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3.

TJ

The way it came out wasn't ideal but the shock on their faces was worth it. When I went inside I decided the run wasn't worth it and hopped in the shower. When I got out and stepped back into my room, I sensed I wasn't alone.

"Is this how we're gonna be, Tay?"

"TJ, Colton, its TJ." I rolled my eyes. "Why are you here?"

"We need to talk."

"Nothing to talk about." I crossed the room to my dresser and started pulling clothes out.

"You lied to me. For months, Tay-bear." I had kept my back to him until that moment. I whipped around and shoved him.

"Don't call me that!"

"Why not?" His voice was soft and he looked genuinely hurt.

"Just leave me alone." I turned away from him again. This time I felt him behind me. His shirt was grazed my shoulder just above my towel.

Oh, fuck! I'm in a towel!

"Please, Tayla." I felt his breath on my shoulder and almost leaned back into him, almost.

"You need to leave. I need to get ready for school."

"Yeah," he stepped back and it felt like he took all the air with him. "okay." I watched him nod out of the corner of my eye. "I'll see you at school then."

"No, you won't." I shook my head. "I transferred out."

"Quit playing." He laughed.

"I'm not playing on our football team because I'm playing for Dunton Hills."

"Our rivals? Tayla, what the fuck?" The hurt in his eyes was getting worse and it was beginning to be too much. "You lied to me, again. And Danny lied too."

"If I'm gonna be bullied, its gonna be by strangers and not by people I grew up with, people I trusted." I slammed the door in his face and yelled, "Danny didn't lie, he just said I wasn't playing for our school." With that I finished getting ready and headed out.

I stopped for coffee at my usual spot a half hour later and was waved to the front of the line. The barista smiled and handed me an iced latte.

"He wasn't sure if you'd stop in, said if you did you'd need the extra caffeine. All paid up." She was beaming. "He said to say 'sorry about this morning' and 'to give 'em hell, Tay.' Very pretty young man."

"Thanks." I smiled and took a sip of the latte. It was perfect. "Was anyone with him?" She shook her head.

"No, sweetheart. He rattled it off like he did it every day of the week." She smiled again. "New boyfriend?"

"Brother's best friend. He messed up a while ago and he's trying to make up for it."

"I'm thinking he's working towards more than just making up for something."

I grunted and shook my head. "That'll never happen."

I waved to her and headed to my new school.

Colton

"I can't believe your parents let her do it." I ran my fingers through my hair and gripped the ends.