Chapter 23
Evie
When we finally hang up, I look at the time in shock. “We were on the phone for over an hour?”
Tessa looks up from the book she’s studying. “Yes, you were.”
“That’s crazy.”
Tessa puts down her book. “Can I ask you a question?”
“I’ve been asking them of Zane all night, so go ahead.”
“Why are you dating Jace when a guy like Zane is so obviously interested in you?”
“I don’t know that he’s int—”
She puts a hand up, stopping me. “Come on, Evie. Don’t play that card; you know he is. You just talked to him for over an hour on the phone, and he gave you all that stuff. He’s definitely interested.”
I drop my shoulders in defeat. “I don’t know.
” Everything with Jace comes crashing down around me, and I feel the urge to talk about it.
“Honestly, I don’t even really know how we came to be dating anyway.
It’s like, it just happened. He’s just been.
..around. And every time I try to put some distance between us, he just pushes his way in again.
I don’t think it helps that Sam thinks we’re great together.
That’s definitely been driving some of it. ”
“You’re not, though,” Tessa interjects.
“Yeah, I know.” My voice is flat. “He left me at the restaurant the other night...with the bill.”
“What?” her voice is a piercing shriek. “Are you kidding me?”
I laugh humorlessly. “No. He got mad at me, basically called me the b word, and then left me with the bill.”
“Where did he go?”
“I guess back to school; I don’t really know.”
“Are you kidding me right now?”
“I wish I was. The bill was almost three hundred dollars. “
Her eyes widen. “Where in the world did you go for dinner?”
“A really expensive seafood restaurant.”
“But you hate seafood,” she points out.
“I do. I also hate getting a bill I can’t pay.”
“Oh, yeah. I don’t have three hundred dollars in my account right now.”
I nod. “Yeah. I didn’t either.”
Her eyes widen impossibly. “What did you do?”
I sigh, and embarrassment fills me when I remember what happened. “Reid showed up out of nowhere and paid the bill for me.”
“Reid, as in Zane’s best friend...as in Reid Marshall, number twenty-four, lead scorer of the Barracudas?”
“Uh, I think you covered it all. Yeah. That Reid.”
“He paid the bill for you? Ohhhh, that’s the sweetest. I always wondered if he was a good guy or not. I mean, he seems like it, but you never know, especially once they start making it big.”
“He’s a good guy, just like Zane,” I say adamantly.
“How did you get back to school?”
“Reid brought me back.”
“Oh my word. How did Zane react when he found out about it?”
“I don’t know,” I tell her honestly.
“Well, Jace is still alive, so there’s that.”
I smile at her dramatics. “That’s a little dramatic, but yes.”
She gives me a sad smile. “I really don't think there's any question about who’s the better guy. We both know Zane would never leave you at a restaurant with a bill you couldn’t pay. I don’t even know him that well, and I know that.”
“Yeah. I know he wouldn’t. I just feel...safe around him, you know? And comfortable. I feel like I could tell him anything.”
“And you don’t feel like that with Jace?” she prods.
“No, not at all.” I groan and lean back. “I’m going to have to break up with him again.”
“Again?”
“Yep. I already tried once, but it didn’t exactly work.”
Tessa stares at me. “Evie, when you break up with a guy, you just tell them you’re done. That’s it.”
I groan again. “I know. I’ll do it right this time. I’ll tell him to his face that we’re done, not that we were ever officially a couple to begin with,” I mutter under my breath. I finally get up the gumption to stand up.
“Don’t forget all your stuff,” Tessa reminds me. When I’m about to leave the room, she calls my name.
I look back over my shoulder. “Yeah?”
She meets my gaze with her serious one. “Do it tonight. Just get it over with, so you can be with the guy that takes good care of you.”
I nod. “I will.” I carry the bag from Zane into my room and put everything away.
Then I sit down on my bed and practice what I’m going to say to Jace.
After rehearsing it a few times, I take a deep breath and dial his number.
I tense when it rings and try to stay calm.
It rings several more times, and he never answers.
I call two more times before dropping my phone on my bed.
“I swear he’s impossible to break up with! ”
“You’re trying to break up with Jace?”
I startle at Sam’s voice. I was so focused on my phone, I didn’t even hear the door open. I take a steadying breath. “Yes.”
“Why?”
“It’s just not going to work between us.”
“Well, that’s ridiculous; you two are great together.”
“Sam, he left me at the restaurant the other night with a three-hundred-dollar bill and no way home.”
Her eyes widen in surprise. “Seriously?” I nod, thankful we’re finally getting somewhere.
“Wait ‘til I get my hands on him.” She shakes her head. “He’s an idiot.” I neither deny nor confirm her description.
“I’ll talk to him. That was stupid to do, but I don’t think it’s enough to break up with him over. ”
My jaw drops. “I do.”
“Come on, Evie. Just forgive him,” she pushes.
