“Be sure that you do.”
I demolish my food. Coach has us running two-a-day practices to prepare for the game and within minutes Dom, Emilio, and I have all cleared our plates, but I notice Allie has barely touched hers. Maybe half a chicken strip and a few fries. She catches me staring and looks away.
“I thought you were hungry?”
She shrugs. “Yeah. It’s not really sitting right with me.”
I haven’t known Allie long but she looks thinner than she did when she first arrived at Sun Valley High, but I brush it off. If the food isn’t settling with her then it isn’t settling. I’m not her mom. She can take care of herself.
“So, Allie, you coming to watch us play this weekend?”
She perks up in her seat and when Heather returns to clear our plates, Allie passes her unfinished food to her with little concern. I frown but don’t comment. The girl needs to eat, but maybe she’ll grab a bite when she gets home?
“I wasn’t really planning on it…” she begins.
“You have to come. If you’re one of us then you gotta represent. No excuses. Game’s Friday night at seven. Plan on being there.”
She worries her bottom lips then freezes when my thumb pulls down on her abused lip, my eyes meeting hers. “Come to the game.”
“Is that an order?” she quips.
I run my tongue along my teeth. “If it is?”
She shrugs, tearing her napkin into small little squares. “I might have other plans.”
I growl and pull her against me. I don’t know why it’s suddenly important that she be there but it is. “You don’t have any other plans. You’re coming to the game. End of discussion.” She doesn’t say anything else, but I catch the small smile playing on her lips and triumph floods through me. She’ll be at the game.
TWENTY-ONE
Allie
Islip into English class with seconds to spare when an unfamiliar face pauses beside my desk. “Um… you’re Alejandra, right?” a girl asks.
“Allie,” I correct her while nodding and she slides into the seat beside me.
“I’m Kasey.”
I frown. Why is she talking to me? “Uh, okay.”
The bell rings and the last of the students claim their seats, but there’s no sign of Mrs. Beck anywhere, and as soon as the rest of the class realizes she’s MIA, they all begin talking, visiting their friends' desks, and tossing crumpled paper balls around in a game of catch.
My gaze wanders over the heads in the room and I meet Roman’s stare. I swear it burns right through me. Heat flashes through my chest with each passing second and my heart rate picks up before Kasey draws my attention back with a small wave of her hand. “So, yeah. Hi.”
I raise both brows. “Hi.”
“I know we haven’t talked before. I kept meaning to introduce myself but you seemed a little standoffish and”—her eyes dart around the classroom—“well, anyway. I was just wondering if you had a thing for Aaron Henderson?”
I scowl at her. Was she for real right now? “Why? Doyouhave a thing for Aaron Henderson?” I don’t need to turn to know that Roman’s stare is still boring into me but I decide to ignore it, giving Kasey my full attention.
She chokes on a laugh, her blond curls bouncing around her heart-shaped face as she claps her hand over her mouth. “What? No! He’s my brother.”
“Your brother?”
She laughs. “Yeah, sorry. I probably should have led with that. I kind of assumed you knew.”
I’m shaking my head. “No. I didn’t. He never mentioned he had a little sister.”
She sighs. “Yeah, we’re not very close. Four years between us and all. But he’s a good big brother. Maybe a little absent but what can I expect? You know?” No. I didn’t know. I didn’t have any brothers or sisters.
