Chapter 19
Nineteen
KANE
I make it through exactly four minutes of practice before Noah starts.
“Haverhill has a girlfriend.”
I keep dribbling.
“I do not.”
Eli slides into defensive position in front of me.
“Sleepover says otherwise.”
“Movie night.”
“With an overnight bag.”
“She didn’t want to sleep in a dorm room with fifteen people.”
Noah jogs past us.
“So she slept in your bed?”
I fire the ball at his chest.
He catches it.
“Focus.”
“That means yes.”
Coach’s whistle cuts through the gym.
“All of you focus.”
We reset.
For thirty seconds, everybody behaves.
Then Eli comes off a screen beside me.
“Did you build the pillow wall?”
I almost lose the ball.
“You heard that?”
“Noah told everybody.”
“I told three people.”
“There are eight people standing here.”
“Information travels.”
I drive past Eli and finish at the rim.
“None of you have lives.”
Noah catches the ball beneath the basket.
“We have lives. Yours just got interesting.”
Vale walks onto the court from the training room with tape around two fingers and a towel hooked over one shoulder.
“What’d I miss?”
Everyone answers at once.
“Haverhill’s locked down.”
“Bookworm slept over.”
“They had movie night.”
“She brought a waffle maker.”
Vale stops.
“A what?”
I close my eyes.
This is going to be unbearable.
Noah points toward me.
“His girl brought a waffle maker.”
Vale looks offended.
“Why wasn’t I invited?”
I stare at him.
“To my date?”
“Movie night.”
“You were with Stella.”
“Yeah.”
He says it like that has absolutely nothing to do with anything.
“But still. I should've had the option.”
“You were not getting the option.”
Vale tosses the towel onto the bench.
“What kind of waffles?”
I turn away.
“Don’t.”
“Chocolate chip,” Eli says.
Vale’s face lights.
“Oh, I’m coming.”
“No, you’re not.”
“They making them now?”
“Hannah is.”
“Hannah.”
He grins.
“You're already first-naming Bookworm like an old married couple.”
“Back off my girl.”
The words leave before I think about them.
Silence.
Every guy on the court stops.
I stop too.
Noah’s mouth falls open.
Eli slowly turns.
Vale’s grin gets enormous.
“Your girl?”
I pick up the ball.
“You heard me.”
Noah points.
“He said my girl.”
“Shut up.”
Vale folds his arms.
“What’s the matter, Haverhill? Still worried I’m going to steal every woman you like?”
“I’m not worried about anything.”
“I already have Stella locked down.”
“Great.”
I bounce the ball once.
“Have her.”
Vale starts laughing.
“Happily.”
“Hannah’s mine.”
Another silence.
My jaw tightens.
“That sounded worse out loud.”
“No,” Noah says. “Keep going.”
Vale rubs his chin.
“I mean, I do still have the dimples.”
I glare at him.
He flashes them deliberately.
“Pretty powerful.”
“No.”
“Women love the dimples.”
“Your dimples and your ass are not coming to my apartment for waffles.”
Vale looks toward Noah.
“So waffles at Haverhill’s?”
“After showers.”
“Perfect.”
I point at Vale.
“What part of not invited are you struggling with?”
He shrugs.
“Probably the not part.”
Coach blows his whistle again.
“Are we practicing basketball today or discussing breakfast?”
“Basketball,” I say.
Vale answers at the same time.
“Breakfast.”
Coach points toward the baseline.
“Vale. Run.”
His smile disappears.
“What?”
“Since you have enough energy to plan brunch during practice.”
Noah starts laughing.
Coach points again.
“You too.”
“What did I do?”
“You laughed.”
Eli wisely looks at the floor.
I turn away before Coach catches my face.
Vale jogs toward the baseline.
“This is Haverhill’s fault.”
“Enjoy your run.”
He points at me.
“I’m still coming for waffles.”
I flip him off below Coach’s line of sight.
The smell hits before I open the suite door.
Vanilla.
Butter.
Something sweet.
Eli stops behind me.
“Oh.”
Noah nearly walks into him.
“That smells illegal.”
Vale appears behind both of them.
“Move.”
I block the door.
“You don't live here.”
“I’m aware.”
“You weren't invited.”
“Also aware.”
“Then why are you here?”
He looks at me like I’m slow.
“Chocolate chip waffles.”
I should physically remove him.
I seriously consider it.
Then the door opens from inside.
Jalen stands there holding a plate.
“You guys are late.”
Vale slips past me.
Traitor.
I walk in.
And stop.
Hannah is standing in my kitchen.
My kitchen.
Bare feet.
Red-and-black flannel pajama pants.
Faded Stranger Things shirt.
Tortoiseshell glasses.
Hair loose down her back.
There’s a streak of flour near one cheek.
A stack of waffles sits on a platter beside her while another cooks in the iron.
For a second, I forget the three idiots pushing into the room behind me.
This is dangerously close to domestic.
I like it.
Way too much.
Then Hannah looks up.
Her eyes land on me.
Smile.
Then over my shoulder.
Her eyes widen.
“Vale?”
Vale spreads both arms.
“Knew it.”
I look at him.
“Knew what?”
He points at Hannah.
“She’s happier to see me.”
Hannah immediately shakes her head.
“No.”
Vale’s confidence cracks.
“No?”
“Absolutely not.”
She looks at me.
“I would choose Kane over you a million times.”
Silence.
Then Noah loses his mind.
“YO.”
Eli smacks Vale across the shoulder.
“She chose Haverhill.”
Jalen points his fork at me.
“This one’s a keeper.”
