Page 20 of Their Cruel Play
“Caden Ross.”
My brow furrows, and I see Caden walking solo down toward the other players. He doesn’t flinch or look meek about it. The new assistant coach runs out to walk beside him. He leans in to say something to Caden, but Caden doesn’t react.
How many other times has he had to do something without a parent? The coach breaks away as they get to the family line. When Caden reaches Jack, Jack’s dad leans in to say something and claps him on the back.
My heart aches, and I rub at it. Caden has everything. He can afford whatever dream of the future he wants. So what if he doesn’t have parents that show up? He has parents. A tear that has nothing to do with the perfume runs down my cheek.
“That’s so fucking cold. You’d think they’d at least show up for tonight. What assholes,” Kenz mutters my way.
“Yeah.” My mom would have gone out there and walked with him if she’d known he would be alone. Hell, I would have walked with him. Even if I’m still salty toward him.
I sneeze as they call out the last few seniors and their parents. Then everyone claps and they move to start the game. I sneeze three more times.
“I’m going to go see if I can get the lipstick off this and maybe tone down the perfume a little.” Kenz is focused on the game. I nudge her. “Text me if they notice I’m gone and I’ll come right back.”
“I should come with,” Kenz says and starts to gather our purses.
“No, it’s just the bathroom. There are people everywhere. I’ll be fine. Besides, we’ll lose our seats.” I glance at the lady sitting in front of me. There’s people down below looking for seats still.
Kenz blows out a breath. “Okay, hurry.”
CHAPTER 6
The Snare
Harper
The girl’s bathroom is empty since the game has already started. I take off the jersey and grab a napkin and wet it in the sink. The lipstick actually comes off the jersey, mostly. A wash will take care of the slight pink stain.
I sneeze, grab a tissue, and blow my nose. This is ridiculous.
“Oh my god, why does it smell like someone doused themselves in some floral ass perfume.” A JV cheerleader walks in with her friend, who wears a blue t-shirt and a pair of jeans.
“Isn’t that the nasty shit Sidney wears?” her friend asks as she slips into the bathroom stall.
The cheerleader walks over to the sink next to me. Her gaze flows over me and the jersey that’s already half in the sink. “Let me guess, Sidneyspilledher perfume all over Luke Foster’s jersey.”
The girl shakes her head and clicks her tongue.
I shrug. She’s a lower classman, but she’s also on the cheer team. She must be one of Sidney’s minions.
The girl laughs and leans forward to check her lipstick in the mirror. “That bitch thinks she’s queen of the fucking world. Water won’t work on that.”
“I don’t have a lot of options.” I give up and rinse the whole thing and squeeze the water from it. It’s not cotton so it won’t hold the water and should dry quickly. When I lift it, I sneeze.
Fuck, I’m going to die if I have to wear this. And my pride will definitely make me wear this, because Sidney is not winning.
“There’s a washer and dryer in the girl’s locker room. I was just in there. They leave it open for us to use during the games.” The girl flicks her blond ponytail over her shoulder. “Seriously, no guy wants to smell another woman’s perfume on his girl.”
“Why are you telling me this?” I narrow my eyes. This could be a trap. After all, it’s not like I can run home during the game and wash this jersey. Sidney would know about the locker room, and this might be her way of getting me to go there.
“Sidney thinks she’s queen bee because Luke Foster used to be hot for her.” She smiles and her dark eyes light up. “I’m all about the anarchy of having a nobody like you dethrone the queen.”
“Yeah.” Her friend comes out of the stall and washes her hands. “We can’t wait until she graduates. It would be epic to watch her fall before that.”
The friend’s eyes glow with triumph. “You’re not the only one who wants to take the queen bees down.”
“I don’t want to—” I protest.
