Roman spits blood at my feet, and I jump back.
“Hey, what the hell?” My shoes are white Air Force sneakers. “If I wanted red shoes, I would have bought red ones.”
But he isn’t looking at me. He’s looking at his opponent in the ring. I fucking hate this place. But Roman actually asked if I would come down tonight, and I couldn’t say no. He needs me, and I’ll always be there for him when he calls. Just like he is always there for me when I need him.
“We have a game tomorrow. Do you really think this is the best idea?”
I know no matter what I say, he won’t listen. Once he gets an idea in his head, he goes through with it.
His glassy eyes tell me that, for him, this is the best idea. His dad was drunk earlier, and Roman called me for help. He’s spiraled again.
I need him to snap out of it, and Jace isn’t here to help me. I have no idea where the fuck he is, but I need him now. Because I have never been able to break Roman out when he gets like this.
“Come on, man, let’s go. We can still get some food at Annie’s.”
He looks right through me, and I know nothing I say will change his mind. Not until he’s knocked out. He never just walks away. He will fight until there is nothing left to give.
I grab my phone and call Jace again. Roman moves again and swings at the huge fully-grown man he’s been fighting the past ten minutes. I’m surprised they are still fighting, to be honest. Roman is messed up from last night still, and I won’t be surprised if he has more broken ribs after this.
When Jace doesn’t pick up, I scroll to Mila’s name. Is this still her number? If I call her, will she come? Would she even be able to help Roman? He hasn’t spoken about her at all since that first Saturday we saw her. He still hasn’t spoken to her in chemistry, not even about the projects we’re now starting. I would swap with him, if I could. I would partner with Mila.
I wanted to talk to her last Friday. I know what she said was right. She isn’t here to hurt us or break us up. She could, very easily, with the truth, and she won’t. What she said was perfect—we were her first kiss. Each of us. I don’t care how it happened. She was my first kiss, regardless, and all week I’ve wanted to get her alone so I could talk to her. But between practice and school, Mom’s drinking getting worse, and Dad working late, I haven’t found the time.
My thumb hovers over her name. Will she even pick up if she sees it’s me? I rake my hand down my face. I look over to see Roman on the floor and the ref counting. Fuck. He’s out cold. I shove my phone in my pocket and jump in to get him.
Arthur is there beside me as we drag him out of the ring. Roman’s eyes flutter open, and he grunts something as he tries to get up.
I push him down. “No more, you’re done. How many fingers am I holding?” I put two fingers in his face, and he swats them away.
“Boy, no more. Okay? You have a football game tomorrow, and you’re gonna be hurting pretty bad after Tommy knocked your lights out,” Arthur growls at him.
Roman settles back, and I sigh in relief. I’m not cut out for this hellhole. I hate it here; I hate what he does. But if I don’t accept his fighting, he’ll try to hide it. Hell, he already hides more things from me and Jace than we realize.
I saw the leather prospect cut at his trailer earlier. He’s prospecting for The Sons of Death MC. I didn’t tell him I saw it. I need to talk to Jace about it. I’m scared for Roman more than ever.
Is it Mila that tipped him over the edge, or has he already been pursuing this behind our backs? He has a motorcycle. He’s had it for a while now. But I never thought he would join a club.
My phone goes off, and I see it’s Jace. I answer with a sigh of relief. “I need you, now.”
“This is it, boys. Let’s start this season off by showing those Kings who’s best.” Coach Perkins holds his clipboard as he looks over us. The locker room is abuzz. We’ve been waiting for this day.
“Lakeview has been working hard, but we’ve been working harder. How you feeling, Roman?” Coach looks him over, and Roman just nods as he taps the side of his helmet.
He looks like shit, but Coach would never tell him that. He’s here, like me, for the love of the game.
I don’t feel much better than Roman looks. I hardly slept. I was worried he’d broken a rib and it had pieced his lung or something, not to mention he’d snored loudly when I brought him back to my place.
Coach rambles on about defense, and Grady pounds his chest. “Hell, yeah,” he cheers.
The whole locker room grows loud with the rest of the team cheering Grady on. The team loves him—he’s the glue that keeps us all together. Our captain. He is going all the way. There are college recruiters out there tonight just for him, and he received offers last year. But he’s holding out for the right one. He won’t tell us which one that is. I hope he gets the college of his dreams. He’s a four-star recruit, so I would say the odds are high he will.
“Rebels, bring it in,” Grady calls out. We bring it in, our hands all reaching toward the middle as Grady calls out, “Work hard, play hard, and victory is ours.”
“Victory is ours,” the room erupts.
“Rebels on three. One! Two! Three!” Jace calls out.
The room echoes with the stomping of feet and the cheers of my fellow players. We all run out onto the field. The Rebels’ stadium is full. A sea of red and blue surrounds us, with fans cheering their respective teams. A home game is the best way to start the season. And against none other than our rivals, the Kings of Lakeview Prep.
Nothing beats the feeling of running out onto that field. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to explain it. It’s something you have to experience firsthand—the crowd, the anticipation, and the atmosphere. Everything about playing under the bright Friday night lights.
The cheerleaders scream our names as we run past, Emerson lapping it all up. I guess he’s over the whole Mila thing. Not that he even had a chance with her.
I jog along, stretching as I do. I look up into the stands since Mom said she would come tonight. Dad said he had to work late. I’ve come to not expect him at my games. As long as I keep my grades up, I don’t see him. I can’t see her, but I hope she’s out there.
There is one blue among the sea of red, and as soon as I see her face, I stumble to a stop, Emerson crashing into me.
“What the fuck, dude?” he curses. But then he looks to where I spotted her.
She smiles and waves at us, but I can’t see past her blue jersey for the Kings. She’s actually dating Asher Rossi?
I shake my head, unable to believe it. She really is. Jace had said so, he saw it. But I had hoped deep inside she wasn’t. That he made a mistake. She turns to the girl beside her, and I see Asher’s number.
“Holy shit, she’s with a King, for real?” Emerson croaks. “I thought that was a bullshit rumor. She never told me.”
I shove past Em, not caring if she told him or not. I need to find Jace, now.
I run my finger over the scar on my palm, and my eyes narrow on Asher from across the field where he’s warming up.
Gritting my teeth, I growl out to Jace.
“He’s a dead man walking.”
