Page 84

“And here I thought you were cocky.”

He leaned down and brushed his lips over mine. “It’s all forshow.”

Chapter

twenty-eight

I HAVE TO TELL MYfriends. I have to tell my friends.Those were the words that circled my brain as I headed to school the next morning. I’d been putting it off, but it was time because they would see us together. I actually wasn’t sure what kissing Theo meant as far as school life went. We had discussed nothing about how public or private we planned on being with this after spending the weekend kissing.

The day before, we’d spent another hour at the stadium. Every ball I’d tried went through. We’d kiss between kicks and water breaks.

I’d dropped him home that day without either of us saying anything likeSo we’re cool with the general public seeing us do this or no?I wasn’t sure how I felt about going public. I still had the very valid fear that people would think I was only with Theo to get back at Jensen. Maybe it would be better to keep the kissing to ourselves for now, like the whole kicking thing.

On my way to sleep, my brain decided that Theo was a private person anyway, who liked to keep his relationships private. After all, I’d never seen him in a relationship. But he was Theo Torres, he had to have been in one. The way he kissed proved to me he’d done it before. But regardless of how little I wanted the school to know, my friends still needed to.

I wanted them to. I wanted them to be excited for me. I wanted Maxwell to squeal and Lee to tell me to trust again and Deja…I just wanted her to be okay with this. To not actively be against it. I didn’t think that was too much to ask.

I parked my car and waited, my nerves buzzing while I watched for their cars. I’d gotten here early. I hadn’t planned on it, but my energy was heightened this morning.

Maxwell and Lee arrived together, only parking a few spots down from me. I got out of my car and waited for them to do the same.

“Hey, girlie,” Maxwell said, giving me a side hug. “Looking cute today.”

“Thanks.” I looked down at my jeans and green sweater.

“How was your weekend?” Lee asked. “How’s the training going?”

“Good. I can kick a football.”

“Nice,” he said. “Operation Revenge is getting closer.”

“Yes, for sure. Oh,” I said. “Also, I found some pictures of the surfboard this weekend.”

“You did?” Maxwell asked. “Show us!”

“Show us what?” Deja asked, joining us.

“The surfboard. I have actual pictures of it.” I swung my backpack around and took my binder out. I’d slid the pictures inside the front protective pocket.

Her eyes lit up. “What did your grandma say?”

“I haven’t shown her yet.” I had wanted to do a podcast the day before, revealing the pictures to my grandma, but she was having an off day. I hoped that sometime this week she would feel up to it, because I was so excited.

I handed Deja the pictures, and she looked at them, flipping through as the boys peered over her shoulders.

“Oh, wow,” she said. “It’s cooler than I even imagined.”

“Right?” I said.

“We have to find it now.”

“Where did you get these?” Lee asked.

“Alice answered my DM and told me about a shed her mom had. Theo and I went over on Saturday and looked through it. We didn’t find the surfboard but found those.”

“You and Theo?” Deja asked.

“Yes,” I said. “After training.”