Page 87 of Offside Attraction
Whatever last night was, I’ll make sure it stays in the past, right where it belongs.
Thehallwayisalivewith Monday morning chaos—lockers slamming, students rushing to classes, and conversations echoing off the walls. I keep my head up, trying to block it all out as I make my way to my locker. Harper has already peeled off toward her classes, leaving me to deal with my thoughts in peace. Or at least that’s the plan.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Kris and Brooklyn walking toward us. Kris is as animated as ever, gesturing wildly as she talks, her top buttons left open revealing her full chest, while Brooklyn offers her usual effortless smile. She has this calm presence that seems to slow the world down, even in the middle of all this chaos. Sometimes I ask myself why a quiet and nice girl like Brooklyn would date someone as loud and dumb as Ezra?
And they call it love.
Beside me, Tripp suddenly straightens up, tugging at the hem of his shirt that’s untucked and smoothing his hair. Subtle, but not subtle enough. I smirk to myself, wondering how long he’s going to keep this act up before he finally tells Brooklyn how he feels. He’s been into her for as long as I can remember, but he still thinks asking Brooklyn out isn’t the right choice at the moment, you know, since she just got out of a toxic relationship.
“Hello, gents,” Kris says when she and Brooklyn approach us, flashing me a flirtatious smile, as she waves at me.
Her voice is smooth, playful, like she’s testing the waters.
Yup, Tripp did tell me Kris liked me. Definitely not going to happen anytime soon. And as flattering as that might be, Kris isn’t my type. Maybe physical looks, sure—she’s undeniably attractive, with her confident smile and the kind of presence that demands attention. But her attitude? That’s a different story.
She’s the type who thrives on being the center of attention, always in the middle of every conversation, every joke, every situation. It’s not a bad thing, but it’s not for me. Besides, I can’t shake the feeling that she’s used to getting what she wants, but not this time.
Plus, the last thing I want right now is a relationship. Even though I want a quick hook-up, Kris isn’t what I want. She’s the type of girl who would suddenly expect a relationship after a quick fuck.
No can do.
“Hey, Dakota. Hi, Tripp,” Brooklyn greets us, her tone light but friendly, the kind of easy warmth that makes everyone feel comfortable.
“Hey,” I say, forcing a small smile her way. I like Brooklyn, but it’s hard to muster up much energy this morning. My head’s still a mess, and the last thing I need is more small talk.
“Huh, you go ahead, I’ll join you soon, Dakota,” Tripp says suddenly, not even waiting for my response as he falls in step with the two girls. His intentions are clear, and I can’t help but shake my head at how obvious he is.
As they walk away, Kris glances back over her shoulder and gives me another warm smile. It’s the kind of smile that would probably make a lot of guys weak, but I just nod back, trying not to encourage anything.
Then, without meaning to, my eyes drift down—just for a second—to her hips and the way her stride subtly shifts as she moves. I snap my gaze away immediately, scolding myself. Nope, not going there. Whatever she’s doing, intentional or not, I’m not falling for it.
The metal door of my locker creaks as I yank it open, throwing my stuff in. My fingers tighten around the edge of the locker as I try, and fail, to shove last night out of my mind. The way Hayes leaned in, the way his breath hitched, the pull I couldn’t deny—it’s burned into my brain. I hate that I let him get that close. Hate that I almost let it happen.
“Morning, Dakota.”
I glance up and see Zach leaning against the locker next to mine, a lazy grin plastered across his face. His long, dark blonde hair is slightly messy, like he rolled out of bed and didn’t bother to fix it—but somehow, it works for him, and his Crestview Prep tie is loosened like he couldn’t bother to follow the dress code.
“Hey,” I mutter, grabbing my textbook and the novel for English class and slamming the locker shut.
“You alright?” His voice is light, teasing, but there’s an undertone of curiosity that makes my chest tighten. “No offense, but you look like shit,”
“I’m fine,” I reply quickly, slinging my bag over my shoulder. “Just tired.”
Zach doesn’t move, blocking my path with his arm. “You sure about that?”
I sigh, meeting his gaze. There’s something about the way he looks at me—intent, almost searching. “I said I’m fine,” I repeat, trying to sound firm.
“Okay. Sorry, I don’t mean to pry. I care, Dakota,” Zach says, his voice softer than I’ve ever heard it. It’s disarming, like he’s dropped the usual playful banter and actually means what he’s saying.
I glance at him, surprised, unsure how to respond. People don’t usually say things like that to me—not in a way that feels real, anyway. My defenses go up immediately, instinctively, because caring always comes with strings attached, and I’m not in the mood to untangle them.
Also, Zach and I barely know each other. We’ve never hung out together outside of the hockey rink, but here he is, standing in front of me, telling me he cares. It’s unexpected, sure, but not entirely unwelcome. There’s something about Zach that makes it hard to stay annoyed for too long—maybe it’s his easy confidence, or the way he never seems to take anything too seriously.
“Thanks,” I say finally, offering him a small smile. It feels strange being this… cordial, but it doesn’t feel bad either.
“Fun weekend?” he asks, smoothly shifting the topic. There’s a lightness in his tone now, the kind of teasing that makes it clear he’s trying to keep things easy.
“Define fun,” I reply, leaning back against my locker, and meeting his gaze.