Page 6 of Tag

I made a point not to stare. That always made things worse. Her anxiety tended to be more evident when she wasn’t giving her all for our team or forcing herself to put on an act during the day. I did everything I could to help shoulder the troubles that weighed her down, but it would never be enough. She was the one person I actually wanted to get far away from this town, if only to escape the hell that was her home.

“Ready?” Roxxi asked us.

“Yep,” I replied, smothering a yawn.

Layla nodded, and together we made our way outside. Right away, I could see that the football team was wrapping up their practice a bit behind schedule. I looked for Ashton and spotted him talking to one of his teammates. As if sensing my gaze on him, he turned his head. When our eyes met, a grin spread across his face.See,I reasoned with myself. This was the guy I should be wholly focused on. He jogged over, his jersey streaked with sweat and dirt, his voice a little breathless.

“Hey. You ready to head out?”

“Yeah, but no rush. You know I don’t mind waiting for you.”

He dipped his head, brushing a fleeting kiss against my lips, leaving the ghost of his touch lingering as he pulled away. “Give me a few minutes. I’ll be out after a quick shower.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” I assured him.

He flashed an easy smile, and then he was gone, disappearing toward the locker rooms. I turned, hurrying to catch up with Roxxi and Layla. They were already nearing the bleachers where Arianna and Cloe sat.

Brooke was settled beside them with Sydney and Britt, no doubt waiting for Ryder. Just as I picked up my pace, a feelingof awareness prickled up my neck. I slowed and swept my eyes across the field. The players moved in their usual patterns, talking, stretching, and laughing.

Nothing out of place.

I turned in a slow circle, tracing beyond the field’s glowing lights, past the stretch of empty bleachers on the opposite side of the turf, and the steel gates at the far end of the turf. My gaze landed on a shadowed figure near the tunneled passageway that led toward the ice rink entrance. I squinted. That was a person, right? They were standing still, almost unnaturally so. Were they waiting for someone? It was hard to make out any details about who it was with the distance and lack of light before the tunnel.

Something about the way they were standing there like that felt wrong. I glanced around, searching for any sign that someone else had noticed. My friends laughed near the bleachers; more of the team jogged off toward the locker rooms. Everyone seemed oblivious and in their own worlds. The sound of rapid footsteps behind me pulled my attention from them.

“Woah.” Ryder laughed, catching me as I turned too fast and stumbled. His hands settled firmly on my waist, and he lifted me slightly, spinning me in a small circle to keep either of us from falling. “You alright?” he asked, one hand now braced against my lower back, his touch both grounding and electrifying. I glanced over my shoulder, but the shadowed figure was gone.

Ryder wordlessly pulled my attention back to him, his presence too magnetic to ignore.

No longer wearing a helmet, his black hair was swept back and slightly damp from practice. Some of his tattoos curled out from beneath his collar, shaded ink against his tan skin. His pretty blue-grey eyes held mine as he gently released me.

“What were you looking at so hard?”

I blinked, stepping back when I realized how close our faces were. “Thought I saw something.”

He stared in the direction I had been looking. “I don’t see anything.”

“Well, obviously they’re gone now.”

“They’re. As in a person?”

“It could have been anyone.”

“Right…” His tone was skeptical, but he didn’t push.

“Right,” I repeated.

He chuckled softly, and before I could say anything else, his hand reached out, his thumb brushing lightly over my neck. “Where’s my heart?”

My pulse jumped beneath his touch, and I prayed he didn’t notice. “I… I took it off to put it on a new chain,” I stammered and silently cursed myself. “Forgot to put it back on after I showered.”

His brow furrowed, the smallest crease of concern crossing his face. “Do it as soon as you get home. Can’t have anyone thinking they can take my place.” He said it jokingly, but his tone carried an edge.

“A necklace wouldn’t change that,” I pointed out with a scoff to cover the warmth spreading across my face. I had been thinking of that necklace all day long.

I couldn’t believe I forgot to put it back on. He had gifted me my half of the best friend’s heart when we went to our first middle school dance, one jagged, shiny piece of white gold with his initials etched into the back. He wore the other half with mine.

“Oh, I know, but right now it’s the only way I get to have my name on you.” His accompanying grin was confident, maddening.

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