not going with him. I’m going solo.
“Mila, do you want to go dress shopping after school today? I wasn’t gonna go to the dance, but now…” Cadence glances around the table we’re seated at in the cafeteria and smiles.
“I’m going,” Sadie says. “We should do a girls’ night, get ready together, and all go together. It will be fun.”
I nod in agreement, loving that idea. It will be nice to have some girl time. I’ve never had many female friends before…like, ever. I love what I have with these girls. The friendship is growing stronger each day, and we can talk about so much shit, like boys and how dumb they can be.
Hunter wraps his arm around my shoulder and pulls me against him. I inhale his scent and sigh a little at how yummy he always smells. “Aww…I thought we were going together, babe?”
I lean into him and pat his leg. He chuckles and shakes his head. He knows what that means; he won’t win this round.
“Okay, but I get to dance with you.”
I kiss him, and Emerson groans at the public display. He’s told us to stop kissing in front of him, since it makes him sad that he has no one to kiss. I told him to kiss my ass, and he actually tried. He got down on his knees, and Hunter bonked him on the head for even thinking he could kiss my ass.
“Of course, you get to dance with me, and shut up, Emerson.”
“I want a kiss,” he mumbles, and I chuckle. Hunter jerks against me and there is an “oomph” from Emerson.
I look over and see Emerson rubbing the back of his head. I pat Hunter’s chest and shake my head.
Cadence told me Emerson laid down some pickup lines last Friday at the game. I laughed so hard when she told me she turned him down. I’d warned her and Sadie that the boys on the team are awesome, but they have big egos, and most are manwhores. If they’re looking for a one-night stand, then go crazy. But there are only a few that are boyfriend material, and those have girlfriends already.
She took my advice and decided to say no to Emerson. She said he’s cute, but she doesn’t want to give up her V-card to just some guy on the football team. She’s not that kind of girl. And if Emerson ever did her wrong, I would have his nuts in a vise. I think he knows it because he didn’t push her. He actually said, and I quote,“I respect that and hope to see you Monday at lunch.”
What the hell? I asked her if he was hit on the head during the game and wasn’t thinking straight. Sadie told me that’s exactly what he said, and they were both surprised. Maybe he isn’t a lost cause after all. Hunter said that Emerson had fucked most of the cheerleaders. I’m sure Hunter has too. But that’s the past.
Jace comes out of nowhere and takes a seat at the table. I don’t like the way he’s looking today. He looks rough, and I worry about him. He doesn’t speak to anyone; he just puts his head down to eat. This is different from the cocky and so-sure-of-himself Jace from weeks ago. Someone needs to talk to him. I pat Hunter’s leg and gesture for him to go over there, but he shakes his head. Guys can be so stubborn.
Jace looks up under his lashes at me and catches my eye. I’m the only one watching him right now, and I want to scream out, “Fix the mess you made.” All he has to do is fix things with Grady then Hunter. Whatever it is, they will forgive him if he apologizes. I know that. As much as Jace hurt me, he doesn’t deserve this.
Finally, he blinks and turns away, and I look back to Cadence, who’s talking about the color of the dress she wants. I tell her and Sadie about a red dress I saw in the window of the boutique at the mall. Sadie thinks it’s my color, and I have to agree. I think Rebels red suits me.
“Jace, there’s no room, move over.”
I turn with the rest of the table to see Britney and Summer standing behind Jace, holding their trays with sour expressions on their faces.
Jace looks behind at them, shakes his head, and drops it again. “Just leave, there’s no room,” he mutters just loud enough for me to hear.
“But you’re the quarterback, Jace. You can make them move,” she whines.
