Chapter Nineteen
Wren
“We’re so glad you could join us, Wren.” Mrs. James smiled and passed me a giant bowl of salad.
“Thank you so much for inviting me.” I accepted the bowl and used the salad tongs to transfer the leafy greens to my plate.
“Pregame dinners are my favorite.” Fuller loaded his plate with pasta and smothered it in homemade spaghetti sauce.
“Same. We usually have pasta at my house before cross-country meets. We always use my grandma’s sauce and meatball recipes. Gramps loves those dinners.” Nostalgia tugged at my heart. Family dinners were the best.
Fuller caught my eye and smiled. “Gramps is a great guy.”
“We’re really glad he’s feeling better,” Fuller’s mom added.
“Thank you. So are we.” I handed the salad bowl to Hudson’s outstretched hands.
“We’re also incredibly grateful that you helped our Fuller recognize his potential in AP,” Fuller’s dad said, clapping his son on the back. “Thanks to you, he’ll be starting the game tomorrow night.”
Fuller’s cheeks turned dark red. “Thanks, Dad.”
“Anytime, champ.”
Hudson grabbed a breadstick from a basket in the center of the table. “Is the UGA coach still coming tomorrow?”
Fuller finished chewing a big bite of pasta before answering. “I think so, Hud. There might even be a few scouts there from other schools, too.”
Hudson’s eyes shone with admiration. “Wow.”
“Wren, are you coming to the game?” Mr. James asked.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” I grinned broadly.
Fuller’s mom gave his dad a knowing look.
Twenty minutes later, after we were all stuffed from salad, pasta, and breadsticks, I helped Fuller clear the plates from the table.
“Hey, I have a little something for you.” Fuller winked at me.
“A present?” My skin started tingling.
“Yup.” Fuller scraped the remnants from his little brother’s plate into the trash can.
A smile played on my lips. “Are you going to tell me what it is, or do I have to wait?”
“Oh, you definitely have to wait.”
I playfully shoved his shoulder. “Not fair.”
He shrugged. “My present. My rules.”
We made quick work of the rest of the dishes until only the bowls of pasta, sauce, and salad were still out.
“Lunch for tomorrow,” Fuller said as he filled up a container with the leftover pasta. He dolloped on three big spoonfuls of sauce. “Gotta carb up.”
I placed the last dirty dish in the dishwasher and shut the door. “That pasta sauce was really good. It might even give Dae’s mom’s kimchi a run for its money.”
“Mmm, kimchi. I can’t believe I’ve been missing out for so many years.” Fuller rubbed his stomach. “Thanks for sharing with me the other day.”
“Hey, that’s what girlfriends are for, right?” I grinned.
“Mm-hmm.” Fuller peeked his head around the corner of the open kitchen doorway.
Apparently satisfied that his parents weren’t going to walk in, he pulled me into his arms and ducked his head. His lips met mine; they were warm and tasted like spaghetti sauce.
The sounds of footsteps pulled us apart. Fuller darted back over to the plastic container he’d filled for lunch tomorrow and snapped it shut. “You sure I can’t make you one?”
His mom walked into the kitchen. “Oh, Wren, please, take some leftovers home. We made enough to feed a small army tonight.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course. Let me grab you a container.” She hummed as she made her way over to the cabinet to the left of the sink. “Here you go, sweetheart.”
“I need to run upstairs and grab something. I’ll be right back.” Fuller flashed a grin at me before disappearing around the corner.
Mrs. James and I were left together in the kitchen.
“Wren, I wanted to tell you, we really are so incredibly grateful for everything you’ve done for Fuller.” She laid a hand on my shoulder. “Charlie and I are so proud of the changes Fuller has made since meeting you. His grades have improved, but also his overall attitude is better, too. Even Hudson has noticed.”
I was so happy, I felt like I could float right out of the kitchen. “I’m glad I could help.”
“Mom, are you telling Wren embarrassing things about me?” Fuller had popped back into the room with a Magnolia Valley High School tote bag in his hand. “She already knows about the picture of me in the hallway.”
