Chapter 9

SARAH

I literally cried for days. I was miserable, drained. Hearing Jayson say those words. Hearing him lose whatever hope he had for me, had my guts twisted. I felt awful.

Ash tried to cheer me up, but it wasn't working. If I wasn't on the field, I sat in my room, feeling sorry for myself.

When Jayson asked me who I wanted to be, at that point I didn't care anymore. I just want to be me and get on with my life. I don't need Jayson to do that.

Then he shows up at my door. He looked desperate. Like he was being tortured or something. When I told him about why I was at his office that day, I could see it in his face. The realization of how much he hurt me.

It's not the act with Wren. Like I said, I didn't care. But after he just let me fester. He wasn't even the least bit curious about why I wanted to see him. It stung. Stung so bad, I lashed out.

Seeing him at my door the next morning. Wanting to dance with me. Made everything wash away. My anger and frustration disappeared. All I ever wanted to do was to dance again...with him.

We stood there in the clearing. The air so thick you could cut it with a knife. I realized that I couldn't go there. I don't want to ruin what we just fixed. So, I walked away. I'm happy that he wants to share this with me, but I know if I told him how I feel, it'll just end up in disappointment.

So, unless the universe has other plans, I'll sit on the sidelines of Jayson Duke. Watching him. Wanting him quietly. I'll just be friends.

It's going to be hard, though. The universe seems to always get us together in places alone.

Like Saturday afternoon. I was doing laundry waiting for my clothes.

There's two lines of washers and two lines of dryers with long wooden benches in the middle of the rows of machines, for people to sit on.

Only, I don't sit. I walk across the benches, in bare feet, with my arms stretched out to the side. Balancing as I walk.

I pause. Put my arms out in front and then bend backwards. Planting my hands on the bench behind my feet and do back flips to the other end.

Then I do front flips back to where I started.

I do a scissor kick and twirl. I move into a handstand. I spread my legs out into a split and turn on my hands. I bring my legs back up into the air.

My concentration is shattered when I hear slow clapping. I can't see who it is and start to lose my balance. I fall. Right into the arms of Jayson.

"Whoa! I got you!" He says as he grabs me.

I blow the hair out of my face. "Thanks." I mumble.

He puts me down and I fix my hair.

He leans on the machines. "That was really good."

"How long were you there?" I looked at him suspiciously.

"Um...back flips. Where'd you learn that?" He folded his arms.

I adjusted my leggings. "Two years of the Falcon Ridge Gymnastics team. My dad thought it would be a good outlet for me."

"Was it?" He rested his hands on the washer on either side.

"Naw. Just made me more creative when I was breaking into the school." I smirk.

Jayson laughed. "Well, it certainly explains why you dodge and juke so well. Your flexibility is off the charts. Your hand eye coordination is almost perfect. So, it had some effect on you."

I do a tuck and roll into a stand on the bench and continue to balance back and forth. "So, what are you doing here?"

He shrugs. "Laundry. Same as you."

I go back into a handstand. "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot." He says watching me.

I walk on my hands up to the end of bench. I turn so my back is to the end. I launch myself off, Roll in the air and land on my feet for a perfect dismount.

Jayson eyes went wide and he looked like he was going to save me again, but then relaxed.

I fix my hair and walk to him. "Do you believe in fate?"

He scrunched his brow. "Like it's all in the cards kind of thing?"

I lean on the machine beside him. "Yeah. Like no matter what, the universe keeps pulling you in a certain direction. Fate."

He shakes his head. "Never had reason to. Fates not really for guys like me. Why?"

"I have a friend who swears fate is playing with her and this guy she likes. She's trying to get close, but he keeps pushing her away. The problem is, the universe keeps pushing them together. I wonder if it's actually possible that there's a force out there, putting people together even if they're too stupid to see it."

He rolls his head and looks down at me. "This friend wouldn't happen to be a little blonde girl that's a gymnastics expert, would it?' He presses back the smile he has.

I shoot him a look. "What? No. Not me. Georgia. She's been trying to get close to Kale but he's keeping her at arm's length. But they always seem to end up together for some reason or another. She's frustrated because she knows he likes her, but he won't act on it."

He folds his arms again and gives a quick scratch to his temple. "Um. Well...Kale....he's kind of...how should I put this......he's a fucking coward." He looks at me and smirks.

I laugh. "That's a nice thing to say."

His brow goes up. "It's true. He acts like a playboy most of the time because women scare him. The thought of actually being in a committed relationship has him running for the hills. If I was your friend, I'd ease up a bit. Show him there's nothing to be scared of. He'll come around."

He patted my arm and went to his machine to load his clothes into the washer.

I followed him and leaned on the machine next to his folding my arms. "So how come you automatically thought I was talking about myself."

He glances at me and goes back to fixing his clothes. "First reaction. When someone says I have a friend, it's usually about them."

"Do you think...."

He glances again, cutting me off. "No. No. Like I said. Fate doesn't deal with guys like me. Not for a long time."

"How do you know? It may not have been before, but it may be now."

He closes the lid. "Doubt it. I used to believe it, but not anymore."

"Oh." I push off the machine. "Ok. Well, from what I understand, fate doesn't have a cut-off date."

He turns his head to me slowly. Pushing the start button on the machine.

I smile. "You have to put the money in first." I nod to the change slider.

He breaks his gaze and shakes his head. "Uh...right." He reaches in his pocket for change.

