Blair was still asleep, warm and heavy against Steveâs chest, her head tucked right over his heart like it had always known where to rest. One of his arms was wrapped around her back, the other bent beneath his head, fingers slowly tracing absent-minded patterns along her spine. Heâd been awake for a while now, staring at the ceiling, listening to the steady rhythm of her breathing.
She looked peaceful. Too peaceful for someone who usually woke up tangled in nightmares.
His thoughts driftedâunwanted, persistentâto Dustinâs voice from the day before.
Sheâs been weird lately.Headaches. Dizziness. Chest pain.
Steveâs jaw tightened slightly. He sighed through his nose, thumb pausing between her shoulder blades. He didnât like not knowing. Didnât like that she carried things alone. Didnât like that he mightâve been the last person sheâd tell.
But reality nudged in anyway.
He shifted just enough to glance at the clock on his nightstand and groaned quietly. âDamn it,â he murmured.
Carefullyâso carefullyâhe lowered his chin and brushed his lips near her hair. âBlair,â he said softly. âHey. Weâve gotta wake up.â
She stirred immediately, like sheâd been waiting for his voice. With a quiet, sleepy sound, she burrowed closer instead, sliding her face into the hollow of his neck.
âNo,â she mumbled, voice thick with sleep. âI donât wanna wake up.â
Steve smiled despite himself. His free hand slid to her hips without thinking, thumbs resting there familiarly. âWe have class.â
She shifted again, cheek rubbing against his skin. âFive more minutes.â
He let out a quiet laugh. âYou used to say that every morning.â
âMmm,â she replied, already half-gone again.
He shouldâve said no. He knew that.
Instead, he sighed. âFive minutes.â
She inhaled deeply, almost unconsciously, like she was anchoring herself to his scent. Steve froze for half a second, then relaxed, arm tightening just a little around her.
Those five minutes vanished instantly.
âOkay,â he said at last, gently. âTimeâs up. Weâre seriously gonna be late.â
She groaned, face scrunching up. âYouâre mean.â
âOh, donât start,â he warned, amusement creeping into his voice.
He moved suddenly, fingers digging into her sides. âTickle attack.â
She shrieked, laughing immediately, squirming beneath him. âSteveâ stopâ stopâ I swearââ
He rolled them without effort, ending up above her, pinning her gently to the mattress as his hands continued their assault. She thrashed, breathless with laughter, hands pushing uselessly at his chest.
âIâm begging you,â she gasped. âPleaseâ mercyââ
âSay youâre awake,â he demanded.
âIâm awake! Iâm awake!â she cried.
The sudden stillness was louder than the laughter had been.
They froze like thatâhim braced above her, her hands still curled in his shirt. Their faces were inches apart. Close enough that Steve could count her lashes. Close enough that her eyes flicked down to his mouth⊠then back up again.
The air felt thick. Charged.
Slowly, deliberately, Steve lifted one hand and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. His knuckles brushed her cheek, gentle, reverent.
âGet changed,â he said quietly, stepping back before either of them could do something stupid. He smiledâsoft, familiarâand turned toward the door. âIâll be downstairs.â
The door clicked shut behind him.
Blair dropped her head back onto the pillow and exhaled shakily.
For the first time in weeksâmonthsâshe realized something strange.
She hadnât slept with the light on.
She hadnât had nightmares.
All because sheâd slept in Steve Harringtonâs arms.
Her chest tightenedânot with pain.
She dressed quickly, still slightly dazed, and met him downstairs a few minutes later.
âI should probably go home,â she said, fidgeting. âChange properly.â
Steve didnât even hesitate. âIâll drive you.â
Her heart picked up speed. She nodded.
In the car, he glanced at her. âHowâs the hangover?â
She shrugged, staring out the window. âHead hurts a bit. Iâll survive.â
Steve nodded, but his fingers didnât loosen on the steering wheel. He waited a beat, then another, like he was choosing his words carefully.