“Who? Me?” She pulled her hand to her chest. “Also, that picture is one of my all-time favorites. I keep a copy with me always.” She pulled out her phone and unlocked the screen.
“Ah, Mom, trust me, Wren doesn’t need to see that,” Fuller said, stepping in front of me and blocking my view of his mother’s cell. “If things are good in the kitchen, do you mind if I steal Wren for a few minutes?”
His mom checked her watch. “Not at all. Just don’t make it too late. You’ve got a full day of school tomorrow and then the game. You need a good night’s sleep.”
Fuller smiled. “Don’t worry, Mom. We won’t be long.”
She handed me the two containers filled with food. “Sounds good, kids.”
“Thank you again for dinner, Mrs. James,” I said to Fuller’s mother. “It was delicious.”
Reaching down, Fuller took my hand in his and led me into the family room. Anticipation shot through my veins.
“What’s in there?” I asked, arching an eyebrow and pointing to the bag with my other hand.
“Oh, in here? Eh, nothing.” Fuller shook his head, but his grin was unmistakable.
I tried reaching around him to grab the bag, but he twisted in the opposite direction and then held the bag above my head.
“Hey, that’s not fair! You’re, like, a foot taller than me.” Balancing the two containers in my hands, I jumped for the bag, but he somehow managed to lift it even higher.
Fuller laughed. “Okay, okay, I’ll trade you. Hand over the containers and I’ll give you what’s in the bag.”
“Here you go.” I handed him my lunch for tomorrow and held out my hand.
“And here you go.” He held out the bag, but just out of reach.
I jumped up, but he held it even higher.
“Hey! Hand it over, mister,” I said with a smile.
“Okay, okay.” Fuller smiled as he passed me the bag and waited for me to open it.
There were two things inside. I pulled out a box of strawberry and grape Nerds first. “Ah, my favorite.”
“Sweets for my sweet.” His dark lashes swept up and his gaze met mine, sending the familiar rush of shivers racing through my body. “There’s something else in there, though…”
I reached in and pulled out a maroon and gray T-shirt. On the front, it read “Magnolia Valley Cougars.”
“Turn it over,” Fuller said, biting his lower lip.
I flipped the shirt, and a massive grin spread over my face. On the back was Fuller’s last name and the number eleven, the same number he’d had since freshman year.
“I was thinking you could maybe wear it to the game tomorrow?”
I held the shirt to my chest. “This is really sweet.”
He grinned. “So you’ll wear it, then?”
“Of course I will.” I sprang forward, the box of Nerds jiggling in my hand, and wrapped my arms around his toned midsection.
He hugged me back as I laid my head against his chest. I felt so safe in his arms, like nothing could ever go wrong, just as long as he held me this close.
He kissed me on top of the head. “Wren, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
…
The next day at school flew by in a blur. I’d thought about wearing his shirt to school but decided on the floral dress I’d worn to Fuller’s house for our first date instead.
I had plans to Dutch braid my hair, add maroon and gray ribbons, and get all decked out for the game. Fuller’s shirt would be the cherry on top.
After the last bell rang, Fuller kissed me and then headed off to practice. I smiled as I made my way to my locker to meet Dae.
All my happiness evaporated the moment I saw Marissa heading toward me. She had on a black skirt and shiny pink lip gloss.
I held my breath as she drew nearer. Marissa used to have a hold over me, but that was because I let her. No more. I was done shrinking down in front of Marissa. Holding my shoulders back and raising my chin, I prepared to ignore whatever insult she’d choose to throw at me.
“You look nice today, Wren.”
The words came out of Marissa’s mouth as if she handed out compliments like that to me all the time.
Flustered, I adjusted my backpack, tightening the straps under both arms. “Oh, um, ah, thanks.”
“No problem. Will you be at the game tonight, cheering on Fuller?”
“Yeah.” My voice quavered slightly. I braced myself for the nasty insult that was surely coming my way.
“I guess I’ll see you there.” She smiled before walking past me.
As her stilettos clicked down the hallway, I stood perfectly still. Did that really happen? Did Marissa talk to me without making fun of me or calling me Wrentainer?
