Bennett — Age 16
I should have requested an out-of-school suspension. The quiet, empty room and the flickering fluorescent lights were enough to make me go crazy. Add the fact that I’d spent the day thinking about everything that happened last night instead of doing my endless pile of schoolwork made it worse.
I’d called Coach when I got home, so at least that awful conversation was behind me. But I hadn’t spoken with any of the guys yet. Or to Carson.
And, honestly, a part of me was nervous about seeing Maven.
Clearly, I liked her—I wouldn’t be sitting here, mind-numbingly tapping my pencil eraser on the desk and watching the clock tick by if I didn’t—but what was supposed to happen next?
With other girls, liking them hadn’t been a big deal.
We saw each other at school and occasionally outside of school.
Maven, though, was a constant in my life.
The sister of my best friend. My liking her suddenly seemed like a really big deal.
When the final bell rang, I gathered my stuff like I was attempting to beat a long-standing record, then stuck my head into Principal Stevenson’s office. “Am I good to go?”
“You are. We’ll see you back here tomorrow. Eight sharp.”
I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.
Making my way to my locker through the crowded hallway, I paused when Levi and his posse spotted me.
“Bennett,” Levi said, smirking. “What’s this I hear about you getting in-school suspension? What’d you do?”
I gripped the straps of my backpack. He was going to find out at practice anyway. “I broke into the auditorium.”
Levi looked at his friends with lifted brows, then back at me. “Of all the things you could do to get suspended, that’s what you chose?”
“Apparently.”
He chuckled. “Why?”
Carson stepped up next to me. “Because he’s a better person than you.”
I looked at Carson, trying to gage his expression. Maven wasn’t the type to keep secrets from her brother, but she was also calculated, which meant she might not have told him about the kiss yet.
Levi tipped his head to the side. “Aww! The two of you are so cute together.”
Carson just smiled. “Thanks, but Ben’s taken.”
Levi’s gaze flicked to me, and I could see it in his eyes. He had just correctly guessed who it was I had been taken by.
Then, as if Carson and Maven had planned it, she was suddenly at my other side, her hand sliding into mine and those big green eyes of hers looking up at me. “Hey.”
“Hey.” All my nerves from earlier vanished instantly at how right holding her hand felt. “How was your day?”
“Better than yours, I’m guessing.” Her gaze shifted to Levi, then back to me. “Ready to get out of here?”
“Absolutely. I just need to drop my stuff off at my locker.”
“Hey, Bennett,” Levi said, pausing the three of us when we’d turned to leave. “Don’t get your hopes up. The little angel doesn’t put out.”
I started toward him, but Maven gripped my arm and stepped in front of me.
“He’s not worth it,” she said.
Carson, however, clearly disagreed and took hold of Levi’s shirt, pinning him against the lockers with a loud bang. “Say something like that again, and I swear you’ll regret it.” Before anyone could even attempt to step in, Carson released Levi with a quick push and stepped past me. “Let’s go.”
The crowd in the hallway parted as we walked through.
I glanced at Maven, but instead of appearing worried, she smiled and took my hand again. How did she do it? How did she make me feel like I’d never been better when I was suspended, benched, and grounded?
“Hey, Carson,” she said, making him stop and wait for us.
His eyes dropped to our interlocked fingers. “What?”
“Is this a bad time to tell you that Ben kissed me last night?”
My gaze shot toward her before returning to Carson. “Hey, man. Look, I’m sorry. I should have talked to you—”
“Maven, you’re heartless.” Carson was shaking his head, the tightness in his jaw gone, and a reluctant smile lifting the corners of his mouth. “She already told me, Ben.”
My mouth slackened, and I looked over at Maven’s satisfied, troublesome smile. “You’re going to pay for that.” I wrapped my arms around her waist and held her against me, wriggling my fingers into her sides.
She squealed, laughter bursting out of her. “Okay, okay! I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”
I stopped tickling her momentarily. “How do I know you’re sorry?”
Maven lifted onto her toes and kissed me on my lips in front of anyone and everyone watching. Warmth flooded through me, and I couldn’t do anything but smile that same goofy smile from last night.
“That’s enough, you two.” Carson started forward again. “Don’t make me regret saying I was okay with this.”