Page 42 of Devious Knight
How could Kade know that I’m planning to leave Raventhorn when I haven’t told my friends yet?
They’re going to be upset with me and I’ll feel worse because I already know I’m going to miss them so damn much.
Luckily Kade didn’t spread the word. I didn’t think he would because he probably assumed they knew and it’s not exactly newsworthy. Besides, he practically told me to leave when he was so horrible to me last year at that party.
Earlier, as I finished off my sculpture, I decided I’d tell everyone on Sunday.
By then everything should be settled and I will have done all the official stuff. The only thing that might be left is the external review of my sculpture from Harvard.
It might be sensible to complete that first, but I don’t know how long I can go on keeping this secret.
Loud cheers from everyone pull my focus back and I see Kade has the ball. The sun casts a golden glow over him as if he’s just taken center stage and he races toward the end zone as if strokes of lightning are attached to his feet.
All you can see is the speed of him and the number sixteen on his jersey moving across the field.
He has everyone’s attention. Including mine. Even if I wanted to, I can’t look away. I’ve never seen anyone move like him. He’s running at the speed of light but with such precision and grace that he looks unreal. He manages to do all that while evading the groups of defenders who rush at him.
The linemen burst into action, blocking and pushing, creating a pocket for Kade to run through. He sails past with the ball cradled securely in his hands.
They chase him, coming at him on all sides. When he looks to his left I know he’s searching for Dmitri. I’ve watched them for so many years that I know they work as a unit.
When the defenders think Kade is going to keep going, he throws the ball and it spirals through the air, sailing toward Dmitri.
He catches it and lures the defenders toward him, which is exactly what the two planned.
Dmitri takes them off track, clearing another path for Kade, and just when he’s far enough he throws the ball right back to Kade.
The moment he catches it, it’s game over because no one will be able to keep up with him.
Kade runs forward, continuing his pursuit to the end zone, and scores the winning touchdown
The whistle blows and the play is over, and everyone goes wild.
If this were a real live game in the championships they would lose their minds.
Their energy ripples through the air like electricity. It rises with the cheers.
Kade pulls off his helmet and the cheers grow, just for him. As if he’s a god.
I guess he is.
He acknowledges his teammates who rush up to him with their high fives and fist bumps. He and Dmitri do their habitual dap handshake, then Kade looks right at me. And because of where I’m sitting it’s very noticeable that he’s looking at me.
At that moment I experience a different kind of awareness that I never expected.
It’s bad enough when one of the most popular guys on campus starts stalking you but when he’s the star athlete who everyone worships and he looks at you the way Kade is looking at me… well… that’s a whole other story. Especially if you’re me—invisible Isabelle.
Again I try to look away, but as I take in the way his jersey clings to his hard, muscular body, I remember how it felt to be pressed up against him.
Thankfully it’s he who looks away first.
I catch my breath and breathe past the constriction in my lungs. I look back to the sidelines and try to find Mackenzie. She’s talking away with one of the girls but spots me and waves.
She holds up her hands and mouths the words thirty minutes to me.
I give her a thumbs-up and nod.
Ten minutes later everyone clears the field. I purposely head to the hallway on the other side of the stadium to wait for Mackenzie. Here I can avoid the crowd. And Kade.