Текст книги "Unbreakable"
Автор книги: Adrienne Torrisi
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Текущая страница: 4 (всего у книги 16 страниц)
Chapter 6: Homecoming
ASHLEY
Homecoming week as a sophomore has been entirely different than as a freshman. For starters, I know what to expect, I’m somewhat of a homecoming expert now. I see the freshmen wandering the halls, dressed up with no clue what to do next, and I can’t help smiling to myself.
So much has changed in just one year. Last year at this time, I had a giant, secret crush on my brother’s best friend, who happens to be my best friend’s older brother, and this year, he’s my boyfriend. Boyfriend! I still love saying that word!
The boys have taken homecoming just as seriously as last year, if not even more because they are seniors now and this is their last one. They refuse to be beaten by the juniors, just as they did to the seniors last year. Our class knows we have no chance of winning, so we just dress up for fun. However, the seniors are serious about every, single dress up day.
It’s Friday, Spirit day, at six forty-five in the morning. I’m sitting in Ryan’s Mustang in the senior lot by myself, almost an hour before school starts since my loving brother gave me zero notice that he needed to come to school early for something ‘Top Secret’ when he woke me up at five fifteen this morning. As if I didn’t notice the giant duffle bag in the back of his car.
God only knows what they are doing right now.
The only cars in the parking lot are Ryan’s, Todd’s, and Brian’s. Sid is beyond lucky for having Simon as a ride option. Unfortunately, all of my ride options are already here since Blythe lives across town.
I’m supposed to sit here and wait for a text from Ryan or Todd, and then meet them outside of the boys’ locker room. Are you kidding me? So here I sit. Alone. Waiting for my phone to buzz as I paint an EHS on my cheek with eyeliner because that’s about as far as I’m going with school spirit.
I’m in deep concentration on my S when a fist slams on my side window, making me jump. Now there is a giant black line across my cheek. Awesome.
“Blythe! You scared the crap out of me!” I say, rolling down my window. Being that it’s a classic, there is no such thing as automatic windows.
“Sorry, Ash. And sorry about your cheek.” She eyes the giant black smudge that is now running across my face with a smile.
“Yeah, thanks for that. Today is really off to a fantastic start.”
“I can see that. So they roped you in, too?”
“Wait, is that why you’re here so early?”
“Yup. Got a text from Brian.” She gestures to her phone. “Urgent, meet me at school, wait for my text in SL.”
“What are they up to?”
“Who knows? But I’m sure it’s not good, knowing them.”
Unable to deny it, I smile. They have taken everything a little far this week. Of course, kissing Todd is always amazing, even when he’s dressed as a girl. And I know because I did it twice this week, although it was a little strange worrying about his lipstick leaving marks on my skin.
“Why do you think they need our help?”
“We shall see.”
“Wanna come in and wait in here?”
“Sure.” As she walks around to slide into the driver’s seat, I notice she’s wearing a black dress that’s more like a shirt and gold, glittered cowboy boots.
“Nice school spirit.”
“I try. Brian’s been on me this week.” She gives me a quick smile. “So, should we feel honored that we’re in the inner circle?”
“No. Nothing good is going to come from this, trust me. I’ve known the three of them for way too long. They are using us for something.” I laugh. “How are things with you and Brian? I know he’s got a lot of schools interested in him.” I tread lightly because I know how much I hate talking about colleges, but Blythe is a senior, so she’s leaving, too. Of course, even that thought makes me sad. I can’t believe they are all leaving after this year.
“You okay, Ash?”
I guess I’m not very good at hiding my feelings.
“Not really. I hate that you’re all seniors.”
She studies me for a second before she says anything. “I know leaving sucks, and I know being the one left sucks, too, but you can’t spend the entire year dreading it, or you’ll miss out on the right now and how great being together is.”
I hear her words, but I actually feel them more. They seep into me in a way that doesn’t happen when Todd says it. I just can’t see past missing him. With Blythe, it makes sense, though. I have been saying ‘one step at time,’ but I need to actually live it. I feel tears starting to well up.
“Looks like we’ve got company.”
I glance in the direction of her gaze to see Gretchen bouncing up to Ryan’s car. How is it possible that she is perky even at six forty-five?
“Thanks, Blythe.” I quickly wipe my eyes to hide any emotional evidence as I roll down the window.