Vale presses a hand to his chest.
“I have dimples.”
Hannah studies him.
“They're fine.”
“Fine?”
“You heard her,” I say.
She looks back at me.
“Hey, boo.”
Before I can recover from that, she walks over, rises onto her toes, catches the front of my shirt, and kisses me.
Quick.
Warm.
Right on the mouth.
Every guy in the room erupts.
“BOO.”
“She said it again.”
“Haverhill is boo now.”
My face gets hot.
I hate all of them.
Hannah smiles against my mouth before stepping away.
That part makes it worth it.
I lower my voice.
“Morning.”
“Morning.”
“Sleep okay?”
“Better after you left.”
I stare at her.
She smiles sweetly.
“More room.”
“Mean.”
“You like me.”
“Unfortunately.”
She turns toward the waffle maker.
I reach for the top waffle.
Her hand slaps mine.
Hard.
“Nope.”
I look at her.
“That’s my kitchen.”
“Currently my kitchen.”
“I live here.”
“Congratulations.”
She slides the waffle onto a plate.
I reach again.
Another slap.
“Hannah.”
“My man gets the first plate.”
Noise erupts behind us.
I slowly turn my head.
Noah has both hands over his mouth.
Eli is bent across the counter.
Jalen is pointing at us.
Vale looks personally betrayed.
“Her man.”
“Second time today.”
“Haverhill has a girlfriend.”
Hannah looks at them.
“Why are you acting like you’ve never seen a relationship?”
Noah straightens.
“Most of us haven’t.”
“You all date.”
“We date,” Eli says. “Vale and Haverhill are locked down.”
I take the plate from Hannah.
“Yeah.”
Everyone looks at me.
I shrug.
“I’m locked down.”
Hannah groans.
“Kane.”
I take a bite.
Best waffle I’ve ever had.
“Hashtag it.”
Her eyes widen.
“Absolutely not.”
Vale pulls out his phone.
Too fast.
My stomach drops.
“Vale.”
He looks at his screen.
“Too late.”
Hannah freezes.
“What did you do?”
Vale turns the phone around.
There it is.
A picture.
Hannah on her toes.
Her hand twisted into my shirt.
My hand at her waist.
Our mouths together.
Waffles stacked behind us.
The caption:
HAVERHILL = LOCKED DOWN
Underneath it:
#BookwormWon #WaffleGate
My entire body goes hot.
“You posted that?”
Vale looks up.
“Yep.”
“Delete it.”
“What?”
“Now.”
The room changes.
The jokes disappear.
Hannah looks at me.
“Kane.”
“No.”
I take a step toward Vale.
“You don’t post her without asking.”
His expression shifts.
“Okay. I’ll take it down.”
“It’s already spreading,” Eli says quietly.
My jaw locks.
I knew this would happen.
I knew it.
One photo.
One stupid post.
And Hannah loses control of the thing she was terrified of losing.
“You have no idea how much she hates this shit.”
“Kane.”
I turn.
Hannah is still beside the counter.
Not panicking.
Not running for her phone.
Just watching me.
“It’s okay.”
“No, it isn’t.”
“It is.”
“He didn't ask.”
“I know.”
Vale lowers his phone.
“I’m sorry, Hannah. Seriously. I thought—”
“I know what you thought.”
Her voice stays calm.
“You were messing with Kane.”
Vale nods.
“That doesn’t make it right.”
“No.”
He looks genuinely uncomfortable now.
“I'll delete it.”
Hannah glances at the screen.
Then at me.
“No.”
I stare at her.
“What?”
She exhales.
“Leave it.”
“Hannah.”
“It’s already out there.”
“That doesn't mean you have to accept it.”
“I know.”
She takes off her glasses.
Wipes one lens on the bottom of her shirt.
Puts them back on.
Thinking.
Then she looks at me.
“I’ve spent months trying to make sure nobody knows where I am, who I’m with, what I’m doing.”
I move closer.
“You don't owe them anything.”
“I know.”
“And you told me you didn't want this.”
“I didn't.”
Her gaze stays on mine.
“But maybe I can’t build my entire life around avoiding people taking pictures.”
“You don’t have to decide that because Vale acted like an idiot.”
“Hey,” Vale mutters.
Everyone looks at him.
“Sorry.”
Hannah almost smiles.
Then turns back to me.
“It’s like ripping off a Band-Aid.”
“I don’t want you pretending you're okay because you think I want this.”
“That’s not what I’m doing.”
She reaches for my hand.
I give it to her.
Her fingers lace through mine.
“I’m tired of hiding.”
Something in my chest pulls tight.
“Hannah.”
“I gave you a fake name.”
Noah murmurs behind us.
“Still legendary.”
Eli elbows him.
Hannah ignores them.
“I ran from you.”
“Repeatedly.”
“You followed me.”
“Also repeatedly.”
“I wore your hoodie over my head last night so nobody could photograph me walking into this building.”
“I remember.”
“And now I’m standing here making you waffles in my Stranger Things shirt while half your team watches.”
“Most of my team.”
“Not helping.”
I smile despite myself.
Her expression softens.
“I don’t want to be Mystery Girl anymore.”
The room goes quiet.
Really quiet.
I search her face.
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“Because if you want it deleted, it gets deleted.”
“I know.”
She squeezes my hand.
“I’m proud to be dating you.”
Everything stops.
The kitchen.
The guys.
Vale.
The smell of waffles.
All of it.
“You’re dating me?”
Her brows lift.
“That’s what you took from that?”
“Yes.”
“I slept in your bed.”