I run my hands through my hair, not sure where to begin.
“Rea, I don’t know what to say.” I give her a look that I hope portrays what I’m feeling without having to say the words.
She gasps, covering her mouth, and I prepare myself for her words. I deserve her anger after not coming clean after all these years, but of course, my kind and compassionate sister proves me wrong.
“You’re in love with Mackenzie!”
Even though I’ve known it for a long time, hearing it out loud makes it real.
I nod my head as I finally tell my sister the secret I’ve been keeping since we were fourteen.
“I’ve loved her since the first time we met.”
CHAPTER
NINE
MACKENZIE
I’ve been in the backyard for at least ten minutes trying to defuse the drama with Trey. He hated that I was coming today and I had to talk him down for an hour before I left. Whatever the broadcasters said about Jordan and me is making the rounds online, and my boyfriend is livid.
“You embarrassed me. After everything we’ve been working through, you want to throw it away. I can’t believe this is happening to me right now. You are mine, don’t forget that while you’re around him. We’ll talk tonight.” He hangs up, and I have the sudden urge to scream, loudly, for all to hear. I toss my phone across the yard instead and cup my hands over my face, trying to force the tears back in. This cannot be happening. Not now.
“Mack.” One word. That voice. A chill sweeps through me and I avoid looking into the brown eyes I know are waiting for me.
“Jordan, hey. How much of that did you hear?” I pray it wasn’t much but as I finally tilt my head up to see him, I know he heard more than I wanted him to. His eyes blaze, and his jaw is working, grinding his teeth hard. He’s trying to stay calm—for me something I appreciate even though Idon’t say it.
“Enough.” When he finally meets my eyes back, I see his body relax and his glare softens just a little. I’ve been thinking about this mess with Trey, but it affects Jordan too. He doesn’t want people speculating about his love life, he’s always been a private person.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know the cameras were rolling. I hope I didn’t ruin your day…” I start to talk to him, but he presses a finger to my lips to stop me mid-sentence. My pulse thrums double-time at his touch and I swallow as I await his response. Why am I reacting to him like this?
“Mackenzie, you don’t need to apologize. Not to me, and especially not to Trey. I came to you, willingly, and I’d do it again.”
I close my eyes for a second and when I open them, they’re blurred with tears. “Please don’t say that.” He starts to take a step back, but for some unknown reason, I grab his shirt and pull him closer. His warm embrace settles all the pain and hurt flowing through my body right now.
“Talk to me, please, Mack. I could hear him yelling through the phone.” Jordan says this and I give him another squeeze before I step back.
“I need to go home so I can figure everything out.” I can’t believe my life right now. Jordan doesn’t know this whole television fiasco is nothing compared to the months of rumors and drama swirling between Trey and me. After Thanksgiving, I stopped running to Jordan with my issues. It wasn’t fair to him or Trey, so I kept our conversations to easier topics and started confiding more in Reagan. I never wanted her to know things about Trey that would change her opinion of him, but I don’t care anymore.
Before he can respond, I run from the backyard, along the side of the house, and into my car.
It doesn’t take long to calm Trey, especially when Jordan leaves the next day for Charlotte and spends the summer traveling for summer league. He hasn’t been home once, so that eases the tension a lot.
In the daysand weeks following draft day, my life starts unraveling one thread at a time. Trey and I are in a place I never imagined we’d be. He goes from a man in love to a jealous rage monster in the span of a few minutes. And those rumors from the fall? They’ve only intensified and I’m so grateful I’ve graduated and never have to step foot on campus again.
What do you do when the bad outweighs the good? Asking for a friend.
My phone rings, startling me out of my dark thoughts.
Seeing LA Elementary on the screen, I answer, “Hello.”
“Is this Mackenzie Banks?”
“Yes, this is she.”
“Hello, Ms. Banks, this is Rich Goff, principal at Los Angeles Elementary. How are you doing today?”
“Doing well, sir. How about yourself?”