“Good morning!” Gretchen almost sings. It’s as if everything she says is a cheer.
“Is it?” Blythe asks.
“Oh, come on, it’s exciting, whatever the boys are up to.” Gretchen beams. She is so genuinely enthusiastic it’s a little contagious.
Within the next five seconds, all three of our phones buzz.
“Looks like they’re ready.” Gretchen bounces. I swear she is about to break into a cheer.
The next thing I know, the three of us are standing outside of the boys’ locker room. The halls are mostly empty with only a few teachers straggling in, but they seem oblivious.
Once Gretch follows directions and texts them, the door slowly opens, and standing there with the biggest grins are all three boys, covered from head to toe in gold glitter body paint. I literally mean covered. Even their hair is gold and full of glitter. They are all wearing their gold spandex football pants, but other than that, every inch of them is covered in golden glitter.
“Wow,” we all say almost in unison after what feels like hours.
“You guys have been busy,” Blythe states, thankfully breaking the awkward silence.
Brian peeks his head out into the hallway and looks both ways, noting it’s empty at the moment.
“Come with us.” He grabs Blythe’s hand, and the rest of us follow. We’re now standing inside the boys’ locker room, breaking pretty much every rule the school has.
I look around and take it in, finding it looks like I have always pictured: damp, dingy, and it smells like boys. It’s full of metal lockers; long, wood benches; and towels that were white at one point in their towel lives. This would not be a good place to be a towel. On second thought, it could be a very good place.
“This is somewhere you’ve never been before.” Todd smiles.
“Not actually true for one of them.” Brian grins and pulls Blythe closer, making her giggle.
“Two of them.” Ryan gives Gretchen a seductive look, and I mentally vomit.
Todd’s eyes get bigger as he stares at me. “Well, we have a lot of catching up to do, Ash.” He pulls me closer, and Ryan smacks him on the head.
“What?” Todd says with a laugh.
“Brother. Standing right here.” Ryan gives him a don’t-even-think-about-it look.
Todd shrugs. “Sorry.” His golden fingers intertwine with mine as he kisses my neck. “Sorry again.” He gives Ryan his best innocent smile. He knows Ryan hates it, but it never stops him, and he’s definitely not sorry.
“Okay. Why are we here?” Blythe cuts right to the chase.
“To paint.” Brian holds up a container of black body paint. “With your hands.” He gives Blythe a wicked smile.
I start to feel a little uncomfortable and also like this isn’t the first time they have done this.
“Oh, fun!” Gretchen says two octaves higher than any human ever should.
“Shh,” the guys say in unison as they glance around to make sure nobody new has joined us.
“Time?” Brian asks quickly, as if he’s calling a play on the field.
“Seven twelve,” Ryan answers back just as rapidly.
“We’ve got eight minutes before Coach W. gets here,” Todd says.
I know from the guys that Coach W. is like clockwork with everything he does, and apparently, they know his morning schedule down to a T.
“Okay, we need you to work fast. You paint an E,” Brian says as he hands a jar of paint to Gretch and points to Ryan’s gold glitter covered chest. “You an H,” he instructs as he hands me a jar of black paint, “And you”—he gives Blythe sexy eyes—“an S.”
Suddenly, I feel like I’m in a dirty football huddle.
We all promptly get to work since there is no time to spare. I have to say, touching Todd is one of my favorite things in this world, but painting him is even more enjoyable. My fingers glide over his tone, glitter-covered chest, leaving a wet, black trail wherever they touch.
He automatically tightens his muscles at the unexpected chill of the cool paint caressing his warm skin. I look up at him, our eyes lock, and he gives me his crooked smile. In that moment, I feel like we are alone. I forget that Ryan is here or that we are standing in the middle of the boys’ locker room. It’s just us, doing something ridiculous yet extremely intimate. I feel so close to him, and I know he feels the same way. His look says it all. We don’t need to speak; we just know.
“Let’s go, Taylor. What are you waiting for?” Brian’s voice jerks me out of my moment with Todd.
Coming back to reality, I realize that everyone else is done, and I only have one third of my H done.
Todd gives me a knowing smile.
“Sorry,” I mutter as I quickly slide my fingers back into the paint and then across the contours of his chest to finish my letter.
“It’s a little crooked, Ash Bug,” Ryan says, critiquing my work with a laugh.
