"So who are you going to the game with?"
"A group of guys. One of them dates this friend of mine, Janelle. She has to work the concession stand. Otherwise I'd sit with her."
"There aren't any other girls you could sit with?"
"If there are, I don't know them. Anyway, it should be fun. I might even go to one of the parties after the game."
"You sure you want to do that?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
"You don't know what kind of people will show up there."
"It'll be people from school."
"Exactly. Drug dealers. Criminals. Rapists."
"You don't even know these people and you're assuming they're all drug-dealing criminals and rapists?"
"C'mon, Brook, you know that shit goes on there. Look where you live. That neighborhood's always on the news. The cops are always there arresting people."
"Yeah, and it's my home now," I say, letting him hear my anger. "So maybe you shouldn't talk about it that way."
He laughs. "What do you want me to say? That it's a great neighborhood full of good, honest people? You want me to lie?"
"No, but you don't have to talk about how shitty it is. I'm trying to stay positive, and hearing you say all this negative stuff isn't helping."
"Brook, I don't have time to fight about this. I have to be at the club in ten minutes. Why don't we just skip our call tonight? It'll give you time to calm down. We'll talk tomorrow before I head to the game."
"We don't need to. You'll be busy and so will I. Maybe we'll talk this weekend. Bye, Chad."
I end the call and break into tears. Dean was right. Chad's moved on. He doesn't want to be with me. The signs were all there but I didn't want to see them because I can't imagine a future without Chad. We've talked about getting married, having kids, what kind of house we'd buy. We had it all planned, and now I feel like it's never going to happen. I feel like Chad and I are done.
Is this really happening? Are we breaking up?
Chapter Thirteen
Dean
"Ready to kick some ass?" Josh asks as we wait for the game to start.
"I'm always ready," I say, searching the stadium for Jake. I spot him in the bleachers, talking to some girls. He wants a girlfriend but he's still too awkward to get one. Girls will be his friend but won't go out with him, which is good. I'm not ready for him to date. He needs to get his grades on track before focusing on girls.
"Kasey was looking for you," Kendrick says, coming up to me. "She wants to meet up with you after the game."
"For what?" I ask, stretching my shoulder. I hurt it at practice the other day.
"What do you think?" he says with a smile.
"I thought she was with Tyler."
"They broke up last weekend."
"I don't know why girls always want you," Josh says. "They know you won't do the relationship thing, and that's all girls want."
"Not all of them," I say. "And some of them do it for the challenge. They think they'll be the one to change my mind."
"Think you ever will?" Danny says, coming up behind me.
