“I don’t need luck,” I call after her. “I’ve got you wearing my jersey.”
She pauses at the door, her hand resting on the handle as she looks back at me. “We’ll see,” she says with a wink before disappearing inside.
I glance around and catch a few curious faces turned my way, subtle grins playing on their lips, like they’re studying me. On cue, my cheeks flush, and an awkward smile creeps onto my face.
“I’m just—it’s hot in here. I’ll, uh, step outside,” I mumble to no one in particular, avoiding the stares as I head back.
What the hell is wrong with me?
Chapter 18
Alli
The quiet hum of my desk lamp is the only sound in the apartment as I sink into the chair, my eyes fixed on the jersey. Jared’s name stretches across the back in bold letters, like it’s yelling at me. I should probably hang it up or toss it somewhere, but instead, I keep turning it over in my hands like it holds the answers to questions I don’t even know how to ask.
One minute, we’re laughing and teasing; the next, he’s handing me his jersey to publicly claim his stake on me. It’s confusing me. I know we’re friends. We’ve been friends for years. This fake relationship is messing with my head to the point where I can’t tell if we are more than friends at times.
My fingers graze against the soft fabric of the jersey, and I feel the weight of it—the reality of whatever thisis. Does he even realize what this means? Every time I glance at him, searching his face for some clue, all I get is that easy, confident smile. He’s acting like this is no big deal, like we do this kind of thing all the time. Like this is normal.
I can still feel the heat between us from that night, the way his breath hitched when I leaned in, the way his hand tightened on my waist like he didn’t want to let go. It wasn’t supposed to go that far, and yet… it almost did. We haven’t talked about it since, but the memory burns, hanging in the air every time we’re alone. Does he think about it, too? Or am I the only one replaying that moment, wondering what would’ve happened if we hadn’t pulled away?
Too real.
I can’t stop the flutter in my chest when he’s around, can’t shake the way his touch lingers longer than it should.
Is it all in my head? God, why is it that deep down I wished that we kissed?
I lean back, letting out a frustrated sigh as I rake my fingers through my hair, hold it into a loose bun before letting it fall again. There’s something about him that digs under my skin in ways I can’t explain. I don’t know whether it’s more annoyance or curiosity, but all I know is that it’s messing with my head.
A sharp ring cuts through the silence, jolting me out of my thoughts. I peek at the screen,TíaMary. My stomach tightens, a knot forming deep inside.
Ugh, not now.
I let it ring once, twice, three times, before reluctantly answering. “Hello?”
“Allison! Finally, I’ve been trying to reach you all day,”TíaMary’s voice comes through, brisk and demanding. “I didn’t get a chance to thank you for coming home and helping Victoria get ready. I know the drive is long for you, but you know family runs deep. We help each other, no matter what.”
I swallow hard, already feeling the familiar pressure build in my chest. “Of course.”
“Good, because your mother said something about school being ‘stressful,’ and I don’t want to hear any excuses. Family is important, Allison.”
There it is.I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I know,Tía.”
“Perfect. And don’t forget we’re hosting Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. You’ll need to be at the house early to help set up…”
Her words start to blur when everything presses down on me like a barbell. My pulse quickens, and that tight feeling in my chest swells, making it hard to breathe.
“Okay,” I manage to say, though my voice feels distant, like it’s coming from someone else entirely.
The call ends, but my mind spins, bouncing between family obligations, thoughts of Jared, and everything I’m not sure how to deal with right now.
I throw my phone onto the bed and bury my face in my hands. God, I need to pull it together. But with Jared taking up every inch of my thoughts andTíaMary’s demands crashing over me, I don’t even know where to begin.
The front door clicks open, and Olivia’s footsteps reverberate through the apartment. “Alli? You home?” She calls out, her voice light and breezy, like she’s coming back from a victory lap instead of a long day.
I don’t respond, sinking deeper into the comfort of my bed. Maybe if I stay quiet, she’ll think I’m asleep. But that’s wishful thinking. Olivia rounds the corner, pausing as soon as she catches sight of me curled up and staring blankly at the ceiling.
“Hey.” Her voice takes on a quieter tone, like flipping a switch. “What’s going on?”