Fuller had told me that he’d called Marissa and that they’d cleared the air. I figured that would prompt her to come at me with even more venom, but maybe hell had frozen over and she’d decided to be nice instead.
“Hey, Wren. Wait up.”
I spun around and came face-to-face with Brandon and Dae.
“You’re never going to guess what happened a few seconds ago.” I shook my head in disbelief as I recounted my interaction with Marissa.
Dae leaned against a locker with a look of disbelief plastered across his face. “Yeah right. There’s no way Marissa would be nice to you. No offense or anything.”
Brandon stood next to me, listening intently but not saying anything.
“None taken and I’m so not kidding. It was literally the first time she’s been nice to me since seventh grade. Wait, do you think she’s screwing with me?”
“Probably,” Brandon grumbled. “She’s always trying to mess with someone.”
“She could be faking it,” Dae agreed. “Or maybe she really is capable of change? I mean, you did say that Fuller talked to her, so maybe what he said actually resonated?” He didn’t sound confident in what he was saying.
“Yeah, maybe she finally realized that she and Fuller aren’t getting back together and that she’s wasting her time?” Now I was the one who didn’t sound confident.
“I’ve gotta head to our pregame meeting,” Brandon said. He shifted his weight from side to side before looking me directly in the eyes. “I just wanted to get something off my chest first. You know Fuller isn’t my favorite person, but if you trust him… Well, if you trust him, then I’m happy for you.”
Finally!
“Aw, thanks, Brand.” I gave him a quick hug. “That really means a lot to me.”
He shrugged and appeared to attempt a smile. “All right, I gotta go before I’m late.”
“We’ll be there cheering you on tonight,” I said, patting him on the back.
“Yeah, man. Good luck,” Dae said as our friend made his way through the crowded hallway.
“Looks like Brandon’s come around,” Dae said.
I nodded and faked wiping sweat from my brow. “Talk about a big relief.” Best-friend-hating-boyfriend scenarios never work out. Thank goodness that’s fixed!
“Anyway, enough about him,” I said. “Are you still bringing Jenna Marie to the game tonight?”
He grinned. “Yup, I’m picking her up around six fifteen. We should get back to school by quarter to seven.”
“Perfect.” We’d planned to sit next to each other, but I hadn’t told Dae about the shirt that Fuller had given me yet. It was going to be a surprise, not for Dae but for everyone. I would officially show up as Fuller James’s girlfriend. I’d planned out my entire outfit last night after getting home from Fuller’s house. A pair of ripped dark wash jeans, the maroon and gray shirt with Fuller’s name and number, and a cute pair of hoop earrings.
I shoved my Calculus book into my locker and grabbed a thick Physics book from the bottom shelf. Even though all I wanted to do during study hall was flirt with Fuller, we’d made a pact to continue to study together and do our homework in the library. That way, we could hang out or talk after he got done with the team’s pregame meeting. Thanks to our productive session, all I had to do this weekend was study for my AP Physics test next week.
Dae and I made our way toward the parking lot. Freshmen scurried by to get to their buses in time, while juniors and seniors talked about their weekend plans on the way to their cars.
I tightened my backpack straps; the strain of carrying heavy books all day hurt my back. “I’m nervous for the guys. Sounds like there are going to be at least three scouts at the game. Brandon was kind of freaking out. I don’t blame him, though…there’s a lot of pressure on the team tonight.”
Dae moved his head up and down in agreement. He appeared to be paying attention, but I saw him looking at his phone.
“Do you think Brand’s going to get drafted into the NBA next year?” I said, trying to keep my voice even.
“Yeah, totally,” Dae said, still looking at his phone.
“Is that before or after he runs for president?”
No response.
“Or destroys the alien invaders taking over our planet?” I suppressed a chuckle.
His eyes were still glued to his screen. “Ah, yeah. Sure.”
“Dae,” I said, shoving my friend’s shoulder.
He tucked his phone into his back pocket. “Huh?”
