No Two Hearts

Chapter 2

One Year Ago

"WOOHOO!" The entire crowd screamed out loud simultaneously. "Go Dragons!"

God, it was painfully cliche but high school football games were some of the best experiences ever. Central High always had our games scheduled for after-sundown, so it was usually pretty chilly out.

This just made it better, because everyone in the stands was decked out in scarlet and gold merch; hoodies, sweatpants, jackets, and anything else they could find in the school's famous colours.

I am a total ambivert; I'm super shy until I get to know someone, and then I'm really outgoing when I'm comfortable with that person. So before I moved to Philly and started at Central High, I would never find myself at a football game, purely because no one had ever asked me to come with them- and who goes to a football game alone?

But this time, I actually had a friend who wanted me to watch the game in the bleachers, and a boyfriend I could cheer for on the field.

"Kinny, Tyler just scored a touchdown! Kinny, are you even paying attention to the game?" My best friend Jayden shouted at me.

I looked over at her and shook my head to clear my thoughts, "Sorry, I was honestly just thinking about how happy I am right now. I mean I've never been to a football game before, and now I'm here with my bestie and my boyfriend."

I nudged her shoulder playfully as I spoke and she linked her arm in mine.

"Damn straight," she replied with a wink. "It sucks that you're going over to Tyler's after the game though, I wanted you to come over to my house. I invited a couple people and even I made a ton of
jell-o shots last night and I still have some leftover beer from the other weekend."

Tyler is really finicky with plans, so when he makes a plan he wants to stick to it. He might be a little pissed off if I ask him to come with me to Jayden's place for a little after-party, but I haven't hung out with Jay in so long and I needed this.

"Okay, that actually sounds really fun. I feel like getting wasted tonight and as long as Tyler can bring Liam and some of the other guys on the team, he should be down to come as well."

"Yayyy! Thanks bitch," squealed Jayden so loudly that few people on the bleachers below us turned around and stared. "Maybe I'll even meet a cute girl to makeout with," she said with a cocky smirk, completely ignoring all the eyes peering at us.

I laughed out loud and leaned in closer to Jayden. I am so fucking lucky to have her as my best friend.

●

I clinked my red plastic shot glass against Tyler's, tapped it on the tabletop in sync with his, and threw my head back as we knocked the bitter taste of rum down our throats.

"Ugh gross," I said as I puckered my lips in an attempt to get the god-awful taste off my tongue, "Straight rum will literally never taste even remotely good, will it," I asked as I looked at him, still sweaty from the game earlier.

"Not really, but babe, I don't want you to drink too much of it tonight anyways. Okay? Please, for me, just limit yourself," Tyler said as he looked down at me with his brow suddenly furrowed in something that looked like concern.

"Oh yeah, sure. I mean, I was originally planning on getting drunk cause I'm sleeping here at Jay's tonight and don't have to drive home," I responded, a little unsure of the reason he seemed concerned that I wanted to drink, when he'd seen me drunk before.

"Okay that's fine just stick with me then. You know how the team gets when they've been drinking." I nodded up at him and put my empty shot glass back onto the table.