The strain on my muscles as I lifted the weight of the bar onto my shoulders was something I’d grown accustomed to. I had control over it. I maintained my composure despite the burn, and I knew how far I could push myself.

I started hitting up the gym in town three times a week in between training and studying with Lola. The on-campus gym was okay for the most part, but it was mediocre compared to this place. I knew if I wanted to keep my spot on the team then I needed to train twice as hard. Coach had pulled me aside last month, concerned that I was putting too much pressure on myself. He said I needed to slow down. Rest. He had no idea… No idea what it felt like to lose everything. Football was all I had left in my life, and my position on the team was constantly being questioned. I needed to fight hard. To be better. Fitter. If that meant pushing myself to my limits then that’s what I would do. It meant too much to me.

I felt Riley’s presence before he’d even said a word.

“How did I guess you’d be here?” He grinned down at me. “A few of us are headed for a kick around before last class and wondered if you were in, but now I see you’re busy.”

I raised the bar above my head one more time and gently lowered it back onto the stand. “I’m just finishing up actually,” I told him. Rolling my shoulders, I reached for my water bottle and took a long swig before swiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

“No worries,” he said, tossing me the towel I’d hung on the equipment stand.

I caught it in my hand and began to mop up the sweat that clung to my face and neck.

“Hey, I meant to ask you something.”

“What’s that?”

“Word is that you and that Lola have been hanging out a lot. What’s the deal?”

“Who told you that?” I grinned, knowing exactly where this was going. He was digging for dirt.

“Aubrie mentioned it.”

“Did she now?” I said, raising a brow.

“So? What’s the story? Why haven’t you mentioned it before?”

“Sorry, Mum. I didn’t realise I had to run everything past you. Coach thinks I’m slacking. He made her help me. That’s it.” For now, I thought to myself.

“I didn’t really think much of her when she’d first started, but I dunno…” He shrugged. “She’s pretty cool. Not to mention smokin’ fuckin’ hot.”

“Do you kiss Brie with that mouth?” I asked, cocking a brow in amusement.

“Brie knows what I’m like.”

“Well, then she’s an idiot.” I shook my head.

“Maybe so, but it’s not her brains I’m after,” he said and did some weird shit with his brows, making them dance.

I shook my head again. I took it back. They were both idiots.

“Anyway, how come you haven’t tried to bag her already?”

“She hates me,” I told him, scrubbing at my jaw line.

Riley grinned. “She’s got sense.”

“Or maybe your girl told her a bunch of shit about me that ain’t true,” I pointed out, knowing I was likely right.

“Probably,” he agreed. “So, that’s it? You’re not even gonna try anything on?”

Why was he still going on about it? What the hell did it matter to him anyway? Unless, of course, he was trying to fuck her himself. That didn’t surprise me. I liked Riley but I knew he wouldn’t think twice about getting one over on me. It was pretty much every man for himself around here. Excluding Jake, that was. He’d never screw me over.

I chucked the towel in the waste bin and stalked towards the steam room, sensing he was following me,

“Why the sudden interest anyway? You’re already screwing her best friend.”

Riley muttered something under his breath before he spoke up. “Just seeing where the two of you stand, that’s all. And to tell you that I caught her with Darren earlier. They were laughing about something. I dunno.”

“Darren’s a dick.”

I wasn’t lying. He was a wicked defender and that was the only reason he was still on the team… and why I hadn’t killed the fucker already. He was a shady piece of shit and I didn’t trust him one bit. The dick had a way of getting to me like no one else did. We’d butted heads a few times during my first year at Winslow. He ran his mouth more times than I’d gotten laid, but I’d started to let it slide. We needed him on the team. That didn’t mean I’d forgotten what a shit he was. On paper, he was probably better suited to Lola. Off the field, he was oddly quiet, kept his head down in class, and kept his mouth shut around me. When it came to girls, Darren was a closed book. He rarely engaged in conversation or shared any details like the rest of us, but none of that mattered. Lola wouldn’t touch him.

“You’re not wrong there,” Riley said, cutting through my thoughts. “But if he knows you ain’t gonna tap it then I think he’ll be straight on it like a rocket.”

“Who said I ain’t gonna tap it?” I frowned.

“If you were, you would’ve done it already.”

“She’s different, Rye. She isn’t going to just give it up at the click of my finger. It’s going to take time and a whole lot of persuading.”

“You’re telling me you’re actually going to put some graft in for this one?” He scoffed.

“She’s different,” I reminded him.

“Mate, I don’t even know what that means, but whatever, I’ve gotta shoot. I’m meeting Jake on the field if you change your mind.” Riley blew me a sarcastic kiss and walked away, still laughing.

Riley was also a dick.

A dick who happened to be right, but that was beside the point. Darren had a thing for Lola, which meant that if I stood any chance with her, I needed to get my shit together and get in there first.

I just didn’t know where to begin.

I walked into English the following afternoon with a plan. My lips slowly rose up into a grin when I spotted Lola in the back row sitting next to Brie. That was no surprise. They always sat together, in the exact same spot. I had forgotten all about that when I came up with the plan. I could work with it, though.

I started up the steps when Jake called out to me. I shot him a sly grin and continued up until I reached the girls and slid into the empty spot beside Lola. Her eyes went wide and she looked at me in horror. I held back the laughter that tried to break free and ignored her, looking straight ahead as if everything was normal. Inside, though, I was grinning like a dick.

