There’s never a point in denying anything to Shannon, so I don’t. The gum is the perfect excuse for my mouth to be too busy to respond, and then Gia and the cheerleaders come out and we clap, whistle, and stomp as she shakes her pom-poms. I take a few pictures of her cheering, plus a couple of selfies with Kiki and Shannon, and I’m working on filtering and posting them when Shannon simultaneously coughs loudly and jabs me in the side with a bony elbow.

When I look up, there’s the star himself, helmet off, hair soaked with sweat, his slightly crooked smile lighting up the entire field. “You came,” he says, and it takes everything in my power not to look around to confirm he’s talking to me.

I shrug, even though I can feel an unstoppable smile betraying me. “I heard Kosinski’s aim really improved over the summer. Had to see for myself.”

“And?”

God, there are so many people watching us. “I’d say you’re all looking pretty good out there,” I concede, and if possible, his smile dials up a few watts.

“Looking pretty good out here too,” he says, and though my bare legs and back are hardly visible to him from that angle, I feel a little naked under his gaze.

I know this effect. He’s had it on me for as long as I can remember. But since when do I have it on him?

He glances back at the field and it’s clear he’s gotta go back, but he turns to me again. “You going to the party tonight?”

The party. That’s what it is to him. Not Jasmine’s party, just the party. She does not factor into this equation. Not a bad thing for me to remember. “Planning on it.”

“Good. I guess I’ll see you there.”

“Or you could drive her,” says Shannon. “She could use a ride.” The innuendo isn’t lost on me, and I turn to glare at her. “What?” she says innocently. “Gia’s gonna have all her cheer shit. I don’t have room for all of that.”

Shannon drives a fucking tank, but okay. I’m willing to bet Chase knows it too, but he says, “As long as you don’t mind waiting for me to shower, I’m happy to take you.”

I don’t know whether to kiss Shannon or kill her, but Kiki declares that they’ll keep me company until he’s ready since they have to wait for Gia anyway, and before I know it I’m watching Chase jog back to the game with the knowledge that about a hundred people just watched that go down and the night has only just begun.

I’m gonna need more gum.