“Hello,” Leah chirps. “Earth to alien boy. Your head is in the stars. What’s up?”
We climb out of my Jeep and I walk her up to her porch.
“I’m not going to play football,” I tell her.
Her eyes widen, making them look super owlish behind her glasses. “Wait. You’re getting the cast off and Coach Sullivan will probably beg you back onto the team and you’re still going to walk? Why?”
Irritation claws at my chest. “Because I don’t want to.”
“But you’re good at it and college—”
“Stop,” I snap.
She winces and I feel guilty for yelling at her. “But won’t your dad be mad at you?”
“Dad has a new agenda,” I state in a cold tone, motioning to her.
“Well, it’s a good thing you’ve been giving it your all then, huh?” she says, pulling me to her for a hug. “Keep him focused on our supposed engagement and maybe he’ll leave you alone about football. I’m on your team, Penn. Don’t sweat it.”
I hug her tight and kiss the top of her head. A car pulls up, but I don’t pull away in case it’s her parents. The more we convince them how in love we are, the more my dad will stay off my ass about football.
She senses the new arrival too and tilts her head up to look at me. I lean forward to kiss her, but she turns slightly to see who’s stomping our way. Gripping her jaw, I pull her face to mine, ignoring her widened eyes, and kiss her like I mean it.
I mean to convince them, that’s for damn sure.
I’ve barely gotten my tongue down her throat before I’m being yanked away. Someone pulls me out into the yard by the back of my hoodie. When I finally gain my wits, I yank from his grip and swivel around to greet my attacker.
Max.
I see red.
Swinging out with my casted hand, I aim for his fucking face. Leah screeches from nearby, but I don’t stop. Max charges for me and tackles me to the ground. My head hits the ground, dizzying me for a moment, and then I’m back to attacking this motherfucker.
“Max, baby, please stop,” Leah begs.
I freeze at her words. Wrong move. Max nails me with his fist, right across my cheekbone. His eyes are wild and furious. Jealous. What the fuck? I shove him away from me and rub at my face as I glower at him.
“What the hell is your problem?” I roar, standing off with him again.
Our chests bump and we’re seconds from tearing into each other again.
“She’s my girlfriend and you’re fucking making out with her,” he snarls. “That’s my problem.” He shoves me hard.
I shoot a glare at Leah. “Care to explain?”
She loops her arm through Max’s and he visibly relaxes. “We’re dating. We have been since the week after my party.”
I gape at her. “And you didn’t tell me? Why not?”
“Because it’s a secret!” she exclaims, tears welling in her eyes.
Max shoots me a nasty glare before pulling her to his chest. He kisses the top of her head and rubs at her back. She sinks against him as though he’s her happy place.
Since. Fucking. When?
“A secret from me?” I seethe. “You’re my fiancée.”
This sets Max off again because he tries to untangle himself from her to get to me. Her grip tightens around him.
“Stop,” she yells. “Both of you.” She looks up at Max. “You knew this when we got together. That my parents and his had this engagement shenanigan in place. You were okay with it. I made sure of it.”
He drops his forehead to hers. “Knowing of it and seeing it are two different things.”
“I know,” she coos. “I’m sorry. It’s not real, though. We’re real.”
They spend the next five minutes making out while I pace the dirt in front of my Jeep. I need to see Cope. He’d gone after school to apply for an apprenticeship at Fenway Ink. I’d offered to go with him, but he was nervous as hell and wanted to do it alone. As soon as I leave here, I’ll wait in his room for him. I just need to see him.
When they finally pull apart, Max’s glare is on me again. He has a smug, satisfied glint in his eyes, though. Because he won the girl. Leah is a catch, but I’m not interested.
“You don’t have to be jealous that I’ll take her away from you,” I mutter. “I’m gay.”
Leah widens her eyes at my admission. “Penn…”
“No,” I say, interrupting her. “He needs to know that every time I have to kiss you, I think about my boyfriend. That I wish things were different so I could freely kiss him. Same as you, Leah.”
Max’s face goes blank. “You’re not gay.”
“He is,” Leah utters. “And it’s not common knowledge. I know you’ll keep this secret, right?”