âDustin told me about the dizziness,â he said finally. âAnd the pain.â
Her shoulders tensed, her jaw tightening almost imperceptibly. She let out a slow breath. âHe shouldnât have said anything.â
âIâm not mad,â Steve said quickly. âIâm just⊠worried.â
Silence filled the car, thick and uncomfortable. The hum of the engine was the only thing keeping it from swallowing them whole.
âHow long has it been going on?â he asked softly.
She hesitated, then answered, âA long time.â
Steveâs grip tightened. He glanced at her, really looked at her this timeâthe way her fingers kept fidgeting in her lap, the faint exhaustion under her eyes.
âWhat kind of pain?â he asked.
Blair swallowed. âSometimes itâs sharp. Right here.â She pressed her palm lightly to her chest. âOther times itâs just pressure. Like I canât get a full breath. And then thereâs the dizziness. Everything goes fuzzy, like I might black out.â
âThatâs not nothing,â Steve said quietly.
He took a breath. âDid you see a doctor?â
She nodded. âYeah. I did.â
Relief flashed across his faceâbrief, hopefulâbefore she continued.
âHe said it was stress,â she added. âPost-traumatic stress, actually. That my bodyâs still stuck in survival mode.â She gave a hollow little laugh. âGave me pills. Told me to rest. To relax.â
Steve frowned. âAnd it helped?â
âNot really,â she admitted. âIt dulls it sometimes. But it doesnât stop it.â
The car slowed at a red light. Steve stopped completely, then turned toward her, resting his arm against the seat.
âAnd you believed him?â he asked gently.
Blair looked down at her hands. âI wanted to. Because if itâs just stress, then it means itâll go away eventually. And I donât have to think about anything worse.â
Steve exhaled slowly. âAnd do you think itâs just stress?â
She didnât answer right away.
âI thinkâŠâ she started, then stopped. âI think something still feels off. And that scares me more than the pain.â
Steve nodded, understanding settling in his eyes. âSo you kept it to yourself.â
She shrugged. âEveryoneâs already carrying so much. Barb. Nancy. Everything that happened last year.â Her voice softened. âI didnât want to add myself to the list of things to worry about.â
âYou donât get to decide that alone,â he saidânot harshly, just honest. âEspecially not when itâs your chest.â
She glanced at him. âYou sound like my mom.â
âGood,â he said. âSheâs usually right.â
That earned a small smile from her.
The light turned green and Steve drove on, slower now.
âLook,â he said, quieter, âIâm not saying the doctorâs wrong. Stress can mess you up bad. But if it keeps happening, or if it gets worse⊠you tell someone. Me. Another doctor. Anyone.â
She nodded. âI will.â
He studied her for a second, then added, âAnd for the record? Youâre not weak for this. Or broken. Youâve been through hell.â
Blair leaned her head back against the seat. âIâm just tired of hurting.â
âI know,â he said softly.
They pulled up in front of her house.
âThanks,â she murmured. âFor listening. And not treating me like Iâm made of glass.â
Steve smiled faintly. âI donât think youâre fragile. I think youâre stubborn. And scared. And really bad at asking for help.â
She laughed quietly. âThat obvious?â
âOnly to people who care.â
Her heart beat a little faster at thatâbut not from pain this time.
And even though the ache in her chest hadnât disappeared, it felt less suffocating now.
Because she wasnât alone anymore.
He nodded once, jaw setâbut he didnât push. Instead, he smirked. âYou talked all night, by the way.â
Her head snapped toward him. âI did not.â
âOh, you did,â he said calmly. âDidnât stop.â
She squinted. âWhat did I say?â
Blair frowned, turning toward him. âSteve. You canât just say that and then not explain.â
He huffed out a laugh, short and nervous. âTrust me. You donât want the details.â
âThatâs suspicious.â
âItâs self-preservation,â he corrected quickly.
She tilted her head, studying him. âDid I embarrass myself?â
He shook his head. âNo. You embarrassed me.â
He kept his eyes on the road, jaw tightening just a fraction as her question lingered in the air.
Because suddenly he wasnât in the car anymore.