I shook my head. “You’ve got it bad for Jenna Marie, huh?”
He grinned. “I do.”
“Why don’t you ask her to be your girlfriend? Make things official?” I elbowed him lightly in the ribs.
“Well…” Dae trailed off as a massive smile took over his face.
“Dae Kang, what are you hiding from me?” I stopped and placed my hands on my hips.
He stopped walking and spun around. “I asked her last night.”
I let out a loud squeal. “Did she say yes?”
Arching a brow, he ducked his chin. “Do you think she would say no to all this?” He pointed to his muscular abdomen.
“You’re ridiculous, you know that, right?” I joked.
“That’s not what Jenna Marie said last night.”
I sprang toward him and gave him a massive hug. “Yeah, yeah, enough with the jokes.” Letting go, I couldn’t stop grinning. “I’m really happy for you, Dae.” We walked side by side to the back row where we’d both parked this morning.
Dae ran a hand through his black hair. “My mom wants her to come over for dinner tomorrow night.”
My eyes lit up. “Aw, meeting Mommy and Daddy Kang. That’s a big step. You haven’t brought anyone home since…” I softened my tone. “Well, since Eva.”
The perma grin on Dae’s face flickered. “Let’s not talk about her.”
I held up my hands. “My bad.” It had taken him months to get back on his feet after Eva doused their relationship in gasoline and lit the match. He’d been a lot more guarded since then, going out on dates but never getting serious with another girl. Jenna Marie had changed all of that, and I couldn’t be happier for the both of them.
I flipped my key ring around my finger. “All right, I’m going to head home and get ready. See you back here at quarter to seven?”
“Sounds good. Meet by the concession stands?”
“See you there.”
…
“Wow, kiddo. You look great.”
“Thanks so much, Gramps,” I said, spinning around. “Check out Fuller’s shirt. Pretty cool, huh?”
Gramps scratched his head. “Isn’t he that nice boy who came over? We talked about Charles Barkley.”
My heart swelled with happiness at the small memory achievement Gramps had displayed. “Yup.”
“I’m sorry I can’t make it to the game.” He looked down at his cast. “Doc wants me to take it easy.”
I put my hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “We’ll be sure to go to a game together as soon as you’re feeling better.” My heart broke as I said the words out loud. Gramps and I never went to games anymore; they were too much for him. “But if you’re feeling up for it, would you like to watch the game on TV with me tomorrow morning? I have the DVR set up and ready to record it.”
“That sounds great, Wrenny.”
The nickname made me smile. He and Grandma had called me that when I was a little girl, but he rarely used it anymore. I thought he’d forgotten it for good. “Sounds great. I’m going to head out now, Gramps. I’ll see you later.”
“Night, sweetheart.”
I grabbed my coat and shouted goodbye to my parents before heading outside and slipping into my car.
It was only six fifteen, but I was too anxious to wait around the house any longer. I’d get to school before Dae and Jenna Marie, but I didn’t mind. I might even be able to see the guys warm up.
The drive through town felt different. Almost like the perfect light during the golden hour had settled down on our little mountain town and stayed there. I’d started to see places as opportunities for cute dates with Fuller. I looked at the quaint general store on the corner of Main and Third Street. Maybe Fuller and I can grab a malt next weekend?
I let out a chuckle as I drove by a new business called Escape Me! Allegedly, there was a guy dressed up as a zombie inside and, if you didn’t solve the clues to escape the room fast enough, he’d pretend to attack you. I bet Brandon and Dae would love that place. I wondered if Fuller and I could set up Brand with someone. That way, we could triple date.
By the time I got to school, I had a huge smile on my face. I never thought I’d be one of those girls who got all mushy when she started dating someone, but Fuller brought it out in me.
Leaving my coat in the car, my hands trembled slightly as I locked my car and headed into the school. Trying to shake the nerves, I gave myself a little mental pep talk. Fuller is going to do great tonight. He’s going to be super excited to see you in the stands. Dae and Jenna Marie are going to be there, too, which is awesome.
Everything is going to be perfect.
