“Hailee,” I asked, the knot in my stomach tightening, “who is that?”
“I think that’s Aimee.”
“Aimee?”
“Yeah, Thatcher’s sister, Jason’s ex.”
Jason had an ex?
I had vague lust-haze filled memories of him mentioning a girl, but he hadn’t gone into detail. She hadn’t even been a blip on my radar, but now she was there; a real-life person. And she was standing in front of Jason like he was hers to protect.
“Oh, shit, Flick, I didn’t…” Hailee’s voice became white noise as I watched the unfamiliar girl face off with her brother. She hadn’t frozen on the side lines or stood by and watched; she’d run straight into the fray.
To protect Jason.
But why would she do that? Unless…
“Hey, you don’t know anything yet, so stop thinking whatever you’re thinking ri
ght now.” Mya nudged my arm, giving me her trademark death stare.
“I’m not leaving until you walk away, Lewis. This has gone too far. Jason only did what he did because he was hurt.”
“You think I give a shit about that? He sent that video to—”
“Hurt me. Me, Lewis. If anyone should be standing here demanding revenge, it’s me.” Aimee’s expression turned sad. “Look, I know you only want to protect me, to get back at him, but this is his future.”
Thatcher’s jaw clenched, his eyes burning with hatred for the guy I realized I knew nothing about. Not really. I thought he’d let me in, let me see a side of him no one else got to see, but Jason was a locked box.
Maybe he always would be.
Tears burned the backs of my eyes as I slowly began to edge away from my friends.
“Felicity, where the hell are you going?” Mya hissed, trying to reach for me, but I shrugged her off.
“I can’t be here.” I couldn’t see Jason’s past play out right in front of my eyes. It hurt too much to see their history.
To feel it.
“Don’t run, not now. Not when he needs you.”
“Jason doesn’t need me, Mya.” I smiled sadly, letting the tears fall freely now. “He never did.”
Without a second glance, I walked away. Ignoring her calls, Hailee’s too. Blocking out the sound of Aimee’s voice as she tried to reason with Thatcher. The low rumble of whispers as the Raiders and Eagles stood guard.
But most of all, I ignored the sound of my heart breaking.
Jason
“This isn’t over,” Thatcher spat as he finally relented, letting Aimee slip her arm around his waist and lead him away. She glanced back, her eyes saying things I didn’t want to hear.
Cam and Ash were on me in a second, helping me stay upright as they guided me over to our friends and teammates.
“Fuck, man, you’re a mess,” he released a shaky breath. “You need the ER?” I threw Grady a ‘fuck you’ expression, and his hands went up. “Is it too early to say, ‘told you so’?”
“Grady?” I hacked up a mouthful of blood, leaning on Ash for support. My ribs burned like a motherfucker and I wasn’t one-hundred percent sure Thatcher hadn’t broken something.
If he had, I could kiss the play-offs goodbye.