Page 70 of The Rivals' Touch

Aycliffe’s gymnasium has a larger capacity than Hedgewood’s. There’s not an empty seat in here today. Teachers, students, and their families have come out to support Aycliffe. The loud noise is deafening, a constant buzz that won’t die down until this building is empty. It’s hard to imagine it void of lively energy. Even as night falls and the moonlight slants through the narrow windows near the roof, the echo of cheers will still linger.

Dressed in his jersey, Jacob exits the boys’ locker room with Zayd and a couple of his teammates. He calls out to Bennett by my side, “You’ve got some fucking nerve coming here, Hedgewood!”

I roll my eyes. “Stop it, Jacob!”

He snaps his eyes to me as he stops in front of Bennett. “I suggest you shut that pretty mouth of yours, princess!”

My mouth falls open and I go to reply, but Bennett beats me to it, shoving Jacob’s chest.

“Don’t talk to her like that!”

The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end at the sound of Jacob’s sinister laugh.

He steps closer to Bennett, shoulders tense, a cruel smile on his lips. “What are you going to do, Hedgewood? I don’t see your team here to defend you?”

My eyes lock with Zayd’s as he smirks knowingly. This is escalating fast.

“Don’t worry! We’ll play you soon enough, and then we’ll settle this on the court.”

Jacob’s muscles strain as he shifts. “How about this, pretty boy? The winner takes the title”—he looks at me—“and the girl?”

I tear my gaze away from Zayd. “What the fuck, Jacob?!”

He winks.

Bennett looks like he’s about to lose his shit. “You think I’m going to offer my girlfriend up as a prize?”

Jacob wets his lips, his eyes sparkling with the challenge. “Are you afraid to lose?”

The visiting team – dressed in red and white – performs drills on the court. That’s what Zayd and Jacob should do, focus their energy where it matters. But they’re too busy measuring their dicks with Bennett to focus on the upcoming game. I want to knock some sense into them all.

“Hedgewood won’t lose! We’ll wipe the fucking floor with you!” Bennett promises, squaring up with Jacob.

Unfazed, Jacob chuckles darkly. “Then you don’t need to worry. If you win, you get to keep your girl. But if we win”—he sweeps his eyes over my blue-and-black cheer uniform—“we get the girl!”

Legacy joins us, her dark hair tied back in a high ponytail. “What have I missed?”

When she spots Bennett, she stops short and looks at me. Her hazel eyes burn with an intensity I haven’t seen before. “You brought your boyfriend?”

Bennett shoves Jacob again. “Get out of my fucking space!”

“Come on, you pussy!” Jacob says, throwing his arms wide and laughing. You said it yourself; you’re going to wipe the floor with us, so why not offer your girl up as a prize? You won’t lose, right?”

“Bennett, no!” I cry, ignoring how Legacy looks at me.

Bennett squares his shoulders and replies to Jacob, “You want to play for Remi? Fine! I can’t wait to wipe that smug grin off your face, you fucking dick!”

“Bennett?” My voice shakes. I can’t believe he would agree to this.

Zayd chuckles as Jacob catches a basketball that comes flying over our heads.

Jacob spins it on his finger, then shoulders past Bennett and calls out, “I can’t wait to fuck your girl when Aycliffe wins!”

I stare disbelievingly at Bennett. “What did you do?”

He frowns. “What’s the problem? They’re not going to win.”

“You don’t fucking know that!”

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