Does nobody here know that? If they did, she wouldn’t have made that comment. Do they know she dated Jackson and still hangs out with him? They couldn’t. They wouldn’t let her sit at their table if they knew.
Maybe only Braden knows about Kristen, and they’re both keeping it a secret because Braden doesn’t want people knowing she dumped him for his enemy, and Kristen doesn’t want to ruin her reputation. But Shayla knew about Kristen and Jackson, so do the Legion people know? Or do they just think it’s a rumor that isn’t actually true?
“Rumor, I need to talk to you,” Braden says.
“Right now?”
He just stares at me.
I get up and follow him through the dining hall doors to the outside.
“I didn’t do it,” I say. “Dante invited me. I met him this morning, and when he saw me at lunch he told me to come over. He was yelling my name across the dining hall. Everyone was staring at me. I didn’t have a choice. I know you’re pissed but it’s not my—”
He slowly smiles. “Good job.”
“What?” I ask, surprised.
“Good job. You got an invite on your first day.”
“You’re not mad?”
“I was at first but I’m thinking maybe this could be good.”
“Goodhow?”
“If the guys trust you, you could keep an eye on them for me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Make sure they’re not doing stupid shit that’ll affect their game.”
“Like what?”
“Booze. Drugs. Hooking up with the wrong girls.”
“Don’t all footballs players drink and do drugs?”
“Not before a game. They shouldn’t be doing that shit at all during the season.”
“Trystan said you get drunk all the time.”
“Not during the season. And I don’t do drugs. Tried them and it messed me up.”
“What about girls?”
“What about them?”
“Do you date during the season or is that off limits too?”
“I do what I need to do to stay focused.”
“Meaning you have sex, not a girlfriend.”
He doesn’t answer.
“What’d you mean by the wrong type of girl?” I ask.
“A Legion girl. Or any public-school girl, but especially one from Legion.”
