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A pinkish hue creeps over her cheeks, her lips parting. “Online? But you blocked me. I figured you’d…” Sighing, she slumps.

“I would what? Move on with my life?” I snort, shaking my head, a bitter taste in my mouth. “For a few months after you left, I was dead set on forgetting you. But then, one summer night, I was sitting on the roof outside my room, overwhelmed by all the good memories I shared with you. I was too much of an idiot to unblock you, but I googled your Instagram profile and have been following your career ever since.”

“I…I had no idea,” she says quietly, focus downcast. “Ian told me you called me a traitor and told everyone I betrayed you.”

“Not my finest moment.” I lower my attention to my hands, my skin itching and my chest caving in. I want to reach out and touch her. I want to feel her in my arms again, her hot breath fanning over my face, her lips on mine.

But I’ve got a lot to make up for first. We need to talk about so many more things.

“What happened to us?” I lean forward. “I really want to understand. I always thought we could withstand anything as long as we were together, yet we fell apart like a house of cards.”

She’s quiet for a long moment, avoiding my gaze.

I wait, my heart beating loud and fast in my chest.

“I had a lot of time to think, and I’ve been seeing a therapist too. She’s helped a lot with the pressure that comes with going pro, so I have her to thank for some of my conclusions.” Fingers locked in her lap, she wrings them. “If something bothers me or hurts my feelings, I need to be open about it…with the person who’s causing the emotion. But I didn’t understand that then.” She swallows, her throat twitching. “I made a mistake when I pushed you away rather than talking to you when I was hurt.”

“But why were you hurt? What did I do?” I ask, my voice breaking despite my effort to keep it steady.

Her eyes flare, and she purses her lips—a sure sign her anger is rising, so I hurry to continue before she shuts me down.

“I mean, I know I hurt you when I didn’t tell you about what happened at that party. Yeah, I should have, but I was stupid, and it really was nothing. Just a dare. That’s all.” I swallow, a lump clogging my throat. “I didn’t mention it because I was angry with myself. Ashamed I let it happen.”

She blinks, her brows knitting together. “I understand a one-time mistake, sure, but I find it hard to believe it meant nothing, since you did it again.”

My stomach clenches, and that old sense of shame washes over me. “You mean at the Harvest Ball? I was so wasted, Dad worried my drink was spiked with more than just alcohol. I barely remember that night.”

She scrambles to her feet, hissing. “This mind game you’re playing with me actually fucking hurts.”

I get to my feet too, my heart pounding against my ribs. “I’m not playing games. I really have no idea what you’re talking about. What second time?”

Her chest rises and falls, her pulse fluttering in her throat as she steps closer. She cranes her neck, her eyes blazing. “At Jones’ party, Asher dared Sienna to kiss the guy she had a crush on. True or not true?”

I nod once. “True.”

Her jaw pulses. “She kissed you. True or not true?”

“True.”

Mouth turned down, she asks another question, her voice quieter. “It was just a peck, true or not true?”

“Yes.” I nod again. “It’s true. I turned my head away at the last second, and she kissed the corner of my mouth. I didn’t want to kiss her. I was just too stupid to say no.”

Isla chews on her bottom lip, holding my gaze. Then, she takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “After the game, you and Sienna snuck outside to talk, and you kissed her again. True or not true?”

My jaw unhinges, and my head spins so violently, I’m genuinely concerned it’s a long-term effect of my concussion. “What?”

“True or not true?” she grits out. “It’s a simple question.”

The pounding in my ears is so loud, it drowns out the sound of my ragged breaths, and pain surges through my muscles, making my body tense. “Of course it’s not true. Why would I do that? Why would I do that if I wanted my first kiss to be with you?”

The words are out before I have time to think about the consequences, before I have time to consider where to go from here. All I want is for her to believe me.

“No…that part isn’t true.” She takes a step back, eyes wide, pupils blown.

“It is. I didn’t want you to know about that dare because I was scared, afraid you’d say our pact was over. And I didn’t want it to be.” I duck my head so our eyes are level. “It was always you, Isla. I wanted to kiss you.”

Her bottom lip trembles as she presses her hand to her chest. “But Sienna told me you kissed her a second time.”