For the following week, Aiden doesn’t leave me alone.
He’s there during lunch, dropping off my special food. I don’t eat any of it, opting to have lunch boxes, but he keeps bringing it anyway.
He’s also there during practice, passing me water and his sports drink.
I stopped counting the number of times he wanted to talk to me and I refused.
He offers to drive me home after school. I refuse to and choose to ride with Knox instead.
His jaw clenches and his left eye twitches whenever I do that. He clearly doesn’t like it, and I expect him to drag me by force more than once.
He doesn’t.
Every time we cross paths in the hall, he watches me with a disarming intensity. He confiscates my air and tucks it somewhere beyond reach. I often stiffen, expecting him to drag me into a corner, announcing the game is over, and teach me whom I belong to in his sadistic dominating ways.
None of that happened.
It’s weird.
No. It’s disarming.
His nice, grovelling side is starting to freak me out.
Aiden doesn’t do grovelling. Aiden takes without permission, leaving disaster in his wake.
I toss and turn at night thinking he might be genuine, maybe he really changed. Then I recall who he is, what he is, and quickly squash those thoughts.
People like Aiden don’t change. They’re too comfortable on their high and mighty pedestals to stoop low.
All this must be another ploy to make me trust him just so he can fuck me over again.
I’m done being that fool.
I’m done being played.
To his credit, I barely saw him with Silver in the school’s hallways. But who knows what’s going on behind closed doors.
Not that I care.
“Are you coming?”
I’m brought back to the present by Teal’s voice. She’s wearing her usual bored expression as she studies her black-polished nails.
“Yes!” Kim grabs my arm. “Let’s go.”
I can’t believe I agreed to this, but then again, Knox tricked me.
Apparently, he’s into football and was accepted into Elites. Teal and Kim wanted to see him play.
I don’t like being within two metres from the football pitch.
“I beat you in maths. You owe me, Ellie.”
And just like that, Knox had blackmailed me into watching the practice.
Teal, Kim, and I walk towards the pitch together.
“I’m telling you, our team is crazy good. You’re going to fall in love at first sight.” Kim interlaces her arm with Teal’s.
“Love is for losers,” Teal deadpans.
“You’re funny,” Kim laughs.
She thinks Teal is joking, but I doubt she is. Teal has an eccentric personality and the weirdest sense of humour. Sometimes, I don’t realise it’s a joke until she says it is.
The fact that she’s Knox’s twin is even stranger.
Kim decided Teal should belong in our circle because she’s ‘so cool’.
Kim thinks only rock stars are cool. The fact that she clicked with Teal so fast is a miracle in itself. Even Teal seems to like her. She offered her a cup of coffee the other day — and Teal doesn’t offer things.
My nerves skyrocket when we approach the wires and the players. It’s like I’m walking straight onto the battlefield.
Teal watches her surroundings and stops when a few girls start gushing and squealing — the horsemen’s fangirls. “So this is where the youth come to kill their brain cells.”
“Don’t be a mood killer.” Kim’s green eyes brighten as she gets lost in the game.
Elites are divided into two teams. Half is wearing blue jerseys and the other half neon yellow ones.
Aiden and Cole are on the blue team. Xander, Ronan, and Knox play for the yellow team.
“Go, Ronan!” Kim shouts when he takes possession of the ball and runs towards the goal.
Cole tackles him with infinite grace and takes back possession. Ronan curses, but he runs like a storm to defend.
Too late, though.
Cole passes the ball to Aiden at the back of the last two defenders without being in the danger of the offside.
He dabbles the ball once then scores.
I can’t help but watch his triumphant expression. The ease of his movements. The glint in his grey eyes. The need for more.
He enjoys this. He really enjoys playing football.
It must be because of the challenge. Aiden is the type who loves being tested every step of the way and playing football fixes some of his cravings. Especially if it’s against worthy opponents like the horsemen.
Cole ruffles his hair and runs backwards, not taking credit for assisting that goal.
Those who say Cole and Aiden’s team play is legendary aren’t wrong. That assist was like telepathy. Cole didn’t even need to look up before passing the ball.
On his way back to the midfield, Aiden’s eyes lock with mine.
His lips curl into a smile. A genuine one that reaches his cloudy eyes.
The world shifts for a second, but I plant my feet wide, refusing to be swayed.
He must think I came for him.
I spot Knox who’s wearing number nine. He said it’s because he has nine lives, the dork.
“Go, nine!” I scream.
Aiden’s smile falls. The darkening of his features is alarming, to say the least.
I never complied to Aiden’s requests to attend his practices or his games, but I came today. The moment I shouted Knox’s number, he knew I’m not here because of him.
I would’ve felt sorry if he didn’t kill part of my soul.
“Don’t mind, Ronan!” Kim yells at the top of her lungs. “You’ve got this, thirteen.”
He grins at us, tapping his chest.
“Go, nineteen, I guess,” Teal says.
Both Kim and I gawk at her. She just called Xander’s number.
“What?” She glances up from her phone. “Isn’t he on Knox’s team?”
“Yeah, but there are ten other players on Knox’s team.” Kim narrows her eyes. “Why him?”