He was back in his bedroom. The weight of her on top of him. The way his hands had gone to her back automatically, muscle memory kicking in before his brain could catch up. The way sheâd shifted, restless, trying to get comfortableâcompletely unaware of the effect she was having on him. The warmth. The closeness. The very real problem his body had decided to announce at the worst possible moment.
Steve cleared his throat and adjusted his grip on the steering wheel.
Her eyebrows shot up. âOh?â
She smiled, slow and mischievous despite the headache. âNow you definitely have to tell me.â
He glanced at her, then back at the road, heat creeping up his neck. âBlair.â
âYou were drunk,â he said carefully. âAnd comfortable. And very⊠mobile.â
She blinked. âMobile?â
He sighed. âYou moved a lot.â
Then her eyes widened, realization flickering behind them. âOh.â
He didnât look at her. âYeah.â
A grin tugged at her lips. âWas that⊠a problem?â
He swallowed. âLetâs just say Iâm very glad you fell asleep when you did.â
She burst out laughing, then immediately winced and pressed a hand to her head. âOwâokayâworth it.â
He shook his head, but he was smiling now. âYouâre impossible.â
She leaned back, still grinning. âSo youâre never telling me what I said, and youâre not telling me what happened.â
âAlive,â he shot back. âAnd hoping to stay that way.â
She laughed again, softer this time, and the tension easedâthough his mind stubbornly refused to forget the weight of her, the closeness, or how hard it had been to do the right thing.
Some things, Steve decided, were better left unspoken.
When they reached her house, he followed her inside. Claudia was already in the kitchen, coffee in hand. Her smile turned downright mischievous when she saw Steve.
âOh,â she said brightly. âWell, isnât this familiar.â
âMom,â Blair warned. âBehave.â
Steve chuckled awkwardly.
Blair disappeared upstairs to changeâleaving her door open.
Steve shifted his weight, suddenly very aware of how quiet the house felt without Blair there. The smell of coffee hung in the air, warm and familiar, and Claudia watched him over the rim of her mug with a knowing smile that made him clear his throat.
âI always did like you two together,â she repeated, softer now, but no less pointed.
Steve let out a small, nervous laugh. âUhâyeah. I mean. Blairâs⊠sheâs great.â
Claudia raised an eyebrow. âThatâs not what I said.â
He rubbed the back of his neck. âRight. Sorry. I justâsheâs important. To me.â
Claudia nodded, as if that was exactly the answer sheâd been waiting for. She took another sip of coffee, then glanced toward the stairs, making sure Blair was still out of earshot.
âSheâs had a rough year,â Claudia said. âMore than she lets on.â
Steveâs smile faded. âI know.â
âSheâs stubborn,â Claudia went on. âAlways has been. Tries to carry everything herself, like if she pretends it doesnât hurt, itâll just⊠go away.â
Steveâs jaw tightened. âShe doesnât talk about it much.â
âNo,â Claudia agreed. âShe talks around it. Makes jokes. Changes the subject.â She sighed. âBut I see it. The nightmares. The way she startles. The way she holds her chest like sheâs bracing for something.â
Steve looked down at the floor. âDustin mentioned the dizziness. The pain.â
Claudiaâs eyes softened. âThen you know sheâs scared.â
He nodded once. âYeah.â
They sat in silence for a moment, the hum of the refrigerator filling the space. Then Claudia smiled again, lighter this time.
âYou make her feel safe,â she said simply.
Steve blinked. âIââ
âIâm not saying itâs your job,â Claudia added quickly. âShe doesnât need saving. But when sheâs with you...â
Steve swallowed. He thought of that morning. Of her breathing steady against his chest. Of the light still off.
âI just want her to be okay,â he said.
Claudia smiled into her mug. âSo do I.â
Footsteps sounded on the stairs.
âOkay, Iâm readyââ Blairâs voice carried down, and then she appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, tugging on the sleeve of her jacket.
Dustin stood there, backpack slung over one shoulder, staring between them like heâd just walked in on a crime scene.
âWhy is he here?â he demanded, pointing at Steve.
