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Adonis smiled over at the Triple Gs after he dunked the ball.

I looked down at my lap.

It had only taken a little over two weeks for the school to realize that the basketball team was awesome now.

“Are you okay?” Scarlett asked. “You’re usually the loudest one cheering.”

“Well, Adonis keeps hogging the ball. RJ’s only gotten to take a few shots.”

“How would you know? You keep looking at your hands instead of the court.”

I forced a laugh and lifted my head. “Sorry, I was just thinking.”

“About what?”

That Gigi was about to sink her claws into Adonis. And that I’d only just gotten used to him being around. He’d start sitting with the Triple Gs at lunch. He’d probably believe whatever poison Gigi spewed about me.

And then our friendship would be over as quickly as it had begun.

I turned to Scarlett as soon as the guys went off to get food at halftime. “Do you think if Axel had never confessed his feelings that you’d ever stop hurting?”

It was a hard question for her to answer. Because Axel hadn’t just disappeared in the night. But she knew what it felt like to be hung up on a guy she didn’t think liked her back. It was different yet somehow close enough. And I was desperate to know her answer.

She slowly nodded. “My feelings for Jacob were real. I loved him. He made the hurt stop.”

“Really? It just completely stopped?”

“It took a while. Especially because at first I didn’t even realize that Jacob actually liked me. But when it became real? Yeah. I could picture a future with him. One that didn’t include Axel. Which is crazy to think about now. But I felt it in that moment.”

I pressed my lips together.

“And if you’re wondering if hooking up with Adonis will help you forget about Mr. Halifax, then the answer is yes.” She smiled.

“I wasn’t asking that.”

“Sure you weren’t.”

I sighed. Scarlett could read me way too easily. Which was why she’d been pushing Adonis on me this whole time.

“Does that mean you’re coming to the party after the game tonight?”

“Um...” My voice trailed off as the team ran back onto the court.

Adonis winked at the cheerleaders as he pushed his sweaty hair off his forehead.

I cleared my throat. “I’m actually kind of tired tonight.”

“Okay.” Scarlett dropped her head on my shoulder. She’d stopped pushing me to come out. She’d always ask just once. But I knew I was worrying her. I was worrying all my friends. This wasn’t me. It didn’t even feel like me.

But people changed. I just never thought I’d become the girl that wanted to disappear in a crowded room.

I watched Adonis rebound the ball. He tossed it to RJ. Adonis sprinted toward the other end of the court and RJ chucked it at him. Adonis dunked the ball and the crowd roared.

I couldn’t help but leap to my feet and join in. He was amazing. Truly.

Adonis’ green eyes locked with mine and he smiled.

Instead of smiling I sat back down. It wasn’t right to smile back. I was resigned to my life in solitude. He deserved better than a Triple G. But surely Scarlett would warn him about that. Who Adonis did and didn’t date wasn’t my business. It was better for me to keep my distance. I was still convinced that being bad at sex was contagious.