FAKE DATING MY CRUSH'S HOCKEY RIVAL

CHAPTER 2 - THE DEAL

AMBER’S POV

For a second, I didn’t know what to say.

I stared at the wall behind him, utterly confused. If I said Maverick’s name, my life was over. If I said Ryder’s name, I was going to be sick.

Ryder chuckled and seeing him laugh at my embarrassment made me want to hit him with my notebook.

“You don’t have to say it,” he said. “Your face already did.”

“My face didn’t say anything.”

“It’s the color of a tomato, Amber.” He looked at the paper again and shook his head slowly. “So the girl who writes our post game analysis has a crush on the team’s captain.”

My heart skipped a beat. He knew already, so it was pointless trying to deny.

“Stop it,” I said. “It’s none of your business.”

“Poor Maverick,” Ryder rambled on. “He doesn’t even know. You’re hopeless, Amber. Do you know that?”

“At least I’m not in everyone’s pants like you,” I snapped.

Ryder did not look offended. He only shrugged, and a slow smile etched across his face.

“At least there are good reviews,” he said. “Wouldn’t you like to leave one someday?”

My mouth fell open. I had no answer for that.

He was still shirtless, and for one second, I let myself notice. Then I shook my head hard and looked away.

Every girl at Ridgemont College whispered about him in the hallways. In barely a semester here, he had already gotten a reputation as a notorious playboy and all the girls wanted a taste of him.

“Are you done staring?” Ryder asked. He sounded very pleased with himself.

“I was not staring,” I groaned.

I knew I could not win this fight, so I did the only thing left. I took a deep breath and swallowed my pride.

“Please,” I murmured. “Please don’t tell anyone about that poem.”

Ryder raised his eyebrows. “Say that again.”

“Please don’t tell anyone,” I repeated. “If that gets out…”

He tapped a finger against his chin and looked up at the ceiling, like he was considering whether keeping my dirty little secret was worth it.

“And what do I get out of it?” he finally asked.

“What do you want?”

“Hmm.” He looked me up and down. “You’re the smartest girl in our year, right? You get the best grades. Everyone knows that.”

“I guess…”

“Then here is my condition. You do all my work, from now until the end of the semester. Every assignment, every project, every test paper.”

“What?” My voice went up so high that it almost cracked. “That’s crazy! That’s four months of work!”

“You don’t have to say yes,” Ryder said, and he lifted the paper in his hand. “I’m sure the whole team would love to read this.”

I stared at him. I wanted to snatch that paper and rip it to pieces. But there were only two options in front of me. I could say no, and everyone on campus would know my biggest secret by tomorrow. Or I could say yes, and be the slave of the most annoying boy in the world for four months.

“Fine,” I said through gritted teeth. “I’ll do it.”

“Good girl.”

“Don’t call me that.”

I picked up my scattered papers, shoved them into my notebook, and turned on my heels. I was almost at the door when his voice came from behind me.

“Wait. There is one more thing.”

“What now?” I spun around to meet him.

Before I could say another word, he caught my wrist, pulled me right up against him, and lowered his face toward mine.

For a second, I couldn’t move. His eyes were so gray, and so close, and he was looking at my lips like he had done this a hundred times before. I could feel his breath on my skin, and I realized what he was trying to do.

I pulled my head back, and then I swung it forward as hard as I could. My forehead hit his nose, and Ryder let go of me and staggered backward, with both hands over his face.

“Ow! Ah! What the…”

“You jerk!” I snapped. My head was pounding, but I had never been so happy. “Try that again and I’ll break your nose for real!”

“Okay, okay!” He was laughing, even with his bleeding nose. “You are crazy, do you know that? That hurt!”

“Good!”

I marched to the door and pulled it open. Behind me, Ryder was still laughing, and he called out.

“Hey, Amber! Don’t forget your poem!”

I spun around, and he was holding the paper out in front of him, at arm’s length. I snatched it from his fingers and stuffed it inside my notebook.

“Don’t worry,” Ryder said, with a wink. “I already know it by heart.”

I slammed the door hard and paused for a while to catch my breath. My cheeks were still hot, my head was pounding, and I was still holding Maverick’s glove in one hand.

I began to walk down the hallway with my books pressed against my chest. The noise from the celebration outside sounded far away. There were lockers on my left and a row of closed doors on my right, and the whole place was quiet.

I was passing the third door when I heard a soft moan.

Then a girl’s voice, low and breathless.

“Maverick…”

I stopped walking.

My whole body went cold. I must have heard wrong. It was probably just my imagination, because I had been thinking about him all day.

But I had to be sure.

I took one step to the right. The door was open a little, only a small crack, and I put my hand on the wood and pushed.

The door slowly swung open and my heart stopped.

Maverick was inside, with his back against the wall. His hands were on the waist of a girl with long hair, and their lips were locked in a passionate kiss. Neither of them had heard me.

The notebook slid from my arms and hit the floor with a loud crash.

They jumped apart, and Maverick spun around. His face was flushed and his hair was messy. When he saw who was standing in the doorway, his eyes went wide.

“Oh my God, Amber!” he sighed. “What are you doing here?”