Chapter 2
For that one second, we weren't strangers. We were Evie and Axel, best friends from summer camp, secret sharers on swings, grown up into... whatever this was.
His eyes held questions, concern, and something else. Something that made my heart skip.
Sienna noticed his distraction and turned to look at me. Her eyes narrowed.
"Do you two know each other?" she asked, suspicion creeping into her voice.
"No," Axel said too quickly, then cleared his throat. "I mean, I don't think so. You look familiar though."
Good save, Kingsley.
"I have one of those faces," I said, trying to keep my voice light. "Nice game tonight, by the way."
"Thanks."
We looked at each other for another second before I turned away.
"Come on, Madison. I think I need some air."
But as I walked toward the door, I could feel two pairs of eyes on me. One filled with warmth and longing, the other with suspicion and calculation.
I'd just finished my shower and was wrapped in a towel when I heard a male voice outside the stalls.
"Axel, your water bottle's in here somewhere," Sienna's voice carried from the locker room entrance. "I saw it fall out of your bag earlier."
Axel's water bottle? He never leaves anything in the women's locker room. What the hell is this?
I quickly ducked into the locker area, trying to get dressed, but it was too late.
"Here it is!" Sienna announced, and then I heard footsteps. Heavy footsteps.
"Sienna, I really shouldn't be in here—" Axel's voice sounded uncomfortable.
I peered through the gap between lockers and saw Sienna wearing what had to be the most ridiculous transparent rain jacket over her bra and shorts, claiming it was to "protect her clothes from getting splashed."
"Don't worry, everyone's gone," she said, then "accidentally" slipped on a puddle.
"Whoa!" Axel instinctively reached out to catch her, and her hands landed on his chest.
"Oh my," she breathed, "you're so strong."
This performance is worse than community theater. But Axel looks genuinely concerned because he's the kind of guy who'd help anyone who fell.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"I think so. Maybe you could help me to the bench? My ankle feels a little..."
That's when I "accidentally" slammed my locker door shut, creating a massive bang.
"Shit!" Sienna jumped up, and suddenly her ankle was perfectly fine.
Axel turned toward the sound. "Someone's still here."
"Probably just the janitor," Sienna said quickly. "Come on, let's go."
They left, but I could hear Sienna chattering about her "injury" all the way down the hallway.
Later that night, Madison sat on my bed eating popcorn while I filled her in on the drama.
"So let me get this straight," she said, "Sienna basically threw herself at the quarterback in the locker room while you were naked and hiding?"
"I wasn't naked. I had a towel."
"Same difference. And you didn't say anything?"
I shrugged. "What was I supposed to say? 'Hey, stop seducing that guy I'm definitely not interested in'?"
If Madison knew the truth about me and Axel, she'd understand this situation immediately. But I can't tell her.
"Evie," Madison said, getting serious, "I think Sienna is playing a game. And you're not playing back."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean she's been watching you. Haven't you noticed? Every time Axel Kingsley is around, she looks at you to see your reaction."
She noticed. If Madison picked up on it, Sienna definitely has too.
"You think she suspects something?"
"I think she suspects you like him. Which, honestly, who doesn't? The man is walking sex appeal."
If only she knew.
Two days later, I headed to Axel's locker to find him. We needed to talk about the locker room situation and how to handle Sienna. But when I got there, I saw a scene that made my blood boil.
Sienna had "accidentally" fallen against Axel's locker just as he opened it. His arms naturally braced on either side of her, creating the perfect wall-slam pose.
And naturally, Madison happened to be walking by with her phone out.
"Oh my God, are you guys okay?" Madison asked, but her finger was already moving across the screen.
"We're fine," Sienna said breathlessly. "Axel was just... catching me."
This bitch. She planned all of this.
"Actually," I said loudly, walking toward them, "I think I saw what really happened."
All three turned to look at me.
"The floor is wet right there," I pointed to a completely dry spot. "From the water fountain. Someone should probably report that. Safety hazard."
Axel's eyes met mine, and I saw relief and gratitude.
"Yeah," he said, gently helping Sienna stand straight. "Thanks for the heads up. Are you sure you're okay, Sienna?"
"I'm fine," she said, but her eyes were shooting daggers at me.
That evening, Madison was scrolling through her phone on my bed when she suddenly sat up.
"Evie, you need to see this," she said, turning her screen toward me.
Sienna's Instagram story showed a photo with Axel in the background and her in the foreground, captioned: "When the quarterback catches you 💕 #blessed #QB12"
"She posted this?" I asked, though the answer was obvious.
"It gets worse."
Madison scrolled to another post. Sienna was wearing what looked like Axel's practice jersey with the caption: "Game day ready in my favorite jersey 😘 #footballwife #QB12girlfriend"
That's not his jersey. I can tell because his practice jerseys have a specific stitch pattern that this one doesn't have. She bought a replica.
"This is crazy," I said.
"It's also working. Look at the comments."
Hundreds of comments flooded the screen. "You guys are so cute!" "Relationship goals!" "When's the wedding?"
"Madison," I said carefully, "what if I told you this was all fake?"
"Fake how?"
"Like... what if she was making it all up for attention?"
Madison looked at me seriously. "Then I'd say someone needs to stop her before she ruins that poor boy's reputation. And yours."
"Mine?"
"Evie, honey, you like him. It's obvious to everyone except apparently him. So either you make a move, or you watch her win by default."
If only it were that simple.
This time I came prepared. Madison and I arrived at the Sigma Chi party early, and I wore a simple black dress that I knew Axel liked because he'd once told me black was my color.
Sienna arrived an hour later, already stumbling.
"Oh my Goooood, Evie!" she practically fell on me. "You look sooooo pretty!"
She's not drunk. I can tell because her pupils aren't dilated and she's not actually slurring, just pretending to.
"Thanks, Sienna. Are you okay?"
"I'm perfect! But I think I need some air. Hey, is Axel here?"
Of course.
"I think he's in the kitchen," Madison said.
"Perfect! I need him to drive me home. I'm too drunk to call an Uber."
She weaved through the crowd toward the kitchen. I followed, staying far enough behind to not be obvious.
"Axel!" Sienna threw herself against him. "I'm so drunk, and I can't get home. Could you maybe...?"
"Are you okay?" He looked genuinely concerned. "Where are your friends?"