Page 15 of Offside Attraction

Being the new kid isn’t fun. Everyone expects something from you. Everyone studies you like they’re trying to decide what role you’ll play in their little ecosystem.

With an apathetic expression that clearly saysdon’t fucking talk to me, I move past them.

I’m not here to make friends.

I don’t care if anyone likes me.

Surviving senior year in the same building as Hayes Griffin is already more than enough.

I find an abandoned stairwell and push open the heavy iron door.

The space is surprisingly clean. Too clean. Probably used for hookups and secrets no one wants witnessed.

Perfect.

I shrug off my blazer and toss it over the banister before pulling out my cigarettes and lighter. One slips between my lips. Another tucks behind my ear. I spark the flame and light up, shoving the pack into my pants pocket.

I inhale deeply, the smoke burning its way into my lungs. Exhale through my nose. I roll up my sleeves, baring inked skin, letting the nicotine settle.

For a moment, everything quiets.

Then—

“You know you shouldn’t be smoking on school grounds, right?”

I spin around, heart jumping just enough to piss me off.

Dark eyes. Sharp jaw. Familiar arrogance.

Hayes fucking Griffin.

“If you don’t want to get punched in the nuts,” I say coolly, taking another drag, “you should probably stop sneaking up on people.”

I look away, refusing to give him the satisfaction.

Why the fuck is he here?

And why does he smell so annoyingly good?

Hayes chuckles softly.

“Yeah. Right.”

I side-eye him, only to find him already watching me.

His gaze drifts over my tattooed arms, slow and deliberate, before lifting to my face. When our eyes meet, something strange and familiar coils low in my stomach.

Fuck.

I hate this.

“You really shouldn’t be smoking on school grounds,” he says. “It’s against school policy.”

“So what?” I turn fully toward him, exhaling smoke straight into his face. “You gonna confiscate it?”

He doesn’t even flinch.

Hayes sighs and gives me a once-over that’s entirely too assessing. Something flickers in his eyes before he looks away, staring at the blank white wall across from us.