Free Cursed by Lizzy Ford

their way.
    “Oh, god,” Mickey muttered. “You better do the talking. We know how these things go.”
    “Hey guys,” the girl said, smiling. “We’ve been snapping pics for this week’s ezine. Any cool quote about what it takes to be the dynamic duo of football?”
    “Sounds like we’re gay,” Mickey said.
    She wrote it down.
    “No, don’t …” Jayden gave Mickey a harried look. “Here’s a better one: it takes teamwork in all aspects of life to be successful.”
    “Oh, that’s a good one,” she said, raising her eyebrows. “You both headed to LSU next year?”
    “We’ll let you know as soon as we decide,” Mickey said. “I’m partial to southern girls.”
    “Partial to southern girls,” the editor repeated as she wrote. “How about you, Jayden?”
    “I guess I like southern girls,” he said with a shrug.
    “No, I mean, are you signing with LSU?”
    “I haven’t decided,” he replied, flashing his famous smile. It had the effect he hoped for. She blushed and looked down at her notepad. “You’ll be the first to know, okay?”
    Flustered, the girl nodded.
    They once again headed towards the locker room.
    “Do you think she knows you were quoting the teamwork poster in our locker room?” Mickey whispered.
    “Nah. Notice how we’re the only two she ever asks for a quote, and she does it every week?”
    “Yeah. Which one of us is she after? Both of us?”
    “Maybe. I’m done with girls for now. I’m gonna focus on school and football,” Jayden said.
    “I’d ask her out, but she runs the ezine. Can you imagine what she’d print if she got pissed?” Mickey shook his head. “I’d be afraid to break up with her. Then I’d cheat, she’d find out, and the scandal would be on the front page for like, months.”
    “Don’t cheat,” Jayden suggested with a chuckle.
    “Even better – I won’t ask her out.”
    They bantered back and forth as they rushed to shower and make it to the cafeteria before class started. As they passed through the hallway through the arts wing, Jayden registered the husky, rich and warm vocals of what sounded like an angel. She was a cross between Eartha Kitt and Adele, a sexy purr that set his blood on fire. He stopped in place, surprised someone so talented came from the music room here.
    “What?” Mickey asked, pausing a few steps away.
    “You hear the singing?”
    “Yeah. So?”
    Jayden rolled his eyes. The door to one of the music rooms was cracked open. He retraced his steps to peer into it, even more surprised to see such an incredible voice come from such a small girl. She even looked like an angel: A petite blonde with porcelain skin and eyes so green, he saw the color clearly from across the room. Her features were delicate and defined, her skin tanned from the summer.
    He waved Mickey down the hall towards him. Mickey grumbled about being hungry, but approached.
    “Whoa,” Mickey said as he spotted her. “She’s gotta be new. I’d definitely remember her.”
    Jayden studied her, as struck by her as he was the instinct she didn’t really fit in at a school that cost fifty thousand a year and required an endorsement from someone on the board. She wore the school uniform of skirt, white shirt, and vest, but it was clearly second hand. The clothes were faded and too baggy to fit her. Her nails were a cheerful pink, and her make-up subdued, just enough to give her bow-shaped lips color and her feathery eyelashes definition. Wispy white-blonde hair that appeared soft enough to touch even from the distance was in a ponytail that reached midway down her back.
    Chances were, she was there on a scholarship of some sort, and he could easily hear why.
    She was exactly what he didn’t need in his life this year.
    “You’re looking at her the way I look at your step sis.” Mickey laughed loudly enough that both student and instructor glanced towards the door. The girl flushed, as if she thought they had the nerve to laugh at someone who sang like