Page 16 of End Game

Is it weird that she’s sitting on my lap? No, it’s not. Yes, it is. No, it really isn’t. She needs support, she doesn’t need me to make a pass at her. Whatever she needs, whatever it takes, I’ll be there for her. Her spine is ramrod straight. I tug on her arm until she collapses against me, her head pillowed on my chest. She slings her arm around me, cuddling into me. I like that her natural reaction is to seek comfort from me, even if she’s confused about my reasons.

“What’s gotten into you?” she laughs.

I swallow. “I’m just really glad you’re here. With me, with us. I’ve missed you.”

Her eyes soften. “I’ve missed you, too.”

I have to resist the urge to drop a kiss to the top of her head. She smells good, like she always does, fresh and clean and a little like home. I can’t get enough. Closing my eyes, I have to fight back the rush of emotions threatening to overwhelm me.

I love this girl.

And she only wants to be my friend. Which—fine. I can be her friend. I can lock away my love for her and support her.

Because she needs my support. This is going to be the hardest year of her life. Between starting all over in a new school, joining a new team, and everything going on with her dad… yeah, she’s going to need all the help she can get.

So I’ll take a moment here and there to indulge, and then I have to go back to normal. I can be her friend.

Chapter 6

Diana

The first week of school falls into a routine. Wake up, have breakfast with Mason and her friends, go to class, practice, have dinner with the soccer team, where nobody talks to me or acknowledges my existence beyond “pass the salt” or “nice block.” Return home. My roommates don’t hang out together in the common areas. Every night, I do homework and study plays alone in my room.

Friday afternoon, we have visitors at practice. Barrett sits in the stands with Tucker and Amir as we run drill after drill. I don’t have a guaranteed starting position. I’ll have to earn my playing time the hard way, by putting in the work on and off the field and showing Coach Larsen that I want this.

Johanna’s mouth is in a firm line as she checks out our special guests.

Barrett looks up and waves. Shaking my head, I wave back at him.

“You know him?” Her jaw is practically on the floor.

“Who?”

“You know Barrett Zhang?”

“Um, yes?”

She grabs my arm. Her nails dig half-moons into my skin. “How? You’ve been here for, like, a week.”

“I’ve known him since we were eight years old.”

“You have to introduce me.” Johanna tugs insistently on my arm. “You have to.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll introduce you.” I glance back over to Coach Larsen. “Now?”

“No. I need a shower. I need—fuck.” She runs a hand over her sweaty ponytail and tugs at her sweat-soaked shirt. “I can’t see him looking like this.”

“What’s the big deal? It’s just Barrett.”

“Are you kidding?”

I blink at her. “What?”

“He’s fucking gorgeous,” she says. “He’s Barrett Zhang.”

“Yeah, I know who he is.”

“You seriously do?”