Page 28 of Flagrant Foul (Totally Pucked #3)

Sev Delorean

“Hey, handsome, look alive!”

An apple comes hurtling through the air toward me.

I catch it and throw it back to Teddy. He catches it and throws it to me.

We make our way around the kitchen island in a counterclockwise direction as we play what is essentially a game of glorified catch between me and a guy I had no business kissing all over the face last night.

It should be awkward between us today, but it isn’t.

It shouldn’t be this satisfying being an idiot with him.

It shouldn’t make me smile this big.

It’s stupid and silly, and childish as hell.

The thing is, it makes Teddy so happy that I can’t stop.

He looks lighter than he has in a long time.

Carefree and young. It makes him smile like he did before people were mean to him.

Lips pulled back so hard there’s a pink stripe of gum visible above his teeth.

I love seeing him happy. I love it more than I should.

I love it so much that it kills me because seeing him like this reminds me that when he’s not, I’m to blame.

At times like this, when he’s so happy he laughs without having a reason, it’s hard for my longing not to crystallize and turn into anger.

Betrayal. Hurt. Or whatever it is you’re supposed to feel when your best friend, someone you love more than you love yourself, is the reason you can’t have the thing you want most.