I’m sitting in the stands, watching the team run up and down the field. I can’t really follow the game or the rules, but I do know we want a touchdown. Or, another touchdown, that is. It’s twenty-one to seven with the Patriots in the lead. Luckily, it’s easy to know when to cheer or groan with hundreds of eager fans around you.
I shove my hands into my pockets and try to ignore the smell of popcorn coming from the guy in front of me, but it’s nearly impossible. My mouth waters every time the wind blows and sends another buttery whiff my way.
“Do you want something to eat or drink?” Gigi asks, nudging my shoulder. She must have noticed me staring.
“No, thanks,” I say, focusing back on the game. I’d love some popcorn, but I don’t have any money and it doesn’t feel right to use theirs, especially when I barely know them.
“Are you sure?”
“Here’s twenty bucks,” Gil says, reaching into his pocket. “Go raid the snack bar.”
“I can’t take your money,” I reply, pushing his hand back as my stomach growls and makes me question my decision.
“It’s for food. We told you we’d cover all your food expenses.” He hands the bill back to me.
“That’s for meals. Not snacks at a football game.”
“Food is food in my book, but if it makes you feel better, you can grab me a Coke while you’re down there. Then anything you get for yourself is payment for doing me a favor.”
Just then, something happens on the field and everyone starts cheering. Gil shoves the bill into my hand and then jumps up, pumping his fists overhead and cheering. Gigi joins him as I stare at the money. I guess I could at least get him a Coke.
“Do you want anything?” I yell at Gigi to be heard over the roar of the crowd.
“I’ll take a water. And do you want to share a popcorn? I’d like one, but I can’t eat an entire box.”
“Oh, um, sure. I guess so,” I reply, drawing my eyebrows together. They totally just tricked me into spending their money on snacks at a football game.
“Get yourself a drink, too!” she yells as I start to make my way down the stands.
With everyone excited about the current play, it’s difficult to move as fans jump around and constantly bump into me. Finally, I’m at ground level and have an open path with everyone crowded around the fence.
The bright lights and smells coming from the snack bar summon me, and I’m glad I agreed to share with Gigi.
“Hales?”
I turn toward the voice and find the last person on earth I want to see tonight.
“It is you. I’ve been waiting all day for your call. Where the hell you been? What are you wearing?”
“Chase.” All the good things that have happened today suddenly seem like a dream. That’s not my life. Chase, with all his drama, is my life. Somehow, he’ll make the Campbells kick me out before the night is over, and I’ll be right back where I belong.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, moving forward to keep my place in the line.
“My brother’s dating a girl from Northern Moore. Told me we could score some Molly here.”
Drugs. Of course.
“You a Pinecrest girl now?”
I tug on my T-shirt, wishing I could hide the logo plastered to the front of it. “It was the only placement Sherry could find for me.”
“We gotta change that. Come with me tonight,” he says, grabbing my hand and trying to tug me out of line. “No one will find you.”
“Sherry knows where you live,” I reply, holding my spot.
“We’ll stay with Axel.”
Axel is his best friend and supplier. There’s no way I’d ever stay at his house.
“I can’t, Chase. I’m sorry.”
“What you mean, you can’t?”
“I can’t. I need to go to school and graduate. I can’t hide away in Axel’s apartment.”
He narrows his eyes at me. “What kind of lies these people been feeding you?”
I ignore him, so he continues, “You think you gonna go to college? Get some ritzy job? Ain’t never gonna happen. You’ll end up just like your momma.”
I feel the sting of tears and have to look away from him.
He tries to pull me out of line again, but I yank my arm away. “Please, leave me alone.”
“Never gonna happen,” he repeats, but I don’t know if he’s talking about my future or leaving me alone.
The person in front of me steps aside, and it’s time to place my order. When I pull out the twenty, Chase’s eyes grow wide. “Add a pretzel and a Three Musketeers to that.”
“No,” I say, shaking my head. “This isn’t my money, Chase.”
“Who cares?”
The price of a pretzel is about the same as the Coke I ordered for myself, so I ask the cashier to swap that out. When she hands me the drinks and food, I pass Chase his pretzel. The cashier tries to give me my change, but Chase grabs the money for himself.
“Chase, I really need that.”
“Doesn’t look like it. You’ve got nice clothes and plenty of food.”
“Please,” I beg. Gigi and Gil are going to think I stole from them and kick me out. The tears finally begin rolling down my cheeks. “Don’t ruin this for me. I need that money back. It’s not mine. I have to return it.”
“Is there a problem here?”
The deep voice sounds familiar. I turn to find Brad’s friend Adam coming toward us.
“No, no problem,” I reply, wiping away the tears.
“Are you sure?”
“She said there ain’t a problem,” Chase says, puffing out his chest.
Adam nods and then licks his lips, as if he’s thinking about his next move. Without warning, he says, “Hailey, I want you to meet my sister. Come on.” He puts his hand around my back and turns me away from Chase. I start to move, but then worry about the money again. I can’t show up empty-handed.