I hear the buzzer of my dryer. I take my clothes out and put them in my basket. "See you around."

"Yeah..bye..Sarah." He's still looking at me like I just busted open a door in his head and he's now seeing what's on the other side.

I leave feeling like I know that conversation wasn't about Georgia and Kale. On some level it was about us. And from the look on his face, he knows it too.

But I'll still keep my distance. From way it sounds, he's not the relationship type of guy either. Maybe it's not just Kale that's the coward.

****

I walk into my room and Ash is on her bed with a crying Georgia in her arms. Her short blonde hair covering her face as Ash holds her.

"Georgia, just forget him. He's an idiot." Ash said stroking her head.

Georgia sat up. Her face full of tears. "I can't. It's not fair. Why did he did he do that?"

I drop my basket. "Oh no. What happened?"

Ash looked at Georgia and she nodded. Ash sighed. "Last week, Kale took Georgia's vCard."

My eyes went wide. "What! Goergia that's awesome!" She started to cry harder.

My face grew concerned. "What did he do?"

Ash rubbed her shoulder. "He...um...hasn't spoken to her for days and she just caught him kissing Mindy in the locker room."

I pressed my lips together. "Mindy. The chick's that been throwing herself at all the Alphas? That Mindy?"

Ash nods.

My jaw ticks and I turn for the door. "I'll be back."

Ash calls to me. "Sarah don't!"

But it's too late. I'm on a mission to make a certain Alpha pay for hurting my friend.

I walk into the dining hall. Perfect timing. Kale is walking down the walkway, flanked by Luke and Dea.

He flashes that stupid smile as he sees me coming at him. "Hey, Sarah."

I scrunch my face. "Don't Hey me!" And I swing giving him a left hook.

He falters back rubbing his jaw. "Fuck! What the hell?"

I shove his chest. "You're a real jerk you know that?"

"What?! What'd I do?!" He backs up out of my reach.

Luke and Dea just stand back.

"Do you even care what she gave to you?!" I shove him again. "Do you even care that you hurt her?!"

"Sarah...I... What are you talking about?!" He shook his head with his hands up.

"You're a real piece of shit." And I swung and landed a right hook to his face.

"Ow...fuck...Calm down!" He stood rubbing his jaw again. Luke and Dea still just watch, cringing.

I got up in his space. Shoving my finger in his face. "That girl is special and for some reason she thinks a douche like you is special too. Do you even know how lucky you are to have her even look your way? Do you?"

"I know...but..." He stammers.

I shove him hard. "What? Too busy trying to get into Mindy's pants?!"

"Mindy? What?" He looks around the dining hall.

"Yes, Mindy. The girl you just kissed, you asshole." I went to punch him again and my arm was caught in mid swing. I look and Jayson has my arm. He's glaring at me. A low growl comes from his chest.

He turns his head to Kale. "You, ok?"

Kale nods. "Uh, yeah. I guess." He rubs his nape.

He nods. "Go sit. I'll take care of this."

Kale leaves, giving me a glance that almost looked pained.

Jayson grabs my arm and starts to take me away.

He stops at Luke and Dea. "You just watched? Really?"

Dea ticked his head. "He was getting beat by a girl. It was funny." Luke nodded.

Jayson shook his head and headed out, dragging me with him.

He didn't take me to his office though. He threw me into the laundry room which was only a couple rooms down from the hall.

He stood with one arm wrapped around him and one holding the bridge of his nose.

He dropped his hand. "What were you thinking?"

"Your friend is a douchebag." I point at him.

"Ok. I already know that. But why were you fucking punching an Alpha in the middle of the dining hall?" He put his hands on his hips.

"I was defending a friend." I crossed my arms and scowled.

"The friend from earlier?" He asks.

"Yes." I speak. "He broke her heart and I had to show him what a stupid piece of shit he is for not realizing how good he has it."

Jayson scrubs his face. "You get that you can't just start fights with other members here, right? Especially, Alphas."

"She's one of my best friends and he needed some sense knocked into him" I stood firm.

"Sarah, I appreciate your loyalty to your friend. I do. But infighting isn't allowed here." He stepped closer.

"Ok. I'm sorry. I may have gone too far. But he deserved it." I point at him

Jayson sighed. "Ok. Well, apologize to him and you'll have two days of early practice. I'm sure Kale deserved every punch, but I can't not punish you."

"Fine."

He opens the door and puts his hand on the back of my neck. Leading me to Kale whose sitting at the end of the Alpha table.

His mouth is small and he glances up at me.

"Kale. I'm sorry I punched you. It won't happen again." I put my hands in front of me.

He looks up at Jayson, who shuts his eyes and nods. His eyes meet mine. "It's ok. It gave me something to think about." He mumbles.

I looked at Jayson and back to Kale. I smile and he tosses a smile back.

"I've dished out punishment and we will discuss how an 18-year-old girl got the better of you." Jayson smirks at Kale and takes me to my room.

I stop. "I'm sorry again."

He nods. "Just...the next time you want to kick Kale's ass, do it on the field." He leans close to my face. "You can't get in trouble for that there." He winks and smiles before he leaves back to the dining hall.

I'm left at my door actually smiling for getting in trouble this time.

I may have earned some more punishment for myself, but I'm positive that I saw something in Kale's eye that told me he knew he fucked up. Hopefully, he'll fix this for his and Georgia's sake.