time, but it was too late. Even though the ref counted it, it hadn’t been enough. Our team had still won by three points.
Cheers erupted throughout the gym, and we did one of our end of game victory cheers, overflowing onto the court floor with the boys.
I did a couple of backflips and landed in a split.
Once I rejoined the squad, my gaze landed on Aaron. He looked so happy, like he’d finally found where he belonged. They had won another game thanks to him.
Several minutes later, he walked off to the locker room with David and the rest of the varsity basketball team.
David hardly had a limp now, which meant he got around with one crutch. He still wasn’t up to play, but he might be soon. It was just a matter of time, which meant that my rides home with Aaron would be over soon.
As much as I knew that David deserved to get better, it made me sad that things would go back to the way they were, but worse.
No friendship with Aaron.
Unless I did something about it, and I was running out of time.
A few minutes later, I made my way towards the bus that would take us back home. Most of the cheer squad and basketball team were already on the bus, and coach was just trying to get a hold of the remaining stragglers.
I stood near the gym doors and pretended to look for something in my bag.
Scarlett paused, letting a couple of the other girls walk ahead of us. “You coming?” she asked. Her blonde ponytail sat high on her head.
I nodded but stood where I was. “Yeah… I just need to do something.”
A wave of understand flashed through her face. “Okay. I’ll save you a seat.”
With that, she was off, catching back up with the rest of the girls.
I went back to secretly waiting for David to come through the gym doors.
Hopefully, he’d be on his own and not with my brother.
Sure enough, a minute later, David and a couple of his friends headed to the bus. I stood in front of a vending machine like I was thinking of getting something. Then I waited some more.
More people made their way out of the gym, including the opposing team and some of their cheerleaders.
No Aaron in sight yet.
Had I missed him? Was he already on the bus?
But that didn’t make sense. Scarlett would’ve let me know if that was the case. I checked my phone. Nope. No message.
Just when I thought I should give up and leave, he came through the doors.
My body flooded with a feeling of relief.
I needed to get this over with. I was done feeling terrible over what was happening with us.
When I realized he wasn’t alone, I froze.
One of the cheerleaders from this school was with him. I recognized her. She was one of the co-captains of the opposing squad.
She stood a couple of inches taller than me with a smile that would rival that of Cameron Diaz. Her highlighted long chestnut brown hair swayed from side to side as she walked with Aaron and they talked.
I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but she thought something was funny.
Worst of all, Aaron smiled back in that way that was so familiar to me. It was the smile that captivated me every time, but this time, it wasn’t him and me having a moment.
He was having a moment with this girl.
My cheeks turned hot, and my eyes watered.
Clearly, this had been a mistake.
I balled my hands into fists and blinked several times, refusing to admit the existence of tears.
I spun around and got out of there, practically running towards the bus.
After I pushed through the final set of double doors, I set my gaze on the bus and walked over to it.
How could I have been so stupid?
Of course he hadn’t been waiting around for me to come to my senses.
He was Aaron Garcia. Everywhere he and his brothers went, they got the kind of attention guys only dreamed about thanks to their height and exceptionally good looks.
I’d never known Aaron to be one to like that kind of attention. Definitely not Ben or Cade either. Maybe their younger brothers.
But never Aaron.
Over the years, he had always paid attention to me. Come over to talk to me. Laughed with me. Smiled like that at me.
For some reason, I’d been sure that would always be the case. It was humiliating to realize that wasn’t true at all.
As I reached