Posters for the game lined the school walls. Our basketball games usually drew in a huge crowd, but tonight’s would be an even bigger spectacle than usual. We were playing the Falcons, our rivals. We’d lost our only game to them during the regular season, and they’d almost knocked us out of the state tournament in the playoffs. The competition would be tough, but I knew the guys could take them down. Especially with their improved free throw percentages.
The familiar sounds of basketballs being dribbled up and down the court echoed off the brick hallway leading to the gymnasium. Ducking inside the door, I scanned the court. Fuller stood with a basketball in his hands, getting ready to take a shot from the three-point line. His feet were totally squared, and his balance was perfect. A grin spread across my face. Looks like my advice has helped already.
As the ball sailed through the hoop, he looked over at me and waved. I waved back as giddy excitement shot through my body.
“Nice shirt,” he shouted before catching a pass from TyShaun.
Brandon nailed two layups in a row, grinning as the ball rebounded off the backboard and swished through the net. He was hands down the best point guard in our entire division. Fuller and the other guys on the team were lucky to have him.
With pride bursting in my chest for Fuller and Brandon, I decided to play it cool. Turning around, I exited the gym and made my way toward the concession stands. I ordered some Red Vines and a bottle of water. That would keep me occupied until Dae and Jenna Marie got here.
Twenty minutes later, students, parents, and teachers had flooded the commons, where the concession stands were set up. The crowd buzzed with excitement as basketball fans of all ages milled about.
Dae and Jenna Marie showed up right at six forty-five. After waiting in line for popcorn and soda, we made our way toward the gym.
“Wren, your outfit is super cute.” Jenna Marie smiled.
“Thanks.” I grinned. “Fuller gave me one of his basketball shirts last night.”
“Totally adorable.” Jenna Marie squeezed Dae’s hand.
I wasn’t sure if she was talking about my shirt or Dae, but either way, it made me happy.
As we entered the gym, I smiled. The atmosphere was perfect, from the sound of squeaking sneakers, to the smell of popcorn, and best of all, the excited buzz of the students and parents getting ready for tip-off.
“Magnolia Valley Cougars! Magnolia Valley Cougars,” the cheerleaders shouted in unison. They stood at the far end of the gym, waving their pom-poms in the air. The fans chanted along and clapped.
We made our way up and across the crowded bleachers, taking a seat at the half-court line. It was my favorite spot to watch the game.
Fuller and his teammates appeared to be finishing their warm-up. They’d switched from shooting hoops to dribbling and passing drills.
“Hey, Wren.”
I froze. I knew that voice, and it sent shivers down my back, even if she’d been abnormally nice to me earlier in the day. Dae scowled.
Spinning around, my eyes landed on Marissa and Courtney. They were wearing matching maroon tank tops that left nothing to the imagination, and super-short jean shorts. The pockets were sticking out by at least three inches. Shockingly, they must have forgone their high heel death contraption rules for the game. Instead, they wore bright white sneakers.
“Hey, Marissa. Courtney.” I greeted them with abundant caution, unsure of what they wanted or why they were talking to me.
Marissa smoothed out her shirt before sitting down on the bleacher behind us. Which, of course, meant I had to look up at her as she continued the conversation.
“That’s a cute shirt.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder.
“Thanks, Fuller gave it to me.” I kept my voice level, trying not to give her the satisfaction of making me nervous.
“Listen, I think it’s really sweet that you and Fuller have this little thing going on.” She looked at Courtney and laughed. “But there’s something I think you should know.”
The air whooshed out of my lungs, and just like that, I felt like we were back in seventh grade again. The confidence that I’d felt the night before in Fuller’s family room vanished.
“Marissa, why don’t you go sit somewhere else?” Dae’s eyes narrowed in on her.
“Oh, trust me, I wouldn’t be caught dead sitting next to the three of you. The only reason I’m here is to let Wrentainer in on Fuller’s little secret.” She leaned forward, locking eyes with me.
My blood turned to ice. “What are you talking about?”
“Well, see,” she said, brushing something off her leg, “Fuller and the guys…” She stopped and shot a snide look at Courtney before bursting into laughter.
