Tyler
The next day should have been easy.
Just another day at Lakeview—classes, practice, and the usual trash talks in the hallways.
I was mostly over Sydney’s smile yesterday, and I forced myself to laugh at Dean’s jokes throughout the first period.
But the thing about lying to yourself is that it eventually hunts you.
Because somehow, my brain still kept noticing Sydney Walker everywhere.
At her locker, walking past the science wing, sitting two rows ahead in history class.
The way she tucked her hair behind her ear, and ducked her head when laughter grew too loud.
Focus, Tyler.
Focus.
I had better things to worry about.
Like the game next week.
Or the fact that coach had managed to convince the principal to let us practice during lunch and through the last period.
So that meant the gym would basically be ours until the end of school.
Perfect distraction, right?
No Sydney, nothing to remind me of that insignificant exchange between her and Dean.
But before I could look away and sink in the fact that our topic in history was dangerously close to the possibility of a third world war, the lunch bell rang.
Everyone shot up from their seats and made for the door.
“Yo, Tyler, practice for the rest of the day!” Dean yelled, his bag dangling lazily in his hand.
“Coach is going to have all our heads on pikes if next week’s game goes wrong.”
I chuckled, standing up.
“That’s if practice doesn’t kill us first.”
”True.” He laughed loudly as I flung my bag over my shoulder.
“Hold up, I just have to return this book.”
I froze at the door and turned around before I could stop myself, my eye catching the book Dean had pulled out.
It was the same one Sydney had given him.
My eyes went to Sydney before Dean even got to her.
She was still seated where she was, eyes on the book in front of her, a finger twirling her hair.
Dean’s corky grin went up.
He stopped just near her table and placed the book on the table.
Sydney looked up, and without a word, she watched him pull out the chair across from her and sit down.
Then he smirked, his mouth moving in words I couldn’t quite make out.
And the more whatever he was saying lasted, the tighter my fist got on the strap of my bag.
I should have just walked out of the class and left Dean to come to the gym whenever he wanted to.
Instead, I stood in the doorway watching Sydney’s cheeks flush just as Dean stood from where he sat.
But I saw it.
It was there.
She turned in my direction.
But by then my blood had exceeded boiling point, my teeth competing for first to crush the other—even though what passed between them didn’t last up to a minute.
Sydney turned away quickly, like it’d hide the fact that she’d done that thing again with Dean.
I mean, what are they now?
Besties?
Dean clapped me on the shoulder.
“Come on, cap.
Or you’d be forced to do a thousand laps in three minutes.”
Somehow, I choked out a laugh as we joined the other guys heading for the locker room.
They were talking loudly about dribbling angles and coach reorganizing the team, and none of them seemed to be hungry or seemed to notice me falling slightly behind.
Because in everyone who was talking, I heard Dean’s voice the loudest.
But what pissed me off more was how low his voice had gone when he spoke to Sydney.
Like he’d done it purposely to get under my skin.
‘Or keep a secret.’ my mind hissed.
My frown deepened as we walked into the locker room.
“Yo, Tyler, what’s up with you?” Micheal pointed out.
“You look like someone whispered your meat is too small.”
The locker room exploded with laughter.
Dean’s being the loudest.
And it so pissed me off.
How dare he?
Still, I forced out a chuckle.
“I’m good, Michael.
Just a little too warmed up.”
It seemed that did the trick, as he just raised a brow at me.
I gave him an assuring nod.
Then he dapped me up and walked towards his locker, which left Dean standing directly in my line of sight.
‘There’s no way I’m letting this go.’ I said in my mind, shoving my locker shut.
Then mustering the most cheerful look I could, I walked up to him.
He pulled on his jersey and tossed a smirk my way.
“What’s up, Cap?”
I searched my mind for a way to go indirectly.
But I failed.
“Hey, um, what’s up with you and Walker?”
He scoffed.
“You mean Brooklyn’s sister?”
”Yeah,” I met his gaze, hoping he could make out my tightened jaw.
“You two seem a little close lately.”
”Pfff.” He scoffed like I’d just said his hair wasn’t the most perfect on the team.
“I’m just fooling around.”
My brows went up.
“Fooling around?”
He turned to me.
“Have you seen that girl?
Both of us combined couldn’t lift her even if we tried.” He laughed.
I had to slide my hands into my pockets to stop myself from shifting his jaw.
He smacked me on the shoulder, turning back to his locker.
“Girl’s too easy.” He added.
“Trusts easily, too.”
’Girl’s too easy.
Trusts easily, too.’ The words echoed in my head.
How dare he?
‘Grab him by the neck and maybe break all the limbs in his body.’
But all I could do was stare.
I just stood there, digesting the shit that had just fallen from his lips.
He was clearly buttering Sydney up for something worse.
Something I didn’t want to allow crawl into my head.
But if I react, people will notice.
“Tyler is falling for the fat girl.
Since when?” would be the headline.
That would be social suicide.
Everyone would know.
Sydney would know.
I couldn’t let that happen.
“What’s up?” Dean snapped me out of my head.
“You need anything?
Maybe a few lines for Sydney Walker?”