The party was already loud when Roxie arrived.

That was impressive, considering half the town had just spent two hours screaming at a football game. Briarwick students apparently had unlimited energy when there was alcohol, a big backyard, and parents who thought being upstairs counted as supervision.

The house belonged to some senior whose family had a farm on the edge of town, which meant a long driveway, a huge kitchen, too many trucks parked on the grass, and a barn lit with string lights.

Roxie stood near the back porch with a red cup in her hand.

The cup had water in it.

She was furious, but she still had standards.

Karen had disappeared somewhere near the music. Angela was talking to Lacey by the snack table, probably making sure the girl did not replay the tumble mistake until graduation.

The football team had taken over the far side of the yard.

Zac was with them.

He stood near the fire pit with Kyle, Mason, and three other boys. Dylan sat in a patio chair with his injured ankle propped on a cooler, acting like a hurt ankle made him the main attraction. Two girls hovered near him with concerned faces, so unfortunately, it was working.

Zac had a cup in his hand.

His face changed when he saw her.

Roxie smiled at him sweetly enough to be a warning.

Then she turned away.

Karen appeared at her side with a cup and a suspicious face. "Still on the lover’s quarrel?"

"Shut up. I came to make him suffer."

Karen sipped her drink. "I don’t know. He looks excited to see you."

"Then he’ll learn tonight."

Roxie scanned the yard.

People were everywhere. Girls sat on hay bales. Boys leaned against trucks. Someone had connected speakers near the barn, and the bass kept rattling through the porch boards. A few freshmen were trying to look like they belonged and failing badly.

"Roxie."

Noah came up the porch steps, smiling like he already wanted to leave. "The save was awesome. That lift after the tumble mistake? Whole crowd lost it."

Karen looked between Noah and Roxie. "I’m getting chips before this becomes a court case." Then she grinned at her. "Someone’s going to be on a murder list."

Noah immediately looked toward the football boys. "Was she talking about me?"

"Don’t mind her."

"I mind him." Noah nodded toward Zac without fully turning his head. "I enjoy breathing."

Roxie grabbed his arm before he could leave. "Wait."

Noah pulled back fast. "Do not touch me. I like being friends with you but you’re going to get me killed."

She rolled her eyes. "I need someone to talk to."

"Go talk to your quarterback."

"He is not my quarterback."

Noah gave her a look. "Right." 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"I need someone who won’t run away just because Zac glares."

Noah stared at her for a moment.

Then his grin turned dangerous. "Jayden."

Roxie paused.

Jayden.

Basketball team. Loud. Popular. Campus heartthrob, according to girls who used that phrase without shame.

Also, according to hallway gossip, he hated Zac.

That part mattered tonight.

"Thank you," Roxie said.

Noah pointed at her. "I did not approve this and I didn’t give you a name."

"My lips are sealed."

Roxie walked inside before Noah could complain more.

The kitchen was crowded with students pretending to eat so they could stay near the drinks. Chips covered the counter. Someone had opened three pizza boxes and abandoned all the crusts like criminals.

Jayden stood near the island with two basketball players and a girl in a white top laughing at everything he said.

Roxie leaned near the finger foods and pretended to study the options.

Jayden noticed her fast.

He slid beside her with a grin. "Fancy meeting you here, Captain."

Roxie looked up and smiled. "Been too long, Jayden."

His grin widened. "If you came to cheer for my games, it wouldn’t be too long."

He winked. Ugh.

Roxie laughed lightly, louder than she needed to. "You are such a flirt."

Jayden’s face changed like he had just received permission from the universe.

"You flirting with me, Captain?"

Roxie almost sighed.

He was attractive. She could admit that. Tall, confident, nice arms, nice smile, fully aware of every bit of it.

Her heart did nothing. It didn’t throb like his title promised.

She smiled anyway. "I don’t know."

Jayden leaned closer. "That sounded like a maybe."

"It sounded like I don’t know."

"Same thing in my language."

Roxie glanced past his shoulder.

Zac had entered the kitchen.

He leaned near the wall with his cup in his hand, eyes on them.

Roxie turned back to Jayden and placed her fingers lightly on his arm.

"You look really fit."

Jayden looked down at her hand.

Then back at her.

His face said he had already misunderstood the entire situation.

"Basketball conditioning," he said.

"Clearly."

Her hand stayed there long enough for Zac to see.

Public enough.

Obvious enough.

Stupid enough.

Zac reached them before Jayden could enjoy it too much.

He stepped between them with enough anger on his face that Jayden actually grinned.

"Prescott," Jayden said. "Big win."

Zac did not look at him. "Walk away."

Jayden’s grin faded a little.

Roxie’s eyebrows lifted. "Excuse me?"

Jayden held up both hands. "I’m walking."

"Jayden," Roxie said.

He looked at her and grinned again. "You’re pretty, Captain, but this is a lot of drama for one compliment."

Roxie glared at him.

Jayden left the kitchen with his friends laughing behind him.

Zac stepped closer. "What were you doing?"