“Stop dragging it out, Marissa. Say what you need to say and then get out of here.” Adrenaline rushed through my body at light speed. My fight-or-flight reflex was in full force, but I refused to give in.
“All right, all right. You know when you were assigned to be Fuller’s tutor?”
“What about it?” My stomach flip-flopped. How did she know I was tutoring him?
Marissa’s lips twisted into a wicked smile. “He didn’t want anyone to know that he was being forced to work with you. You know, because you’re Wrentainer and all.”
Dae scooted closer to me and put his arm protectively around me. “She’s lying, Wren. Ignore her.”
My heart hammered in my chest and the walls suddenly felt like they were swaying back and forth.
She shot Dae a nasty look before continuing. “Fuller lied about the tutoring sessions and covered it up by telling Marc that you two were hooking up in the AV room.” Marissa’s lips turned up in a wicked smile. “Marc obviously didn’t believe him, so they decided on a bet to prove it.”
“A bet?” My voice sounded hollow. I knew I was sitting in the stands of the gym, but it suddenly felt like I was in another dimension where only Marissa and I existed. “I don’t believe you. Fuller wouldn’t do that to me.”
She laughed. “You don’t have to believe me. Ask Fuller yourself. Also, how would I know the details unless he blabbed everything to TyShaun and Marc?”
Ice radiated through my veins. She had a point.
“Fuller bet that he’d be able to get proof of you two hanging out—which the picture on the Instagram account covered quite nicely—that he could get you to do some kind of PDA thing with him in the hallway, like holding hands, and the final step, that you’d show up at tonight’s game as his girlfriend. I guess you were supposed to wear his letterman jacket, but I’m sure his T-shirt counts.”
My heart pounded in my chest and my temples throbbed.
“Here’s the best part. After the game, he’s going to break up with you in the parking lot. Marc is supposed to ask you out after and take you to the Fall Harvest Dance next week, but Courtney wants to go with him, so I figured I’d do you a little favor and give you a heads-up.”
I couldn’t breathe, let alone respond to what my ex–best friend had spat at me in front of the crowd.
“Oh,” Marissa continued, feigning a sad face. “You thought he actually liked you?”
“You poor girl,” Courtney chimed in.
Dae scooted so close to me that our arms were touching. “There’s no way Fuller would ever make a bet like that. He cares about Wren. We all know you’re jealous, Marissa. You’re probably just making this whole thing up.”
“Don’t believe me? Fine, look at this,” she said, holding up her cell phone.
I scanned the screen. It was a text message between her and TyShaun.
Marissa pulled her phone back and sneered, “You didn’t really think that he liked you, did you, Wrentainer?”
“Don’t call me that.” My voice shook as the words left my mouth.
“What? You don’t like the nickname Fuller gave you in seventh grade?” She rolled her eyes.
I stood up, my body quaking with anger. “He didn’t give me that nickname. You did!”
“You’re such a loser,” she hissed as her face scrunched up and turned crimson with anger.
She and Courtney got up without saying another word. They climbed down the bleachers and headed out the gym door.
My chest heaved as tears welled in the corners of my eyes. I didn’t want to believe what she was saying, but it made sense. Everything from Fuller giving me his shirt to wear to the game, to the picture on Instagram, to TyShaun holding up two fingers when he saw us holding hands in the hallway.
The worst part was that he was going to dump me in the parking lot after the game. I was nothing but a joke to him. A stupid bet.
“I, um, I gotta go,” I mumbled to Dae and Jenna Marie.
“Wren, wait,” Dae pleaded.
I shook my head, bolting out of my seat and racing down the bleachers.
The stares and whispers of my classmates were almost too much to handle, but they didn’t even hold a candle to how it felt when Fuller looked at me from across the court.
I felt like he’d reached into my chest and torn out my beating heart.
His smile disappeared once he saw the tears running down my face. I wanted to scream at him from the sidelines, to tell him what an asshole he was—but I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. He didn’t deserve one more second of my time or attention.
