Page 59 of Only Ever You

The scene on the screen pins me to the spot.

“Hey, Ice Queen.” A football player blocks Isla’s path. I don’t remember the guy’s name, but I do remember the clothes Isla is wearing in the video. The white shirt and black skirt. This was filmed today.

She pulls up short and cranes her neck. Her body is tense and so damn tiny compared to his.

“We didn’t think it was right that you don’t have your crown.”

A group of kids bursts into laughter nearby. Some are even clapping.

The asshole pulls out a shitty-looking plastic tiara with paper plastered to the front. “Let me put it on your head.”

He reaches for her, but she slaps his hand away.

“Don’t you dare.”

Her voice is loud and clear, even through the speaker of my phone. It sends a chill down my spine.

Another guy from the football team approaches her from behind, blocking the view of the camera and locking her between himself and his friend.

My muscles lock, and my body temperature ratchets up.

What the fuck?

“Dixon and Murphy are doing it for you,” Sienna says, peering over my shoulder.

I whip around and find her smiling at me.

“The whole school is on your side. They’re all upset about losing the team’s best player for most of the season.”

“I didn’t ask for this,” I mutter, my hands shaking. “I told you it was an accident.”

Sienna shrugs. “I know that, but I guess not everyone believes it.”

“Dude, what the hell?” Ash stands and stalks toward me; his voice sounds strained. His jaw tightens, like this hits close to home. He might be a jokester most of the time, but he fucking hates anyone who targets people who can’t fight back. “They’re bullying her. What are we gonna do about it?”

I chew on my bottom lip, anger and frustration filling me to the brim. “Let’s go. This needs to fucking stop.”

When I find Dixon and Murphy sitting on the bench in the locker room, laughing at their phones, something inside me snaps, and I barrel toward them.

Ash jogs ahead and throws an arm out, blocking me. “You shouldn’t get into this with a cast⁠—”

“I’m not fighting,” I say, stepping around him.

Dixon looks up first, his grin melting away quickly. “Yo, Thompson. Rough week, huh?”

“Delete. The. Fucking. Video,” I hiss.

Murphy snorts. “Relax, man. It’s a joke.”

“In what universe?” Ash snaps. “You guys are twice her size, and you were threatening her.”

“Come on. It’s not like she didn’t deserve it,” Dixon argues.

I step into his space, towering over him so he has to tilt his head back to hold my gaze.

“You come anywhere near her, post anything about her again—mention her name, talk to her, look in her direction, even fucking breathe in her vicinity—and I’ll go to Coach Zabicki and then to the principal.” I look from Dixon to Murphy. “I’ll show them the video, including the part where you laugh while she’s crying.”

All the color drains from Murphy’s face, and Dixon’s mouth drops open.