Perfect for You(10)

Two hours later—two excruciatingly long hours later—Ash is named the winner and the challenge is over. I stand up and exit the stands as Ash runs up to me. He wraps his arms around me. “Hey, you were late.”

“Sorry about that. You did great!” I hope my excitement will keep him from asking why I was late.

He lets me out of the hug, and I see his eyes are glued to the stands. “Did he come here with you? Were you two together?”

“Um, he kind of followed me here when I told him I was coming to watch you. He thought it sounded interesting.” My eyes can’t get any lower.

Ash gently raises my chin, but I still don’t look at him. “Meg.”

“Yeah?”

“Look at me.” He crouches down, meeting my eyes. “Is he bothering you?”

“No. It’s fine. He wants to help me get ready for the first match, like I told you. I guess he didn’t have any plans tonight, so he tagged along.”

Ash narrows his eyes. “Were you swimming?”

“What?”

He motions to my bikini strap sticking out from under my tank top. Oh crap! “And those look like swim trunks on Noah. I thought you guys were playing tennis.”

How do I explain this in a way that doesn’t make me look like the world’s worst girlfriend?

“Meg?” Ash’s eyes are burning into me. His patience has run out.

“Hey, nice work out there,” Noah says, coming up behind me. Ash glares at him. “Sorry I kept this one so late. We sort of lost track of time.”

No way! He’s going to rat me out. He’s going to mess up things between Ash and me.

“Ash, I can explain.” The words tumble out of my mouth even though I have no idea how to follow them up.

“It’s seriously my fault. Don’t blame Meg. She was kind of stressed, and I thought she could use a little fun. I made her tag along with me and a group of my friends to the water park. Hope you don’t mind, man. I was only trying to help her out.”

This is it. It’s all out in the open. I went to the water park with Noah, while Ash was at practice and waiting for me to meet him.

Ash’s jaw clenches and his hands ball into fists. After a full day of practice and the Football Challenge, he is amped up and ready to fight.





Chapter Five


Before I can do anything to stop Ash from pounding on Noah, Jackson comes up behind him, pinning his arms to his sides. He ruffles Ash’s hair. “Nice job, my man!” he says loud enough for everyone to hear. Then he leans closer and whispers, “If you take a swing, Coach will have to suspend you, and if you miss the first game, we’ll all kick your ass. Now, move it to the locker room. No girl is worth getting benched.”

His words hit me like a sucker punch to the gut. Jackson wraps his arm around Ash’s shoulders and walks him to the locker room. Ash doesn’t say a word to me or Noah.

“Guess I owe that guy a thank you. It would suck to start the school year with a black eye.”

I put my hand up to stop Noah. “Just don’t.” I turn and face him head on. “Are you trying to destroy my relationship? You just blabbed all of that. Every single detail.”

“Not every single detail.” He steps toward me. “I censored the parts he’d really have a problem with. I told you, Meg. I’m not trying to break you guys up. If that’s what ends up happening, it won’t be because of me.” He walks away but stops after a few steps. Warmth washes over his face, replacing the confidence I’m so used to seeing, and his tone softens. “Sometimes, two people just aren’t meant to be together. Sometimes, they’re only standing in the way of the two people who should be together.” He walks away, leaving me to think about that.

So that’s it. Noah thinks he and I are supposed to be together. He put it out there. No games. No beating around the bush. There it is. And all I can think is why now? Why not sophomore year or the beginning of junior year? Why did he have to wait until I’m dating Ash to notice me?

I’m the only one left on the practice football field. The players are all in the locker room, and the cheerleaders are heading home. I stand there for a moment, thinking about Ash and how to make things right. I have to show him he comes first. I have to show him that Noah’s feelings for me don’t matter. Ash is the one I’m in love with. But I don’t think saying goodbye to Noah is the way to do that. It would only make it look like Ash was right about him and me, that there was something going on between us. It might jeopardize my relationship with Ash even more.

I climb the hill to the locker room and sit down outside the door. Players file out, all eyeing me like I’m the she-devil. Just great. I can only imagine what they were all saying to Ash about me in the locker room. Dump the bitch. She’s not worth your time. There are plenty of freshmen girls to date.

Finally, Ash comes out, with Jackson on his heels. I jump up and reach for his arm. “Ash.”

Jackson glares at me, but Ash waves him along with a “See you tomorrow, man.”

I stare at Ash, tears filling my eyes. “I swear nothing happened. I wouldn’t do that to you. You have to know that.”

He sighs and looks up at the moon. It’s full and right above our heads. “Why’d you go? I thought you had plans with Grayson today.”