Fallen Fourth Down (Fallen Crest #4)(28)

I wanted to curse. “You’re saying that Miranda and her friends never talked about me?”

“Well,” she hesitated, “they have said some things, but nothing good and I didn’t put two and two together until Adam and I went to Mark’s and all of you guys were there too. I don’t really listen to the bad stuff. That’s been done to me at my old school. A lot of the girls were jealous because some of the guys liked me.”

“Give it time. I’m sure the same thing will happen at Fallen Crest Public too.”

She flinched as if I slapped her.

I grimaced. “Sorry. You’re friendly. Maybe it won’t happen to you.”

A relieved look came over her, and her shoulders dropped. “I’m very careful, especially since dating Logan. I’ve noticed a big difference. People are more cautious around me and some of them are fake. Some kiss my ass. You can just tell, you know?”

She was giving me a look as if we were friends, as if we were allies.

It was then that I saw why Adam, Jeff, and Logan liked her, and why even Jessica and Lydia were being nice to her. She was new. She hadn’t been stabbed in the back by anyone—yet—and she didn’t know how vicious people could be.

She was refreshing, for them. Not me. I glanced around. Was Logan coming back?

“It’s fourth and fifty-seven,” the announcer said over the stadium.

Glancing at the field, I saw Mason on the sidelines. He was ready to go back in for the next play and I waited. The team was setting up to punt, and he was flagged in. I looked at the scoreboard; it was the fourth quarter, and there were two minutes left in the game. The score was twenty-eight to three, a sure win for the Wolves.

“Where did you say Logan went?”

She shrugged. “I think he went to find Nate. I guess he sent him a text or something, saying he was in the stands somewhere. He’ll be back before the game is over. So, can I ask you a question?”

I tensed. What did that mean?

“Why isn’t Nate on the team? From what everyone’s been saying about him, Mason, and Logan, I thought he’d be playing with Mason. He’s not.”

“Oh. No. Nate’s not good enough.” I hesitated. The truth was that Logan wasn’t even good enough. Division One football was too competitive. It was a stepping stone before the National Football League.

The ball was punted and the punt returner caught it. He started forward; two guys from the opposing team were coming at him, but were blocked by Mason. He rammed into one guy, sending him to the ground, pivoted on his heel and wrapped both arms around the second guy. He threw him onto the ground, falling on top of him as his teammate soared past him.

“Shit, what a tackle. That’s a freshman?” someone from behind us muttered.

His friend commented, “Roster says Mason Kade.”

“Where’d he come from?”

“School’s few hours away, but his stats are good.”

Pride swelled through me, but it wasn’t anything new.

Kris’ phone buzzed at that moment. A soft grin came to her as she read the text, then she showed it to me. It was from Logan. With Nate in the back. By the 23rd door. Tell Sam. Staying back here with Nate and his friends.

“Come on.” I wasn’t waiting any longer. “Let’s go find them.”

It didn’t take long to spot them. Nate and his friends stood out. They had congregated against a wall, but were garnering a bunch of attention. The girls in front of the concession stand across from them giggled together and whispered behind their hands as I passed them. There were other groups of girls to the side, also eyeing the guys. A sense of déjà vu came over me. It felt like my first week at Fallen Crest Public all over again, but it was Nate getting all the attention this time.

I scanned the group. “Where’s Logan?”

Nate jerked his head to the side. “Pissing.” He broke out in a big grin after that and pulled me in for a hug. “Good seeing you. It’s been too long.”

I laughed, but I had to admit it felt good.

“Hi, Nate.”

Remembering Kris, I stepped back. Nate gave her a brief grin and waved, and I saw the hurt settle in her gaze.

“Hey. Kris, right?”

I caught the wink he sent me. Oh, yes. Nate pretended to forget her name. He was subtly putting her back in her place. She wasn’t in the Fearsome Foursome, or whatever we were when it was just Logan, Nate, Mason, and myself. A wave of gratitude came over me. I saw Logan heading our way at that moment.

“Yes, hi.” Her voice had dipped down, but Logan wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her tight into his side. He scanned the group. “So, we won?”

The buzzer went off inside the arena, and I grinned. “Guess so.”

“Nate.” One of his friends stepped forward, a broad grin on his face. He was tall, over six feet by a few inches, with sandy-brown hair and crystal blue eyes. He looked like he had stepped from the brochure for an Ivy League school. “Are you going to introduce us to your friends?”

Nate was silent for a moment and paused, giving me a questioning look. I glanced to Logan and knew he noticed the change. The air shifted. We both studied Nate, who forced out a polite laugh. “Uh, yeah. Logan, Sam, this is Park. He lives in my fraternity house with me.”