FROM THE AWARD-WINNING AUTHORS OF THE CHEATER.FAKER.TROUBLEMAKER SERIES (WATTY'S 2016, FICTION AWARDS 2016, HACHETTE AUDIO 2017), JENNY ROSEN & KRISTEN MAGLONZO.
After bullies, braces, and brutal heartbreak shatters his faith in love, soon-to-be fre...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Chapter 64
Lacey
Coach Calloway's standing in the doorway of the team bus screaming at me to hustle up before he leaves me stranded in the school parking lot.
I reach the bus door, panicked and exhausted only for him to give me a stern "ball games before boyfriends" stare as I step inside. I expect Coach to follow me inside and signal our less-than-chipper driver to hit the road as fast as legally possible, but he stays put, eyes fixed outside on the space behind me.
"Wilcox! Let's go! If you want pictures of soon-to-be champions you better run like one, you hear me?!"
"Sorry Coach! Yearbook meeting went a little late. Won't happen again."
I freeze up at the sound of Maddie's voice. All of us do. The whole team stares up at her in shock as she steps on the bus like she never left. The girls erupt into welcome back cheers as she makes her way down the aisle.
"Good to have you back Mads. Love the new look," our pitcher, Sarah says with all of the sincerity in the world.
Maddie thanks her and winks in her direction, but it seems forced--just like her appearance. The Maddie I know used to wear clashing colors and zany outfits just to declare to the world that she didn't care about fashion. Maddie was loud and lovably rebellious in all the right ways. Now she's dressed in tight black short-shorts, knee highs, and a low cut v-neck that shows more skin than she ever used to.
I don't know what yearbook did to her, but spending time with Cassie and the other girls who may or may not be the secret writers of the Daily G has definitely left an impression. The new look does suit her, she's a pretty girl so anything would suit her really. I just wish she still felt like the friend she used to be.
Maddie makes her rounds and slaps high fives to her former teammates as she walks down the bus aisle. The closer she gets to where I'm standing the more desperate I become to find the first free seat next to someone else. Anyone else.
I dart further toward the back of the bus and eventually find myself next to the only free space available. The seat's totally unoccupied which I figure I can remedy by shoving my sports bag into the place where a second person should be. I settle in quickly and scramble to untangle my duffle bag straps from my arms as fast as humanly possible but they stay stuck.
"Need a hand?"
Maddie acts before I can answer and eases my bag off my arms without batting an eyelash. I used to like this about her. She was someone who could anticipate and solve problems faster than anyone. The only problem she was ever wrong about was my relationship with Elias.
"I guess I do. Thanks, Mads."
Her nickname slips out of my mouth before I can stop it. Maddie smiles and for split second the old versions of the both of us are finally standing face to face.
