Forbidden Love

28

Jaxon

"Jaxon, do you have an extra shirt?" Paxton asks at practice that afternoon.

"Where's your shirt?"

"I lost it," He slumps against his locker—which is three down from mine. "And normally, I wouldn't mind showing off my body, but Turner likes picking on me." He turns around and tries to look at his back, doing his best impression of a dog chasing his own tail. "Last time, he said I have back fat, do you see any back fat? I asked Liv and she said it was getting bad."

"Oh, dude, that is bad." Ben Stardon says from the other side of Paxton.

Lee Carrington turns. "You should get that checked out."

Paxton's face turns a bright shade of red. "W-what? Are you kidding?" He starts spinning again until Stardon and Carrington burst out laughing. "I hate you guys!" He whines and I throw him a shirt.

"Jax and Pax are back on the field!" Paxton jumps on my back the second we both finish getting changed. He's been repeating it like a mantra ever since I got back on the team.

I close my locker. "Never say that again."

"Don't be a downer." He jumps off. "I gotta show you my new skills. Did you know I've gotten better at throwing?" He swings his throwing arm in a circle.

"Have you?"

"Yep." We start walking out to the field with the team dragging behind us. "By the way, I invited people to watch."

"Coach is gonna kill you."

"Well, I have a valid excuse. They don't have a ride, so I'll give them one. Plus, Liv needs people to hang with on the bleachers. She gets lonely."

"You're giving me a ride today." I remind him. I really need to gas up my car, and since I spent so much money last night on books, waiting to gas up sounded like a better option. Paxton loves giving people rides—he said he feels like an Uber—so it all worked out.

When he got his truck, he was so excited to drive people around until he realized no one really needed a ride. He got upset and so now we've all come to an unsaid agreement that we'll get rides from Paxton every once in awhile.

We save on gas. He gets to drive. It's a win-win.

"Yes, and I'll give the others one too. Don't be stingy," Paxton tells me.

We get closer to the field, and he starts waving to people on the bleachers. I don't look over. He probably invited a bunch of freshmen girls. Hearing their squeals do not sound pleasant to me at all. It's only when we pass them that I finally glance.

I pause and my head swings back. Olivia, Kalani, and Luna are sitting there.

"When did you guys become close?" I stare at my tutor who's on a phone call. "Was it when I was away?"

"Who? Kalani?"

"No, Luna."

"Oh, right. We're friends. We have homeroom and first period together," He says matter-of-factly. "And we're locker buddies." He starts stretching his arms out. "I think I'm gonna start hanging with her more."

"No!" My outburst freaks us both out.

He furrows his eyebrows. "Don't worry, I'll make some time for you too."

"No, it's just...she's my tutor."

He grins. "You like her?"

"No." I shove him. "She's not my type,"

"She's hot. I don't see what else you need for her to be your type." He tilts his head to look at her and I roll my eyes. Jealousy is a feeling I'm not used to.

"Let's just go." I push him harder than before, and he laughs as I walk away.

"Hey! I was just messing!" He calls and follows me on to the field. "Don't be mad!"