When Nothing Else Matters (Heartstrings, #1)

by Katherine Jay

“I really appreciate your support,” she says, her tone laced with false innocence. “I know he’s your teammate, but it’s just so hard to be around him, after what he did to me. I didn’t think he’d be here considering—” “Enough!” I yell, pushing my way past the brick wall that is one of our linebackers and making it known that I’d been standing behind her. I’m fine with her trash talking me, but I’m not fine with her airing my personal issues. And that’s exactly what she was about to do. “What? Did I say something wrong? You hurt me, Dylan. Broke my—” “You have got to be fuckin’ kidding me. You cheated on me. No, that’s too trivial for what you did. You were a two-timing bitch, and in hindsight, a shitty girlfriend. I dodged a bullet when we broke up.” Despite the loud music, we garner a lot of attention, and shocked eyes pierce me from every direction. The Dylan they all know does not behave the way they just witnessed. One face, however, is unperturbed—Joel. In fact, he has the smallest of smirks on his lips. “Drop it. It’s over,” he says to Nicole with his eyebrow raised in challenge. She pouts and walks away in a huff, dragging my teammate with her. He looks back over his shoulder with an apologetic gaze. I ignore him.