Blair froze. âDustinââ
Steve lifted a hand awkwardly. âHey, man.â
Dustin squinted. âWhy do you look⊠comfortable?â
Blair groaned. âOh my God.â
Claudia laughed. âGood morning to you too, Dusty.â
Dustin ignored her. âDid you sleep here?â
Blair shot him a look. âDustin!â
âWhat?â Dustin said. âItâs a valid question!â
Claudia waved a hand. âRelax. He just brought your sister home.â
Dustinâs eyes widened. âYou went to a party.â
Dustin crossed his arms. âI knew it.â
Steve tried to defend himself. âNothing happened.â
Dustin leaned closer. âThatâs exactly what people say when something happened.â
Blair grabbed Steveâs wrist. âWe are leaving. Now. Before you say something youâll regret.â
Dustin blinked at the contact, then smirked. âWow. Bold.â
âShoes. Coat. Go,â Blair muttered, dragging Steve toward the door.
Claudia called after them, amused, âDonât be late!â
Dustin shook his head, watching them go. âThis house is exhausting.â
Blair had one hand on the doorknob and the other firmly wrapped around Steveâs wrist when Dustinâs voice cut through the air.
Blair closed her eyes for half a second, already tired. Steve sighed, shoulders dropping, like a man accepting his fate.
Dustin jogged over, backpack bouncing against his back. âCan you take me to school too?â
Blair turned slowly. âYou have a bus.â
âYeah, but the bus smells like feet and broken dreams,â Dustin replied. âAnd this is clearly a car situation.â
Steve glanced at Blair. Blair glanced at Steve.
They both knew theyâd already lost.
âFine,â Blair muttered. âGet in.â
Dustin grinned like heâd just won the lottery. âYes.â
They piled into the carâSteve in the driverâs seat, Blair in the passengerâs, Dustin climbing into the back and immediately leaning forward between them, far too close for comfort.
They didnât even make it to the end of the street.
Dustin began casually. âDid you guys have fun last night?â
Blair stared straight ahead. âDefine fun.â
Steve cleared his throat. âIt was⊠a night.â
âSo,â he said, leaning forward between the seats, chin resting on the headrest. âImportant question.â
Blair shut her eyes. âOh no.â
Steve exhaled through his nose. âWhatever it is, the answer is no.â
Dustin ignored him. âWhere did you sleep last night, Blair?â
Her eyes flew open. âExcuse me?â
âIn your bed?â Dustin continued. âOn the couch? On the floor like a Victorian child with a fever?â
Steveâs hands tightened just a little on the steering wheel.
Blair shifted in her seat. âI slept⊠fine.â
âThat wasnât the question.â
She groaned. âAt Steveâs.â
Steveâs jaw set, eyes fixed on the road.
Dustinâs eyebrows shot up. âAt Steveâs,â he repeated slowly. âInteresting.â
âDustin,â Blair warned.
âOkay, follow-up,â he said, undeterred. âDid you sleep in separate places, orââ
âWe slept,â Blair cut in quickly, âlike normal people sleep.â
Dustin smiled. âTogether.â
Steve cleared his throat. âShe had nightmares.â
Dustin blinked. âOh.â
Blair shot Steve a lookâhalf grateful, half embarrassed.
âSo,â Dustin said after a beat, softer. Then immediately: âSo you slept in the same bed.â
Blair muttered, âYes.â
Dustin slapped the back of Steveâs seat. âWow.â
Steve winced. âDo not hit the car.â
âSorry,â Dustin said, then grinned. âI just didnât expect this on a Tuesday.â
Blair crossed her arms. âCan you please stop narrating my life like itâs a documentary?â
âNope,â Dustin said. âThis is prime content.â
Steve glanced sideways at Blair. She was staring out the window now, cheeks faintly pink.
âSo,â he continued casually, âare you guys, like⊠a thing again?â
âNo,â Blair said immediately.
