“I found her in the girl’s bathroom. She was crying, pulling her hair… There was a group of girls. I don’t think they hurt—”
“Fuck.” I ran a hand over my jaw. “I should get her dad—”
“No. She freaked out on the way here. Said she didn’t want him to find out. But I didn’t know what else to do.”
“You did the right thing. Can you stay with her until I’ve grabbed my things? I’ll be like ten minutes, fifteen at the most.” I glanced over my shoulder. Coach was nowhere to be seen, but I didn’t want to lie to his face. So I had to hope he was already holed up in his office.
“Of course.” She smiled.
Miley smiled and it was like a punch to the gut.
“Tell Lily I’ll be as quick as I can and that we’ll figure it out, okay?”
“What happened to her?”
“It’s a long story. But thanks… for doing this.”
She nodded, her eyes glittering with indecipherable emotion.
“Meet me in the parking lot in fifteen minutes.”
“Okay.” Miley watched me leave. I didn’t want to. I wanted to go to Lily and find out what the hell had happened, but I respected her wishes not to have her dad find out just yet. That wouldn’t end well for anyone.
I jogged back across the field and went into the locker room. Thankfully, there was no sign of Coach.
“Saw you talking to the snitch,” Micah said. “What did she want?”
“Leave it.” I gave him a hard look and went to move around him to my locker cage, but he pressed his hand against my chest.
“Come on, man. I know you’re not still pissed about the party. It was a joke.”
“You knowingly gave her edibles. Not cool, asshole. Imagine if some douchebag had done that to your sister.”
“But she’s not… your sister.”
“Whatever, Micah. I need to get my stuff.” I barged past him and quickly changed into my clothes. A shower would have to wait.
“In a hurry, Chase?” One of the guys chuckled.
“Gotta take care of some family stuff.”
Because although Lily wasn’t my sister, she was family. And after everything she’d been through, she needed me.
Miley and Lily were waiting at my car.
“Did you see my dad?” she rushed out.
“Relax, Lil, he was holed up in his office.”
“Good, that’s good.”
But from the way she was pulling at her hair, I knew it wasn’t good.
“I’m going to give you a ride home and—”
“N-no, not yet. I’ll be okay, I just need some time to calm down.”
“So where do you want to go? Ashleigh won’t be home for a little while.”
“Ice cream. I could eat ice cream.”
“Fine, we can stop by Ice T’s.”
“I’ll just—” Miley thumbed to nowhere in particular. “Bye, Lily.” She gave her a small wave.
“You’re not coming?” Lily’s eyes widened.
Fuck.
I internally groaned. This could not be happening.
“Well, no, I wasn’t going to… I mean, I’m not sure Avery wants me there.”
“What? Why not?”
“It’s fine,” I grumbled. “You can come.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to—”
“Please,” Lily added. “I like you. You don’t ask too many questions and you’re kind.”
“I guess I could eat some ice cream.”
“Thank you,” Lily dragged her to the backseat and the two of them climbed in while I went around the driver’s side.
Not how I imagined spending the night before my first game of the season, but it was Lily. I couldn’t just abandon her.
It took us less than ten minutes to get to Ice T’s and find a parking spot. The girls had been quiet on the ride here, so it was a relief to climb out of the car and inhale some fresh air.
“Mint chocolate chip, Lil?” I asked her as we approached the door.
“With sprinkles.”
“With sprinkles.” I chuckled. She’d eaten the same flavor ice cream for as long as I could remember. Our dads used to bring us here all the time when we were kids. We’d take over the small store: me and Ashleigh, Lily and Poppy, and the Bennet twins and Ezra.
I grabbed the door and she disappeared inside. My eyes slid to Miley’s and her cheeks pinked.
“Oh, after you,” she said.
“I got it.” I motioned for her to go on in and she slipped past me, her body brushing mine.
Fuck. Her touch, no matter how light, did things to me. Things I didn’t want to feel.
I told the girls to grab a seat and joined the line, bracing myself for the onslaught of comments.
“Hey, Avery, looking good this season.”
“Are you going to bring home that championship?”
“Go Raiders.”
It wasn’t anything I hadn’t heard a hundred times already, but it felt different with Miley here, watching me interact with fans.
Two kids asked their mom to take a photo with me and I crouched down, hugging them to my side.
“Say cheese,” I said, and one of them snorted.
“Don’t you mean say, ‘Go Raiders?’”
“Okay, whatever you want buddy. On three. One… two…”
They shrieked ‘Go Raiders’ at the top of their lungs, making the entire store laugh.
“Thank you,” the mom said. “You’re their idol.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
Thankfully, I was up next, and the server was super quick at dishing up our order.
“That was sweet,” Miley said when I reached the table. “Does it happen a lot?”
“Not—”
“All the time,” Lily piped up, digging her spoon into the pale-green ice cream. “He’s basically a celebrity.”
“Lil.” I rolled my eyes.
“I’m pretty sure I saw those girls back there sneak a photo of you when you weren’t looking.” Miley’s brow arched with amusement.
“It happens.” I shrugged, digging into my own ice cream.
“So, are you two friends?” Lily asked, and I almost choked on my caramel swirl.
“We… uh, it’s complicated.” Miley ducked her head, but I caught the flash of guilt in her eyes.
“Oooh, have you hooked up?”
“Lily!” My eyes grew to saucers.
“What?” Her shoulders lifted. “It’s just a question and you’re all weird around each other. Ashleigh said you’ve never had a girlfriend before. Do you want Miley to be your girlfriend?”
“Jesus,” I mumbled under my breath. Miley smothered the soft
