Page 65 of Under the Influence

“You can’t do it by yourself. Baseball is a team sport.”

I shrug, focusing on the ceiling, hoping she doesn’t pick up on my uncertainty. I’m so used to pulling on a mask and covering it up that I can even fool myself sometimes with my confidence for winning.

“What happened with Nash?” I ask, rubbing the bandage on her arm.

“Nothing, I just thought I could play his game better than he could. Guess I have a lot to learn.”

I sigh, “I don’t know what kind of game he’s trying to play, Cori, but I haven’t seen him kiss anyone like that. Not ever, so just be careful.”

“I thought you said he was harmless?”

“He is until it comes down to the people he loves.”

Her brows tilt together, “Loves? You’ve got to be kidding me, and what do you mean, you’ve not seen him kiss anyone like that?”

“I mean, we’ve never seen him kiss anyone at all.”

And we haven’t. He’ll climb in bed with girls all day long, but kissing is too personal. He claims it’s because he doesn’t want anyone to get attached, but it’s obvious now that it’s because the only person he wanted to kiss lived fourteen hours away.

The problem here is, I kissed her too.

CHAPTER

TWENTY-ONE

LAINEY

I’ve spent the past week avoiding Madden, so much so that I’ve even let my mother take me to school. Other than our lunch, where Cori serves as a nice buffer, I haven’t really been around him. It’s the only thing I knew to do after our fight.

Now I have developed some kind of determination to stay away from him. If he can’t be happy for me, I don't want him around. I suck in a ragged breath as I try to picture my life without my best friend. I can feel the potential tears stinging my eyes as I focus back down at the notebook in front of me. It’s too hard to think about that right now, so I pull out my phone, focusing on Dray.

Drayton

You okay you’ve been quiet today?

Lainey

Yeah, just been a weird day.

Drayton

Because of Madden?

Lainey

Yeah, this whole school is out of whack.

Drayton

I have baseball after school, and then Nathan said we needed to have a family meeting, but maybe I can swing by and see you after that?

Lainey

Maybe, Cori is coming over tonight too if I can pry her from Nash’s filthy hands.

Drayton

Gotcha, well I’ll text you later, and we’ll figure it out, and smile! That frown doesn’t suit you.