Chapter 117: Chapter 117 - Just Leave
The pep rally should have been easy.
Roxie knew how to smile through noise. She knew how to count through music, chant over drums, and stand in front of a gym full of people like her life was clean enough to be looked at.
So she did it.
She hit every motion. She called every count. She smiled when Coach Miller’s eyes cut toward her. She stood near the front with Kendall on one side and Angela on the other while the football team came in through the double doors and the gym exploded.
The Ravens football players ran in with their jerseys on, helmets raised, and half the school screaming like the game had already been won.
Roxie saw Zac immediately.
That annoyed her.
He looked good.
That annoyed her more.
His hair was still damp from the locker room. His jersey sat tight across his shoulders. Black paint was smeared under his eyes, and when Mason shoved him forward, the crowd got louder.
Zac smiled.
Roxie looked away first.
The rally dragged on. Student council threw shirts. The band played too loud. Coach Hayes gave a speech about focus and discipline while half the gym chanted Zac’s name anyway. Coach Miller made the cheer team run the routine twice, and Roxie nailed it both times because Kendall was waiting for one mistake.
By the end, Roxie’s throat hurt from yelling.
Then she saw them.
Two freshman girls stood near the football team at the edge of the court, holding a small plastic container between them. One had curled hair and a nervous smile. The other kept pushing her friend forward.
Cookies.
Roxie stopped clapping.
The girl lifted the container toward Zac.
Zac looked surprised. Then he smiled politely and took it.
The girl’s face lit up.
Roxie’s hand curled at her side.
Of course.
Flowers with no name for her.
A smile in front of everyone for them.
Zac said something to the girls. They laughed. One of them tucked her hair behind her ear like he had just handed her a crown instead of accepting sugar in a plastic box.
Roxie’s chest went hot.
She glared.
Zac looked up.
Their eyes met across the gym.
His smile faded.
Roxie turned and walked off.
She went straight to her spot at the back of the gym. She sat down on the bleacher. Her breathing was too hard for someone who had finished performing five minutes ago.
Asshole.
He was such an asshole.
She pressed her hand against the cool stone of the bleachers and tried to slow down.
The gym was still loud behind her. Students were moving toward the exits. Football players were surrounded by people slapping their backs and shouting about Friday. The cheer team was gathering bags near the side wall.
Roxie heard footsteps behind her.
She knew it was him before he spoke.
"Roxie."
"What are you doing here?" She kept facing the bleachers without looking at him. Damn him for knowing her spot.
He sighed.
The sound scraped worse than shouting. Tired. Heavy. Like he had followed her because he had run out of better choices.
Roxie pressed her palm harder against the bleachers.
She wanted him to leave.
She wanted him to step closer.
Both made her furious.
She laughed once, short and mean. "Go thank your bakery club. Must be good to be that popular, huh?"
Zac stopped a few feet away. "They gave everyone stuff."
She turned.
He was still holding the container.
"Everyone?" she asked.
His jaw tightened. "A few of us."
"Cute."
"They’re freshmen."
"I noticed. Congratulations. That’s the only age you can fool."
His eyes narrowed. "What is your problem?"
Roxie stepped closer. "My problem?"
"Yes. Your problem."
Roxie swallowed hard.
She hated that he could see it. The jealousy was too obvious, sitting right there on her face before she could bury it. Knowing that and stopping herself were different things, and right now she was using every bit of pride she had left to swallow the reaction down.
It still came out ugly.
"Just go back," she said. "Those girls would be devastated if their favorite quarterback disappeared."
Zac stared at her.
Then his face changed. "Are you jealous?"
"Asshole," she muttered.
"What?"
Roxie turned fully toward him. "You. Are. A. Fucking. Asshole."
Zac went silent.
For a second, he looked like she had actually hit him.
Then his mouth tightened. "I just said thank you for cookies."
"Whatever. I don’t even care."
Zac went still.
The noise of the gym felt far away for a second.
He looked at her like he genuinely had no idea what to do with her. "What do you want from me?"
Roxie’s throat tightened.
She hated that question because she had no answer that made sense.
"I want you to go away."
"No." His voice sharpened. "You get mad about everything I do or apparently didn’t do. There’s no winning with you. Now you’re mad because freshmen gave me cookies. I keep trying to figure out where the line is, and you keep moving it."
Roxie stepped into him. "Maybe you keep pretending you can’t see it."
"I can see you’re pissed."
"Brilliant."
"I can see you’re jealous."
Her hand twitched.
Zac noticed.
Roxie shoved the container against his chest.
"Go enjoy them."
Zac caught the container before it fell. "You’re acting insane."
Roxie’s face changed.
Insane?
He wanted insane?
Zac saw it. Regret flashed across his eyes, but he stayed angry.
Roxie hit him in the chest.
Zac barely moved.
"You wanted insane?" Her voice shook. "I’ll fucking give it to you."
She hit him again.
The cookie container knocked against his jersey. His bag shifted on his shoulder. His jaw tightened, but he stayed there.
That made her hit him harder.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
Her fists landed against his chest, messy and fast, each one weaker than she wanted but angrier than she could control.
Zac caught one of her wrists.
Roxie snapped.
A harsh sound tore out of her throat, half scream, half sob, full anger. She jerked against his hold and swung her other hand up.
Her nails caught his face.
Zac flinched.
A red line appeared along his cheek.
For one second, everything stopped.
The noise in the gym. The heat in her chest. The stupid container crushed between them.
Roxie stared at the mark.
Zac released her wrist.
That made it worse.
"Asshole," she shouted, hitting his chest again. "Asshole. Asshole. Asshole."
Zac took it.
His face was hard. His cheek was scratched. His breathing had gone rough, but he stayed in front of her like the hits belonged there.
"Stop."
Roxie shoved him with both hands.
"If you don’t want me, just leave." Her voice cracked on the last word. "Just fucking leave."
Zac’s eyes flashed.
"I tried," he said.
Roxie froze.
Zac looked at her with his scratched cheek, his wrinkled jersey, and the cookies broken against his chest.
"I tried to leave you alone," he said, voice low and bitter. "I can’t, Roxie."
Roxie’s face burned.
Her hands curled into his jersey before she even knew she had moved.
"I hate you," she snapped. "I hate you."
Then she yanked him down by the jersey and kissed him.
