Page 85 of Scoring the Player
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We decided to do it up big for our final night together. The guys at The White House are throwing a party we plan to hit up, but before it, we’re going to dinner with my sisters, Teddy, and Lucas. We take up a huge corner booth at The Hideout.
Dahlia seems nervous tonight. We decided the easiest way to end things was to just stop hanging out and let people figure it out for themselves. She won’t come to breakfast anymore, and we won’t hang out at each other’s houses. We’re bound to run into each other on campus and at parties, but it won’t take long for people to realize we aren’t together anymore. And if, or rather when, someone asks us directly, we’ll admit we’ve broken up and let the rumor mill do its thing.
It seemed better than staging some fight. Dahlia and I would never be one of those couples to fight in public and make a big scene. I can’t imagine us ever fighting, really, but maybe that’s because what we’re doing is fake and there’s no need to fight in a fake relationship.
“Are you bringing her to meet Mom and Dad this weekend?” Stella asks as we’re finishing up dinner.
“Oh, I can’t,” Dahlia says quickly. She twists her fingers together in her lap. “I have a tournament, plus my dad is coming down.”
“The tournament is during the day, right?”
“Yeah. Friday and Saturday.” Dahlia nods.
“So come meet them at dinner Saturday night,” Holly suggests. “We won’t eat until late because of the game.”
“She’s busy. She’ll meet them another time,” I say, knowing that won’t happen, but wanting to stop my sisters from harassing her.
We’re quiet on the ride from The Hideout to The White House. Once we’re inside, I grab her a seltzer and myself a water.
“Thanks,” she says, and we head outside.
“Everything okay?” I ask when she falls silent again. We haven’t kissed in twenty minutes or so, something is definitely up.
“I just feel bad about lying to your sisters. I really like them.”
“They like you too, and you’re not going anywhere. You’ll still see them at parties and stuff.” I duck my head to meet her troubled gaze. “We’re having people over at the house after the Homecoming game next weekend. You should come. We can show everyone that we’re still cool.”
“That’s when I’m flying to LA.”
“Right.” I find myself smiling as I picture Dahlia designing clothes for literal rock stars. “You’re such a badass. Someday when you’re super famous, will you return the favor and invite me to some epic Hollywood parties?”
“Definitely,” she says with a small laugh, then takes a step closer and her expression morphs from playful to serious. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Everything.” One shoulder lifts in a shrug. “The past month and a half has been incredible.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“But you did.” She rests a hand on the center of my chest. “You changed my life.”
I start to protest, but she continues, “It wasn’t just the parties or everyone thinking I was your girlfriend. You changed me. People see me differently, but more importantly, I see me differently.”
“You were always amazing. I didn’t do that.”
“Well, now I believe it.”
My chest tightens. “You’re welcome, hot stuff.”
She laughs. “I still don’t believe that, but I like hearing it just the same.”
I take her hand, interlacing our fingers. Some emotion I can’t quite put my finger on hovers around me, but I push it away for now. I want to enjoy tonight. And like I told her, she’s not going anywhere. I’m still going to see her around. We’ll go to the same parties and we’re bound to run into each other. Things won’t be that different.
I’m not drinking tonight, but Dahlia gets pulled into a game of beer pong with her roommates. I take a seat next to Jordan. He glances my way and smiles. “Look at you, Walters. Holding her drink and purse. Never thought I’d see the day.”
I look down at my lap where Dahlia’s purse rests and I lift the seltzer can his way. He’s got a beer in one hand and a seltzer in the other.
