Beneath His Touch

Chapter Fifteen

"Did she say yes to him? Wait, does that mean they're dating?"

I slam my locker shut and turn to glare at them. They immediately quiet down, their tones dropping.

"Just ignore them," Lindsey says, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder.

I do as she suggests, walking away without another glance.

"Hey, Sarah!" I hear a voice behind me and turn to see Brian, grinning at me in that annoyingly familiar way.

"What do you want?" I snap, picking up my pace.

"You didn't reply to me," he says, clearly amused.

"About what?" I ask, my patience wearing thin.

"This Saturday. Are you coming?"

"And why would I?" I respond curtly.

"It's Cynthia's little sister's birthday party."

"So?"

"I invited you," he says, flashing a ridiculous grin. I offer a mocking smile in return.

"I'll think about it," I say with a smirk. "Hard pass." I turn to walk away, but he grabs my arm. My eyes narrow as I look down at his hand. "If you like your hand, I suggest you let go."

"Come on, why not?" he groans, as if he's the one being wronged.

I sigh, exasperated. "What's your deal? What do you want from me?"

"I just want to be friends," he insists, still not taking the hint.

"Friends?" I let out a short laugh. "Sorry, I've got enough friends." I start to leave again, but he grabs me once more.

Without thinking, I bring my knee up and slam it into his leg, causing him to yelp in pain and drop to the ground, clutching his shin.

"I warned you," I mutter, walking away without a second glance.

"Is everything okay here?" Jerry's voice cuts through the tension as he steps in, his gaze flickering between us.

"Jerry?" I breathe out, a mix of surprise and relief hitting me as I lock eyes with him.

"What's going on with him?" he asks, nodding toward Brian, who's still rubbing his foot and trying to play it off.

"Oh, him? Nothing important," I say with a small smile, attempting to brush it off.

"Come on, Sarah, we're cool. Just come to the party," Brian pleads, acting as though Jerry's presence doesn't even faze him.

"I already said pass."

"Wait, are you two talking about Cynthia's sister's party?" Jerry asks, his brow furrowing.

"You know about that?" I turn to him, caught off guard.

"Yeah, everybody knows about it," Brian jumps in with an almost smug grin. "On this campus, no one throws a party like my girl. Well, except maybe Liz and the Bulls. Their parties are practically legendary."

Jerry glances at me. "So, are you going?"

Before I can answer, Brian interjects, "Yeah, she's coming."

"I—"

"Good," Jerry interrupts, his gaze locking with Brian's, something unreadable passing between them. "Because I'll be there too."

It's like I've disappeared. The two of them stand there, staring each other down, the tension rising. I shift uncomfortably, caught in the middle of a silent standoff.

"Brian!" Elly's voice cuts through the moment, drawing both of their attention. He's standing with a group of five guys, all part of that band of theirs. I can't help but notice Javan isn't with them. He's been absent all week—not that I've been looking for him or anything, but he's the type of guy whose presence you notice.

"We're practicing outside. Be there," Elly says as they head off without waiting for a response.

"Yeah, sure," Brian calls after them, still smirking.

"What was that about?" Jerry asks, his expression hardening. "Are you playing with the Sevens now?"

"Yeah," Brian says, his smirk widening. "I'm officially on the team, and I'll be playing in the upcoming friendlies."

Jerry's face darkens. "But you play Javan's position."

"Exactly," Brian replies, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "See you at the party." He turns and walks off, his stupid grin still plastered on his face.

I glance at Jerry, noticing how deep his frown has become as he watches Brian disappear.

"What's wrong?" I ask, sensing something off.

"It's... strange," he mutters, almost to himself.

"What is?"

"Javan giving up his position, especially for a match against Luther," Jerry says, exhaling sharply.

"Why? Does he have some kind of grudge with them?"

Jerry's eyes meet mine, and there's a flicker of amusement in his gaze. "You really don't know, do you? Javan's half-brother is the star player for Luther. The two of them hate each other with a passion. Their matches? Legendary."

I can't help but smile at the way he says it, like he's savoring the drama. "What's with you?" I tease. "You sound like you're excited about it."

He chuckles, starting to walk away as I fall into step beside him. "I can't stand him, sure, but their games? You'll see one day. It's something else."