Page 80 of Make Me Pretty

“Oh, I know, honey. Peris doesn’t like to tell me these things. It’s like he forgot I was in high school once, too.”

“For fuck’s sake?—”

“Hey, language!” she chastises.

“Really?” I deadpan.

“Yes, we’re atschool,Peris,” she whisper-yells, pretending to be scandalized.

“You’re a hoot, doc,” Abel laughs loudly as his fingers twist the metal in his ears.

When the conversation lulls into silence, she darts her eyes between us a few times. I look away, out at the people still hanging back.

Don’t ask. Don’t ask…

Southview has apparently left, so it’s mainly just the parents of teammates hanging out, and said teammates trying to get rid of their parents so they can go to the party at Gabe’s house. I laugh to myself, watching Corbin’s wide-eyed exasperation as his dad keeps talking.

“All right, I suppose I’ll head home.” And then, she yawns.

I laugh. “Okay.”

She tucks her dark hair behind her ear. “Be safe, okay? Let me know when you get there and when you’re on your way home.Nodrinking, Peris.”Always the same, but it never fails to make me feel… loved.

I blow out a breath through puffed lips. “I know, Ma.”

“Abel, are you coming home with me?”

He looks to me for an answer, so I purposely look away. After a beat, he says, “Nah, I think I’ll just find my way to the party. Sounds like it could be fun.”

“Okay, just… cover up? It’s freezing! And you be safe, too.”

He clasps his hands in front of himself, rocking back on his heels. “I will.”

“Good. I’ll see you both later.” With a squeeze to my shoulder and a pat to Abel’s, I watch Ma walk away. I expect Abel to stick around like the leech he is, but he turns away from me, too, and I’m left standing alone with a win on my shoulders and no one to share it with.

Sighing, I drop down on the lowest row of the bleachers, hands clasped between my spread legs as I watch the gym slowly empty out. There were scouts here tonight. They saw me play—distracted and frustrated. It wasn’t my best game, but we won, and that has to mean something.

It has to.

“Peris,” a voice sneers at my back.

I can’t bite back my groan of exasperation.Fucking great.

“What do you want, Bates?” I dig the pads of my thumbs into my eye sockets.

“Just because you won this one doesn’t mean you’ll get the scholarship.”

With a scoff, I mutter, “I’m well aware, dude.”

“Good.” His shoes squeak as he steps closer.

I glance up, eyebrows raised. “Is there a reason you’re still here?”

“I told them I needed to piss.”

I lean back, dropping my elbows onto the seats behind me. “Just to come in and harass me?”

“Who the fuck is harassing?” He comes up beside me, hands fisted at his sides.