I give him a look. “That’s what happens when you rush artistic genius.”
“It’s perfect,” Todd says as he admires my work from above. Thankfully, he can’t really see it, because Ryan is right; it’s totally crooked.
“Okay, let’s go. You girls need to leave,” Brian says, never losing sight of the goal. I guess that’s what makes him such a great quarterback. “And we need to hide the evidence,” he says to the guys. “Bye, I love you,” he says to Blythe quickly and as if it’s habit.
I give Todd a quick glance. Brian is in such work mode I don’t even think he realizes what he just said.
They rush to usher us out, of course checking the hallway before we enter the rest of the unknowing student body. Everyone is still in zombie-like mode, walking to their lockers; they have no idea what they are about to witness when the boys emerge from the locker room.
“Has he said that before?” I whisper to Blythe.
“No,” she answers with shock-filled eyes.
Gretch may have missed the exchange, but it’s clear Blythe didn’t.
“Wow,” I say with a smile. “He loves you.”
“He was in a rush,” Blythe quickly dismisses it.
I give her a smile. “He said it.”
She rolls her eyes, but she doesn’t lose her smile, and I know she’s happy.
We just had a very interesting, surprisingly intimate morning, and the look that passes between the three of us as we all part ways sums it up perfectly.
“See ya at lunch,” I say as we are suddenly thrust back into life-as-usual.
As I make my way to the sophomore hallway, and approach my locker, I announce, “Prepare yourselves.”
Sid and Shane are so use to Spirit Week and the boys doing insane things that they go on with putting books in their lockers, unfazed.
“Let’s just say they’ve topped even themselves,” I continue.
“Oh, yeah?” Shane comments without any interest being piqued. “Looks like you’re full of evidence.” He gestures to my hands and arms.
I didn’t realize it, but I’m covered in golden glitter, and my fingers are still black. I start to laugh. I guess the glitter is contagious. “What, this? Just showing school spirit,” I try to play it off.
Sid rolls her eyes with a headshake and a smile. “Uh-huh, sure.”
On those words, we hear hooting and hollering coming from down the hallway, and I immediately know. I don’t even need to turn around, but of course I do.
The world goes into slow motion. If this were a movie, this would be where the entire room freezes as a mysterious breeze blows through the hallway, blowing their perfect hair as they strut in extreme slow motion down the hall. The entire hallway parts for them, leaving a clear path to walk down. But this isn’t a movie; it’s even better because it’s reality.
The three of them are walking side by side, every inch of them gold with their chests spelling EHS. There are so many hoots and hollers that’s all you hear. It’s a sea of high-fives and fist pumps, a sparkling golden sea of perfection. Then the entire hallway erupts into an E-H-S chant. It’s as if the three of them are conductors, guiding and inspiring the swarm of students that have gathered with the commotion.
I can no longer see them; there are so many people surrounding them. I look down the senior hallway and catch a glance from Blythe and Gretch, and we all exchange quick smiles.
The crowd looks like a giant wave as it follows them down the hall. I wish I could see their faces. I’m sure they love every second of this.
“Do I even want to know?” Sid asks.
“Probably not.” I smile at the memory of painting Todd’s chest.
The cheers stop abruptly along with the ebb and flow of the crowd and then loud, screeching electronic reverb breaks through the murmurs.
“Mr. Taylor, Mr. Hamilton, and Mr. Johnson, please report to my office, right now,” Principal Mark’s voice shouts through a bullhorn.
“Uh-oh,” I say, glancing at Sid and Shane.
“You better wash your hands.” Shane gestures toward the evidence.
TODD
The feeling of walking down the hall and seeing the excitement of the crowd is incredible, almost as great as having Ash paint my chest. I need to save that paint. I also need to make sure we meet up in the locker room. I can’t believe the guys have never mentioned that before.
Now, sitting here in Principal Mark’s office, full of gold glitter, wearing only football pants, suddenly makes a brilliant idea seem pretty stupid. Ryan, Brian, and I haven’t said a word out loud to one another. Instead, we have been communicating through looks and glances.
“What the fuck?” Brian mouths to me and Ryan.
“Language, Mr. Johnson,” Mrs. Batmore, the principal’s secretary who must be at least one hundred, says in her high-pitched voice that wavers just because she’s so old.
Brian shrugs innocently. “I didn’t say anything.”
