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"Gio, listen, it's not what you think," I begin, swallowing hard. But Gio holds up a hand, his eyes blazing with barely controlled fury.
"Save it." His voice is like gravel, harsh and steady as it reaches me across the room. "I’ve got one question for you, just one."
I can see the storm brewing behind his hard green gaze, and I brace myself, knowing what's coming. He takes a deep breath, then spits out the words that slice through me like a knife.
"Are you and Gabi together?"
"What? No, Gio, Gabi and I...we're not..."
He cuts me off again, shaking his head. "That's not the real question, Jacob."
He glances up, his eyes meeting mine again.
"Don't fucking lie to me, Jacob. Tell me. Who's the father of Gabi's baby? I know you know who it is."
Time seems to freeze, the weight of his question pressing down on me like a ton of bricks.
It hits me then that Gabi's attempt to explain things away as a one-night stand to Gio didn't wash. He never would have believed I could be that one-night stand.
The truth is wrapping around my throat like a noose. I can't speak.
And even if I wanted to lie, I couldn't. I can't lie to Gio.
He knows me too well, and he can see it in my eyes.
I hang my head, defeated. The silence stretches between us, broken only by the sound of our heavy breathing.
Finally, I lift my gaze to meet his again. "I know who it is."
As soon as the words leave my mouth, my shoulders sag. The weight of keeping this secret has been suffocating, and finally letting it out feels like a breath of fresh air.
I'm about to confess, the words are on the tip of my tongue, when suddenly the locker room door swings open, and Halstead, the team's resident comedian, strolls in like he owns the place.
"Hey, fellas! What’s with the long faces? Did someone eat the last donut?"
"Get out, Halstead!" Gio and I shout in unison, our voices echoing off the locker room walls.
Halstead's grin fades a little, but he doesn't move. "I can't," he says, a rare note of seriousness creeping into his voice. "Gio, your sister's outside. She’s freaking out."
The gravity of his words hits us like a freight train. Panic flickers in Gio's eyes, matching the sudden icy dread in my chest. We both start firing off questions at Halstead like machine guns.
"What do you mean she's panicked?"
"Is she hurt? Did something happen?"
"Is it the baby?"
"Where is she? Tell us now!"
Halstead holds up his hands. "Whoa, whoa! Chill the hell out! She's okay...physically. But you really need to see her. She's waiting by the vending machines."
Gio doesn’t waste a moment, whipping around and bolting for the door. I’m hot on his heels, my heart pounding. Halstead's words ring ominously in my ears as we race down the hall.
We skid to a halt in front of the vending machines, nearly colliding with each other along the way.
And then suddenly there she is.
Gabi.
