Settling the Score

Chapter Twenty-Four

Both teams went their separate ways after practice. Some headed straight to their cars or to the buses that had stuck around for kids who did after-school activities, and the rest went inside the locker rooms. I didn't have it in me to shower straight away after witnessing Hazel brazenly walking arm in arm with Rosie in the school's direction. I remained at the bottom of the bleachers, wasting time on my phone until the Sea Lions left the premises. I was in no rush, anyway. Mae had to pick Nick up from baseball practice and then swing by the school to bring me home.

My ex-boyfriend broke off from the colony of Sea Lions and waltzed across the field toward me. Why didn't he leave like everyone else? He snapped pictures of me with his yearbook camera like I'd signed up to be a model. He only stopped when I raised my middle finger at him. He approached the rest of the way despite every sign telling him not to come over.

"You've been ignoring my calls," he pointed out.

"Exes do that," I replied, raising a bottle of water, saluting him.

He raised his hands in the air. "I come in peace."

"I'm not in the mood for whatever this is."

"I know," he admitted.

"Why are you even here, anyway?"

"Because my foster mom forced me. I didn't think I'd actually be a good goalie? Oh, and I came to take yearbook photos. But I mostly came to talk to you."

There was zero point telling him that his success at saving goals was because of beginner's luck, Rosie's sabotage, and my temporary loss of sanity. It'd only turn into an argument. Instead, I nodded toward his camera. "You've got plenty of pictures of your girlfriend cozying up to her ex-girlfriend. Saves everyone an awkward conversation."

"They were getting along pretty great, huh?" I let out a long, drawn-out sigh. Exes and small talk. The worst combination. He would've lost his shit if it'd been me acting like that today. "Right, get to the point, Baker."

"Or you can leave?" I suggested.

He sat next to me, his fingers wrestling together in what looked like indecision. "I want to say something first and then I'll leave you alone. This is going to sound so freaking corny. I miss you. Forget the drama and all the bad stuff. You were my friend. I miss having you around. It feels like there's something missing from my life."

This is why I didn't want to talk to him. He sounded so heartfelt. It was like he genuinely believed what he said. "I don't know what you want me to say?"

He clicked his tongue. "Right. It's my fault. I get it. I was a bad boyfriend."

I stood up to leave and agreed. "No arguments here."

"I was a jerk at the lake party," he rushed out. "I saw how quickly you moved on and . . . I was drunk. That's no excuse. I saw the beer pong game as the only way to get you to talk to me. It made me realize what an idiot I'd been. You would've drowned before talking to me or accepting my help. I guess what I'm trying to say is . . . I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I was a total asshole."