Teal lifts a shoulder. “Why not him?”
Kim gives her an indecipherable look then focuses back on the game.
The blue team is on the attack again. The girls beside us squeal Aiden’s number, eleven, and Cole’s, seven.
This time, Ronan steals the ball and makes a decisive pass to Xander who gives a one touch in Knox’s direction.
The three of us get on our tippy toes as Knox runs at full speed. He’s about to shoot and score when Aiden tackles him from behind.
Hard.
Knox hits the ground head first.
A collective gasp sounds from the audience and even the assistant coaches.
“Knox!” Teal is about ready to tear the wires down and run onto the pitch.
Before she can, Knox stands, appearing non-injured.
He grins at his teammates when the referee whistles for a penalty. Even Ronan ruffles his hair and gathers him in a bro hug.
I glare at Aiden. He stalks back to the midfield with an expressionless face, but I feel the tension beneath the surface all the way to where I’m standing. It’s licking at my skin like a vapid, savage animal.
“What the hell is number eleven’s problem?” Teal’s glare matches mine.
“He’s jealous,” Kim says.
“Kim!” I hiss.
“What? He is. King doesn’t go back to defend. It’s not a coincidence he went back after you called Knox’s number.”
“Whatever.”
“You told me not to tell him Knox is your foster brother. Admit it, Ellie. You want him to be jealous.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Yeah, right.”
“Don’t drag my brother into this.” Teal stares between us. “He’s a dork, but he’s reckless. I don’t want him to make enemies with this King bloke.”
“Don’t worry,” I soften my tone when I speak to Teal. “I also don’t want Knox involved.”
“Sure.” She types furiously on her phone. “Eleven is a King and they’re Dad’s mortal enemies.”
As if I could forget the declaration of war between Dad and Jonathan at the Rhodes fundraiser.
“I’m out of here. I’ll wait for you in the car park.” I pause. “Do you want to join me, Teal?”
“I’m good here.”
That’s weird. I thought she wasn’t paying attention to watching the game with all the typing.
I head to the car park and lean against Kim’s car. I retrieve my history book and read through some highlights I made during today’s class.
My thoughts bounce back to how Aiden tackled Knox. If he keeps doing that shit, I’ll need to have a word with him.
Is he going to bully Knox in the team?
I trust Cole and Coach Larson not to let him, but you never know with Aiden. He’s in the habit of proving everyone wrong just because he can.
“Back off,” a female low voice reaches me from a few rows of cars on the left. “Don’t mistake my silence for weakness.”
Silver.
It’s her voice.
Curious, I tuck my book in my backpack and head in her direction.
“Do you know how long I dreamt about this?” A male voice.
Adam Herran.
That bastard.
“Back off or I swear —”
“Shh, shut up. Shut the fuck up.” He lands two blows on the car.
I’m close enough to see Silver’s frantic expression. I’m impressed she doesn’t flinch as he jams his fist in the car to the left side of her head.
“Adam. If you don’t stop, I’ll tell —”
“Shut the fuck up, Silver.” He hits the car again.
This is none of my business. I should walk away.
I turn to do just that, but then stop as a question barges into my mind.
Am I the type of person who traps people like Ma or the type who sets them free like Dad?
I’m not trapping people, but leaving a person cornered is no different. Even if that person is Silver.
Besides, Adam gives me the creeps.
I approach them and speak in a loud, confident tone. “What’s going on here?”
Adam’s eyes snap in my direction. They’re bloodshot and swollen as if he’s drunk. Or high. “Fuck off, bitch. This is none of your business.”
“Silver?” I ask. If she tells me it’s none of my business, too, I’m out of here.
She discreetly shakes her head and mouths, ‘Cole.’
That’s it. Cole.
She obviously needs help.
I bring out my phone, my muscles tightening with a rush of adrenaline. “Back off right now or I’ll call the principal, Adam. Maybe it’s his business.”
He takes a step forward.
“Come any closer and I’ll blind your fucking eyes with pepper spray.”
A lie, but I speak as though I do have the pepper spray.
Thankfully, he believes it.
“Stupid fucking bitch,” he snarls, pushing off Silver.
I keep my hand in my bag, watching him closely until he climbs into his car and speeds out of the car park.
A deep breath rips out of my lungs.
I jog to Silver who’s half-leaning against her car, hugging her midsection with both her arms.
“Are you… okay?” I stop a short distance away.
“You didn’t have to do that,” she murmurs. “I… I need to go. Forget what I said earlier. Don’t mention a word about this to Cole.”
“You should tell Aiden.” The words feel like acid as I say them, ripping and melting me into nothingness.
“What does he have to do with anything?” She frowns, seeming genuinely confused before she raises her head. “King didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
“Whatever. It’s not my place.” She opens her car door and flops inside. “I won’t say anything until you talk to him.”
“About what?” I ask.
“What do you think?” Her expression is unreadable while she shuts the door.
As she leaves the car park, I remain in place for a moment, mulling her words over and over.
I won’t say anything until you talk to him.
What the hell is that supposed to mean?
