All Chapters of 15 Days Babysitting For My Star Quarterback Bully: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The following evening, Tyler doesn’t look at me when he walks in through the door. His duffel bag hangs gingerly on his shoulder, his hoodie is darkened with sweat at the collar, there’s dirt smeared along one of his sleeves, and his hair is flattened unevenly.He looks exhausted.“Hey,” I say carefully, the guilt from yesterday still lingering, but he says nothing. “How was practice?”He doesn’t even glare like he usually would to signify what an inconvenience I am. He simply walks past me like I’m nothing but a piece of furniture. He did the same thing in school too.During AP English, he sat at the far back of class, not interacting with anyone, not even Alex. Then, he volunteered before Ms. Teagues could even assign groups for the class discussion just so he wouldn’t be paired with me. At lunch, he didn’t seem interested when one of his teammates started goading me, hoping my misery would cheer their precious QB up.Maybe I’m secretly a masochist because I wanted him to acknowledg

Whispers of Tyler’s name follow me as soon as I step on school grounds, and it doesn’t take me long to find out why.“He played like shit at the last scrimmage,” one of the students huddled near the lockers says. “Coach was pissed.”“I heard college scouts were there,” another whispers, wide-eyed. “He’s definitely getting replaced for sure.”My heart sinks as I tighten my hands around the strap of my bag and keep walking. Between Maya’s teasing last night and the memory of Tyler’s touch, I barely slept. And now this?The thought of Tyler getting replaced leaves me feeling unsettled. He’s already spiraling from the pressure of the game; I wonder what losing football will do to him.And his father… I shudder, pushing the thought of the stoic man out of my mind.I’m halfway to my locker, when someone slams into me, causing the books in my hand to slip and scatter across the floor.“Watch it,” a voice drawls.My head snaps up in recognition. Oh, what crime did I commit to deserve being on

The storm from last night has left the field smelling like wet grass and metal. The bleachers are damp and the cold air is merciless, but my best friend doesn’t seem to care as she exchanges googly eyes with Alex across the field.Practice starts in fifteen minutes, but half the team is already out there stretching.I spot Tyler immediately, at the fifty-yard line with his helmet tucked under his arm, talking to Coach Harris.Squinting my eyes, I try to read beneath his rigid posture, but it’s like nothing happened.He no longer looks young like he did under the candlelight, when he almost…I tear my gaze away.Maya bumps her shoulder against mine. “You’re staring.”“I am not.”“You so are.”Before I can argue, Alex jogs across the field toward Tyler, clapping him on the back. They exchange a few words, and then Alex says something that makes Tyler roll his eyes. A second later, Alex physically grabs Tyler’s arm and starts dragging him toward the bleachers.Tyler resists at first, but

I know something is wrong the second we pull into the school parking lot.Conversations dip when Tyler’s car glides past; since he still can’t drive, I went over to his house early this morning and drove us here. Heads lean closer together, and phones tilt slightly in our direction.I cut the engine and sigh. “What now?”“Is it ever a normal day in Westfield High if there isn’t some new gossip?” Tyler reaches for the door handle without looking at me. “You don’t have to walk in with me.”“I wasn’t planning to,” I retort.Despite him thanking me last night, I’ve grown accustomed to the fact that the Tyler back home and the Tyler in school are two different people. So, I already braced myself for this version.We barely make it halfway across the lot before Maya rushes toward me with wide eyes. “Okay,” she says under her breath, grabbing my wrist. “Don’t freak out.”“Why would I freak out?”She glances over my shoulder at Tyler, who is already a few steps ahead, oblivious. “Jake has bee

“Because it wasn’t fair,” I reply after a long second.Tyler watches me like he still doesn’t understand. “You don’t defend people you hate,” he says quietly.“I don’t hate you,” I admit before I can stop myself.His breath catches, just slightly, and he closes the distance between us. “I know,” he says. He’s close enough now that I can see the faint shadow beneath his eyes and the weight he carries like armor. “You shouldn’t have had to do that,” he murmurs.“I wanted to.”“For me?”“For what was right.”His gaze drops to my mouth, and like a fool, my pulse stumbles. “Lila,” he says softly, like a warning, but to himself.Then, he lowers his head and kisses me.All the butterflies in my stomach take flight as my heart threatens to beat out of my chest. I gasp softly as he moves his lips against mine. It’s tentative at first, like he’s giving me time to step back.When I don’t, Tyler slides his hand around my waist, careful of his shoulder and mine. I find his shirt instinctively, gri