She Wore the Team Mascot Costume to Pay for College — Then the Star Quarterback Left His Cheerleader Girlfriend for Her
Chapter 3
Jackson started appearing in the library more often.
Sometimes he actually needed books.
Sometimes he clearly didn’t.
Emily noticed.
So did her coworker Sophie.
“You know he’s flirting with you.”
Emily nearly choked.
“He’s not.”
“He’s here every day.”
“He’s studying.”
“He hasn’t opened the book once.”
Emily glanced toward the far table.
Jackson was staring at his phone.
Sophie raised an eyebrow.
“Exactly.”
Emily shook her head.
“He’s dating Madison.”
“I know.”
“She’s perfect.”
Sophie laughed.
“No one is perfect.”
But Madison Vale came close.
She was beautiful.
Popular.
Confident.
And had been dating Jackson since freshman year.
They were the couple everyone expected to last.
Until Jackson started noticing Emily.
Not her clothes.
Not her background.
Her.
One afternoon, he saw her working two jobs.
He had gone to a small café near campus and found her carrying trays.
“You work here too?”
Emily looked up.
“Oh.”
She was wearing a black apron.
Jackson frowned.
“You have another job?”
“Yes.”
“How many?”
“Enough.”
He looked around.
“Why?”
She shrugged.
“College isn’t free.”
“I know.”
She smiled.
“No, you don’t.”
He stared at her.
For the first time, he realized how different their lives were.
He had never worried about whether he could afford next semester.
She did.
He had never worked after practice.
She did.
And suddenly the person he had assumed would never understand him was the person he wanted to understand more.
