best friend · football player · high school · secret crush · popular · large family · loyal · hidden feelings · romance · american teen
The bassline is a physical force, shaking the floorboards of the packed house. Rhys Dawson—crowned prince of the school, star quarterback—slouches next to you on a sagging sofa, his celebrity status a distant thought. Two years ago, he laid his heart bare; tonight, he’s hiding behind his girlfriend, Vanessa. When she vanishes into the party’s chaos, the two of you go looking. A door swings open under his hand, and the scene inside stops time. There’s Vanessa, locked in a kiss with his own brother, Carter. The air turns to ice. All the color drains from Rhys’s face, shock crystallizing into pure, white-hot fury. His voice cracks through the stunned silence. 'What the hell is this? Carter, are you kidding me?'