𝚃𝚘𝚛𝚗- ᑕ0ᗰᑭᒪᗴ丅ᗴ

ch 34: nate

As I looked down at Mariah that Wednesday at lunch, I sighed to myself, knowing this couldn't go on for very much longer.

I just... I couldn't keep doing this.

I had been lying to myself long enough, acting like Mariah was enough to get me to stop thinking about Sunny, but I was wrong.

There was nothing that could keep me from thinking about that girl.

As Mariah smiled, talking to her friends about the Homecoming dance on Saturday, her excitement filled my stomach with guilt.

I could give her this weekend, but after that, we needed to be done.

"Ooh, and Natey Bear's pre-party is going to be so lit. We've got fireworks, champagne, bubbles. It's basically like our pre-wedding."

She giggled and nudged me slightly, and I had to bite back my annoyance.

I wanted to scream at her that this all happened way too fast for me, and her pushing only ended up pushing me away.

She was suffocating the fuck out of me, but I couldn't be a dick and dump her right before Homecoming.

We'd talk on Sunday.

I just had to get through the next few days.

✨

There was a special Homecoming court meeting after lunch, and as Mariah directed everyone around on Court, I zoned out.

Her controlling side, which I used to find sorta cute, was now just freaking me out and it was getting hard to breathe.

Three more days.

Three more days.

Three more days.

Three more days.

"What's in three days?"

I jumped a little at the voice and turned to see Mariah staring at me with a weird look on her face.

"Huh? Oh... just uh-- my Dad's game against the Vikings... I'm really stoked for it."

"Whatever, weirdo."

Mariah smiled at me and gave me a small peck before turning around and focusing back on the clipboard she had been carrying around.

Two of her friends were also on the Homecoming court and as she walked away, I noticed them staring at me and whispering to each other.

They were all super cliquey and I knew the second we broke up, Mariah would be using the next ones to text her friends to tell them how much of an asshole I was.

Three more days.

✨

"Red, 42, set, hut!"

I took a few steps back and caught the ball, setting the lace between my fingers as my eyes darted back and forth between two receivers.

I jerked to the right, avoiding a member of the defensive line before letting the football free, watching as it spiraled and soared before being caught by Landon, a junior who was waiting in the endzone.

The coach blew his whistle, calling an end to the play and practice, and the second he did, I made a beeline over to the fence, watching as Sunny got up from her spot on the empty bleachers.

I noticed her about an hour ago, and my heart has been beating like crazy ever since. It had been a long time since she sat and watched me at practice, and when she first sat down, I legit fumbled, distractedly thinking about what she was there for.

Was she here for Kyle?

As she stood, I pulled my helmet off, stuffing my gloves inside it before chucking it on the ground.

"Sunny... hey."

"Hi, Nate."

She tucked her hair behind her ear before she tugged on it nervously before looking up at me and as her brown eyes twinkled against the setting sun, all I could see was the girl who'd been holding onto my heart since I was five years old.

🖤