Page 205 of The Way the Heart Breaks: Jade’s Story

I turn toward her. She looks completely stunned. Same T Ross, same. I hold out my hand. “Come on.”

She heads our way, and God, I love this for her, even though I know she’ll hate it. She takes my hand, and I lean into her.

Next, Allison Monroe is called; that’s not shocking, but straight up, she's always been nice to me, so, hell yes, I clap and cheer for her.

The next one, though, fuck no. I move to the other side of Tessa to put an extra body between her and Sadi.

Or maybe because I secretly want to be close enough that when she has to line up with a predominantly Ross line I can ask Allison, “Who allowed implants?”

“Fuck you, farm girl, there needs to be some class up here.” Sadi sneers.

“There is. Allison here is all that and has a moral compass that doesn’t spin in circles. So, feel free to slide back into the pits of hell, you psycho bitc⁠—”

“Alright, let’s go,” Alex says, corralling Tessa and me to the sidelines where we have to take pictures.

Lucas moves right next to Tessa, looking at her like he wants to say a thousand things. She doesn’t look at him. Good. She doesn't owe him anything tonight.

As soon as pictures are done, I grab Tessa and drag her behind me back to the bleachers. “Let’s get up high enough to look down on the rest of the assholes.”

“Welcome back whores.” Phoebe laughs.

“What?” Tessa laughs uncomfortably, and Phoebe and Becca tell her what happened as my name was called, and she laughs, a real one, from the belly too. I take her hand and look out on the field.

The energy in the stadium changes instantly.

This is what Blue Valley senior year is. Friday night football under the lights, and the Saints taking the field. And T. Lane. I glance to the sidelines, where Dad stands with Uncle John and Danny Brooks. He holds up a foam finger and I laugh.

When I look back out, I see Tommy smiling at my dad and making a J… for him.

Two minutes later and its game on.

The Saints are moving the ball well, and the crowd is loud enough to shake the bleachers. Tommy is everywhere. Lucas is making any play he can, and Alex is gaining yards one at a time. Ryan is making plays too.

And then there’s Phoebe, who every time the crowd erupts, she jumps up beside me screaming like she personally coached the team.

“Come on, Saints!”

I laugh. “You realize you don't actually play, right?”

“I could.”

“You couldn't.”

“I absolutely could.”

Becca shakes her head. “Let her have her dreams.”

I look back toward the field just as Tommy catches the ball and takes off.

This entire side of the bleachers rises.

He breaks through the line, cuts left and keeps running.

“Go, Tommy!”

He crosses the goal line, and the place explodes. He turns immediately toward the stands. Toward me. Then he gives me the signal. That little J.

I hold my hand over my heart practically jumping out of my chest.