Steve answered at the same time, âWeâre justââ
Dustinâs grin widened. âJust what?â
Steve pressed his lips together. âHelping each other.â
âMmm,â Dustin hummed. âSure.â
Then he leaned forward, eyes sparkling with mischief. âNow⊠speaking of âoptions,â Blair⊠I may have⊠helped a little.â
Blair raised an eyebrow. âHelped how?â
Dustin grinned. âI got you a date.â
Steveâs hands tightened on the steering wheel, jaw clenching. ââŠExcuse me?â
âI signed you up,â Dustin continued, completely unfazed by Steveâs panic. âTotally harmless, super nice guy. Funny, smart⊠and he apparently has a thing for people who can handle a little chaos. So naturally, I thought of you.â
Blair blinked at him. âYou⊠did what?â
âSet you up,â Dustin said, leaning back like it was the most natural thing in the world. âDateâs Friday night. I figured it was time someone else got to experience your⊠awesomeness.â
Steve groaned, gripping the wheel tighter. âDustinââ
âRelax, Harrington,â Dustin said, waving him off. âItâs a good guy. Totally normal, harmless. No strings attached. You can chill.â
Blair exhaled slowly, disbelief written all over her face. âYou⊠didnât just decide my love life for me.â
âThink of it as a friendly nudge,â Dustin said. âA very, very good nudge.â
Steve muttered under his breath, âShe doesnât need thisâŠâ
âShe does,â Dustin replied cheerfully. âAnd so do you, sometimes.â
Blair turned toward Steve, smirking slightly, a mischievous glint in her eye. âSee? Someone cares about my love life.â
Steveâs jaw tightened. ââŠI do care,â he said quietly, but Dustin just smirked, clearly satisfied with the tension heâd stirred.
Steveâs voice hardened slightly, though he tried to keep it casual. âWaitâwhat kind of guy is this?â
Blair laughed, leaning back in her seat. âDustin tells me heâs nice. Thatâs all I need.â
Steveâs eyes narrowed in the rearview mirror. âNice? Thatâs it? Thatâs your measure?â
Blair shot him a look, amused. âWhat, Harrington? Jealous?â
Steve blinked, stiffening. ââŠNo. Not jealous.â
âUh-huh,â Blair said, voice dripping with playful skepticism. She leaned a little closer, still smirking. âSure, Steve. Totally not jealous.â
Dustin snickered, clearly delighted. âOhhhh, this is great. The Harrington jealousy face. Classic.â
Steve groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. âI am not jealous. I just⊠donât like surprises.â
Blair grinned, leaning closer, letting her hand brush lightly against his arm. âWell, maybe some surprises arenât so bad,â she teased softly. Her eyes sparkled, half daring him to argue.
Steveâs hands tightened again on the wheel. ââŠI just donât like the idea of someone else⊠being there for you like I am.â
Blairâs smile softened, just a little, though the playful tone stayed. âSteve⊠relax. Itâs just a date. And itâs not like it changes anything.â
Dustin leaned back, hands behind his head, smirking. âOh, it changes everything. Youâre just too stubborn to admit it.â
Steve shot him a warning look. âDustinââ
âNope,â Dustin said firmly. âI live for this. You two are giving me prime content, and I will take it.â
Blair laughed quietly, shaking her head. âYouâre impossible.â
âYeah,â Dustin said, grinning wider. âBut you love it.â
Steve exhaled slowly, staring at the road but feeling Blairâs gaze linger on him. He knew he couldnât stop the smirk that tugged at his lips when she looked at him like thatâhalf teasing, half challenging, and a little⊠intoxicating.
And somewhere deep down, he realized he didnât want her to go on that dateânot really. Not when he still wanted to be the one she laughed with, the one who caught her when she tripped over nothing, the one she trusted enough to fall asleep beside.
Blair, sensing the tension, smiled faintly to herself, enjoying the subtle chaos sheâd created. Dustin, meanwhile, reclined triumphantly in the back seat, clearly pleased with the drama heâd stirred between them.
The car was quiet for a moment, the only sounds the faint hum of the engine and their breaths, each of them caught in the unspoken tension that lingered longer than any words could explain.
The moment Steve pulled into the school parking lot, Dustin was already unbuckling his seatbelt.