Roxie looked at him sharply. "You know exactly what I was doing."

His jaw flexed.

People near the island had gone quiet. A girl holding a paper plate looked between them and immediately pretended to choose chips. Someone near the fridge lifted a phone halfway, then lowered it when Roxie looked over.

Roxie forced a smile at the room. "Nothing to see."

No one believed her.

She grabbed Zac’s wrist and pulled him toward the back door. "Outside."

Zac followed.

The porch was worse. More people. More music. More eyes.

Roxie saw his keys clipped to his jeans and took them.

Zac looked down. "What are you doing?"

"You had alcohol."

"I had half a beer."

Roxie walked toward the driveway forcing Zac to follow.

Everyone pretended to mind their business, which meant they watched harder.

His truck was parked near the edge of the grass.

Roxie got into the driver’s seat and shoved the key into the ignition. Zac got in beside her and shut the door hard.

She backed out carefully, drove down the long driveway, and turned onto the road. The party noise faded behind them.

Zac looked out the windshield. "Where are you going?"

She didn’t answer and just turned onto a dirt road beside the farm and stopped near the fence line. The house lights were far enough away that no one could follow without looking obvious.

Roxie killed the engine.

Zac spoke first. "What the hell was that with Jayden?"

Roxie turned in the seat. "You mean when I touched his arm and you acted like I signed a marriage contract?"

"You did it on purpose."

"Yes."

His eyes narrowed. "You wanted me jealous."

"You wanted me at that party."

"I wanted you there because you keep running."

"I said no because I didn’t want another rumor and because I didn’t want to be there."

His jaw worked. "Why do you always avoid us?"

"Us?" Roxie threw her hands up. "There is no us."

"Bullshit."

"There is you deciding things and me getting dragged into them."

"I’m trying to figure out what we are."

"We’re friends."

"Bullshit," he snapped, and his hand hit the dashboard hard enough to make her flinch.

Roxie froze.

Zac noticed immediately.

His face changed. "I’m sorry."

She stared ahead.

"I shouldn’t have done that," he said.

"No," she said. "You shouldn’t."

"I’m sorry."

She looked at him then. "You blackmailed me."

His face tightened. "I wasn’t going to tell anyone."

"But you wanted me to think you might."

He opened his mouth.

Nothing came out.

Roxie laughed once, sharp and mean. "Yeah. That’s what I thought."

"Roxie."

"You used what I told you because I said no."

"I was pissed."

"That makes it worse."

His jaw flexed, but he did not argue.

She wanted him to argue. She wanted him to say something stupid so she could stay angry without feeling anything else.

But he just looked at her like he knew she was right.

Roxie looked away first.

"You don’t get to do that," she said. "I trusted you with things about me and you used them when you were mad."

"I know."

She looked at him.

He corrected himself fast. "I mean, I understand."

"You scared me into coming."

His face pulled tight.

"That’s what you did," she said. "And then you act like this is about us being confusing."

"It is confusing."

"No. You made it ugly."

Zac rubbed both hands over his face. "I messed up."

"Yes."

"I’m sorry."

"You keep saying that."

"Because I am."

Roxie swallowed and looked out the windshield.

The anger was still there, but it was harder to hold now. He sounded sorry. He looked sorry. She had wanted him furious so she could hate him properly, and instead he was sitting beside her looking like he knew exactly how bad he had made it.

She hated that more.

Zac leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "I just want time with you."

"That’s not how you get it."

"I know."

Her eyes cut to him.

He exhaled. "I understand."

Roxie looked down at her hands.

He was trying.

That was the problem.

"I told you," she said. "I can’t offer you more."

Zac nodded slowly.

His mouth tightened like he hated the answer but had decided to swallow it anyway. "Fine."

Roxie waited for him to push.

He did not.

"I’ll take the friendship," he said.

She looked at him.

He did not look happy. He looked like he had accepted the only answer she could give.

"That’s all I can do," she said.

"I heard you."

"You’re mad."

"Yeah."

"At me?"

"At myself."

She looked away.

"It’s better if we don’t talk for a while."

Zac’s jaw worked.

Roxie waited for him to argue.

He did not.

"Okay," he said.

She started the truck and drove back to the party.

The music was still loud when they returned. People were laughing near the barn, spilling drinks, shouting about the win, acting like the whole night had stayed in one piece.

Roxie parked near the grass and handed him the keys.

Zac took them without touching her hand.

"Goodnight, Zac," she said.

Then she got out and walked back to the cheerleaders.

Karen looked up first, eyes moving from Roxie’s face to Zac’s truck.

Roxie gave her one look.

Karen shut her mouth.

Angela stepped closer, softer. "You okay?"

"I’m fine," Roxie said.

This time, nobody pushed.

Across the yard, Mason reached Zac before anyone else could. Zac stood by his truck with his keys in one hand, listening to whatever Mason was saying.

For a moment, Roxie thought he might look over.

He did not.

True to his word, Zac did not come near her again that night.