Page 137 of The Game You Play (Rixon Raiders 2)

“Your ribs,” I blanched at the huge purple bruise painted along his side.

“It’s nothing,” he played it down, but I saw how carefully he pulled on his jersey and hoodie, pain behind his eyes with every movement. “I’ll see you later, okay?”

It was on the tip of my tongue to ask what happened when we got to school, but Jason had already slipped into the hall. He glanced back, his eyes saying all the things we were yet to say.

Things I never thought we’d get to say.

And I knew in that second, this time it wasn’t a game or some cruel prank.

It was real.

Jason Ford, Rixon’s golden boy of football, was mine.

Jason

“Are you sure about this?” Cam asked me as we made our way into school. Everyone was looking; kids, teachers, even the few parents doing the morning drop off. I knew what they saw.

Jason Ford.

Star football player.

Cocky arrogant troublemaker.

People usually turned a blind eye. Usually excused my antics as ‘boys being boys’. But not this time.

This time, people had gotten hurt.

I’d gotten hurt.

But they didn’t know the truth. They didn’t know I’d done what I’d done out of a need to protect Felicity. To stand up for the girl who consumed my every waking thought.

They didn’t know at all.

As far as I was concerned, it could stay that way. I hadn’t f

ought Thatcher for glory or in the name of the Raiders reputation, or even my own. I’d done it because when it came down to it, I was just a guy who loved a girl and refused to let some fucktard like Lewis Thatcher ruin her because of his beef with me.

I spotted her first. She was talking to Hailee and Mya near their locker bank, ignoring the rumble of whispers and gossip flying up and down the hallway.

“So did the two of you talk about what happens now?” Cam asked me as we slowly approached them.

“Nope.” I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her to answer him. Felicity was wearing boy jeans, slung low on her hips, a slither of skin on display where her shirt didn’t quite meet the waistband. It was baggy around her midriff, tight over her chest, and hung off one shoulder. Her long brown locks were swept over one shoulder, her face void of makeup, her expression animated as she talked to her friends.

“So what’s the pla—”

But I was already gone. Cutting through the stream of kids. Hailee noticed me first, her lips breaking into a wide grin. Mya was next, smugness dancing in her eyes, as if she knew this was a forgone conclusion. I gave zero fucks about their reactions though. The only girl I cared about still hadn’t noticed me as I moved up behind her. Sliding my hands around her eyes, I leaned in and whispered, “Guess who?”

“Hmm, Asher?” She chuckled as I spun her in my arms and glared at her.

“Try again, Giles.”

“Hi,” she said around an uncertain smile.

“Hi.”

Hailee and Mya backed up, giving the two of us space. The whole school seemed to have stopped around us, everyone watching their King fall for his Queen.

“Is it me or is everyone watching us?” Felicity cast a quick glance around.