Page 69 of The Trade

“No, we’re not,” she reassures me, her voice gentle yet guarded. “It was just a weird moment, okay? No biggie.”

“I just ... I don’t want there to be any doubt between us.”

Jade’s smile is tight-lipped, a touch of weariness visible. “Okay. We’ll talk more tomorrow, then. After my brother leaves?”

I soften slightly, realizing the need to respect her boundaries. “Yeah, alright.”

“It’s okay, Theo.” Pushing up onto her toes, she places a chaste kiss against my jaw. “I’ll see you later.”

“See you,” I murmur in response, my eyes fixed on her as the two girls walk through the rain, pull open the car doors, and slip inside.

What Cassidy just implied ... it’s a twisted, fucked-up version of the truth. Yes, I asked Jade to the banquet with the intention of trading her, but it wasn’t some desperate ploy to screw her over. Our relationship grew organically, and I regret ever entertaining the idea of the Trade.

As for Cassidy ... sleeping with her as long as I did was a lapse of judgment, fueled only by physical attraction. But her opinion doesn’t matter to me in the slightest.

What truly matters is what Jade thinks of me, her understanding of my intentions and emotions. I don’t want her to doubt my feelings for her, nor do I want her to think I have lingering feelings for Shannon.

Because I don’t. Honestly, I don’t think I ever really did. Our connection was based on a spark of lust and friendship, nothing more. I twisted those nonexistent feelings into something they were never meant to be.

Fuck. Maybe I should just tell her about the Trade.

On one hand, complete transparency seems ideal. Jade would most likely understand, especially since I called things off early on. It would mean no more secrets between us, a chance to lay everything on the table.

But on the other hand, it would be a betrayal to my teammates. We made a pact not to disclose anything about our tradition, and going back on that promise could have serious consequences. The team could face backlash, and I would bear the brunt of the blame from Coach.

Worst of all, I could risk losing Jade.

And I can’t fucking lose her.

20

JADE

My morningwith Mica was exactly what I needed. Just me and my brother making the most of our time together. We indulged in a breakfast of chocolate chip waffles, a treat that set a cheerful tone for the day. Full and happy, we decided to take a stroll around campus.

As we walked through the crowd of students, I brought him up to speed with my classes, shared about my recent work with theDaily, and vented a little bit more about Garrett fucking Warner.

Mica, of course, did his whole big-brother bit. Throwing around phrases like, “I’ll knock some sense into that asshole.” He also argued I should have a free pass to the Dayton football games, leveraging his status and all.

He doesn’t understand it, though, the weight that comes with a famous sibling. Yes, his position could open doors for me, but the idea of riding his coattails, of relying on nepotism, isn’t something I’m interested in.

Not to mention the incessant comparisons and expectations. Being “Mica’s little sister” has always made me feel like I need to work twice as hard just to prove my own worth. But I’d rather fight my own battles, carve my own path for myself.

When evening came, it was time for Mica to head home. Our goodbye hug was tight, laced with promises of seeing each other again soon, especially since a trip to our parents’ place is long overdue.

But now, with my brother gone, I’m left to untangle the events of last night. West, for starters, was a whole hour late to our dinner. Annoying, yes. Irresponsible, absolutely. But he’d apologized so much that even Mica seemed to have forgiven him.

The two of them getting along without any threats of bodily harm? I’ll chalk that up as a win.

Then there was Cassidy. Bumping into her outside the restaurant was an unwelcome surprise. She’d suggested, not so subtly, that West was using me to get to Shannon, just like he’d used her.

Her words, her perspective, it doesn’t fit with the West I know. If he wanted Shannon, he wouldn’t tiptoe around it. And I know they’ve shared flirty exchanges in the past, but there’s never been anything more than that between them.

Still, Cassidy’s words are sowing tiny seeds of doubt, taking root in my mind. West has been nothing but open about his feelings for me, but what about his past with her?

Had he treated Cassidy the same way he treated me, only to shrug her off saying they “weren’t together”? And would I be the next “not-ex” if things didn’t work out?

We’re still building trust, but we haven’t defined our relationship yet. Dating? Seeing each other? Close friends with even closer benefits? It’s all so muddled. And now, I’m teetering on the edge of sounding desperate, and that’s not who I am. It’s not who I want to be.

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