Page 76 of Before You
After breakfast this morning, it feels like Mirabelle and I are on the same team, and the conversation took a much lighter tone when I asked why everyone kept making jokes about fake relationships. Mirabelle’s cheeks flushed and then she explained how her and Henry’s relationship began, and I’m starting to understand it’s not only JJ who’s a hopeless romantic. All of the Walkers are.
“We’re not engaged,” I remind her.
“He bought you flowers. Hate to break it to you, but you’re basically engaged in my family’s eyes,” she says, her eyes glimmering with humor.
All of us barely fit in the elevator, but it’s a short ride up to the boxes where I sat with my mom, Bria, and Tessa a few weeks ago. Bria and Charlie wanted to sit in the student section, insisting I needed time alone with JJ’s family.
I end up sitting between Hunter and Mirabelle, and it reminds me to send a quick text to Kaden letting him know I miss him.
We’re close, but our schedules are polar opposites with us being on different sides of the world, so our communication has been in the form of long emails recapping our weeks. I prefer to write mine in class when I’m not paying attention to my professors.
His last email told me he’d be back for Thanksgiving and Christmas, so I’m looking forward to holiday breaks.
“Do you want anything from the bar?” Mirabelle asks, and I shake my head.
“I’m okay. I don’t drink,” I say, waiting for the automatic response I usually get from others, wondering how I do it, or asking why.
Instead, Mirabelle doesn’t bat an eye at my answer as she turns to Henry sitting between her and her dad. “Can you grab me my usual and a water for Marley please?” she asks, and hiswhole face softens for her. He nods, leaning forward to kiss her cheek as he gets up.
Unfortunately, Henry’s not back by the time Mirabelle’s proven right and our box is blown up on the Jumbotron as the teams warm up on the field. My phone vibrates with a text thread from Bria and Charlie.
Charlie:the amount of girls who sighed around us is hilarious
Charlie:honestly, all the guys are freaking out too
Bria:how does it feel to be surrounded by football royalty?
you guys are ridiculous
. . . intimidating because I know nothing
“So you’re a quarterback?” I ask Hunter, and he turns off his phone.
“Yep,” Hunter says, tugging his hand through his blond locks. “Dad would have died if no one took after him,” he jokes and Mirabelle snorts.
“I think you mean Uncle Owen’s ego wouldn’t have been able to handle it if both you and JJ took after Dad after Henry already did,” Mirabelle corrects.
“Thank god one of you did, or I never would have heard the end of it,” Thalia chimes in as Henry returns with three drinks in hand.
“End of what?” he asks, handing one to Thalia who smiles warmly at him.
“My brother’s fragile ego if JJ didn’t want to be a tight end like him.”
Henry laughs, passing me the water bottle. “Remind me to thank JJ later,” he says.
“Maybe you can help me convince him to transfer to Oceanside,” Hunter says, but Henry makes a face as Mirabelle takes her drink from him.
“Dude, you’re lucky I even have an Oceanside shirt. I’m not helping you convince JJ to transfer.”
“What’s so bad about Oceanside?” I ask, but I can’t say I’m keen on the idea of JJ transferring universities unless it’s something he wants.
“Absolutely nothing but a dumb rivalry.” Hunter rolls his eyes as Sebastian scoffs.
“There are so many things wrong with Oceanside,” Henry adds, and Mirabelle laughs under her breath.
“Let’s not get into this again today,” Thalia suggests, as the stadium starts to come alive, signaling the start of the game soon.
“We all went to Duke, but because my dad is a donor for the football program, the optics wouldn’t have looked good if JJ and Hunter committed there. It wasn’t a problem for JJ, because he wanted to come here, but Hunt wanted Duke,” Mira whispers, stirring the little straw in her drink. “I think he committed to Oceanside as afuck you,showing them that he was good enough there wouldn’t have been a problem with him starting. Supposedly he’s on the short list for the Heisman as a sophomore. I don’t know what you know about football, but to even be considered as an underclassman is practically unheard of.”
