Someone to believe in me because I’m still doubting myself. “I should go.”
“See you out there.” He squeezes my hand one last time before letting go. I watch him leave, wondering if the last twenty minutes undid the past week in any way. I thought I was over the whole Noah thing. I was happy focusing on Ash. But seeing Noah now…I’m not sure.
I stop at my locker, dropping my books inside and grabbing my uniform and racket. Ash’s arms slip around me, and I spin around to face him. Before I can even say hi, his lips are on mine. Instantly, everything I feel for him is back. My heart races. My hands abandon my gear and find Ash’s face. This feels right.
“Just wanted to wish you luck, not that you need it. You’re going to do great.” He leans his forehead on mine.
“Thanks.”
“I’ll get there as soon as I can. I even told the guys that when we go on our run, we’re circling the courts so I can cheer for you.”
Ash will see Noah there. Jackson will see Noah there. “You don’t have to do that. I don’t want to get you in trouble. Come by when you’re finished.” I’m suddenly hoping my match ends before Ash’s practice is over so I can convince Noah to leave before Ash sees him.
“Hey.” Ash lifts my chin. “I’m going to do everything I can to be there for you. What’s the worst Coach can do to me? He’s not going to bench his best player this close to Saturday’s game.”
I force a smile. “Great.”
Ash walks me to the locker room and kisses me goodbye. “Does ‘break a leg’ work for tennis?”
“Not really. I can’t play with a broken leg.”
“Okay. How about break her leg?”
I smile, which is exactly what he was hoping for.
“I love you, Meg.”
“I love you, too.”
He kisses me again before turning in the direction of the guys’ locker room. I stare after him, but Noah is standing in the gym. I’m sure he heard everything. Heard me say the L-word. Our eyes meet, and all he does is smile. Strange. I turn and head inside the locker room to avoid the awkwardness.
***
Noah jogs over to the courts, just in time for the start of my match. He catches my eye as I step up to the service line. “It’s all you, Flannigan.”
I smile, something I never thought I’d be able to do at the start of a match against Kendall Mercer. I’m ready, confident. I take the first set easily, and I’m about to finish off the match when I hear Ash yell, “Yeah, Meg!”
I look up to see the entire football team running in place and cheering for me. My eyes fly over to Noah, waiting for Ash to notice him. Kendall serves, and the ball whizzes past my head. I wasn’t even paying attention. I’m about to call her on it, but Ash turns to Noah. Oh, crap! Don’t do this now. Don’t get into a fight in the middle of my match.
“Time out for a sec,” I yell to Kendall, putting my hand up in the air.
“Are you hurt?” she asks. That’s really the only reason a player can stop in the middle of a game. Otherwise, the coaches are supposed to call the time-outs.
“I’m not sure,” I lie. I pretend to hobble a little, making my way over to the fence around the court and leaning against it.
Ash jogs down to meet me. “Are you okay?” he asks, but I can see he has other things on his mind. Namely Noah.
“I think so. I twisted my ankle.” I’m playing the sympathy card, but I don’t know what else to do.
“Do you want me to call Coach Moyers over?”
“No. I don’t want to worry him. I just need a minute.”
Ash lowers his eyes and grips the fence. “What’s he doing here, Meg?”
“Who?” I’ve never been good at playing dumb.
“Who do you think?”
“He wants to support me.”
“You think he’s strictly here as a tennis fan?” Ash’s eyes burn into me.
“No. He’s my friend.”
“Your friend? You haven’t seen him since the water park, right?”
“Yeah. I mean, no. I mean, right.” Yeah, stutter, that should help the
“See you out there.” He squeezes my hand one last time before letting go. I watch him leave, wondering if the last twenty minutes undid the past week in any way. I thought I was over the whole Noah thing. I was happy focusing on Ash. But seeing Noah now…I’m not sure.
I stop at my locker, dropping my books inside and grabbing my uniform and racket. Ash’s arms slip around me, and I spin around to face him. Before I can even say hi, his lips are on mine. Instantly, everything I feel for him is back. My heart races. My hands abandon my gear and find Ash’s face. This feels right.
“Just wanted to wish you luck, not that you need it. You’re going to do great.” He leans his forehead on mine.
“Thanks.”
“I’ll get there as soon as I can. I even told the guys that when we go on our run, we’re circling the courts so I can cheer for you.”
Ash will see Noah there. Jackson will see Noah there. “You don’t have to do that. I don’t want to get you in trouble. Come by when you’re finished.” I’m suddenly hoping my match ends before Ash’s practice is over so I can convince Noah to leave before Ash sees him.
“Hey.” Ash lifts my chin. “I’m going to do everything I can to be there for you. What’s the worst Coach can do to me? He’s not going to bench his best player this close to Saturday’s game.”
I force a smile. “Great.”
Ash walks me to the locker room and kisses me goodbye. “Does ‘break a leg’ work for tennis?”
“Not really. I can’t play with a broken leg.”
“Okay. How about break her leg?”
I smile, which is exactly what he was hoping for.
“I love you, Meg.”
“I love you, too.”
He kisses me again before turning in the direction of the guys’ locker room. I stare after him, but Noah is standing in the gym. I’m sure he heard everything. Heard me say the L-word. Our eyes meet, and all he does is smile. Strange. I turn and head inside the locker room to avoid the awkwardness.
***
Noah jogs over to the courts, just in time for the start of my match. He catches my eye as I step up to the service line. “It’s all you, Flannigan.”
I smile, something I never thought I’d be able to do at the start of a match against Kendall Mercer. I’m ready, confident. I take the first set easily, and I’m about to finish off the match when I hear Ash yell, “Yeah, Meg!”
I look up to see the entire football team running in place and cheering for me. My eyes fly over to Noah, waiting for Ash to notice him. Kendall serves, and the ball whizzes past my head. I wasn’t even paying attention. I’m about to call her on it, but Ash turns to Noah. Oh, crap! Don’t do this now. Don’t get into a fight in the middle of my match.
“Time out for a sec,” I yell to Kendall, putting my hand up in the air.
“Are you hurt?” she asks. That’s really the only reason a player can stop in the middle of a game. Otherwise, the coaches are supposed to call the time-outs.
“I’m not sure,” I lie. I pretend to hobble a little, making my way over to the fence around the court and leaning against it.
Ash jogs down to meet me. “Are you okay?” he asks, but I can see he has other things on his mind. Namely Noah.
“I think so. I twisted my ankle.” I’m playing the sympathy card, but I don’t know what else to do.
“Do you want me to call Coach Moyers over?”
“No. I don’t want to worry him. I just need a minute.”
Ash lowers his eyes and grips the fence. “What’s he doing here, Meg?”
“Who?” I’ve never been good at playing dumb.
“Who do you think?”
“He wants to support me.”
“You think he’s strictly here as a tennis fan?” Ash’s eyes burn into me.
“No. He’s my friend.”
“Your friend? You haven’t seen him since the water park, right?”
“Yeah. I mean, no. I mean, right.” Yeah, stutter, that should help the
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