Page 24 of The Penalty Box

“Ward, you have to chill,” Mike hisses in my ear in a warning, his hand landing on my shoulder.

“Oh, I’m all chill,” I say, ripping out of his grip and striding across the room, my eyes glued to one person, and one person only.

“Dammit, Liam!” I’m not sure if that comes from Jack or Mike. Maybe both, but I don’t look back to confirm it.

Noah sees me coming, his half-smile tipping upward.

“What the hell’s your deal with Evie?” I hiss as soon as I’m in the hearing distance.

His friends look over their shoulders at me, moving slightly so they’re not in the way. You see? Pussies. If the situation were reversed, my boys would close ranks before he was even halfway across the room.

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business, Ward.” Noah’s nonchalant voice pisses me off.

“She’s my friend,” I grit.

Noah shoots before I can even finish completely. “But she’s going out withme.”

His words are like a punch to my gut, but I do my best not to let him see it.

“If you hurt her…” I say, moving closer. So close I’m in his face. My voice is low, icy. The warning clear.

“Hurt her?” He huffs a laugh. “The only one hurting her is you!”

The jab makes me stumble back a step. There is a knowing glint in his eyes, and something else, something I can’t quite pinpoint. Noah is the one who steps closer this time around, whispering in my ear so I’m the only one who can hear him.

“You should do her a favor and let her go. Your indecisiveness is only making her miserable. Either man up or get the fuck out of my way, Ward.”

With those words, he steps back and goes to his friends, leaving me alone in the middle of the gym.

Chapter Eleven

EVIE

The short rasp on my doorway startles me and almost makes me stab myself in the eye with a mascara wand. Inhaling sharply, I turn around, said wand still in hand as if it’ll help me fight my intruder. But it’s not an intruder who I find leaning against my doorway, it’s somebody much worse.

“L-Liam,” I breathe, looking at my best friend.

His dark eyes take me in from head to toe. I can see his throat work as he swallows, his gaze settling on my face.

“Evie.” I will never understand how one word can rattle you to the core, but it’s exactly what happens. It’s like everything we’ve ever been, all the feelings, all the moments we spent together are compiled into that one word. And it hurts. It hurts so much knowing that all we had we destroyed and we’ll never be able to get it back.

“You look…” Liam shakes his head, unable to form the words. Tense silence settles over us, making my skin itch uncomfortably.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, changing the subject when I can’t take it any longer.

“I—” he starts, but then stops. His tongue peeks out, wetting his lips, those same lips that were pressed against mine only days ago, lips that still haunt me in my dreams. “I needed to see you.”

I feel the hope I didn’t even realize started to bloom deflate.

“Well, now that you have, you can go back to your business.” I turn around abruptly. If I look at him for a moment longer, I’ll lose it. And I can’t lose it. Not in front of him. But of course, Liam doesn’t just do as he’s asked.

“Don’t go out with him,” he pleads, his hands landing on my shoulders. My whole body jolts at his nearness. He’s so close heat radiates off his body and into mine. His hands slide down my arms.

“Liam…” My voice is barely a whisper, but I know he can hear it.

His arms wrap around me as he pulls me into his body. A lump forms in my throat that makes it hard to breathe, much less think. His chin lands on my shoulder, his grip on me tightening. “Don’t go, Evie.”

My head falls down, waves I spent last hour making shielding my face. With shaky hands, I grip his fingers. I can feel my lip wobble, but I bite the inside of my cheek, hoping the pain will help me hold in all the emotions.

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