At the last second he turns and locks his eyes on mine. “Mack, I think my sister’s looking for you.” His brown eyes are almost black with frustration and it’s not a look I have seen from him before. I don’t love whatever this is, my body is jumping with anxiety. Then he’s gone, joining a conversation with a crowd of friends and they all start laughing.
What. Was. That?
Trey chuckles beside me and I sort of forgot he was there. Looking up to him, I don’t know how I could. He hits me with another megawatt grin, and it allows me to release whatever breath I was holding before. “Come on, Mackenzie, I’ll help you find Rea Rea. But first, can I get your number?”
A slow smile forms as I take in this handsome boy before me. “Yeah, Trey, I think you can.”
CHAPTER
THREE
MACKENZIE
It’s the end of my first week at Piedmont High, and it has been much better than I expected. Meeting people at Rea’s helped me recognize a few faces and names on the first day. I don’t know if it’s Southern hospitality or if I just lucked out, but people are welcoming and friendly here. Especially one very handsome hockey player.
I know it’s too early to tell, but I think Trey Spencer might have a tiny crush on me. We text often, and I look forward to all of our conversations. He’s made it a point to sit with me at lunch each day, which is something I never expected. Apparently, it’s a huge deal to be invited to sit at the hockey table and unheard of for a new student like me. Trey even walks me to most of my classes. I also haven’t missed the longing stares he gets from the female population at Piedmont. Some of them sneer at me like I’m taking their king away. I don’t know how I feel about him yet. He’s gorgeous, with a smile that turns me into a puddle, but he gets so much attention, and I don’t like to be in the spotlight that way.
Other than Trey and his teammates, Olivia Collins is the one girl I really connect with. Her boyfriend is Trey’s best friend, Luke, so we’vekind of been pushed together. I vibe with her, and she’s been really helpful in navigating the Piedmont’s social scene.
It’s Friday, and I’m walking into the cafeteria, Olivia chatting in my ear about what she and Luke are doing this weekend—going to the movies and then swimming at Luke’s pool with the hockey team. She and I went shopping earlier in the week and she bought the cutest hot pink swimsuit. It’s definitely something I couldn’t pull off, but Liv has a smoking body, and she is not afraid to show it. Today, her auburn hair is up in a high pony, and she’s wearing a Piedmont t-shirt that shows a sliver of her toned stomach with shorts that one hundred percent break dress code. I envy her confidence.
“So now that you know what I’ll be up to tonight, what are your plans? Has Trey asked you out yet?” Olivia raises her eyebrows at that and gives me a wicked smile that makes me laugh as I bump her with my shoulder. Olivia has been dying for us to double date with Luke and Trey.
Walking to find our place in the salad bar line, I set her straight. “No, he hasn’t. I told you we are just friends. I’m going over to Reagan and Jordan’s this weekend. Her friend Liam is starting at QB for Piedmont, so we are going to the game and I’m spending the night after.” I sound like an elementary school kid having sleepovers at my bestie’s while Olivia is going on dates and partying with the hockey guys.
At the mention of Jordan, she gives me wide eyes. I may have filled her in on my summer, including the weird party last week. She’s solidly on Team Trey, but no one can deny how attractive Jordan Mills is. Piedmont girls talk about Jordan just as much as they do Trey. He’s the forbidden-romance trope waiting to happen. They all want him, even though he’s a rival.
“Hold up, Kenz.” She stops right in the middle of the line, letting people stream past us. “You’re seeing Jordan tonight and you didn’t tell me? Girl, he’s so freaking hot. I mean, I’m taken—but you’re not. If Trey isn’t going to make his move, then I say you make one on Jordan Mills.” She winks, and I stare at her with my mouth open until she laughs and closes it for me.
“Liv, first— keep that information to yourself. Second, Jordan and I are friends. I was crushing on him this summer, but since school started, I hadn’t heard much from him. I think I was just convenient. Now he’s back to his regular group—and more girls I’m sure fawn all over him…” I don’t finish the thought because large hands loosely settle on my shoulders. Heat rushes through me, straight to my cheeks. I turn to find Trey smiling down at me.
He’s devastatingly handsome. His midnight-black hair is slicked back, except one piece that forever falls over his forehead. His nearly silver eyes dance beneath lashes any girl would envy. He’s got his Piedmont Storm varsity jacket with jeans that showcase his sculpted thighs.
“Kenz, you good? I noticed y’all were taking a while to get food, and our table’s filling up.” I peer around his muscular body to see that there are no open seats, except the one he vacated to come over to Liv and me. There are a few girls scowling over here. Apparently, they aren’t thrilled that Trey’s giving me attention. I’m not sure if I’m thrilled or terrified, probably a bit of both.
Smiling up at him, I say, “Yeah. We’re grabbing it now, and I think I’ll head to the library or something. I could use a few minutes to finish my math homework.”
His blinding smile falters for a moment before he recovers and leans in close to whisper in my ear. “I’ll always have a seat for you. Just come to the table, please?” Chills erupt across my skin, and I give him a quick nod before grabbing my salad and bottle of water. Liv giggles behind me, and I turn to scowl at her, but it doesn’t land the way I expect.
“Yeah, Kenz—he totally just wants to be friends.” She keeps her voice low, thankfully. I roll my eyes, but I can’t help the ghost of a smile that appears on my lips.
We pay and walk over to the full hockey lunch table. Liv plops right on Luke’s lap and she gives him a passionate kiss before digging into her lunch.
Like a cliché high-school cafeteria, there are certain tables set aside for the popular kids, the banders, the hockey team, football team, basketball team, etc. Of course, the cheerleaders position themselves between the hockey and football players.
Standing there, awkward, I start to move past the table, but someone grabs my arm before I can escape. “Kenz, I’ve got a seat for you.” It’s Trey and when I look over to him, he’s already dismissed someone from the table and pulls the now empty chair out for me.
I hear a few whispers and gasps from some of the other girls at the table, clearly not happy about that. Sorry, ladies. I force myself toward him and after I sit, he pulls the chair so close to him that our knees touch. I set my lunch in front of me, take my first bite, and realize every eye at the table—no, every eye in the cafeteria—is locked on us. On me. My face burns and I look down at my food.
He pulls my hair over my shoulder and gets close again as he quietly speaks. “Relax, Kenz. I’ve got you. Don’t sweat anyone else or what they say. I want you with me, okay?”
I turn to face him, realizing we are centimeters away from each other, our lips almost touching. I pull back just a bit to see those metal grey eyes sparkling back at me. “Okay.” I whisper back to him, and the smile I’m given is worth every mean look and scowl I receive the rest of the day.
Later that night,I jump between Reagan and Jordan while we cheer Liam and the rest of the Knights to their first win of the season. I’m not a sports girl like Reagan, so Jordan has been leaning in and explaining the game to me as we watch. Every time he does, a small wave of excitement rolls through me. Despite not talking much, he still makes me feel seen. We have an invisible rope that pulls us towards each other, even though Reagan is completely oblivious to it.
My mind is muddled between what is happening at school with Trey and my friendship with Jordan. They’re both undeniably handsome and talented, but Trey’s persistence is pulling real feelings out of me.I’m confused by all the mixed signals I get from Jordan and it feels too complicated. We are drawn to each other though, a strange underlying pull that I can’t explain.
The game ends with a Knights victory and everyone heads to the local diner, better known as Trudy’s. They serve a little bit of everything, including delicious ice cream. As we walk in, I realize it must be popular with Piedmont too because there is a lot of forest green mixed in with the black and red for the Knights.
