AllFreeNovel
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“I eat a lot, okay? I need the energy.”
“My position on the field requires more energy than yours,” I tease. “You don’t see me eating twice my weight in fries.”
Playing center is the ultimate tiring position on the field. I go from one end to another for the whole game. Cole plays defense on the men’s team. I’m not saying it’s lazy, but it’s definitely not as hard as center.
“That’s because it takes about two fries to energize that tiny body of yours.”
I laugh again and our eyes lock in comfortable silence for a few seconds. It always feels so good to spend time with him.
“Whatever,” I chortle. “This is due on Monday, should we work on it tonight?”
He puts his cutlery down and looks at me from across the table, that cheeky look shining in his eyes.
“Actually,” he says. “My parents are finally out of town so I’m throwing a party tonight. You’ll come, right?”
“Oh,” is all that leaves my mouth.
“Come on, Jamie. I really want you there.”
“I don’t know,” I sigh.
Emily chooses this moment to sit next to me, practically throwing her plate on the table. I look at the content and frown at the few salad leaves.
“Not hungry?” I ask.
“Mom’s got me on a new diet. Don’t wanna talk about it,” she mutters.
“Another debutante ball coming up?”
“Don’t want to talk about it, ‘Me,” she sing-songs in annoyance.
“Sorry, sorry. Cole was telling me about a party at his tonight. How does that sound?”
Cole smiles at me and nods at Emily. “Everyone’s gonna be there,” he confirms.
“Including Luke?” Emily queries.
Cole’s mouth twists as he nods. “Probably, the whole team is gonna be there. But so are the cheerleaders so you’re gonna have lots of friends there.”
“Yay, the cheerleaders,” she replies, her voice sarcastic enough to make both me and Cole grimace. We exchange a look and I nod at him as we read each other’s minds.
“I’ll go if you go,” I smile at Emily.
A night out would do Emily some good. She’s finally past the anger phase of her breakup with Luke and is truly heartbroken. She already told me it was too hard to be around him.
I look up to where Luke is eating. His younger sister, Ella, sat with him today, leaving her cheerleader friends behind. The usual gang, Chris, Camila, Rachel, and Beth are eating with them and my stomach twists in pain. Jake is still missing and we’re all assuming he’s decided to leave. What if something happened to him? Like it did to Aaron. A burst of pain tears my chest apart and I have to put down my fork.
I feel sick.
That’s something sweet Cole can’t take away. He could never because IneedJake.
The cafeteria heavy wooden door opens loudly, bringing me out of my self-pity, as Scott Johnson runs in.
“Yo, guys!” he calls out to his lacrosse teammates. Some are at Luke’s table. Some the table over, and Cole is with me. They all look up on cue, united and aware that Scott would only really mean them when he addresses his ‘guys’.
“Rose’s brother is fucking up Jas’!” he shouts.
There’s a brief pause where my heart free falls in my stomach and my eyes lock with Chris’ before all the lacrosse players get up in unison. Ready to get in a giant fight with whom I can only assume is Nathan.