âAlright!â he announced, far too cheerfully. âI have very important things to do.â
Blair frowned. âAt eight in the morning?â
âYes,â Dustin said solemnly, then grinned. âVery important. Extremely important. World-changing, even.â
Steve barely had time to cut the engine before Dustin shoved the door open.
âBye!â Dustin called, already jogging backward. âThink about what I said! Both of you! Reflect! Grow!â
âDustinââ Steve started.
Dustin turned and took off at a full sprint toward the building, backpack bouncing wildly, nearly colliding with a trash can on the way.
Blair watched him go, then burst out laughing.
Steve shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips despite himself. âHe is⊠so weird.â
âThe weirdest,â Blair agreed, shrugging. âBut you get used to it.â
They sat there for a second, the laughter fading into something softer. Quieter.
Blair turned toward him, resting her elbow on the door. âHey.â
Steve looked at her. âYeah?â
She tilted her head, studying his faceâthen smirked. âIâm not going on any date.â
âI was messing with you,â she said lightly. âI just wanted to see your face.â
Steve stared at her for half a second longer than necessary.
Then he exhaled. Deeply. His shoulders relaxed like heâd been holding his breath for miles.
âOh,â he said. âGood.â
Blairâs smile widened. âYou looked like you were about to fight someone.â
âI was,â he muttered. âMentally. Several people.â
She laughed, leaning closer. âYou were jealous.â
âI was concerned,â he corrected. âThereâs a difference.â
âSure,â Blair said, amused. âConcerned with a clenched jaw and white knuckles.â
Steve glanced down at his hands, realizing they were still gripping the steering wheel. He forced himself to loosen them.
ââŠOkay. Maybe a little.â
She softened at that. âRelax. There is no mysterious nice guy. Just me being annoying.â
âI noticed,â he said dryly. Then, quieter: âIâm glad.â
Blair held his gaze, something warm flickering between themâuntil it faded, reality settling in like a slow ache.
ââŠWhy didnât you pick up Nancy this morning?â
Steveâs expression shifted immediately. The ease drained out of him, replaced by something heavier.
âI needed space,â he said after a moment. âAnd so does she.â
Blair frowned. âIs she still mad?â
âShe was last night,â he replied. âReally mad.â
He swallowed. âShe said⊠everything was bullshit. Us. The parties. The pretending. She said she didnât know if she loved me.â
Blairâs chest tightened. âSteveâŠâ
âI donât even know if weâre together,â he admitted. âI walked away because I didnât know what else to do.â
Before Blair could answer, the school bell rangâsharp and loud, slicing through the moment.
Students flooded past the car.
Blair looked up just in time to see Billy Hargrove strolling by, sunglasses on, that smug grin firmly in place. He gave her an exaggerated wink.
Steveâs jaw tightened instantly.
Billy laughed to himself and kept walking.
Steve watched him go, eyes dark. Then he looked back at Blair.
ââŠPlease tell me your fake date wasnât with that idiot.â
Blair snorted. âAbsolutely not.â
âGood,â Steve muttered. âBecause I donât think I could handle that.â
She studied him, heart beating fasterânot from fear, not from nerves.
âI should go,â she said softly.
Steve nodded. âYeah.â
But neither of them moved right away.
For a moment, they just sat thereâtwo people caught between what they were, what they had been, and what they were pretending not to feel.
Then Blair smiled faintly. âTry not to fight anyone today.â
He smirked back. âNo promises.â
She opened the door, then paused. âSteve?â
ââŠIâm glad I slept at your place.â
But the look in his eyes did.
Classes passed without anything remarkable happening.
Blair sat through first period tapping her pen, half listening, half waiting to accidentally catch sight of Nancy in the hallway. She didnât. Not in English, not in History, not even during the crowded break between classes. Part of her felt relieved. Another part felt uneasy, like something unfinished was hovering just out of reach.
By the time lunch ended, she remembered.
The thought settled warmly in her chest. She debated it for a whole thirty secondsâthen grabbed her bag and headed toward the gym.
