LAURA
I sat on the cold bleachers, sandwiched between Jess and Sam, trying my best to focus on the game. The guys were running back and forth on the field, yelling plays and throwing the ball, but my attention kept straying to one player in particular.
Josh.
I hated myself for it, for the way my eyes lingered on him longer than they should. He looked good out there, his broad shoulders filling out his football uniform in a way that made my stomach twist. His jersey clung to his chest, and when he moved, I couldn’t help but notice how his muscles rippled beneath the fabric, his arms flexing as he adjusted his helmet. He jogged back to the line, his strides long and confident, the kind of movement that screamed control.
Power.
And then he smiled at something one of his teammates said, his teeth flashing under the lights, and I felt my breath hitch. It wasn’t fair. He didn’t even have to try, and he was the most infuriatingly attractive person I’d ever met.
I shifted in my seat, trying to focus on something else, anything else, but my eyes betrayed me again, darting back to him as he crouched into position. His hands rested on his thighs, his gaze locked on the opposing team, and all I could think about was how strong those hands looked. How it felt when he steadied
me after the fight. How I wanted to forget that he made me flinch and only remember the warmth of his palm against my
skin.
“Earth to Laura!”
Sam snapped her fingers in front of my face, pulling me out of my ridiculous haze. My head jerked toward her, heat rushing to my cheeks as I realized how obvious I must’ve been. “What?”
She gave me a knowing look, her lips curving into a mischievous grin. “You okay? You’ve been staring off into space for, like, ten minutes.”
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“I’m fine,” I said quickly, forcing a smile and trying to play it cool. But before I could steer the conversation away, Sam’s gaze zeroed in on my face, her brow furrowing.
“Laura…what happened to your face? Your nose looks…bruised,” she said, her voice dropping with concern.
My hand flew to my nose instinctively, my fingers grazing the sensitive spot. It wasn’t as bad as it had been a week ago, but the faint discoloration was still there. I scrambled for an excuse, my mind racing.
“Oh,” I said, laughing awkwardly. “It’s nothing: I was carrying my easel up the stairs and tripped. Smacked my face on the table. Total klutz moment.”
Sam winced, shaking her head. “Ouch. That must’ve hurt.”
“Yeah,” I said, letting out a nervous chuckle. “It did. But it’s fine now. Just a little sore.”
s.
Jess leaned closer, squinting at me like she wasn’t entirely convinced, but then she shrugged. “Classic Laura,” she teased. “Always tripping over something.
I forced a laugh, relief washing over me as they bought my story. The last thing I needed was for them to start asking more questions, questions I wasn’t ready to answer.
Shifting on the bleachers, I glanced back toward the field, pretending to adjust my position. Josh was on the sidelines now, taking a swig from his water bottle. His helmet was off, and his dark hair was damp with sweat, curling slightly at the edges. My stomach did that stupid twisty thing again, and I hated myself for it.
Then, as if he could feel me staring, his eyes flicked in my direction.
I froze.
For a second, I was sure he was looking right at me, his blue eyes sharp and intense, like he could see every thought running through my head. My breath caught, and I felt a rush of heat flood my face.
But then he turned away, grabbing his helmet and heading back onto the field, like I hadn’t even been there. Like I didn’t exist.
I shifted nervously, suddenly feeling too hot despite the cool evening air. My palms were damp, and my heart was beating way too fast for someone who was just sitting on a set of metal bleachers.
“Laura, are you okay?” Jess asked, nudging me gently.
“Yeah,” I said quickly, forcing another smile. “Just a little tired, I guess.”
She gave me a sympathetic look but didn’t push it, turning back to watch the game. I let out a breath, my eyes darting back to the field one last time. Josh was in position again, focused and determined, completely unaware of the chaos he was causing inside me.
I looked away, pressing my palms to my thighs to stop them from trembling. This was stupid. I was stupid. He was just a guy -a guy who didn’t even notice me, who probably didn’t even care,
So why couldn’t I stop noticing him?
