Skye answers for all of us. “Of course.”
The second we’re dismissed, we walk out together, Skye’s grip firm on my wrist as we put space between us and Kareene’s office.
“You okay?” she asks, voice low.
I exhale, my head spinning. “Yeah.”
Lying has never come so easily.
Practice is brutal. Not because it’s physically harder than usual, but because my mind is anywhere but where it needs to be.
I should be relieved. We denied everything. As far as Kareene knows, Dylan is just the reckless player who put himself in the middle of this mess. He was found in front of the lockers, and Kareene narrowed it down to Kalli, Skye, or me. It could have been too easy to paint him as the villain. Too easy to let him take the blame and ruin his career. Thank goodness for Benz insisting that Kareene look for evidence against the footballer or the cheerleader. Without Skye or Kalli backing me up, I don’t think I could have maintained the lie.
By the time I drag myself toward the exit and head to the parking lot after my shower, Mackenzie Badley is waiting, leaning casually against the wall like she just happens to be there.
Except Kenzie neverjusthappens to be anywhere.
“Rough practice?” she asks, pushing off the wall as I approach.
I force a smile. “Nothing I can’t handle.”
“Good.” She walks with me toward the parking lot, her tone light. “So, hypothetically speaking… let’s say a certain footballer wants to keep seeing a certain cheerleader. And let’s say there are rules in place making that difficult.”
My stomach tightens. “Kenzie …”
She holds up a hand. “Hypotheticals, Emma. Just play along.”
I don’t answer, so she continues.
“What if, I don’t know, there was a way to make it acceptable? Something… public. Something controlled.”
I shake my head, my pulse pounding. “I can’t.”
“Why not?”
Because I don’t trust this. Because I don’t trust myself. Because it’s easier to walk away, than admit how much I want to say yes.
But I can’t say any of that, so instead, I say, “I have a sister. She needs me. She relies on me. I’m not going to do anything that can risk my job or my sister.”
Kenzie studies me for a long moment, then nods. “I figured.”
She steps back, giving me space. “If hypotheticals ever become reality, let me know. And hypothetically, he said you’ll know where to find him at three.”
Before I can add another denial to my pile of lies, Kenzie walks away, leaving me alone with the one thought I’ve been trying to ignore since Dylan first brought it up.
What if I became his fake date?
What if this could work?
But no. I can’t do this.
Sage has to come first.
She will always come first.
Chapter 22
Consequences
