Battle Scars

Chapter 19:

When I see the name Marcus flash across Leah's phone screen, something tightens in my chest. I know I shouldn't be looking—hell, I know I shouldn't care—but I can't help the way my blood boils at the thought of someone else being in her life like that. Thinking of her? It's such a casual, intimate line, and it pisses me off more than it should.

I turn away quickly, going to my room, and slamming the door harder than intended. I press my back against it and let out a slow, frustrated breath. The jealousy is like a fire beneath my skin, burning hotter with each second that passes. My head is a mess of anger, jealousy, and a hint of something deeper that I refuse to acknowledge.

Who the hell is Marcus? And why didn't she say anything?

But that's the thing, isn't it? Leah and I aren't...anything. We're friends—if even that—and nothing more. We're two people sharing space, skirting around each other like the ghosts of our own feelings. And yet, she has the nerve to say there's something between us, to imply that she understands me better than I understand myself.

She doesn't know me, I think bitterly, shoving the thought down like bile rising in my throat.

I grab my phone and text Ki. Yeah, I'll come to the pregame, I type, needing an escape, needing noise and people to drown out the frustration simmering in my veins. Staying in this apartment tonight with her would be a mistake. It would lead to questions and conversations I'm not ready to have.

As I start to get ready, I hear Ki's voice drifting through the apartment. His usual loud, carefree chatter is mixed with Leah's soft laughter. They're in the living room, talking like they always do, and it irritates me more than it should. I can't help but feel excluded, pushed to the outskirts while she shares pieces of herself with Ki so easily.

I grab my jacket and keys, choosing to stay silent and leave before I do something stupid—like ask Leah about that Marcus dude or confront her about her cryptic words earlier. It's none of my business, and I have no right to feel this way.

Walking out of the apartment, I can hear Ki's laugh followed by Leah's teasing remark, and it grates on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard. I keep my face expressionless, not wanting either of them to see how rattled I am.

Jared's car is already waiting downstairs, headlights cutting through the evening gloom. I hop in the backseat without a word, leaning my head against the window, trying to push down the jealousy gnawing at my insides. Ki slides into the passenger seat, still chuckling to himself as he greets Jared with a slap on the shoulder.

"Ready to roll?" Jared asks, his voice full of excitement.

"Hell yeah," Ki replies, turning to give me a grin. "You good, man?"

I force a tight smile. "Yeah, let's just get going."

Jared takes off, and the tension in my shoulders eases a little as the apartment fades into the distance. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding, trying to focus on the night ahead instead of the mess I left behind.

"Man, Leah should've come," Ki says, leaning back in his seat. "Would've been fun to have her around."

I stiffen at her name, but I force my expression to stay neutral. "She wanted to stay in," I reply flatly, hoping that ends the conversation.

Ki shrugs. "Her loss. This party's gonna be wild."

A blonde girl with big brown eyes—Abby, I think—turns in her seat to smile at me. It's a flirty smile, the kind that used to be enough to distract me from whatever was going on in my head. But tonight, all I can think about is how those brown eyes aren't the right shade. How that smile doesn't make me feel a damn thing.