Page 97 of Unrivaled

Piper wrinkles her nose. “I already have one transfer on the books. I’m not sure another one will work in my favor. It’s easier to just do my best to graduate early. Besides, even if I moved with him, I’d be alone more often than not during the season. He’ll be traveling for games a ton. And I’d just be kicking around and studying alone anyway.”

“That’s a good point,” Ellie grumbles, even if she sounds like she wishes it weren’t true. She turns sad eyes on me. “I’m sad you won’t be here to be part of our sad club next year. But I’m happy you get to do what you want. I’m just jealous.”

“You girls are missing the rest of the draft,” Dad points out, and while he sounds placid about it, like he couldn’t care less if they paid attention or not, I know he wishes we’d hush or go somewhere else.

Smiling, I say, “Sorry, Dad. We’ll be quiet now.”

Ellie mimes zipping her mouth shut and settles back in her spot on the floor. Piper chuckles, but also quiets down and resumes her seat, grabbing a handful of popcorn from the bowl on the table.

I pick up my phone and shoot Gray a text.

Me: Congratulations!! I can’t believe we’re going to Florida!

It’s several hours before I hear back from him, which isn’t a surprise. He had to get through the rest of the show and then deal with all the rest of the hoops there with his new agent and the Florida staff. Plus, his parents planned to take him out for dinner to celebrate.

He calls after Ben is in bed, and I’m in my room reading, waiting because I knew he would call eventually. “Hey, baby,” he says when I answer. “Sorry for calling so late. It’s been nuts here.”

“I’m so proud of you,” I tell him, smiling wide.

“Thank you.” I can hear the smile in his voice. “It all feels so surreal. I can’t believe it’s really happening.”

“Well, believe it, baby. You’re getting everything you ever dreamed of.”

“And more.”

EPILOGUE

Autumn

I don’t know if it’s the approaching full moon or the fact that it’s the weekend before finals, but I’m feeling extra restless tonight.

Maybe it’s that I’m finishing up my second year at Marycliff University, and I still don’t feel like I have a better handle on where I want my life to head than I did when I first got here.

Sure, the last two years I’ve been more focused on having fun than finding a purpose, but now at the ripe old age of twenty, that’s wearing thin.

It doesn’t help that my closest friends have all settled into serious relationships, even if they are about to become long distance. Ellie, my roommate since last year, is in a relationship with the newest left tackle for the Georgia Rebels—and we’ll just gloss right on over the overtly racist undertones of such a team mascot. I guess the fact that teams are finally moving on from using Native American imagery as mascots is a step in the right direction. We can’t expect them to give up their links to the Confederacy at the same time.

Regardless of my feelings on his team’s mascot, I’m happy for Simon. I really am. He’s been good for Ellie, grounding her and at the same time pushing her to be the best version of herself. And really, isn’t that what we all hope to get out of a relationship?

Which brings me to Piper, who I’ll be sharing a house with next year. Ellie and I are partnering up with Piper and Dani to rent a house together. We found an awesome old four bedroom with old growth trees and a big garden not too far from campus. Simon and Cal, Piper’s boyfriend and Ellie’s older brother, have promised to help us move before they leave for training camp.

Piper and Cal got together last fall too, though their relationship was a lot more contentious to start with. Still, though, they ended up being just what the other needed.

Dani doesn’t have a boyfriend, but she seems content being single.

And me?

Well, I’ve gathered something of a reputation as a man eater.

And it’s not that I use and discard men like that. I don’t. At least that’s not my intention. But I haven’t found anyone who I feel connected to in a way that feels good long term.

Meeting someone new, engaging in the flirtation, exploring our chemistry, all of that’s fun. But I’m not wanting to just have a relationship for the sake of having a relationship. And jealousy of what my friends have and wanting that too actually makes me less likely to settle down.

So I drift through a room full of hot athletes at yet another party put on by the football team. Between Ellie and Piper dating nearly-former Marycliff football players and Dani’s connection to Eli Foster and the other players she works out with, we all get invited to these kinds of parties.

I smile and flirt with a few of the guys I recognize. But I already slept with Riley, and while he’s cute, I’m not interested in a repeat. And he and Andrew are friends, which could get dicey, especially if Riley’s still interested, and he obviously is.

Drifting away, I head to the kitchen to refill my drink.

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