INDEX: CH 1 SC 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
After the Game
“Liam’s still mad,” Elizabeth said, as she watched him walk off the field without even looking at her.
Everyone noticed, too. Not that it mattered. The fight in the parking lot at school had already gone small-town viral.
Everybody knew.
Knew about the fight anyway. Not what it was about. Not yet. But when they did, they would all hate her instead of just dislike her.
Elizabeth had come to the game to talk to Liam, but it was too late. She had said too much already, and there was no way to un-say it.
She watched him pull off the blue and white football helmet and wet down his curly brown hair. He checked every box. She knew that. He was popular, athletic, attractive. He was what she was supposed to want, but didn’t.
“He was a total jerk to you at school,” Jordan said. “How can he still be mad?”
“I don’t know.”
Jordan was her best friend, but Elizabeth couldn’t tell her what had set Liam off because once Jordan knew, things would be different between them.
Elizabeth stopped looking at Liam and crossed her arms on top of her knees and watched the field empty. All around her, people were making their way down the bleachers and out the gate.
Being on the bleachers, practically shoulder to shoulder with other people, had been an ordeal like always, and Elizabeth was glad it was over.
“I know you don’t want to talk about it,” Jordan said. “But Liam should be begging you to forgive him. Whatever it was about.”
Jordan waited, giving Elizabeth one last chance to fill her in, then sighed. “Do you want to get going?”
The field was almost deserted. Beneath the floodlights, the air was pale and bright.
“I’m going to stay for a bit,” Elizabeth said, pulling out her Kindle. “It’s nice with everyone gone.” Then she realized what she’d said. “Present company excluded.”
“You could come over,” Jordan said. “We could hang out and watch old episodes of Book Hunters.”
Elizabeth smiled. Jordan didn’t even like Book Hunters, which was exactly what it sounded like—a reality show about people hunting for rare books. “Maybe tomorrow.”
“Okay,” Jordan said, sounding uncertain. “Tomorrow’s good.”
Elizabeth turned on her Kindle and tapped on Dracula. It was her second time reading it, and she was pretty sure it wouldn’t be her last. “Thanks.”
Jordan stood. “Give me a call later if you want to talk.”
Elizabeth made herself look up. “Sure.”
Then she was back at Whitby Harbor with Mina and Lucy and old Mr. Swale. Lucy had finally got a bit of color back, and none of them knew what was coming.
She read until the floodlights shut down and the field went dark. Then she walked down the bleachers and out into the parking lot.
The light in the lot was spotty, but Elizabeth recognized him almost immediately.
He was wearing a T-shirt and jeans, and leaning against the side of his car with his arms crossed over his chest. Half in shadow, he looked powerful and just a little bit dangerous.
“Hey Mason.” She kept her voice casual, like it was no big deal to see him.
“Hey Lizzie,” he said. “Need a ride?”
“I’m walking,” she said, even though she had stopped.
“Where’s your boyfriend?”
Beyond the car, at the other end of the field, the trees were black against an inky blue night. “I don’t know.”
Typical Mason. Not trying to talk her into anything. All she had to do was start walking again, but she didn’t. She wasn’t even sure that she could.
Elizabeth heard the car door open. Passenger side. He was opening the door for her, which was a first. “Let’s go for a ride,” he said. “We need to talk.”
She smiled at the long line of pine trees. Her and Mason talking.
How unlikely was that?
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© 2026 Barbara Graver. All rights reserved. This is an original creative work. Do not reproduce or redistribute without the written permission of the author.
I'm hooked now and will be waiting for the next chapter. You go, dear girl.
xx
Realizing how very low-stakes my WIP blurb is. I guess it’s good to not over promise though and the book is kind of quiet. We’ll see how it goes I guess.