Harper's Rules 1 & 2

Chapter 8: Harper

Never had I been madder at Jake's phone-off habit the two days before a game. On the road at BYU, short of calling whatever hotel he stayed at, I had no idea how to reach him and talk to him about Sarah Burke.

Fuck, Ethan's sister.

No wonder he hates Jake. I'd hate him too for that.

At Kieran's request, I stayed close-lipped about Sarah being Ethan's sister. Gossip wasn't an actual emergency but the sensation of an awful secret burned into me, especially since it potentially affected Jake at the worst time during the regular season. For half of Sunday I debated whether I told him or held onto the information until after his season ended.

I'd want to know and would be pissed if he knew something like this and didn't tell me.

But I'm not such an idiot that my past fucks resurface like the mold Li keeps bleaching out of the corners of our shower.

Probably best he hears it from someone who - oh fuck!! Not that again.

Finally, after enough internal debate that Li probably thought I had multiple personality disorder, I realized Jake deserved to know the truth.

Especially if his next game is against Ethan's team.

The weekend after Thanksgiving, where USC easily won over BYU then their return flight was promptly canceled because of snow, felt like the longest one of my life. Time dragged by no matter how busy I made myself.

Li and I watched the USC game on Friday, where I smiled like an idiot whenever the camera honed in on number seven, and we went to the UCLA game against Arizona on Saturday. Shoulder to shoulder with Li, we sat in the upper corner of one of the lower levels in the Rose Bowl stadium. While the four-hour diversion was nice, I felt like an outsider during the entire game.

Can't say the WAGs are any more welcoming here either.

After UCLA won over Arizona, Li dragged me to the last place I wanted to go on Saturday night, Kieran's after party. While she dolled herself up and I helped with her makeup, I dressed down in a pair of jeans and Li's UCLA shirt, which I'd worn to the game. My makeup was minimal and fresh and I would've happily blended myself into Kieran's apartment's walls if I could have.

Twenty minutes after we left our dorm, Li and I walked up to Kieran's two-story apartment building. I'd never been to his place but the gated entrance, visitor's list access, and call box showed his parents had set him up well.

A smile curled up my lips when Li bounced up to Kieran and he kissed her hard, right in the entryway door. After a few coughs from me later, they detached for oxygen. Both their cheeks were flushed pink and fucking stars hung in their eyes.

I might be sick and haven't even drank anything yet.

Kieran pulled his arm around Li's shoulders and threw me a lazy grin. "Harper, didn't know you were coming tonight."

"Looking for a diversion." My shoulders lifted an inch. "Either thank or curse your girlfriend for me being here."

"I heard USC got delayed coming back." In appreciation for his sympathy, I offered a curt nod. He cleared his throat and pressed the elevator's second floor button. "Listen, Harper... uhh, about Thanksgiving..."

"Like any family holiday, it was awkward as fuck for all of us." My shoulder hit one of the stainless steel walls that hummed and shook. I looked up at his faded and distorted reflection in it. "But stop projecting your butthurt about Jake on me."

"I am sorry." The last person responsible tipped her chin down. I was glad when Kieran lifted it and shook his head.

"No, I am." The conviction in his voice stretched my eyes wider. "I fucked up yesterday, especially with how I talked about my feelings for you in front of your family."