Because I used that two years ago. The fact that they all love her to death and will do anything for her.
I didn’t set out to do that though.
Just to be clear.
I didn’t set out to play with her heart and then break it.
I can be cruel and heartless, but using her wasn’t my plan.
In fact, I stayed away from her.
I stayed away even when she showed up at my party in the woods two years ago, looking all innocent and lost. As if stepping out of a dream. I even followed the pact, the stupid fucking pact, that I’d made with her brother later.
We’d decided that we wouldn’t bring each other’s sisters into our rivalry and I agreed.
I agreed even when she made it really hard to stay away from her. I agreed even when she dangled herself in front of me at every turn, looking like a perfect opportunity.
Looking like a shiny trophy.
But.
The thing to understand is that I needed to win that day. I needed to be the reigning champion of Bardstown High.
Ineededthat title.
I hadn’t won the previous year. That jackass, Ledger, won by one measly goal and stole the title from me. Just like he stole the captainship.
The captainship that belonged to me.
But Conrad Thorne, our coach and Ledger’s brother, didn’t like my playing style. He thought I was reckless and selfish and didn’t think about the team.
Well, I fucking carried that team. Who cared if I thought about them or not?
So yeah, I needed that win.
I needed it because I knew it would upset my father. It would upset him greatly, and let’s just say it’s my life’s mission to upset my old man.
I’m a generous son that way.
I’d decided that I would serve that win to my father on a silver platter and that’s what I did.
Again, just to make it clear, I waited until the last moment. To use her, I mean.
Iwaiteduntil I had no other choice. I waited until Ledger had the ball and he was about to score. And there was no other way to steal the ball — and in turn the win — except using his sister against him.
Besides, as I told her that night, I did her a favor.
Yeah, I remember what I told her that night. Even though I was massively drunk, Iremember.
I also remember that she was knitting me sweaters, for God’s sake. She was lying to her brothers to be with me. She was getting way too involved. And it needed to be stopped.
I’m not the kind of guy who dates or does relationships, and I’d already told her that, didn’t I?
But she didn’t listen, apparently, and I had to take matters into my own hands.
But none of that matters anymore: the championship win, the stupid rivalry, the fact that I broke her heart for it all. Because I ended up at the same place.
I ended up where I never wanted to be. In Bardstown.
