Page 17 of End Game

“Why is it so hard for you to believe?”

“He’s, like, ten times out of your league.” Her perfectly plucked eyebrows are sky high. “His family is seriously loaded. He’s gorgeous. And he seems like genuinely a nice guy. How the hell do you two know each other?”

“Wow.” I scoff, pulling my arm free. “Thanks.”

“He’s an amazing football player on top of that. He got two pick sixes last season and picked up a safety. That never happens.”

Like I’m not already aware of his stats.

“Yeah, I know. He’s my best friend.”

“I’ve been trying to get to know him for, like, ever,” she says. “I have such a crush on him.”

I bite my lip. “Barrett doesn’t really date…”

She laughs. “Clearly you don’t know him as well as you think you do.”

“Oh, he gets laid. He hooks up all the time,” I tell her, because that I know for a fact. “But he doesn’t exactly date. I’m not sure he’ll give you what you’re looking for.”

Her smile is smug. “I don’t care if I only get one night with him. I’ll make it count.”

Unease settles in my gut at the idea of Johanna and Barrett and their one night together. I don’t like it. I don’t want to picture them together.

I’m not sure what type of girls Barrett goes for. I don’t know if he likes Asian girls or if he goes for white girls. He’s never had a girlfriend that I know of, never talked about a specific girl in his life. For so long, his life has been dedicated to school, his family, and football, and not necessarily in that order of importance.

And me. He’s relentlessly devoted to me, too.

I like it. He’s always cared for me, he’s always been there for me, even when time zones separated us. Being in his inner circle feels a bit like being let into the world’s biggest secret: Barrett is amazing. It’s not a hardship to be friends with him; it’s a privilege. Our friendship is easily the most treasured thing in my life, even more than soccer, even more than my parents, even more than… anything. I love having him as my best friend.

Once practice is officially over, I jog over to the sidelines. He doesn’t care that I’m a sweaty mess; he wraps me in an enormous hug, holding me close. I like when he hugs me. It feels almost like coming home again.

“Hey, Dee. Great practice.”

“Thanks. You’ve got nothing better to do?”

He grins. “You know it.”

“Let me go shower and change. I’ll see you in ten minutes?”

Barrett nods. “I’ll be here.”

“Where’s Mason?” I ask Tuck, who slides his phone into his pocket with guilt written all over his face.

“Still at practice. They don’t allow visitors,” he says with a frown.

I laugh. “Well, I’m glad you came to visit us.” I raise my eyebrows at Amir. “No special lady in your life to stalk?”

It’s his turn to grin. “Nah, I’m good. Not looking for anything more than one night only.”

Tucker shakes his head. “You’ll change your mind. Once you find that girl, it’ll be over.”

“Yeah, I’ll take that bet,” Amir retorts.

I roll my eyes. “Great. Well, I’m going to go shower. We’ll walk to dinner?”

“Of course. See you, stinky.” He swats me on the hip.

Laughing, I jog over to the tunnel leading to the locker room. Most of the girls are already in the showers. I waste no time in stripping down and scrubbing up, eager to get the day’s sun and sweat off my skin.