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“That’s a problem, you see, because you are literally my assignment.” She said it as if it explained everything. “Which means that for the foreseeable future, I’m going to be stuck to you like glue.”

I scoffed. “I’d like to see you try.”

Dakota stepped directly in front of me as I tried another getaway and got so close I could only stop or walk right through her. I considered it, I really did, but then I thought she might accuse me of manhandling her, so I went with the first option.

“I don’t have the luxury of keeping up this back and forth much longer. If I don’t cover you and the team, I’m going to fail my class. So congratulations, you’re now directly tied to my GPA.”

I stared at her, trying to figure out if I should feel bad for her, but then I decided it really wasn’t my problem whether she passed or not. She had done this to herself, and she’d have to live with the consequences of her behavior. Nothing in her expression shifted, though. There wasn’t even a hint of hesitation or softening.

I slowly shook my head. “It’s not my problem.”

I tried to get past her again, but she moved with me, letting me know that there was no way she’d be dropping this.

“Seriously?” I asked, my annoyance turning to anger. “Are you really going to keep doing this?”

“You were talking to Frank Delaney.”

Her words cut right through every single one of my defenses. Of all the things she could’ve brought up, this wasn’t what I was expecting. I froze in place. She’d obviously been digging in just the spot she was least wanted.

“And?”

“He’s not just some guy who hangs around practice. He’s showing up at games and throwing money at the program in a way that has people wondering what his motives might be. And now he’s pulling you aside for private conversations. Don’t you see how that might look suspicious?”

“Are you trying to make some kind of point?”

“I think you already know what my point is. That’s why you’ve been avoiding me like this.”

Yeah, I knew what her point was, and I thought she had a wonderful way of blowing things out of proportion. She was looking into things that didn’t exist, and unfortunately, I was the key to her obsession.

“If that’s what you think, say it.”

She took a step closer. “What did he say to you?”

“Nothing that concerns you.”

“That’s not a reasonable answer.”

“Yeah, well, it’s the only one you’re going to get.”

Her mouth pressed into a thin line, and I could see her trying to come up with a new way to get the information that she wanted. It was slightly amusing to witness her process, but it was also a royal pain in my ass.

“Don’t you find it strange?” she asked.

“No, I don’t.”

“You don’t think it’s worth questioning?”

“‘I think you spend way too much time making up conspiracy theories.”

She gave me a disgusted look, and I couldn’t help but smile. I didn’t know what world she thought she lived in, but it wasn’t the same one as the rest of us.

“Don’t you think—?”

“Let’s get this straight right now. I don’t think about anything that involves you. So you might as well drop it.”

She squared her shoulders. “No.”

“You can’t be serious. I mean, who does these kinds of things? It’s considered harassment. You know that, right?”