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I shook my head.

So she folded it in half and slid it into my purse on the floor. I eyed my purse and forced my eyes back to the TV. I didn’t want to talk to my mystery man. He’d almost ruined everything for me. And I wasn’t going to give him a second chance at trying to.

There would be no extra seat anywhere near me or Scarlett at the game. And my eyes would be solely focused on the Empire High mascot. God, I really hoped Mr. Halifax showed up.

Chapter 7 – You Didn’t Save Me a Seat

Saturday

The energy at the stadium was insane. It was a sea of Empire High blue and orange. The game hadn’t even started yet and the stands were practically shaking.

“What does this remind you of?” Scarlett shouted over the music blaring through the speakers.

“The last game?”

She laughed. “I’m talking about the music! It’s so loud!”

It was loud. And it was pumping up the crowd even more. I just shrugged. I had no idea what she was talking about.

“It reminds me of the club!”

I laughed. “Hardly.”

“I guess the only thing that would remind you of the club is if your mystery man comes up behind you, huh?” She started looking around the bleachers, searching for a psycho with dark hair and green eyes. She was out of control.

I needed to take matters into my own hands. A random couple walked up the stands, looking for seats. I waved them over toward us. “You can squeeze in here!”

“What are you doing?” Scarlett hissed. “I was saving a spot for your mystery man.”

“Oops. Too late.”

The couple had already sat down. It was a tight fit. There was barely an inch of space left. I smiled. “Great. Zero room for a handsy stalker.”

Scarlett sighed. “I really don’t think he’s a stalker. Or a kidnapper. Or anything bad. He’s handsome, and smart, and super witty. He’s honestly a bit of you.”

“He’s nothing like me.”

“So you’re not good looking, smart, or super witty?”

I pressed my lips together.

She smiled. She knew she’d gotten me. “I do feel a little bad that there wasn’t enough room to sit with our parents though. Do you think Axel will be mad?”

“Probably. And I think if you call my mystery man handsome one more time Axel’s head will literally explode.”

“He knows I only have eyes for him. Come on, help me look around. Green eyes. Dark hair.”

I had no intention of helping her scour the stands for a person I had no interest in seeing. I didn’t want my mystery man anywhere near me. The whole jealousy angle hadn’t worked on Mr. Halifax. I was done doing that.

“Can I borrow your phone?” Scarlett asked.

“Why?”

“My battery died and I want to text Axel good luck.”

I handed her my phone and stared out at the field. Any minute now, the team would run out. Including the sexiest mascot in the history of mascots. And hopefully Scarlett would abandon her search and focus on the game. If we won, there’d be one more game next week. But if we lost, this would be the last game Axel and Jacob ever played in as Empire High Eagles. It was a big moment for them, either way. And I didn’t want to miss a second of it.

I felt the little hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.