Roxie stopped. She should have pulled away sooner.

She didn’t know what had taken over her body, but now she was painfully aware of everyone around them.

Zac’s hand dropped from her waist, but his eyes stayed on her like the music, the creek, the party, and everyone around them had all become background noise.

"I need to sit down," she said, because leaving would make it more dramatic

Zac nodded. "Okay."

He moved with her toward the edge of the yard where a few logs and old plastic chairs had been dragged near the creek.

Roxie sat on one of the logs, smoothing her skirt even though there was nothing wrong with it. Zac lowered himself beside her, careful with his shoulder. The movement made his mouth tighten for half a second.

Roxie glanced at him. "Still hurts?"

He looked down at his shoulder like he had forgotten she knew about it. "A little."

"You should not have let Mason tackle you after the touchdown."

"I didn’t let him. Mason has the body awareness of a falling refrigerator."

Roxie almost smiled. "That sounds accurate."

Zac leaned forward, forearms on his knees, one shoulder sitting lower than the other. He looked tired now that the game glow was wearing off. Tired, bruised, and still unfairly pleased every time he glanced at her.

"You came tonight," he said.

"Angela threatened me."

"You also danced with me."

"Janice annoyed me."

His mouth curved. "So you keep saying."

"Because it is true."

"She is not the reason you stayed."

Roxie looked toward the creek. "You are very confident for someone whose best friend had to lock him in a nurse’s office to fix his life."

"That was not all me. That was Mason’s felony era trial."

Roxie laughed before she could stop herself.

Zac heard it and looked deeply satisfied, which made her regret giving him anything.

She shook her head. "Do not look proud."

"I earned that laugh."

The space between them softened.

That was the problem with Zac. He could irritate her into talking, then smile like every sharp part of her was something he wanted closer instead of something he should probably avoid for his own safety.

Roxie looked down at her hands.

The music had changed again, louder now, and the dancers near the center of the yard had started shouting along with the chorus. Someone splashed near the creek, followed by a burst of laughter. Mason was on the deck again, telling the touchdown story with his entire body while Dylan shook his head at him.

For a few seconds, Roxie almost felt normal.

Then Tori’s voice cut through the air.

"Well, this is cute."

Roxie’s stomach sank.

Zac’s head lifted.

Kendall walked toward them with Tori beside her and Brent Harlow trailing behind like he had been invited to look intimidating.

Brent was one of those boys who acted richer than he was because his dad owned a construction company and his truck had expensive tires. He was tall, broad, and always hovering around Kendall like maybe one day she would reward him for it.

Tori smiled brightly, but her eyes went straight to Roxie’s face.

Kendall was holding her phone. Roxie rolled her eyes. Here they go again. "Don’t you have life?" she snapped.

"Roxie," Kendall said with a fake gasp. "You shouldn’t shout like that. My thumbs will slip on the send."

Roxie stared at her. "What?"

Kendall lifted her phone, turning the screen just enough for Roxie to see.

There they were.

Roxie and Zac under the string lights.

His hand at her waist. Her hand against his chest. Their faces close, almost intimate, almost undeniable.

Roxie went still.

Kendall smiled. "People are going to love this."

Roxie stood, anger rushing through her so fast she almost forgot how to breathe. "Delete it."

Kendall pulled the phone back. "Why? It is just a picture."

"Delete it."

Tori gave a tiny laugh. "Why are you so mad? You were the one doing it in public."

Roxie’s eyes snapped to her. "Do you need attention that badly, or you love acting as Kendall’s puppet?"

Tori’s smile faltered.

Kendall’s eyes narrowed. "Careful."

"No, you be careful," Roxie said, taking a step forward. "You walk around pretending you are above drama, but you are always the first one with your phone out. Delete the picture."

People nearby had started looking.

That made Kendall’s smile widen.

She liked an audience. She always had. The sweet voice, the soft laugh, the pretty face, the victim act waiting in her pocket. Roxie could already see where this was going. Kendall would post the picture with some fake innocent caption, and by morning everyone would be turning it into proof that Roxie had been playing games with Zac, or using him for Homecoming attention, or whatever story Kendall wanted to make.

Zac stood beside Roxie.

"Delete it," he said.

His voice was low.

Kendall’s smile flickered, but she recovered fast. "Relax, Prescott. Nobody is attacking your girlfriend."

"She told you to delete it."

Roxie looked at him quickly. "Zac."

He did not look away from Kendall.

Tori crossed her arms. "It is not illegal to take pictures at a party. I think you’re asking for it, in fact."

Zac’s jaw tightened. "Posting it after she told you not to is trash."

Brent stepped forward, lifting his chin. "Back off, Prescott."

Zac’s eyes moved to him slowly.

The air shifted.

Roxie felt it immediately.

Roxie reached for his arm. "Zac, don’t."

He did not move.

"Wow," Kendall said softly. "You really are crazy about her."

Zac held out his hand. "Give me the phone."

Kendall laughed. "No."