I could feel Jake eyeing me curiously and when I shifted my eyes to where I usually sat. My cousin was frowning up at me. I nodded my head toward Lola and understanding crossed his face before he shook his head and turned back around. I didn’t have to say anything. Jake knew me better than anyone.

Fifteen minutes into the lesson and I was bored as hell. Lola was still burning holes into the side of my head, and I had no idea what Mr. Smith, our history teacher, was banging on about. I just continued to stare straight ahead as if I was engrossed in the lesson.

Deciding I could no longer ignore her, I continued looking straight ahead and whispered in her direction, “What?”

“What are you doing?” she whispered back, her shock evident.

“Listening. Studying. What are you doing?” I asked casually.

“You know I didn’t mean that. Why are you here, next to me?”

“Wow. Rude much?”

“I don’t care. People will talk. Go away.”

“Okay. On one condition.”

“What condition?”

“Go out with me tonight,” I told her, finally meeting her eyes.

Lola cocked her head to the side, her lips curling into a slight smile. “I already am. We’re meeting at six, right? At the library? Or did I get that wrong?” she mumbled. I could practically hear the wheels turning in her head as she wondered whether she had gotten it wrong.

“No. I don’t mean studying.”

“Then what do you mean?” Lola shook her head, and her long, dark hair flung to the side, exposing her flawless neck. One tiny freckle sat just above her collarbone and for some unknown reason, it became the most fascinating thing in the world to me.

I shook away the thoughts I was having about my mouth kissing that exact spot. “No books. No studying. No damn English. Just you and me. We could get something to eat? Or go for a—”

“No.” She cut me off.

“You’re not even going to let me finish?” I laughed.

“The answer is no.”

“Not even for a drink?”

“Especially not for a drink.”

“Food then?” I asked, hopeful, my eyes drifting back to the small freckle that was taunting me.

“Nope.”

“Look, you can even bring Aubrie if you can’t trust yourself to be alone with me,” I added. I leaned back in my seat and cocked my head to the side to catch Brie’s eye. She was looking straight ahead as if she hadn’t heard, but I knew she had. She was grinning.

“No chance. It’s either study or nothing, Taylor.”

“Fine.” I sighed. “We’ll study.”

I felt her relax beside me, clearly pleased with my answer. At least one of us was. I knew convincing Lola would take some grafting, but I hadn’t banked on it being this much work. I sighed again and settled back in my seat.

“You’ve got a week to finish this so I expect to see some really decent work,” Mr. Smith said.

Fuck. Finish what? What was he talking about?

I looked down at the blank piece of paper in front of me.

Dammit.

I reached into my bag for a pen, pulling the top off as I nudged Lola’s arm. “Give me your notes. I need to copy them.”

Lola’s eyes darted to mine and she glared at me. “Seriously? You’re in the same class as I am.”

“I was distracted,” I told her. It wasn’t a lie. Every so often I’d catch a whiff of Lola’s perfume and find myself having to adjust my jeans. Or I’d catch a small glimpse of that perfect fucking freckle. I was beginning to think this wasn’t worth the blue balls that would come from pursuing her.

When she didn’t say anything and continued to glare at me like I’d lost my mind, I decided to revert to desperate measures. “Ah, come on. You’re meant to be helping me. If I fail this task, it’ll be on your hands, not mine.” I sighed, my shoulders sagging for added effect.

“Helping you doesn’t mean I have to do everything for you, Taylor. I’m not your bitch.”

“Yet,” I mumbled.

“Mr. Lawson?” Mr. Smith called out, and both of us turned to face him. “Is there something you want to share with the rest of us?”

“No, thanks. I’m good, Sir. Just trying to convince Lola here to go out with me. I don’t think she likes me, though.”

A few girls giggled up front and I eyed Lola with a grin. She couldn’t see, though. Her head was in her hands, attempting to shield her face, but I could see her red cheeks peeking out from the gaps in her fingers. I’d embarrassed her.

Oops.

Laughter and cheers erupted around us, and when she eventually lifted her head, I could tell she was mortified.

“Alright. Settle down, class,” Smith said. “And Taylor?”

“Sir?” I said, tipping my chin up.

“Maybe you could leave it until after lesson next time?”

“Yes, Sir.” I saluted.

Eventually everything returned to normal. Aside from a few whispers from the girls in front, it was fairly quiet. Maybe I’d shocked them. I’d shocked myself. What the fuck was I doing?

Showing an interest, I reminded myself.

Yeah, I’d got that one down real good.

I shifted in my chair, unable to get comfortable. Lola still hadn’t looked my way, but she was clearly pissed at me.

I poked her with my pen, hoping to lighten the mood. “About that drink?” I asked.

“No!” she shouted, her face turning an angry shade of red as her eyes bulged from her head.

“Okay, fine. Calm down,” I whispered. “It was just a question.”

“Right, Lola, Brie and Taylor. Out. Now,” Smith yelled.

“What?” I asked.

“Out. Now. All of you.”

Well, shit. That wasn’t good. I rarely got kicked out of class. At least not since that time I’d tripped Doug up and sent him hurtling down the steps, face-planting the ground in front of Mrs. Beach, the other history teacher.

I reached for my bag and slid out of my chair. All the colour had drained from Lola’s face. She looked as though she was about to pass out.

I looked at her and offered a shrug. “Sorry,” I said, and made my way down the steps.