Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
ELIZABETH
Ryder: Jamie’s car broke down. I’ll try to meet up with you guys at the party. Tell Jules I’m sorry I missed the game.
Me: He’s doing great. Already scored 2 goals. Haven’t seen Marshall. Not that I’m complaining.
N o Reply. I slide my phone into my pocket.
“Ryder will probably miss the entire game,” I tell Hailey and Jayson.
They’re seated on either side of me on the bleachers. Not that Jayson is paying any attention. He’s been closely watching the scouts sitting three rows down from us.
“They haven’t taken their eyes off Julien the entire game,” he says excitedly, most of that excitement coming from the fact that he found out one of the scouts was from Carolina University.
Hailey leans forward to get a better look. “Want me to go sit behind them and cheer loudly for Julien, scream how awesome he is?”
“Please don’t,” I say as Jayson says, “Yes.”
“Absolutely not, Jayson Jameson. Julien would be mortified if you did that. And you, troublemaker of a sister.” I poke her in the side. “Don’t?—”
Hailey flinches in pain and jerks away from me.
“I’m so sorry, Hales. Did I hurt you?”
She drops her hand quickly from her side. “I’m fine. It’s nothing,” she replies, her eyes avoiding me.
I try to lift the side of her shirt, but she slaps my hand away.
“I said I’m fine, Lizzie. Geesh, stop mothering me.”
I can’t believe she just smacked me.
She rolls her eyes. “If you must know, I ran into the door this morning and have a bruise. No biggie. Nothing to worry about. Um, I need to go to the restroom. Be right back.”
“What’s up with your sister?” Jayson asks and then jumps up, shouting at the ref, when Julien is tripped by one of the opposing team members.
Jayson sits back down and pulls me over into his lap, burying his nose in my hair.
“His leg still bothers him. If he gets injured again…”
No college wants a player who can’t play to their full potential.
“Julien’s got this. See?” I say when Julien picks himself back up and jogs into position.
After ten minutes and no sign of Hailey, I text her.
Me: Where are u?
Another five minutes and no response.
I get up. Jayson pulls me back down.
“Where are you going?”
“To look for Hailey.”
“Game’s about over.”
“I’ll be quick.”
“I’ll come with you.”
Slightly exasperated, I reply, “I am capable of surviving for five minutes on my own.”
“Still coming with you.”
Once we pass through the stadium gates, we walk across the grass to the school building. A bunch of students congregate around the unlocked entrance to the gymnasium where the restrooms are located.
“What’s up, Henry?” Jayson says and fist bumps one of our school’s resource officers.
While they’re talking, I slip inside to check the women’s restroom. Two girls I know from class are primping in the mirror.
“Hey, Beth. Hey, Celeste.”
“S’up, Lizzie,” Beth exclaims and gives me a big hug. “Should have figured you’d be here watching Julien.”
Celeste reaches around for a hug. “Where’s your boy? I’m surprised he let you out of his sight for more than a second.”
“He’s not that bad.”
She gives me a look.
Beth applies lip gloss in the mirror. “You and Jayson are like Ross and Rachel. Or Bennifer.”
Celeste flaps her hands. “Oh! Lizzie and Jayson. You can be Jizzie.”
We burst out laughing.
“I don’t think so.” I check under the stalls for feet. “Have you seen Hailey? She’s disappeared on me, and the game’s almost over.”
“Didn’t we see her with that guy earlier?” Beth says.
Guy?
“What guy?”
Celeste nods. “Yeah, she was with some older guy in the hallway. Didn’t recognize him, so he must not go here. They looked like they were arguing.”
Hailey has got some explaining to do when I find her.
“Do you mind showing me where you saw them?”
“Yeah, no prob.”
I follow them out of the restroom and around the corner of the hallway. The metal accordion gate is down and locked. No sign of Hailey.
“This is where we saw her.”
My phone vibrates, and I pull it out.
Hailey: Met up with a friend.
Me: Where r u?
Hailey: Already left.
What is going on with her? I don’t know whether to be mad or concerned.
Me: We’ll be at the truck. Meet us there.
Hailey: Not going to the party. Doing something else. Don’t wait up.
I tap my phone to my chin, then type: Who’s the guy?
