came out everyone would treat me differently. Do you have any idea what it’s like to be the only one who’s different?”
Nina puts her hands on her hips. “Only every day of my life.”
Shit. Of course she does. I almost forgot who I was talking to. “Fine. Sorry.” I lean toward her. “Why did you come here anyway? Garvin State’s not exactly the most diverse school in the world. Or even in Texas. You, me and half the football team make up most of the diversity in this place.”
“Simple. Merit scholarship for engineering. Mostly white school or not—they want to pay me to come study, I’m in.”
I look at her fine features and dark skin. “So, what if you could pass? Be just like everyone else around here. You’d do it in a second.”
She gives an insulted snort. “No. I wouldn’t.” Nina fixes her deep brown eyes on me. “Because that’s not who I am. And it’s not who you are. What would your mama say if she knew that you were passing this whole time? It’s like denying she exists.”
And that’s what gets me. Because Mom would kill me. Worse than that, she’d be hurt. I can’t even imagine the look on her face if she finds out what I’ve been doing. “I didn’t do it on purpose, it just sort of happened and by the time I figured it out, it was too late to say anything. Besides, you should see the way the rest of the guys treat Rowan just because there’s a rumor that he’s gay. Just because of a fucking rumor he can barely come into the locker room anymore. I don’t want to be that guy.”
She shakes her head. “It wouldn’t be as bad as you think. People will forgive a lot if you can hit a ball or score a touchdown around here.”
“It wouldn’t be the same. No matter how many home runs I hit this year, it wouldn’t be the same.”
“You can’t keep lying like this. Eventually it’s going to come out.”
I reach for her, but she flinches, so I drop my hand. “Look,” I say, the panic rising in my chest. Everything I’ve done this year has been to make people see what I want them to see and now it’s going to get all fucked up. “You can’t tell anyone. And I mean anyone, okay? This is none of your business.”
Her dark eyes are steady on me. “It became my business when you screwed with my friend. Who I dragged out that night to meet you so the whole thing is sort of my fault.”
“I didn’t mean for that to happen,” I say quickly. “I like Jenna, I really do. And if things were different…” If things were different, she’d never have given me a shot, I’m sure of that. Small-town Texas girls don’t go out with mixed-race guys.
“But things aren’t different. And you led her on and then bailed on her,” Nina says, the anger radiating off her body. “Who does that?”
Assholes do that. And now I’m one of them. “I tried to stop. I did. But things got out of control. Look, me leaving her alone is doing her a favor. You know that.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it. You at least owe Jenna an explanation.”
I can feel my face getting hot. “I can’t explain it to her, and neither can you. Promise me you won’t say anything! To her or Mitch. I’ll try to fix it, I swear. But you have to let me do it my own way, in my own time.” I suddenly realize that my fate is in her hands. A few well-chosen words and everything I’ve built this year will come crashing down. “Promise me.”
I see her hesitate, but she finally nods. “I won’t say anything. It’s not my place. But you should. This is ridiculous.”
“Thank you,” I say, relief flooding my body.
I walk to my bike and am turning the key when she smiles and shouts, “Seriously Ty, the truth will set you free.”
I stomp on the starter as the bike roars to life.
If only.
Chapter Six (Jenna)
“Crap! Hang on a second.” I grab Courtney as she starts to get out of the car. I duck down in my seat, but Ty doesn’t even look our
Nina puts her hands on her hips. “Only every day of my life.”
Shit. Of course she does. I almost forgot who I was talking to. “Fine. Sorry.” I lean toward her. “Why did you come here anyway? Garvin State’s not exactly the most diverse school in the world. Or even in Texas. You, me and half the football team make up most of the diversity in this place.”
“Simple. Merit scholarship for engineering. Mostly white school or not—they want to pay me to come study, I’m in.”
I look at her fine features and dark skin. “So, what if you could pass? Be just like everyone else around here. You’d do it in a second.”
She gives an insulted snort. “No. I wouldn’t.” Nina fixes her deep brown eyes on me. “Because that’s not who I am. And it’s not who you are. What would your mama say if she knew that you were passing this whole time? It’s like denying she exists.”
And that’s what gets me. Because Mom would kill me. Worse than that, she’d be hurt. I can’t even imagine the look on her face if she finds out what I’ve been doing. “I didn’t do it on purpose, it just sort of happened and by the time I figured it out, it was too late to say anything. Besides, you should see the way the rest of the guys treat Rowan just because there’s a rumor that he’s gay. Just because of a fucking rumor he can barely come into the locker room anymore. I don’t want to be that guy.”
She shakes her head. “It wouldn’t be as bad as you think. People will forgive a lot if you can hit a ball or score a touchdown around here.”
“It wouldn’t be the same. No matter how many home runs I hit this year, it wouldn’t be the same.”
“You can’t keep lying like this. Eventually it’s going to come out.”
I reach for her, but she flinches, so I drop my hand. “Look,” I say, the panic rising in my chest. Everything I’ve done this year has been to make people see what I want them to see and now it’s going to get all fucked up. “You can’t tell anyone. And I mean anyone, okay? This is none of your business.”
Her dark eyes are steady on me. “It became my business when you screwed with my friend. Who I dragged out that night to meet you so the whole thing is sort of my fault.”
“I didn’t mean for that to happen,” I say quickly. “I like Jenna, I really do. And if things were different…” If things were different, she’d never have given me a shot, I’m sure of that. Small-town Texas girls don’t go out with mixed-race guys.
“But things aren’t different. And you led her on and then bailed on her,” Nina says, the anger radiating off her body. “Who does that?”
Assholes do that. And now I’m one of them. “I tried to stop. I did. But things got out of control. Look, me leaving her alone is doing her a favor. You know that.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it. You at least owe Jenna an explanation.”
I can feel my face getting hot. “I can’t explain it to her, and neither can you. Promise me you won’t say anything! To her or Mitch. I’ll try to fix it, I swear. But you have to let me do it my own way, in my own time.” I suddenly realize that my fate is in her hands. A few well-chosen words and everything I’ve built this year will come crashing down. “Promise me.”
I see her hesitate, but she finally nods. “I won’t say anything. It’s not my place. But you should. This is ridiculous.”
“Thank you,” I say, relief flooding my body.
I walk to my bike and am turning the key when she smiles and shouts, “Seriously Ty, the truth will set you free.”
I stomp on the starter as the bike roars to life.
If only.
Chapter Six (Jenna)
“Crap! Hang on a second.” I grab Courtney as she starts to get out of the car. I duck down in my seat, but Ty doesn’t even look our
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