Fallen Fourth Down

“Those two were meant for each other.” She sighed, sounding wistful. “Sometimes I think I might have that with Logan. He can be so loving and thoughtful at times, but at other times, it’s like I’m not even in the room.”

I pressed my hands to my forehead. A headache was forming, and I could tell it wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon.

She sighed again. “I just don’t know what to do. I feel like I’m losing him. Hearing all the stories about him, I guess I should’ve been prepared for this. Cass told me—”

“Who aren’t you friends with?” I snapped.

She stopped as her eyes got big. “Uh, we’re not super tight. I mean, Adam’s friends with her and we hung out a bunch last year so…”

I saw the fear in her eyes and reined myself in. She was listing off so many ghosts from my past. Transferring to Fallen Crest Public should’ve put a stop to her connections to them, but I realized that it hadn’t. They were friends with Mark, and they were friends with her. I wanted to groan. They were still so close to me.

“Should I not be friends with her?”

It took me another moment to comprehend who Kris was talking about. Cass. “No, no. I’m sorry for reacting. I don’t have good memories from that place.”

“Oh.” She frowned. “I’m sorry.”

“It doesn’t matter.” I gave her a smile. “Really. I’m sorry how I reacted.”

She went back to twisting her hands together. “No one talks about you over there.”

Really?

She added in a rush, as if she were confessing something, “I was really confused when I saw you at the party last year. I was with Jeff and he told me that you guys dated, but I had no idea that Adam Quinn wanted to date you, and I had been hanging out with him too. I found out you were close to Mason and Logan Kade. I mean, I heard about them my first day at FCA, but no one mentioned you.” She lifted her head up and down as she said that word, “I found out your dad was the football coach at FCA aaaand you’re living with Mark Decraw.” A nervous giggle slipped from her. “For someone that I had never heard about, you’re connected to a ton of people.” She snuck a timid look at me. “I’ve been scared to talk to you about that. I’m glad I did.”

I wanted to curse. “You’re saying that Miranda and her friends never talked about me?”

“Well,” she hesitated, “they have said some things, but nothing good and I didn’t put two and two together until Adam and I went to Mark’s and all of you guys were there too. I don’t really listen to the bad stuff. That’s been done to me at my old school. A lot of the girls were jealous because some of the guys liked me.”

“Give it time. I’m sure the same thing will happen at Fallen Crest Public too.”

She flinched as if I slapped her.

I grimaced. “Sorry. You’re friendly. Maybe it won’t happen to you.”

A relieved look came over her, and her shoulders dropped. “I’m very careful, especially since dating Logan. I’ve noticed a big difference. People are more cautious around me and some of them are fake. Some kiss my ass. You can just tell, you know?”

She was giving me a look as if we were friends, as if we were allies.

It was then that I saw why Adam, Jeff, and Logan liked her, and why even Jessica and Lydia were being nice to her. She was new. She hadn’t been stabbed in the back by anyone—yet—and she didn’t know how vicious people could be.

She was refreshing, for them. Not me. I glanced around. Was Logan coming back?

“It’s fourth and fifty-seven,” the announcer said over the stadium.

Glancing at the field, I saw Mason on the sidelines. He was ready to go back in for the next play and I waited. The team was setting up to punt, and he was flagged in. I looked at the scoreboard; it was the fourth quarter, and there were two minutes left in the game. The score was twenty-eight to three, a sure win for the Wolves.

“Where did you say Logan went?”

She shrugged. “I think he went to find Nate. I guess he sent him a text or something, saying he was in the stands somewhere. He’ll be back before the game is over. So, can I ask you a question?”

I tensed. What did that mean?

“Why isn’t Nate on the team? From what everyone’s been saying about him, Mason, and Logan, I thought he’d be playing with Mason. He’s not.”

“Oh. No. Nate’s not good enough.” I hesitated. The truth was that Logan wasn’t even good enough. Division One football was too competitive. It was a stepping stone before the National Football League.

The ball was punted and the punt returner caught it. He started forward; two guys from the opposing team were coming at him, but were blocked by Mason. He rammed into one guy, sending him to the ground, pivoted on his heel and wrapped both arms around the second guy. He threw him onto the ground, falling on top of him as his teammate soared past him.

“Shit, what a tackle. That’s a freshman?” someone from behind us muttered.

His friend commented, “Roster says Mason Kade.”

“Where’d he come from?”

“School’s few hours away, but his stats are good.”

Pride swelled through me, but it wasn’t anything new.

Kris’ phone buzzed at that moment. A soft grin came to her as she read the text, then she showed it to me. It was from Logan. With Nate in the back. By the 23rd door. Tell Sam. Staying back here with Nate and his friends.