Determination fills me. “I appreciate your advice, Sam; but you weren’t there. You didn’t hear the things he said to me. You don’t have to agree, but this is what I’m going to do.”
“Whatever.” She throws up her hand and disappears into the bathroom.
I call Jace one last time, hoping to connect; but he doesn't answer. Part of me just wants to leave a voicemail and be done with the whole thing, but I’m not that person. I don’t want to do that to him, so I’ll have to wait until he calls me back or I see him next...whichever happens first.
____________
I don’t know how you can go an entire week of classes without answering your phone or seeing someone, but somehow, Jace does it. I’ve given up on the whole thing. I’m hoping that he’s done with me. I’ve already moved on.
“Are you ready?” Tessa asks as she barrels into my room. She stops suddenly. “Do you have no team spirit?”
“Hey.” I point to my hat.
She scoffs and leaves my room without a word. I don’t have any idea what she’s doing, but I know she’ll be back. She comes back a moment later and throws something at me. “Catch.”
I catch the shirt she threw at me. “Thanks.”
“It will probably be a little big on you.”
I pull off the shirt I’m wearing and pull hers over my head. “I’m taller than you,” I remind her.
“Yeah, and my chest is larger than yours.”
“Hey now.”
She grins at me. “It’s just a fact, not a put-down. But you look good.” I put my hat back on and pull my ponytail through the back.
“Ready?” I ask.
She nods. “Do you have the tickets?”
“I do. Zane sent them to my phone yesterday. Stephanie’s still going right?”
“She’s meeting us there.” We start down the hallway, and I can’t help but notice that literally every person we pass is decked in Barracudas’ colors. “I still can’t believe Zane got tickets for all three of us.”
“I know.”
“I’m so glad you get to go to the game with me,” Tessa tells me as we join the groups of students walking across campus to the game. There’s yelling and chaos before we even get there, and I can’t help but smile. It feels good to be a part of all of it.
“Yeah, I’m glad my shift was this morning, so I can go.” I try not to think of all the classwork I have still to do. I’ll get to that when I can.
By the time we finally get through security and to our seats, the team is already warming up on the field.
I scan the players, looking for Zane. “He’s over there,” Tessa says, pointing towards their bench.
I don’t even try to pretend I don’t know who she’s talking about.
She frowns. “Did he get injured in the last game?”
We both watch as one of the team’s staff does something with his hand. Concern floods me. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen him all week.” I turn to her. “Will he be able to play?”
“He’d probably still play even if his hand was broken.” She sees my wide eyes and rushes to add, “His hand’s not broken. You would have heard; we all would have heard if it was.” She pats my hand. “Relax; your boy’s fine.”
“He’s not mine.”
“Whatever you tell yourself.”
I still haven’t taken my eyes off Zane, even though it’s a little hard to see him from here.
The guys leave the field, and we prepare for a great game.
Nerves hit me, and I don’t even know why.
I’m really looking forward to this game, though.
I’ve spent what little time I have researching the rules and trying to understand the game.
I’m anxious to see how well it pays off today.
Stephanie finally joins us and sits on Tessa’s other side.
The crowd gets more and more riled up as all the pre-game activities get into full swing.
I’m on my feet dancing to the music along with the thousands of other fans.
And then the pre-game video starts. I can’t help the big smile that fills my face as Zane’s face fills the screen.
He’s sweating, but there’s a look of pure determination in his eyes.
He rears back and releases a long throw.
Quint catches it, and his face fills the screen next.
The montage continues, building in momentum.
Adrenaline pumps through my veins, and I’m filled with the pre-game energy that is buzzing through this stadium.
Then the screen shows the guys with locked arms walking through the tunnel, heading towards the field.
They stop behind the security, not quite on the field yet.
The music cranks up, and the band takes their position on the field.
The cheerleaders line up, and the crowd starts doing their chant.
I wave the towel I got at the entrance, along with everybody else.
And then they come out, and the crowd goes wild.
Fireworks shoot up into the sky, and thousands of people scream for the home team.
That energy carries us right into kickoff.
Because we lost the coin toss, we’re starting with possession.
The other team chose to get it at the half.
They kick it, and Brock catches it and takes a knee at the twenty-five yard line.
The offensive line comes out, and I can’t help my smile as I watch Zane line up behind his guys.
He’s the absolute picture of concentration and athleticism.
Owen snaps it, and Zane catches it and moves back a few steps.
Right away, a defender comes at him. Zane spins away and throws it to Ender who gets about five yards.
They line up again at the line of scrimmage.
Zane passes it off to Zac who tries to run through the middle but gets stopped without gaining any yards.
And just like that, it’s third down. I watch as they line up once again.
Owen snaps it to Zane, and Zane takes a few steps back.
I watch as a defender comes up behind Zane.
He doesn’t see him and gets sacked. I cringe and watch as he gets back up and runs over to the sideline.
“Not a great opening drive,” Tessa yells over the noise. I agree but don’t say anything.