Vision blurred from hot tears, I raced through the crowd of people waiting to get into the gym and down the hall leading to the parking lot.
“Wren, sweetheart. Is that you?”
I stopped dead in my tracks.
Less than a foot away stood Fuller’s parents and his little brother.
Wiping the tears from my cheeks, I tried to smile and pretend everything was okay.
“Oh, Wren, honey. What’s wrong?” Fuller’s mother took a step toward me.
Fresh tears burned my eyes and dripped onto my cheeks. “Ah, I’m not feeling very well. I need to go home.”
Without another word, I sprinted down the hallway and into the fresh air.
Sucking it in, my legs propelled me forward toward the corner of the parking lot. How could I have been so stupid? Why would I ever believe someone like Fuller James would actually like me?
I reached into my small crossbody purse and fumbled through its contents. Finally, my fingers felt the loop of the key ring.
“Wren.” Dae’s voice cut through the crisp air.
Shaking my head, I unlocked the driver’s side door. “I-I can’t talk right now, Dae.”
I felt his hands on my shoulders. “Wren, I’m so sorry.”
Collapsing into his chest, I began sobbing. My entire body shook. Dae held me up as my knees turned to jelly.
“I should have seen right through him.” Dae whispered. “I never should have trusted that asshole.”
Hot tears streaked down my face, forming a wet patch on his shirt.
“I’m so stupid.” My voice choked with emotion.
Dae shook his head and held me tighter. “He fooled both of us.”
Sniffling, I pulled back and wiped my face with trembling hands.
The pain in my chest had been replaced with a numb sensation, and I suddenly felt exhausted. “I’m going to head out. You should go back in and be with Jenna Marie.”
“No way.” Dae leaned against my car. “She’s waiting by my car. Come with me. We’ll drive you home.”
I shook my head. “I’m fine. I just need to crawl into bed and pretend none of this ever happened.”
“Are you sure?” Dae spoke softly as he pulled me in for another embrace.
“Yes. I’m sure. Thanks for offering, though.”
Dae gave me one final squeeze before I stepped away and got into my car. My best friend stood with drooped shoulders, watching me drive off.
Twenty minutes later, I pulled up in front of my house. Somehow, I’d managed to stop crying on the way home. I searched my glove box for something to wipe the mascara off. Coming up empty, I used the bottom of Fuller’s T-shirt. It didn’t matter if I stained it. It was going in the trash.
I checked the mirror and sighed. While I managed to get all the black smudges off my face, I couldn’t hide my puffy red eyes.
Deciding that waiting wouldn’t make things any better, I grabbed my purse from the passenger’s seat.
Forcing myself to breathe, I walked through my front door and popped my head into the family room.
“Wren, is that you?” Gramps asked from the sofa.
“Hey, Gramps.”
My mom and dad frowned. “What are you doing home so early?”
I held my hand to my head. “Um, I’m not feeling so good. My head hurts and I feel…funky. I decided that it was best to come home and rest.”
“Oh, honey. I’m sorry. I know how much you were looking forward to watching Fuller at the game. Can I bring you a cup of tea or some Tylenol?” my mom asked with a still-furrowed brow.
“I’m going to grab a glass of water. I’m sure I’ll feel a lot better after I get some rest,” I lied.
Nothing would make me feel better about what happened tonight. Ever.
“All right, well, feel better, pumpkin,” my dad said.
“Night night, Wrenny,” Gramps added.
I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a glass from the cabinet next to the fridge. After filling it at the refrigerator, I made a beeline for my bedroom, the chilled water sloshing around with every step.
Setting the cup down on my nightstand, I tossed my phone and purse on the floor.
That’s when I caught a glimpse of myself. Wearing Fuller’s stupid basketball shirt. I yanked it off and threw it across the room. Tears streamed down my face as my knees gave out. Reaching back, I caught myself on the edge of my bed. Pulling myself backward, I collapsed on top of my duvet. “How could I have been so stupid?” The words came out in between the sobs that shook my body.
Rolling over, I closed my eyes and vowed never to speak to him again.
I hate you, Fuller James.