The gym echoed with sneakers squeaking and voices shouting.
High school boys were split across the court.
Billyâof courseâwas skins.
Blair leaned against the bleachers, arms crossed, watching. Steve moved easily across the court, focused, jaw set. Sweat darkened his hair slightly, and she hated how natural it felt to look for him first.
Billy guarded Steve closely. Too closely.
Almost pressed against him.
Steve dribbled, trying to shake him.
Billy leaned in, voice low but sharp enough to carry.
âHarrington, right?â Billy said, smirking as he crowded Steveâs space. âI hear you used to run this school. That true?â
Steve tried to cut left. Billy slid with him easily, shoulder brushing his, too close on purpose.
âKing Steve,â Billy went on, voice low and taunting. âThatâs what they used to call you?â
Steve clenched his jaw. âMaybe you should stop talkingâand play.â
Billy chuckled, eyes sharp. âRelax. Just curious how a king ends up playing defense like heâs got something on his mind.â
Steve pushed forward again, harder this time.
âAnd you know,â Billy added casually, âI met someone interesting last night. Real interesting.â
Steve didnât look at him, but his grip on the ball tightened.
âFunny thing,â Billy continued, almost conversational now. âShe didnât look like someone who likes being told what to do. Or who belongs to anyone.â
Steve snapped his head toward him. âKeep her out of this.â
Billyâs grin widened. âAh. So it is her.â
He leaned in as Steve tried to pivot away. âBrunette. Pretty. Beautiful legs.â
Steve shoved past him. âShut up.â
Billy laughed softly. âHit a nerve, huh?â
Steve made a sharp break toward the basketâ
Billy stole the ball cleanly, spinning away from him with ease.
As he sprinted cross court, he called back over his shoulder, âCareful, Harrington. Kings donât usually like sharing the throne.â
He scored the layup smoothly.
Billy high-fived Tommy H., then turned just long enough to wink at Steveâslow, deliberate.
Steve bent forward, hands on his knees, breathing hard. His face burnedânot just from the play, but from the words.
And then his expression shifted as he sawâ
She looked pale. Unhappy. Out of place.
She lifted a hand slightly, motioning for Steve to come over.
Steve straightened immediately.
âSub,â he muttered to a teammate, already heading off the court.
Billy watched him go, amused.
Billy jogged over, rolling his shoulders like he owned the place. âWell, look who decided to show up.â
Blair arched an eyebrow. âDo you always flirt mid-gym class, or am I special?â
He laughed. âLittle of both.â
He glanced toward the doors where Steve and Nancy were now talking in low voices. âYou left the party early.â
âSo did you,â Blair replied lightly.
âYeah,â Billy said. âBut I noticed you were gone first.â
She shrugged. âWasnât feeling it.â
âThatâs a shame,â he said, stepping a little closer. âYou disappeared right when things were getting interesting.â
Blair tilted her head. âInteresting how?â
Billyâs smile turned slow. Intentional. âLetâs just say I didnât get to finish our conversation.â
She met his gaze, unflinching. âYou mean the part where you were trying very hard to impress me?â
He chuckled. âWas it working?â
Billy laughed again, clearly enjoying himself. âYou always this difficult?â
âOnly with people who assume too much.â
âOuch,â he said, pressing a hand to his chest. âYou wound me.â
She smiled faintly. âYouâll survive.â
His eyes flicked briefly back to Steve, then returned to her. âYou and Harrington still a thing?â
Blairâs stomach tightenedâbut she kept her tone casual. âWhy do you care?â
âJust curious,â Billy said. âYou donât look like someone who likes being second place.â
Her eyes sharpened. âNeither do you.â
For a moment, something charged passed between themâthen Billy grinned again, all charm.
âGuess weâll see who wins,â he said lightly.
Blair crossed her arms. âThis isnât a competition.â
Billy leaned in just enough to be annoying. âEverything is.â
Before she could answer, the whistle blew.
Billy jogged backward toward the court, calling over his shoulder, âTry not to vanish next time, okay, sweetheart?â
Blair rolled her eyesâbut couldnât ignore the way Steve glanced toward her from across the gym, jaw tight, eyes dark.
