Page 44 of Undeniable
I shrugged. “I’ve had ample time to think these past few days.”
Which was a blessing and curse since most of my alone time was spent daydreaming about all the things Lucas and I had discussed at the gazebo. Not to mention, the texts we’d exchanged about his tutoring. But I wasn’t going there tonight. I was here to have fun, not to agonize over whether I was making the right decision not to give Lucas a shot.
“You’ve always had my back,” I continued. “You’ve tried to include me in all the college fun, and I’ve pushed you away, leaving you to party on your own. Like I almost did again tonight.”
She batted her lashes, her light-green eyes tearing up. “Don’t you start getting all mushy. You’re here now. I know you’ve busted your ass for your sister. So no apology is necessary. And Kaylee is well taken care of by my mom. If CPS does show, they’ll see that Kaylee is in a good home. That’s the most important thing.”
I was anxious about what CPS would do. Maybe they’d already tried to visit us at my mom’s house. But I had left Bailey’s address with Officer Morrical. However, I had to remind myself that Officer Morrical told me it could be a while before CPS got involved. And that he’d promised to note in his report that Kaylee was staying with family.
I bounced my knee. “I know your mom has our backs. I’m grateful.”
“Stop already. We’re family. Let loose tonight. For me, please. You’ve been wound tight since you had that talk with Lucas.”
I laughed. “And it didn’t help because now I have to tutor the hunk.”
“Don’t you see? The universe is trying to shout in your face that he is the one for you, Maze. Stop fighting it, already.”
“I’m not,” I volleyed in return.
She cocked an eyebrow. “You do remember that I know you. You didn’t want to come tonight because you’re afraid you’ll run into him. If you do, you do. But eventually, you’ll see him at the tutoring session.” She stabbed a red-painted nail at the field in front of us. “Forget about Lucas. Go down on the field and kiss a random football player. That’s why we’re here. To join in the festivities. You even said you had a great time at the pep rally freshman year. Well, here we are. Juniors. So let’s have fun.”
I hated that she remembered what I’d said to her by the pool at Lucas’s birthday party. “I’m not in the mood to swap spit with a random guy.”
She gave me one of her half smiles. The same one she’d given me right before she’d yanked me out of bed earlier and ordered me to get dressed. Then she pinched my arm.
“Ow.”
“You’re jumping onto that field with me.” She turned in her seat. “With the field packed with women, the odds are low you’ll bump into Lucas. You know that.”
I bit a nail. “My luck, I will run into him.”
She bared her teeth, looking angry as her nostrils flared. “When are you going to stop lying to yourself?”
“When I become a doctor.”
She playfully slapped me. “Mazzie.”
I puffed out my cheeks. “Okay, I like him. I like him a lot. That scares the hell out me, Bails.” I played with the red glow bracelet that all the fans were wearing. “I don’t want to become my mother, and in some sense, I feel like I am. Or the notch on his belt.” The more time that passed without seeing Lucas, the more I dove inward, shutting out the world around me. “I don’t know how to tell him that I want him more than the air I breathe.”
As I spilled my truths, her anger melted away, and she hugged me to the point where I couldn’t breathe. “I’m so freaking excited to hear you finally say out loud what I already knew.” Her green eyes flashed with mischief. “You don’t tell him. You show him.”
“What if he pushes me away? You didn’t see the hurt and anger in him when he left the club.”
She clucked her tongue. “Maze, I doubt he will. I have it on good authority he’s been as miserable as you. But you need to take a chance.”
I fidgeted with the red glow bracelet as the stadium lights dimmed, casting the field in a soft, golden haze. Just enough light lingered for red and gold bracelets to pulse brighter in the dusky light.
Bails squealed. “Here we go. Best part of the night.”
Maybe. Maybe not. But it was hard not to feel the excitement in the air.
The crowd was on their feet, waving their arms as thousands of glow bracelets lit up, pulsing gently like fireflies. The atmosphere became charged as voices merged into something primal and powerful.
Bailey and I joined in, swaying with alumni and students, generations tied together by school spirit.
“This is so exciting,” Bails shouted.
Goose bumps tingled along my arms as the air itself vibrated with anticipation. I could almost feel the energy crackling like electricity right before a storm.
