Hi,

Chapter 9

A quiet knock on my car window jolts me from my thoughts. I glance outside to see Mackenzie standing there, arms crossed, a determined look on her face. With a sigh, I step out of the car and lean against the door, mirroring her pose with my arms folded.

"I was about to leave, Mackenzie," I say, adopting an unbothered tone.

"Don't leave..." she replies softly.

I straighten up, a smirk curling my lips. "Or what?" I challenge.

She holds my gaze, unwavering.

"Or will you miss me?" I tease, letting my eyes wander down her face, lingering on her lips, then tracing her neck, collarbones, and curves.

"Damn, Mackenzie... you're sexy," I whisper, the words slipping out before I can stop them.

She tilts her head, locking her eyes onto mine. Slowly, her hands glide to my neck, fingers tangling in my hair. A shiver runs down my spine. As my gaze falls to her lips, I can no longer contain my desires. Our lips collide fiercely, and I pull her closer, feeling her legs wrap around my waist. I spin her around and press her against my car, trailing kisses down her neck. She moans—a soft, sultry sound that sends my world spiraling.

Suddenly, a loud voice breaks the spell: "Cheer for your varsity football team! The Falcons!"

I snap back to reality, the abruptness hitting me like a slap in the face. I can't shake the memory of that dream—or nightmare, really—that's been haunting me since Friday night. It felt so real. I woke up overwhelmed with desire, frustrated that even my dreams can't seem to handle themselves. I replay the dream in my mind far too often, and it's maddening when I come back to the reality of being alone, trapped in this gym during a dull school assembly.

School assemblies make me want to scream. What do they think this is? High School Musical? Honestly, I can't focus today, and I just want this ridiculous assembly to end. My friends and I are sitting together in the bleachers, and I glance across to see Mackenzie with her friends. Oddly enough, her boyfriend is missing. What happened between them Friday?

"Nathan, you missed a lit party on Friday. Why'd you dip so early?" Dustin calls from the row above me, leaning in like he's genuinely curious.

I barely glance back, keeping my voice as bored as possible. "Nobody worth sticking around for..."

Connor, sitting across from us, raises an eyebrow and grins like he's onto something. "Mackenzie was there, though," he says, throwing me a look that's way too playful for my liking.

I roll my eyes, keeping my tone dismissive. "Yeah, so? She's a pain in the ass. She was annoying me."

Connor smirks. "Right... that why you couldn't take your eyes off her all week?"

The guys chuckle, and I shake my head, scoffing like it's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. "Please, if I wanted to stare at something, it wouldn't be her," I say, folding my arms, trying to sound like I couldn't care less.

Dustin laughs, nudging Connor. "Sure, bro, whatever you say."

I shrug, keeping my face neutral even though I can feel the heat crawling up the back of my neck.

"So, you're giving up?" Haze chimes in, his voice taunting, like he'd love nothing more than to see me fold.

I shift slightly to face him, refusing to let that smirk get under my skin. Giving up? No way. I'm not letting Mackenzie have that kind of power over me. She thinks she can mess with my head, but I'm going to show her who's in control. This isn't over—this is just the beginning.