Perfect for You(32)

“So, you’re waiting for Ash and me to break up?”

He doesn’t answer, but he doesn’t need to.

“What if we don’t break up? You’re just out of luck?”

“Looks like it.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “You don’t think that will be the case though, do you?”

“Meg, you and Ash both have other people fighting for your attention. You won’t tell me to go away. You’ve pushed me away at times, but you’ve always let me back in. And Ash, he may have pulled away from Liz and come to you, but he isn’t telling her to go away either. Look at her.” He motions to Liz, who’s openly drooling over Ash as he’s calling the cadence. “She thinks she has a shot with him, despite you being his girlfriend. Ask yourself why that is.”

“It’s different now.”

“Why, because you two had sex?” His voice is much louder than I’d like it to be. A few people around us stare in our direction.

“Could you lower your voice, please?” I ask, feeling my cheeks flush.

“Why? Are you ashamed of it? You’re almost eighteen, and you and Ash have been together for months. Believe me, people assume you’re sleeping together.”

He’s probably right.

“The real issue here is that you actually think sex changes things. It doesn’t. It won’t make him stick around if he’s interested in someone else.”

“He’s not interested in her. He loves me.”

“Maybe you’re right, but don’t you think you should be ready for the worst?”

This has to be a trick, part of Noah’s plan to get me away from Ash. Only Noah’s not that guy. I don’t think he’d hurt me like that.

“Meg, I’m not trying to be mean. I really am looking out for you.”

Could Noah be right? Could Ash like Liz’s attention? Every other guy falls all over her. Why wouldn’t he? I turn back toward the field. Ash is at the water cooler, staring right at me. At me and Noah. And he’s not happy.





Chapter Fifteen


I immediately stand up and leave the bleachers, walking over to the gate around the field. Ash looks back to make sure his coach isn’t watching before walking over to me.

“What’s he doing here?” he asks between clenched teeth.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It kind of does, Meg.” He narrows his eyes at me.

“Look, he wasn’t sitting by me until…”

“Until what?”

“Liz made a comment so everyone, me specifically, would hear. I got angry and was ready to pound on her, but Noah rushed over and stopped me.” It’s totally not the time to ask, but I can’t help myself. “Ash, Noah thinks you like the attention you’re getting from Liz. Is there any truth to that?”

“Are you kidding me? You’re going to listen to that *?” He slams his hand into the gate. “Of course he’s going to say that, because he wants to get in your pants.”

“Ash, people are staring.”

“I don’t care. Let them. Damn it, Meg. All I care about is you. I thought after we…after last night things would change.” Him and me both. “But he’s already at your side.”

“I told him we slept together. Doesn’t that prove I don’t want to be with him?”

“You told him?” The anger fades from his face.

“Yes. I don’t want to lose you, Ash. I made sure he knows I love you.”

He reaches over the gate, grabs the back of my head, and pulls me to him. I kiss him, not caring who’s watching. No, I do care. I hope Liz is watching.

“Davidson!” Coach Larsen bellows.

Yeah, Ash will be running laps again today.

Ash pulls away and smiles. “Again, totally worth it.” He runs onto the field, and I stay at the gate for the rest of the game. We lose, but at least it’s a close game. Not the blowout we’re used to.

Noah slips off at some point. I’m not sure when, and I don’t really care. Ash comes over to the gate and kisses me again before he follows his team off the field. I walk away, heading to the locker room to wait for Ash.

“Can you believe her? She’s the reason we lost. She took Ash’s head right out of the game.”

I whirl around on Liz. “Listen, you pathetic freshman bitch.”

She stops short and gawks at me.

“Oh, don’t look so surprised. You wanted me to hear you, so deal with the backlash.” I step toward her, getting right in her face. “Ash is in love with me. You don’t stand a chance. So go look somewhere else and quit sniffing around other people’s boyfriends.”

She looks me up and down. “You think he loves you so much?”

“That’s what he told me last night when he was in my bed.” Yeah, I went there.

“Believe me, honey, you’re not doing anything with him that I wouldn’t do.”

I scoff. “He’d never sleep with a slut like you.”

“Whoa!” Noah rushes over and steps between us. “The two of you need to chill.”

Liz eyes Noah and one side of her mouth curves up. Oh, she wouldn’t.

“Want to help me calm down?” She’s looking at him like she wants to…