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“I’ame, Austin”

“Like you weren’t corimace as Johanssen squeezed

I shoved at Johanssen’s shoulder, breaking his grip “Back the fuck off hi one too many times, but you need to chill”

“He protects you on and off the field? How precious” Then he turned his sneer to me and his whole face shifted like his own personal rain cloud now included thunder “But who protects you?”

I hadn’t thought there was anythingHis shtmare fuel

“Don’t let hiot this” I clapped Austin on his shoulder The plasticof the tunnel and cut through the trudging noise of everyone heading into the locker room

There were noThere was only the slowonce the locker room door closed

But at the end of the tunnel like a dahthouse in turbulent seas, Jules stood beside a couple of security guards, clutching a box to her chest

I left Austin behind and ht to her The navy coat and white scarf were topped off with a cute hat with a little fluffy ball on top She looked like so of winter All she needed was aof hot chocolate, or maybe a pair of ice skates

“Sorry about your gah they hadn’t fallen It was a little quirk of hers she did whenever she was nervous

“It’s okay” I sounded like Coach had just her gear than when confronting Johanssen “Did you bring ?” I nodded toward the box in her hands

I waved her through security and stepped down one of the hallways off the tunnel, keeping an ear out for the Coach shoutingwith along with everyone else

She cringed “I un with these”

I lifted the box lid with one finger With a letter on each cupcake, the word “Congrats” was spelled out Swiping er across the top of one, I scooped up a dollop of the rich chocolate frosting and stuck it inthat could possibly taste better than this frosting would be Jules’ lips

Dropping the lid, I stared back at her “It was you You jinxed us”