And whatever was happening between themâwhatever they werenât sayingâfelt louder than the noise of the gym itself.
Steve came back into the gym with his jaw tight and his shoulders tense, the echo of raised voices still ringing in his ears. Sweat clung to his hair, his shirt sticking to his back. He barely registered the noise of the game restartingâuntil he saw Billy.
Billy was laughing, walking backward toward the lockers, spinning the basketball on one finger. Blair stood a few feet away from the bleachers, arms crossed loosely, posture casual. Too casual.
Billy leaned in just enough to say something in her ear.
Steveâs stomach twisted.
Blair smiledâpolite, controlledâand stepped back. Billy shrugged, clearly unbothered, and headed off, shooting her one last look over his shoulder before disappearing down the hall.
Steve exhaled sharply through his nose.
One look at his face told her everything. His eyes were darker than usual, jaw clenched like he was holding something back. She didnât approach right away. She waitedâletting the whistle blow, the players shuffle off, the noise die down.
When practice finally ended, Steve grabbed his bag and headed straight for her.
Up close, he smelled like sweat and gym soap, hair damp, chest still rising a little too fast.
âIâll take you home,â he said, voice flat. âAfter classes.â
Blair blinked. âSteveâare you okay?â
He was already turning away.
âIâll be outside,â he added, not looking back.
She watched him go, a knot forming in her chest.
The rest of the day passed strangely. Blair sat through classes barely listening, her eyes drifting to empty seats. No Nancy. No Jonathan. It felt wrongâlike something important was happening just out of reach.
By the final bell, she was restless.
She headed to the parking lot and found Steve leaning against his car, arms crossed, staring at nothing. A few spaces away, Billy was laughing with a girl Blair didnât recognize, her hand already on his arm. They climbed into his car.
Blair rolled her eyes but smiled back anyway, more amused than anything.
Blair walked over. âHey.â
Steve nodded once. âGet in.â
The car ride was⊠tense.
Not angry. Just quiet in a way that pressed against Blairâs ribs. Steveâs knuckles were pale around the steering wheel, eyes fixed on the road like if he blinked too long, everything would spill out.
She waited. Counted three stop signs.
Then sighed. âOkay. Talk to me.â
He didnât answer right away.
âNancy,â she added softly.
Steve swallowed. âShe said she doesnât love me.â His voice was flat, but his chest rose sharply. âOr⊠she didnât say she did. Which is basically the same thing.â
Blairâs fingers curled in her lap. âSteveâŠâ
âShe said everything was bullshit,â he continued. âUs. Barb. Me pretending nothing happened.â He scoffed quietly. âI think that hurts more than if sheâd just yelled.â
Blair nodded slowly, heart heavy. âIâm really sorry.â
Silence fell again. Thicker this time.
Then Blair shifted in her seat, an idea formingâreckless, familiar, very her.
âSo,â she said lightly, âhypothetically⊠if someone wanted to forget today ever happenedâŠâ
Steve glanced at her. ââŠNo.â
She smiled anyway. âYou didnât even let me finish.â
âI know where this is going.â
She leaned back dramatically. âJust saying. Alcohol exists. And Iâm very good company.â
He exhaled, the corner of his mouth twitching despite himself. âYouâre terrible.â
âI prefer âsupportive.ââ
They reached a red light.
Blair turned her head, studying him. âCan we stop at the store?â
Steve hesitated. Then nodded. âFine. But Iâm not getting drunk with you.â
She grinned. âWeâll see.â
As the car moved forward, Blair rested her head against the window, watching the world blur past. Her heart was still racingânot from fear, not from pain.
From Steve beside her. From what had almost happened. From what still lingered between them, unresolved and very much alive.
He sighed, turning the wheel toward the corner store.
ââŠYouâre a bad influence.â
Blair leaned back in her seat, satisfied. âYeah,â she said. âBut Iâm your bad influence.â
And for the first time since practice ended, Steve almost smiled.