I wait for her response. Nothing. Instead of texting, I phone her. It goes to voicemail.
“Everything okay?” Celeste asks.
I honestly don’t know.
“Yeah. Thanks. Are you going to the party?”
“Right after the game,” Beth replies.
“See you both there,” I tell them and head out to find Jayson.
He’s right where I left him, talking with Henry.
“There’s my girl.” He smiles and slides an arm around me.
I check my phone as we walk to the truck.
“Hailey bailed on us.”
Jayson shrugs. “Then I get you all to myself.”
Groups of people stream past. I guess the game is over.
We get stopped by some of Jayson’s friends. After the third time, I break off and pop the tailgate to the truck. The sun is about to set, and I lie back, looking up at the sky. A few free-tailed bats zip above me, catching their early evening meals.
“Sorry about that,” Jayson says, gripping my thighs and moving to stand between them. He pulls me to sit up and kisses me.
I run my hands over the expanse of his muscular shoulders and down his arms. I love how his body feels, so hard and strong and smooth. Jayson turns and sits down, wrapping my legs around his waist. I circle my arms around his neck and rest my chin on his shoulder. He makes a low humming noise of contentment, the vibrations tickling my fingertips.
“There’s something I wanted to tell you,” he tells me in a low murmur. He twists around so he can see me better. “I want us to move in together when we go to CU. Find a place off campus just for the two of us. What do you think?”
I’m not ready for that. Once again, he’s making decisions about us without asking me first.
“When did you decide this?”
He doesn’t catch the sarcasm in my tone.
“College will be our first real chance for it just to be about us. I know Jules and Ryder will be there too, but it’ll be different, you know? I want us to have our own space that we don’t have to share. You and me forever.”
I cover my uneasiness with levity.
“No more climbing through my window.”
The thought of losing that tradition makes me sad. I have all these wonderful, precious memories of growing up next door to him and Julien. Of our tree, our forest fort, my swing, my paper stars. Once I leave home, those things will be relegated to a mental box labeled good memories.
I remind myself that no matter where we go or where we end up, Jayson, Julien, and Ryder will give me new memories just as special. It’s scary, though. In many ways, I still feel like a kid. I don’t think I’m ready to start adulting.
Jayson reaches over his shoulder to touch my cheek. “You are my forever, Liz. I want us to make a life together.”
That greasy coil of uneasiness churns in my gut again when he mentions our future and forever. He’s making choices and decisions for us, not once asking if it’s what I want. He just assumes it is.
Julien jogs over, hair damp from the shower he must have taken after the game.
“Mind if we grab something on the way? I’m starving.”
I untangle my legs from around Jayson and leap off the tailgate into Julien’s arms.
“The scouts couldn’t tear their eyes off you.”
Julien keeps me locked in his arms. I can tell something is up by the ear-to-ear grin plastered across his face.
“That’s why I’m late coming out. I got the offer.”
A happiness bomb explodes inside me.
“Are you serious?”
Julien’s smile broadens. “Full ride to CU if I want it.”
Jayson grabs his brother, and I get squished between two very enthusiastic men.
“Holy shit! That’s so fucking awesome. We need to tell Mom and Dad.”
“Guys.” I laugh. “Put me down. I can’t breathe.”
“They’ll send everything over to Coach next week, and he wants Mom and Dad to join us for the meeting. Honestly, if everything looks good, I think I’ll go ahead and accept. I don’t care what other offers I get. CU has been my dream, so why wait, you know?”
“I’m over the moon for you,” I tell him.
This is something he has dreamed about, and I’m so happy for him.
Jayson clutches Julien in a tight hug. “So proud of you. I love you.”
“Thanks,” Julien replies, not able to stop smiling. “Now, let’s go celebrate.”
“Couldn’t ask for a better night to party.”
The party is at Curtis Matthews’s house. He’s on the swim team with Jayson. I’ve been to his place once before. His family owns a small plot of land near Mr. Jacoby’s farm. After the nightmare that was Fallon’s last party, I haven’t gone to another one. This will be my first since then.
Me: Game’s over. We are heading to Curtis’s now. What’s your ETA?
Ryder: OMW.
Me: Have some great news to share. See u there.
Ryder: Have some news too. Be there soon.