"Give it to me."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah."

Roxie’s grip tightened on his sleeve. "Zac, stop."

He glanced down at her, and for one second she saw the anger in his face soften because it was her hand on him.

Then Kendall moved the phone like she was going to slip it into her back pocket.

Zac reached out and took it fast.

Kendall gasped. "Give it back."

Tori shrieked, "Oh my God, he stole her phone."

The party reacted immediately.

Heads turned. Bodies shifted. Someone near the cooler said Zac’s name. Mason stopped mid-story on the deck. Angela and Karen pushed through the crowd, eyes wide.

Roxie’s heart slammed against her ribs.

"Zac," she said, sharper now. "Give it back."

He held the phone above Kendall’s reach, thumb moving over the screen. "Unlock it."

Kendall lunged for it. "Give me my phone, you psycho."

"You took a picture of her without asking."

"You were in public."

"And she told you to delete it."

Roxie stepped in front of him as much as she could. "Zac, this is not helping."

He looked down at her. "I’m protecting you."

The words hit wrong. They should have felt sweet but they did not.

"Give it back," Kendall snapped.

Zac pulled his arm away, but Kendall held on. Tori started yelling. Brent stepped closer, shoving a hand against Zac’s chest.

"Give her the phone," Brent said.

Zac’s eyes dropped to Brent’s hand.

Roxie knew it was over before it happened.

"Don’t touch me," Zac said.

Brent shoved him again. "Then back off."

Zac moved.

It was quick and ugly and not like the football field, where there were whistles and pads and rules pretending boys were safe when they hit each other. Zac shoved Brent hard in the chest. Brent stumbled backward, arms windmilling, shoes sliding in the damp grass near the bank.

For one suspended second, everyone watched him try to catch himself.

Then Brent went into the creek with a loud splash.

The party exploded.

People yelled. Someone laughed in shock. Tori screamed Brent’s name like he had been taken by a shark. Mason swore and jumped down from the deck. Angela grabbed Roxie’s arm, while Karen said, "Holy hell," under her breath.

Roxie stared at Zac.

He was breathing hard, Kendall’s phone still in his hand.

Kendall’s face had gone red with fury. She slapped at his arm again. "My phone, Zac."

Zac looked down at the screen.

Then at Kendall.

Then he dropped it.

The phone hit the ground near his shoe.

Kendall bent for it, but Zac stepped forward at the same time and his shoe came down on the edge of the screen.

The crack was loud enough that Roxie heard it through the music and shouting.

Kendall froze.

So did Roxie.

Zac looked down.

For half a second, even he seemed to understand that he had crossed a line.

Then Kendall made a sound so sharp it cut through the whole party.

"You broke my phone."

Zac lifted his eyes. "You should have deleted the picture."

Roxie’s chest tightened.

No.

Brent came out of the creek soaked and furious, water dripping from his shirt, mud streaked along one arm. Mason and Dylan grabbed him before he could charge.

"Prescott!" Brent shouted.

Zac stepped toward him.

Roxie grabbed Zac’s arm with both hands. "Stop."

Zac’s face shifted, but the anger did not leave fast enough. People were filming now. Roxie could see the phone screens up, the wide eyes, the whispers forming in real time.

Kendall picked up the cracked phone with shaking hands, her face red with anger.

"You’re insane," she said.

Zac stepped closer.

Roxie grabbed his arm. "Zac, stop."

He did not look at her. His eyes stayed on Kendall, cold enough that the noise around them seemed to thin.

"If that picture goes anywhere," he said, voice low, "if her name ends up in one caption, one group chat, one anonymous post, I’ll know it came from you."

Kendall’s smile twitched, but it did not fully come back. "Are you threatening me?"

Zac leaned in just enough to make Brent shift forward again from the creek, soaked and furious.

"I’m telling you not to try me."

Roxie’s grip tightened on his sleeve.

The words should have made her feel safe. A stupid, weak part of her wanted to feel safe, because Kendall had been holding that picture like a knife and Zac had stepped in front of it without hesitation.

But the way he looked at Kendall made Roxie’s stomach twist.

This was not the boy who had asked if he could text her later.

This was not the boy who had kept the ice on because she told him to.

This was Zac Prescott with his jaw tight, his eyes hard, and his anger filling the space around him until everyone else stepped back.

Roxie stared at him.

Is this Zac?

The thought came so fast it scared her.

Kendall swallowed, then lifted her chin like she had not just flinched. "You’re going to regret this."

Zac’s mouth barely moved. "Post it and find out."

Roxie let go of his sleeve like it had burned her.

That was when he finally looked at her.

His face changed immediately, like he had expected gratitude and found something else.

"Roxie," he said.

She stepped back.

The whole party watched them now, phones still raised, whispers spreading faster than the music.

Zac had tried to protect her.

And somehow, standing there with Kendall’s broken phone on the ground and Brent dripping creek water behind him, Roxie was not sure who she needed protection from anymore.