I stop and look into Adam’s eyes. “He took Gil and Gigi’s money,” I say. “I have to get it back.”
“How much?”
“Ten bucks.”
He reaches into his pocket and then hands me a ten.
“I can’t take your money.”
“Think of it as a loan. Pay me back whenever you can.”
I glance over my shoulder at Chase, whose eyes are shooting daggers at us. There’s no way I’m getting the money from him, so this is my only option. “Thank you,” I whisper.
He shrugs off my comment. “If you’re Brad’s sister, then you’re practically my sister. I’ll look out for you when he can’t.”
That one little sentence is like a lightning bolt, striking the ground and forming a big old chasm that separates my past from my present. People I met only hours ago are looking out for me, while my boyfriend of a couple years and someone I’ve known practically my whole life is trying to get me into trouble. Again. My shoulders slump with that realization. I’m glad Adam did what he did, but it sucks that Chase was … being Chase.
I sigh and steal one last look at him. The face I used to find welcoming is downright hostile, and I’m torn. I’d be furious if he walked away with another girl, but this is different. This is about my placement. Shouldn’t he know that? Shouldn’t he want to help me? Isn’t that what a boyfriend is supposed to do?
Yes, yes, and yes.
I clench my jaw as the disappointment turns to anger. I want to kick something—Chase, myself—but I know it won’t do any good.
“My sister is over this way,” Adam says, pointing to the right.
“Actually,” I say, shaking my head to clear thoughts of Chase, “I should probably get Gil and Gigi their snacks.”
“Sure thing. How about we find you after the game?”
“Oh, okay. Thanks again for helping me out.”
“No problem.”
I make my way back to Gil and Gigi and then hand them their snacks and Gil his money. He pockets it without even looking.
“Didn’t you get anything for yourself?” he asks.
“Gigi and I are sharing the popcorn,” I say.
“Good,” he replies, and then focuses back on the game.
I try to pay attention, but I can’t stop thinking about Chase and how angry I am with him. He almost ruined my third placement in three days. If Adam hadn’t shown up, he would’ve.
It’s almost like he’s doing it on purpose.
Crap.
I sigh when I realize the problem. He saved me from my mom a million times, and now he’s trying to save me from DSS and my foster homes. It’s sweet in a Chase sort of way.
The only problem is I kind of want to see what a normal family is like. Once I explain that to Chase, he’ll back off, especially if I promise him we can meet up somewhere after I get settled.
Feeling like I have a plan, I’m able to enjoy the rest of the game. The Patriots end up winning thirty to seven. True to his word, Adam joins us with a girl who looks a lot like him with dark skin and hair, although hers is pulled into twists with a tie low on her neck. He’s also got a pretty blond girl with him.
“This is my sister, Abbie, and her best friend, Michelle,” Adam says.
“Nice to meet you,” I reply. “I’m Hailey.”
“You’re in my geometry class,” Abbie says. “God, I hate that subject.”
“Me, too,” I agree, smiling.
“You’re a senior?” Michelle asks.
I nod.
“And in geometry?”
I nod again, but more slowly this time. I don’t like where she’s going with her comment.
Confirming my thoughts, she says, “That class is usually for freshmen, like Abbie.”
“That’s not true,” Adam replies. “There are plenty of upperclassmen in there.”
“But it doesn’t look good on your college applications,” Michelle says, tipping her head as though she’s letting me in on a big secret.
I remain silent as her words tear open the earlier wound from Chase. As much as I’d love to go to college, I’m sure Chase was right. There’s very little chance of that ever happening, so it really doesn’t matter what my nonexistent application looks like.
“Anyway,” Abbie says, breaking the tension, “Adam mentioned you’re living with the Campbells now.”
I nod again.
“Looks like I’m your new next-door neighbor, then,” Michelle says with a fake smile. I’m sure the smile I give her in return looks just as fake.
“We all live in the same neighborhood,” Abbie says, “but the Campbells’ house is the nicest, so we spend a lot of time there. It will be fun having someone new around. It’s kind of boring with just the four of us.”
“Great,” I say to be polite. Adam and Abbie seem nice, but I’d prefer to spend as little time as possible with Michelle.
“We’ve got to get going if you want ice cream before your curfew,” Adam says to Abbie.
“Want to come with us?” Abbie asks me. “My brother can drop you off afterward.”
“Sorry, I can’t,” I reply. In addition to having no money, I don’t want to deal with Michelle’s evil glare, which has been on me nonstop since we met.
“Okay, next time, then. Tomorrow is movie night at Brad’s house. We’ll see you then!”
“Ready?” Gil asks after they leave.
“What about Brad?”
“Coach is very long-winded. By the time Brad showers and the team has their postgame review, we’ll all be home and in bed.”
I’m glad we don’t have to wait. I’m exhausted and ready to fall into a coma so I can forget about everything for a little while.
I follow Gigi and Gil out but stop suddenly at the gate when my eyes land on a familiar figure lurking in the shadows under the bleachers.
Chase.