“Why else?”
“Thank you.”
Instead of answering, I kept walking.
“Callan.”
Weariness dragged through me, but I stopped and looked back. “Aye?”
“I mean it. Thank you. I owe you.”
I gave her a gruff nod.
“I mean it, Captain,” she repeated. “If there’s something I can do, let me know. If you need social media management, I could help out for free.”
Suddenly, I was annoyed. She was acting like she didn’t want to be in my debt. “You owe me nothing, princess,” I snarled the endearment, which was really more of a gibe. We owed each other nothing. I marched upstairs and this time when she called my name, I ignored her. Because the last thing I needed was to get dragged into Beth Carmichael’s orbit again.
It was hard for me to admit, even to myself, but last time I’d let myself get swept up in her, she’d left a mark.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CALLAN
Nine years ago
For a brief moment, I’d been happy. It was my last day at Drimwhinnie. Two days ago, just before Christmas break, Caledonia United FC had offered me a spot in their U18 club. I had a scholarship with them for the next year. The gaffer had even offered me housing as he perceptively worked out things weren’t great for me at home.
I was on my way to playing professional football, and I was getting out from under my dad.
It was almost perfect.
But the sight of Beth Carmichael talking with her friends twisted my stomach.
Grief thickened my throat as I looked away.
Losing her … that’s what it felt like. Like grief.
And I hated her for it.
Guess I was the fucking idiot for falling for her so quickly, when the truth was I hadn’t really known her.
I thought I had.
She’d … she’d made me feel like I was something special. She’d made me feel less alone. Until suddenly she wouldn’t return my texts, avoided me in the corridors, and started sitting at another table in our shared classes. People noticed. The lads on the team gave me shit about it. I’d acted like I didn’t care. Even though it felt like my guts were ripped out when I saw Ryan Preston kissing her only a few weeks later.
Beth had dumped me for that bawbag and didn’t even have the courtesy to do it to my face.
Looking back at her, I saw her glance my way and then pretend like she hadn’t. My eyes narrowed.
In a few minutes, I would walk out of this school and never see her again.
I had nothing left to lose and a million questions festering inside me.
Fuck it.
I strode down the corridor toward her, and her friends grew quiet as I approached. Beth’s pretty eyes widened.
“Can we talk?” I bit out.
