It Started With A Concussion ✔️

Chapter 25

Jackson's POV

"Make a right up here and then bike down and we'll be there." JJ shouts from the back of the pack.

I pushed on the pedals and turned onto a busier road. Emery flew past me with Hannah right behind her, obviously feeling better than she was yesterday.

Staying in the bike lane I check the time on my phone. We had an early morning tomorrow as tonight was our last day down here.

After pedaling down the road we stop at a gelato place we've seen while walking around town. We lock up our bikes and barge into the store, half of us barely able to breathe due to laughter.

JJ didn't see that Cal had stopped so he crashed into him. The argument that pursued was hilarious.

Everyone went up to order, Em and I coincidentally at the end of the line. When we got up to the front, I let her order first and then I blurted out mine quickly after.

"Together?" The cashier asked.

"No." she shook her head.

"Yes." I talked over her and pushed a twenty dollar bill across the counter. She shot me a look but I gave her one of my infamous smiles, to which she rolled her eyes in return.

"What a gentleman." she sneers.

"You can at least thank me, you know." I shrug, grabbing my change and throwing the extra coins in the tip jar.

"I would thank you–one, if I liked you enough, and two, if paying for a woman wasn't the bare minimum." she smiled, stating her case. "Nice effort Riley, but I'm only acknowledging you for giving me free dessert."

"Acknowledgement is something at least." I said, guiding her as she walked in front of me.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." she scoffed, sliding into the booth.

I slid in next to her, much to her dismay, as the other joined us. "Does Reeves want us to practice on Friday?" I ask.

"Unfortunately," Finn groaned, scooting closer to Hannah. "Four to six because somehow he knows when we're getting back."

I nod and take a spoonful of ice cream. I eye Emery who notices the same that I do. Those two have gotten a lot more smitten over this vacation. I guess after Finn had the balls to kiss her, things went in the right direction.

A barrage of notifications came through all at once on my phone. I took it out of my pocket and saw that all the buzzing was coming from Instagram. A few girls started following me and after clicking on one of their profiles, I realized it was the girls from the party.

Yeah nope. Not even going to start with that.

"Manwhore I see." Emery mumbles next to me and I look over.

"Ladies man actually. I can't help that the girls just flock to me." I boast, swiping out of the app.

"Yeah, because you're just so droolworthy." she mocks my tone and drops her hand, which accidentally hits my leg, her cold fingertips landing on my knee.

Something like that I can ignore, but what I can't ignore is how she does nothing. She doesn't move her hand, she lets it stay there. I turn my head at her but she just sits there, scrolling through her phone, taking a bite of ice cream every so often.

She feels me looking at her and glances over. I narrow my eyes and she does the same before delivering a little smirk that makes me shift in my seat. Bold. But I knew that.

She knows how to play. Always has.

~~~~~

We get back and it's pitch black outside. The others head into the living room and I walk to the bathroom.