The Revenge Playbook by Rachael Allen

kneecaps. “Liv, you know how much I love you.”
    And I know what he’s asking, but I just can’t say yes.
    â€œThen, tell them,” I say. “Stand on the coffee table, and tell the whole party how much you love me. Tell them you are so sorry being on the football team made you forget that.”
    He hangs his head. “I can’t.”
    â€œThat’s what I thought.”
    â€œBut we could—”
    â€œWe could what? Have a relationship on the DL? Keep me as your dirty little secret? Your friends may think that’s all I’m good for, but I know I’m better than that.”
    He opens his mouth and closes it. Opens it again. “I’m sorry,” he says.
    I remember when I was little and pretty much anything could be fixed by those two magic words. It’s too bad we’re not little anymore. “I’m sorry too.”
    â€œSo, this is it for us then?”
    â€œYes.” I didn’t realize one little word could hurt so much. “Maybe you could call me when you graduate, though.”
    â€œYeah. Yeah, okay.”
    He walks out of the laundry room utterly defeated. I put my head in my hands and cry. I made the right decision, didn’t I? I don’t deserve to be called a slut. Or to be someone’s secret, on-the-side girl. So, why do I feel so horrible right now?
    â€œHey,” says a deep voice.
    I jump. I didn’t realize I wasn’t alone. It’s that guy Rey from earlier.
    â€œOh, um, hi.” Crying in front of a total stranger. Exactly how I want to spend my Friday night. Rey must have noticed too because he winds his big fingers together in supreme discomfort.
    â€œHe’s really torn up about having to break up with you,” he finally says.
    â€œYeah? Well then, maybe he shouldn’t have done it,” I snap. And then I feel guilty because this guy doesn’t seem like the ones that were talking about me. “Sorry.”
    He shrugs. “It’s okay. From what your friend was saying, it sounds like you’re pretty torn up too.”
    Remind me to have a chat with Peyton about sharing my feelings with football players.
    â€œYou need to know, he didn’t want to do it,” Rey says. “He felt like he didn’t have a choice.”
    I frown. “But he did have a choice. He could have picked me. He could have told them no.”
    â€œIf you saw the email, it might not seem like such an easy decision to you either.”
    â€œWhat email?” There’s an email? Hopefully, one that will explain why my life sucks so much right now.
    â€œI shouldn’t be talking about this.” He pauses, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “Let’s just say you weren’t the only girl this happened to. There may have been . . . a list.”
    â€œAre you kidding me?” A spark of anger sizzles through me, effectively cauterizing my tears.
    His face is kind, but serious too. “I shouldn’t have said anything, but Trevor’s my friend. You can’t tell anyone.”
    â€œYou have to forward it to me.”
    â€œI can’t do that.”
    â€œDo the other girls even know the football team made their boyfriends dump them, or do they think their broken hearts are just a coincidence?”
    â€œI don’t know,” he says in a way that makes me think the other girls have no idea.
    â€œThis is ridiculous.”
    I jump off the dryer. Worry flashes in his warm brown eyes.
    â€œWhere are you going?”
    I put a hand on his shoulder, stretching to reach it because he towers over me. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to tell anyone you told me.”
    But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to tell anyone.

UNCORRECTED E-PROOF—NOT FOR SALE
    HarperCollins Publishers
    ..................................................................
Saturday, August 15
MELANIE JANE
    â€œA re you serious right now?!” I