Page 17 of Matched Up

‘So … what’s he like?’she asked.

‘Who?’I asked coldly, even though I knew exactly who she was talking about.I was looking at him now, weaving in and out of all the other players.Effortless.

‘Shane.The really hot new guy you were talking to?’She couldn’t hide the excitement in her voice.

I bet she thought if I had some guy to think about, I wouldn’t care about what her and Niall had done to me.Well, I would care, and I’dneverforget.I wasn’t going to fall for her mind games.

‘Yeah, he’s nice, I guess.’I shrugged and didn’t elaborate.

‘He’s amazing,’ she said, and I side-eyed her to see that she was staring at him too.

I hated that I thought of Niall then.And how hurt he’d be if he’d heard her say that.

‘Go, Niall!’she shouted, then looked at me like she’d heard my thoughts.And somehow that was worse.

We used to make fun of the girls who came to watch their boyfriends play and acted like their own personal cheer squad.Now Megan was one of them.

‘Sorry,’ she said, when she caught my look.‘You know he’s really worried about losing his position.’

My stomach dropped.

She continued.‘Like he got really upset on Tuesday after practice.’Megan said it like it was a secret she wasn’t supposed to share.It was something Niall would have told me … before.Was this how it was going to be now?Me getting a rundown of Niall’s feelings second-hand?

And as if to make her point, Shane took the ball round Niall, sending him in completely the wrong direction and he ended up on the ground.He made it look so easy.Shit.

But Niall wasn’t done.He jumped up, ran back after Shane and went in for a tackle.Hard, dangerous, illegal.I’d noticed it with all the boys; going in full on when they were tackling him, their passes strong and fast, like they were hoping he wouldn’t be able to control them.But he always did.

‘Fuck sake, man!’Shane grabbed his ankle, his face screwed up with pain.

Harrison blew his whistle.‘Watch it, Niall,’ he said, walking over to Shane and bending down to examine his foot.

I glanced at Megan.She was biting her lip.I wouldn’t have been surprised if she jumped the fence and ran to my brother.She caught me looking at her but didn’t say anything.

‘Bench, Niall.Ten minutes.’

‘Poor Niall,’ said Megan.

‘Poor Niall nothing.That tackle was ridiculous.Isn’t that how it works?New kids come along and you have to fight for your position?’At least Niall had a position.I was constantly fighting just to get off the bench.I shrugged despite the fact I couldn’t ignore the hollow in my stomach when I studied Niall’s face.Everyone else would see anger, rage, petulance even, when he slammed his fist into the fence, but I knew itwas shame.That was how Niall worked.He didn’t do regular embarrassment; he just got angry.I knew to leave him alone when he was like that; asking him what was wrong was the complete opposite of what was going to help.Pretending not to notice, that was how to do it.I kept my mouth shut.Why should I make life easier for Megan?

‘I guess,’ said Megan sadly.

‘Oh my God, he’s so hot.’

Zoe’s voice was a welcome break from the tension between me and Megan, even if her words made me feel sick.

‘Who, Hunter?’I asked.

She grinned.‘I knew you liked him!’

‘I don’t,’ I said too quickly.‘He’s just Niall’s mate.’

‘Who you think is hot,’ she said quickly.

‘But I don’t.’

‘Chill, Lex, I’m only joking.I was talking about Shane, obvs.Go, Shane!’Zoe threw her arms in the air like an actual cheerleader.

‘Isn’t that your mum over there, Zoe?’Megan cut in.

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