End Game

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Aurora

The rhythmic thwack of tennis balls against my racket echoed across the empty courts, each swing sharper than the last. Too sharp. Too hard. But I didn't care—I needed the release. My head was a mess.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Nate. His hands on my waist. His breath hot against my neck as we moved together on the dance floor at that stupid football after-party. The tension between us had been unbearable, so thick I could hardly breathe. And when I found out he'd bought me Greta Van Fleet tickets? God. I almost kissed him. Again.

I gritted my teeth and slammed another ball into the corner. I didn't like him like that. At least, that's what I kept telling myself. I'd been drunk. I'd been mad at William. None of it meant anything.

Except... it did. The guilt twisted in my stomach every time I thought about it. And it wasn't even Nate's fault. Not really. This was William's doing—his betrayal, his big mouth. He's the one who shoved me straight into Nate's orbit when he decided to spill my family's secrets.

The machine whirred, spitting another ball my way. I swung hard, missed completely, cursed under my breath. I was turning to reset the feed when a car horn blared behind me.

I spun, squinting toward the lot. Nate. Leaning out of his truck window, smirk plastered across his face.

"Nate?" I yanked off my visor, wiping sweat from my forehead. "What are you doing here?"

He grinned. "Just finished practice. Saw some angry redhead tearing up the court, figured I'd check it out. Didn't realize you looked that good in a tennis skirt."

He laughed. I didn't. My glare narrowed, but my lips twitched anyway. Damn him.

"And honking was the best way to say hi?" I shot back.

He shrugged, easy. "Got your attention, didn't it?"

I rolled my eyes, but the smile tugged harder at my mouth. He always did that—slipped under my defenses.

"Don't you have better things to do than annoy me?" I asked, crossing my arms as I walked to the fence. "Like, I don't know, secretly buying more concert tickets?"

"Nah." He chuckled, resting an elbow on his window. "That was a one-time deal. You blew it. Anyway, I'm spending the day with my family."

That caught me off guard. "Oh?"

He nodded. "Yep. Wanna come?"

My eyes widened. "What? No. That would be... weird."

He laughed, eyes glinting. "Relax, it's not like I'm trying to introduce you to my moms."

I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. "Then why invite me?"

His expression shifted, mischief sparking. "We're doing something that might interest you. And since you're so insistent you're not the spoiled rich girl your boyfriend painted you as, I figured maybe you'd want to prove it."

My whole body tensed at the mention of William. Heat rose in my chest, anger bubbling fast. Nate knew exactly where to poke. He always did.

"I don't have to prove anything to anyone," I snapped, the words clenched tight.

His eyes softened, but the smirk lingered. "I know. But if you're curious about life outside of gated neighborhoods and country clubs..." He leaned his arm further out the window, eyes locked on mine. "I'm headed to Reseda. You could tag along. See how the other half lives."

I froze, my heart pounding. Reseda. I'd never been. The name alone felt foreign, a world away from everything I'd ever known.

And for reasons I couldn't explain, the idea of going with him made my pulse race even faster.