Page 72 of The Fake
Finally, we break off into our pairs, and Emily and I jog to the fieldhouse. Once we’re there, we do some light stretches and then turn around and head back. We’re on court two so we head there for the official warmup. We work on peppering and serving warmups until I’ve blocked everything out.
“Work together. Quick transitions.” Coach Carter gives us a last-minute pep talk. She claps her hands and Emily and I walk to our starting side.
We’re up against Monte State first. I’ve played them before. They’re tough, but I’m confident in Emily and I working together. Her height and my athleticism is a good combo.
Before I take the first serve, I look to the side where a few spectators have crowded under a blue awning. Nathan smiles and lifts his chin in acknowledgment. Shaw is here, too, but I barely afford him a second glance. My stomach flutters at Nathan showing up for me.
My parents, who used to make every game, won’t be able to make as many now that I’m farther away, but it feels decidedly awesome to know I’m going to have Nathan here for me instead.
24
Chloe
“If you tellSydney that I watched the season two final episode without her, she’ll kill me.”
“I won’t say a word,” Nathan promises from his seat next to me in the theater room. I hate to move from my big leather chair.
The end credits for theNew Girlepisode roll on the gigantic screen. The lights are dimmed, and my eyes are heavy. A party at the baseball house has Shaw and Datson gone, and Nathan said Joel was spending the night at Katrina’s house. The White House is quiet, which is weird, but it feels nice to be alone with Nathan.
Valley won every match today. Even Bri was in good spirits. I promised them I’d be back to the dorm in two hours to go out and celebrate. Nathan and I spent the first hour in the shower. And the bathroom counter. And the bed. After watching two episodes ofNew Girl, my time is up.
“Alright, I gotta go meet the girls,” I say but don’t move.
He chuckles, stands, and pulls me to my feet. “Wait. I need to give you something first.”
I let him drag me even as I say, “I don’t have time to make out again.”
He stops in the middle of the staircase and crowds into me until my back hits the wall. He kisses me hard until I forget what we were talking about. All too quickly, he’s pulling back and continuing up the stairs. “Come on.”
“Okay, so maybe a quickie. In fact, it’s fine if I’m fifteen minutes late.”
He laughs as I follow him to his room. He walks over to his desk and grabs his phone. His thumbs tap over the screen and looks up just as my phone pings.
I glance down at the money transfer notification.
“I never should have taken it knowing how I felt about you. And now...” He rubs a hand over his jaw. “I can’t accept it.”
“What about—”
“I’ll take care of it. It’s my problem. Besides, I would have agreed to be your fake boyfriend even without the money.”
I don’t need it, and I know he does, but I can’t think of how to say that without it coming across like pity.
He smiles wryly. “Okay, probably. Either way, it was the best fake out of my life. I got you.”
“Nathan, it’s not a big deal. Plus, you spent a lot of time helping me. It’s the least I can do to repay you.”
I want to ask what he’ll do without it and what it means for his family, but he wraps his arms around me and pulls me close. “I can think of other ways you can repay me.”
* * *
When Bri pulls up along the street of a residential area later that night, I scan the homes and the street signs. I don’t recognize either. I’d been buried in my phone texting Camila and updating her on the Nathan situation and hadn’t paid attention to where we were going. “Where are we?”
“One of the local football guys lives here. I think it’s his parents’ house,” Emily says.
Cars are lined up and down the street of the cozy residential area. The houses are big and the yards bigger, giving each one its privacy. Even still, I can hear the music from somewhere inside as we make our way up the street to the house.
When Emily opens the front door, I take a deep breath like it might be the last gulp of free air I get. There are so many people inside. I follow behind them, sticking close. Sydney is already here, but unless we run right into her, I don’t think I’ll be able to spot her.
