Page 56 of Falling Into You

Actually, that wasn’t true. He’d stuck around this long hoping to grab Rory after the game and talk to her. Really talk. Tell her how he felt. Apologize for yesterday. Throw himself at her feet and beg for forgiveness.

But clearly, he was a total chump. She’d said he’d made his choice, and clearly she had made hers.

Before the kiss was even over, Jacob had turned and jogged away, putting the crowd, the bleachers, and half the soccer pitch between him and the heartbreaking travesty taking place on the football field.

Rory

Rory shoved Tucker off her so hard he stumbled back a few steps toward the edge of the stage. For half a second she actually thought he was going to fall off, and she didn’t really hate the idea. The entire crowd responded withooohs and gasps. From the corner of her eye, she saw dozens of phones held aloft, hoping to catch the drama as it unfolded. The wind kicked up, pulling sections of hair out of her bun and slashing them across her face.

“You don’t get to do that anymore!” she shouted, feeling completely out of her mind. Had she really just physically assaulted Tucker?

He did it to you first, she thought.

“Miss Graham, is everything okay?” Principal Toohey asked.

She looked up at the older man—tall, with salt-and-pepper hair and kind eyes, and suddenly everything seemed to comeinto focus. Everything seemed to solidify in her mind. This day had not gone as planned, and it was all her fault. She’d made mistake after mistake after mistake, and it was about time she corrected them.

“No. Everything is not okay.”

Rory stepped up to the microphone and removed the crown from her head. It snagged in her hair and she winced. Certainly half of it was now sticking up straight from her head—she probably looked like Medusa—but she couldn’t have cared less at that moment.

“Thank you so much, everyone, for voting for me for queen, but I don’t think I deserve it.” More gasps, muttering, and mumbling. Over on the track, Gwen and Layla looked at one another, jaws dropped. Rory handed the crown over to the principal. “Please give this to one of the seniors,” she said. “It’s their time to celebrate. I’ve got to get back into my uniform.”

Then she hiked up the skirt of her long gown and raced down the stairs of the stage.

Rory felt shaky and nervous as she walked up the steps to Jacob’s front porch that night. She’d been rehearsing what to say all the way there, but as soon as she rang the bell, it all flew out of her mind. There was a huge commotion inside as what sounded like a herd of elephants ran to answer the door. She took a step back when it was flung open and Jacob’s youngest siblings stared out at her.Chad and Lindsay, Rory’s brainsupplied. They were both already in their pajamas, and Chad was holding a tub of popcorn.

“Hi there, I’m—” the little girl started to say.

“Jacob!” Chad interrupted loudly. “Rory’s here!”

“You’re a cheerleader, right?” Lindsay asked, looking Rory up and down. She had an adorable lisp and a seriously spunky attitude.

“Yep. Sure am.” Rory’s voice was unnaturally bright. For some reason she suddenly felt like she was at a job interview.

“Can you do a standing back tuck?” Lindsay demanded, arms crossed as she narrowed her eyes up at Rory.

“Um... not at present,” Rory said.

“My sister Willow can,” the little girl told her.

“That’s great! We can use that on the squad next year,” Rory replied. This seemed to appease Lindsay, who nodded in an approving way.

“Are you here for movie night?” Chad asked. “We’re out of popcorn.” He hugged the tub in his arms, angling away from her.

“Oh, no. I’m just here to talk to Jacob.”

“I like your ponytail,” Lindsay told her generously.

Rory reached up to touch her hair. She’d forgotten she’d done a side ponytail, mostly because she was in such a rush she couldn’t get it centered. “Oh, thanks. I like yourEncantopajamas.”

Lindsay grinned. “Thanks! They’re not even hand-me-downs.”

“It’s very exciting around here when you get something new that’s all yours,” Jacob said, coming up behind Linday and ruffling her hair. “You guys go back and unpause the movie. I’ll be there in a minute.”

The kids ran off and Rory’s pulse kicked up, suddenly recalling why she was here. Jacob was wearing black sweats and a white T-shirt that stretched taut across his chest and hugged his biceps. He didn’t look particularly happy to see her, and he didn’t invite her in.

“What’re you—” he started, but Rory rushed to speak first.