Chapter 29
Jake's POV
Mason turned to me, confused. "What? Why?"
"Because she's Liam's stepsister," I said.
My voice came out flat. Final.
Mason frowned like that somehow didn't answer the question. "So? That doesn't mean—"
"Drop it."
The words cut sharper this time.
His mouth snapped shut.
For a second, we just stared at each other.
The field buzzed around us—helmets clanking, guys yelling across the turf, coaches packing up cones—but everything between us felt still.
Mason finally scoffed under his breath and looked away.
"Whatever. I was just asking. I’m into someone else anyway."
Then he grabbed his bag and walked off.
But I caught the tight set of his jaw before he turned.
Liam looked at me like I'd lost my mind.
"Dude," he said slowly. "What was that?"
I ignored him.
I unscrewed my water bottle, took one last sip, then tossed it into the trash harder than necessary.
The plastic cracked against the rim.
Liam smirked.
"Oh my God," he said. "You care."
I shot him a look. "Shut up."
Cole snorted nearby.
Tyler outright laughed.
Liam crossed his arms, grinning wider. "It's just food. What's the worst that could happen?"
A hundred different things.
Sadie looking at me like I was insane.
Vivienne making a scene.
The entire school deciding to turn this into gossip by tomorrow morning.
Me screwing this up somehow before it even started.
I glanced toward the bleachers before I could stop myself.
She was sitting between her friends, sunlight catching the edges of her hair. She still looked pale from earlier.
Too pale.
My chest tightened again at the memory of her swaying during practice.
"Jake?" Liam said.
I dragged my eyes away from her.
"Fine."
The word came out cold.
Detached.
Like I didn't care at all.
Liam grinned immediately. "Knew you'd say yes."
I didn't answer.
Because honestly, I wasn't sure why I had.
---
Liam vaulted over the railing and jogged up the bleachers with Cole and Tyler behind him.
I stayed near the bench.
The late afternoon heat clung to everything. Sweat cooled against the back of my neck as the field slowly emptied out around me.
My eyes landed on the blue sports drink sitting beside me.
The one I'd grabbed earlier without thinking.
I stared at it for a second.
Then I picked it up and threw it into the trash.
Stupid.
Behind me, a familiar voice cut through the noise.
"Jake!"
I already knew who it was before I turned around.
Vivienne walked toward me like she owned the place, Madison trailing beside her with her phone in hand. Vivienne's ponytail swayed with every step, her smile polished and practiced.
"Hey," she said brightly, stopping too close. "Great practice."
"Thanks."
Her eyes searched my face, probably looking for the reaction she usually got.
She didn't find one.
"So," she continued smoothly, "a bunch of us are going to the diner later. You should come."
I looked past her automatically.
Up at the bleachers.
Liam was talking to Sadie now.
Even from this far away, I could see the hesitation in her posture.
Like she was deciding whether to run.
Something in my chest pulled tight again.
"Can't," I said.
Vivienne blinked. "What?"
"Already got plans."
Her smile flickered for half a second.
Barely noticeable unless you were looking for it.
I was.
"Oh," she said carefully. "With who?"
I didn't answer.
Because if I said Sadie's name out loud right now, Vivienne would absolutely lose her mind.
Instead, I stepped around her and started toward the parking lot.
I could feel her staring holes into my back.
Behind me, Madison lowered her voice. "Don't worry. He's probably just—"
"Shut up," Vivienne snapped.
I kept walking anyway.
But before I reached the gate, I looked back once.
Big mistake.
Vivienne wasn't watching me anymore.
She was staring up at the bleachers.
At Sadie.
And the look on her face made my jaw tighten instantly.
Jesus Christ.
---
A few minutes later, the others finally headed toward the parking lot.
I leaned against the side of Liam's truck, arms crossed, trying to act normal while my pulse steadily climbed for absolutely no reason.
Then I saw them coming down the bleachers.
Brooklyn was practically vibrating with excitement.
Maya looked calm, but observant.
Zoe kept smoothing her hair nervously.
And Sadie—
My chest gave this weird sharp pull the second I saw her.
She walked a little slower than the others, still looking overheated.
Her oversized t-shirt slipped slightly off one shoulder in the breeze, and she pushed her hair behind her ear while Liam talked beside her.
Cute.
Dangerously cute.
I looked away before anyone caught me staring.
Too late.
Cole smirked immediately.
"Oh, he's gone," he muttered.
"Shut up," I said automatically.
Tyler laughed under his breath.
Liam walked over first, tossing me a smug look. "See? Nobody died."
I ignored him.
Then Sadie looked at me.
And everything around me got weirdly quiet for a second.
God.
Those eyes.
She looked nervous.
So was I.
Which annoyed the hell out of me.
I shoved my hands into my pockets before she noticed.
For one long second, neither of us looked away.
Then movement behind her caught my attention.
Vivienne.
Standing near the field entrance like a statue.
Madison beside her, phone already lifted slightly in her hand.
My stomach dropped immediately.
Of course.
Vivienne's gaze locked onto Sadie with open hatred now.
Not annoyance.
Not jealousy.
Hatred.
Sadie hadn't even done anything.
That was the worst part.
Madison tilted her phone a little higher.
Click.