Page 13 of The Revenge You Seek

I take a step closer and I swear everyone around us sucks in a deep breath, preparing for us to go up against each other.

“Do you happen to know which locker is mine?” I ask innocently.

“This is not fucking happen—” His words are cut off as the door at the other end of the long room swings open and crashes back against the wall.

While some of the others around us go back to what they were doing before I entered and interrupted things, Luca and Leon don’t move, and neither do I. It’ll be a cold day in hell before I cower down to the fucking Dunn twins. So what, their daddy is ex-NFL. So what, they’ve got more money than I’d know what to do with.

“Ah good, I see you’re getting to know our new receiver.”

Luca’s eyes narrow to slits before he turns to Coach.

“Yeah, about that—” Luca starts marching toward the man in charge. “Do you know who he is?”

Silence once again descends on the locker room, most of them probably wanting to know the answer to that question.

“Yeah, the best damn receiver in the state. No offense, Dunn,” he says, his eyes briefly flicking to Leon.

“I don’t give a shit how good he is, he shouldn’t be here,” Luca barks, trailing after Coach when he turns toward his office.

“Get in there, Dunn,” he chastises. “Get your asses in the gym, ladies. Your muscles ain’t gonna strengthen themselves.” At his word, everyone jumps into action. “Legend,” he says, tilting his chin up in greeting. “Good to see you’re feeling better. Welcome to the team, son.”

I smile at him, it’s the most genuine one I’ve given anyone in a pretty long time.

I might not be wanted here by many, but fuck, I feel more at home here already than I have in years, even with the hate stares still being thrown my way from a few, mainly Zayn Hunter.

4

Letty

Everything feels different when I wake the next morning. I feel lighter, the tightness in my chest that I’ve become all too used to has lessened.

The guys took me to a bar and grill off campus and we spent the evening laughing and eating. It was the most normal night I’ve had in a very long time.

Every time one of them made me laugh, I felt the stress and loss of my past begin to melt away. It was such a freeing feeling after drowning under the weight for such a long time.

Flicking my bedside light on, I look around my room. It’s not unlike my dorm room at Columbia and that’s kinda comforting. The walls are an off-white with dirty marks where the previous occupant must have had posters up. As well as the twin bed I’m curled up in, there’s a single closet, a chest of drawers and a desk. Plus, and I’ve no idea how Mom managed to secure it at the last minute, a private bathroom.

I curl back up and think of how incredible yesterday was. From bumping into Luca and Leon, my classes, my roommates and the possibility of actually being happy here.

I can’t wipe the smile off my face as I finally throw my sheets off and plod through to my bathroom. The tiled floor is like ice against my bare feet and I hop around as I brush my teeth and wait for the shower to warm up.

The second I’m ready, I don’t hesitate in pulling open my door and joining whoever is already crashing around in the kitchen for breakfast. The scent of frying bacon is too much to resist.

“Good morning,” Violet sings from her spot by the stove.

“Morning.”

“I hope you’re hungry.” My stomach rumbles right on cue.

“You have no idea.”

Panic flickers inside me as I look down at myself but I quickly talk myself down because there’s no way anyone here would know that I’m two dress sizes down on what I’ve always been, thanks to the stress of the past year.

“Grab yourself a coffee and it’ll be ready in a few.”

“I can help,” I offer, heading for the coffee machine.

“We have a food rota. You’re tomorrow and Friday. The guys luck out during the season, but we’ll ensure they make up for it once it’s over.”