Page 22 of Shutout
Subject: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Hey bestie
Why are you acting like this is some great breakthrough? You could’ve emailed me any time.
Now he’s the one typing up with enough intensity to draw attention from other students. I pretend like I’m concentrating on the lecture, but the hammering in my eardrums doesn’t let me catch a single word the lecturer says.
From: [email protected]
Subject: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Hey bestie
You told me to disappear from your lifeforever. Blocked my number. Unfollowed me on social media. The only reason you didn’t block my email was because the school system won’t allow it. But I got the hint and I didn’t want to make you even more pissed off at me. So can we please finally drop it?
When the email finally comes, I read and re-read it several times. This time, it’s as if a block of ice descends to my stomach. Cold expanding all over my body until my fingers are so stiff, I can’t even type again.
And then Brooke sends another email.
From: [email protected]
Subject: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Hey bestie
And byitI mean the fight. Not this email thread. Unless you want to move on to text (unblock me plis).
I lift my eyes from the laptop and turn.
Brooke’s sitting closer to me, half leaning on the desk and propped up by his hand. There’s no trace of humor in his expression. If anything, this is his game face. The one he has when he’s dead serious about destroying the opposing team’s morale with his plays. His eyes bore into mine like he’s trying to dig up all my secrets.
And then he delivers the killer blow by whispering a single word.
“Please.”
I wouldn’t consider myself weak, but the little wrinkle between his eyebrows, the downturned curve of his lips, the strand of golden hair falling on his forehead, the almost imperceptible dip of the dimple in his chin… it’s lethal. And I cave.
CHAPTER 9
BROOKLYN
The buzzer goes off. The arena is bathed in St. Cloud blue lights, the crowd roars in celebration of the biggest goal in my career.
Or at least that’s how it feels like in my mind as I watch Liv reach for her phone on the desk, slowly tapping and scrolling until she unblocks me. And I know it’s done by how she lifts her chin at me, with the same air of challenge from Friday night.
Stubborn little Olive.
Good thing I’ve always been persistent and I never gave up on her. I just had a feeling that after that incident, insistence would be the same as disrespecting her boundaries. Deep down, I always knew we’d eventually get over this and pick right up where we left off, though.
Ish. I couldn’t have guessed that making out with her would be the ticket.
Pulling out my phone from my pocket, I fire a text over to her.
Me
Testing testing 1 2 3 1 2 3
*Olive emoji*
Seriously, let’s talk later
