Not So Loved (West Coast Campus Book 2)

Chapter 5

Rhys - age 13

How dare she talk about herself like that?

Does she not realize how beautiful she is?

The girls at school are nothing compared to her.

Sure, they dress up real fancy and wear so much makeup I'm surprised their faces aren't falling off with how heavy that must be but there's only one girl I want looking at me.

And she's currently telling me that she doesn't think she's pretty.

Bull. Crap.

So I do the thing I've been wanting to do for the past two years.

I kiss Maeve Leigh-Foster.

Her eyes are wide and searching mine before they close, her lashes fluttering.

"I love you so god damn much, Nova."

I said it when I was five years old and I'll say it until the day I die.

I love her.

Rhys - present

"What do you do when Allie leaves you on read?"

Noah glances at me, closing his eyes like he needs to prepare for the conversation he's about to have with me.

Which I don't understand why. I'm fucking awesome to talk to.

"I can't speak from experience but when a girl leaves you on read, it usually means she's not interested."

He raises a cocky eyebrow at me before turning back to focus on the road.

I roll my eyes. "Blah fucking blah. We all know you have a perfect relationship with Al. Don't need to rub it in."

His eyes remain locked on the dark road as we make our way to practice.

Someone wasn't very happy when I asked for a ride.

It's been over a week and a half since I texted Maeve once I begged her number out of Allie.

At first, she refused to give me her number but then I offered to buy her ten blocks of chalk.

I got Maeve's number less than ten seconds later.

She left me on read so I assume that means she was too busy at the time to respond and forgot to later or she's fighting feelings?

Definitely the second one.

Because the third option would be she hates my guts and never wants to see my face again.

Definitely not that option.

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"Are you texting Maeve?"

My voice is harsh and surprised as I look over at Cam, who sits smugly in our locker room.

"And if I told you I was..." He drifts off.

"You'd be fucking dead." I finish.

He shrugs. "Okay. Then I won't tell you."

"Well now you have to fucking tell me!"

"You just said you'd kill me if I was!"

"I will! But you can't-"

"Will you please shut the fuck up?" Our Captain grumbles, quickly pulling on sweats and a long sleeve tee, not even bothering to shower.

Cam wiggles his brows. "Going somewhere, Capt?"