“Mouthing it counts, too,” she says with a stern look over her half-moon glasses as another student turns the corner to join our group.
“MC!” we all shout, startling Mrs. B. She quickly adjusts her sweater with a disgusted eye roll.
Mark Conner just walked in dressed as a condom in support of our school mascot, since we are the Trojans—the warriors, not the condoms, but there’s always at least one on spirit day, and this year it is MC.
“Nice,” Brian says with admiration at the balls it took to wear that.
“Right back at ya, boys.” Mark nods as he sits next to me. “I had to carry on the Barry Richards tradition.” He gestures to the large latex suit covering his body. There is a hole for his face, but the rest looks like he’s wearing a latex dress with a nude bodysuit underneath.
We are interrupted by someone clearing their throat, and we all look in the direction of that sound. Shit.
Standing there is Principal Marks and Coach W.
We are screwed.
We all immediately stand up, showing respect for Coach.
“Coach—” Brian starts.
“Stop.” He eyes all of us, the disappointment clear. “Did you think this was a good idea?”
We glance at one another. Even Brian knows not to answer that question.
“None of you are starting tonight. You will sit out for the first quarter.”
“But, Coach—” Mark and Brian start.
“You’re lucky it’s just the first quarter.” Coach glances at Principal Marks, and it’s clear he wanted more.
“Scouts are coming to the game to watch us play,” Mark continues to argue.
“Then you should have thought about that before. Think about the example you’re setting for the younger players as Captains of this team.”
“But it’s Spirit Day; we’re just showing school spirit,” Brian says in rebuttal.
“Next time, do it with clothes on.” Coach W. glares at all of us with the kind of glare you don’t respond to. “First quarter. You better make the other three count,” Coach continues, and then he looks at Brian. “Johnny will start.”
Brian doesn’t react, but I can tell he’s fuming.
“I hope you all have clothes you can change into. I’m guessing you didn’t come to school dressed like this. It’s game day; you are supposed to wear your jerseys. I suggest you put those on. And next time you want to parade around half naked, leave your football pants out of it.” Coach is not having any of it. He doesn’t even crack a smile.
He nods to Principal Marks. I can see how red his neck is, which tells me just how angry he is.
Then he leans into us and whispers, “And I know about the locker room this morning. You’re lucky I’m the only one.” He glances back to Principal Marks with a smile. It’s obvious that last comment went over his head, thankfully.
My stomach is currently in my throat. I couldn’t speak if I wanted to, so I just nod to Coach, making it clear I understand.
It’s one thing for me to get in trouble, but I don’t want Ash or the other girls to go down for this.
ASHLEY
I’m in homeroom when my phone buzzes. We’re technically not supposed to check phones in any class, but homeroom is the most lenient, so I nonchalantly check it.
When I see Todd’s name, my stomach drops.
Huge trouble. None of us are starting in the game tonight. Changing clothes now. You are fine, but Coach saw.
“Shit,” I say out loud without realizing. I know scouts for Penn State and a few other schools are going to be there, and I know this is not good. They will definitely ask why the starters aren’t starting. My parents are going to freak.
I see Shane reach for his phone then watch him check his text. He looks back at me quickly, and I know he knows something. Then I feel my phone buzz again; this time from Shane.
Johnny is starting? WTF?
When Shane turns back to me with a questioning look, I shrug and mouth, “After Class.”
We don’t need anyone else to get in trouble.
Chapter 7: The Aftershock
ASHLEY
The rest of the day is uneventful compared to this morning. The boys don’t have time to shower, so they have to put their jerseys over all the glitter and paint, leaving all three of their jerseys a mess. Even when they finally do shower at the end of the day, the glitter doesn’t really come out of their hair. Luckily, they wear helmets, because glitter and football don’t really go together. Unfortunately, they have a meet and greet after the game with all the scouts who have expressed interest, so the glitter should be interesting to explain.
It’s tradition for the players’ girlfriends to wear their away jerseys at the homecoming game, so I am wearing Todd’s jersey and loving every second of it. Of course, it’s more like a dress than a shirt, but I wouldn’t trade wearing it for anything. Even though I’m sure it’s been washed many times, it still smells like him, so wearing it makes me feel closer to him, closer to the game.
Blythe makes her way over to me on the bleachers wearing Brian’s jersey, and she actually is wearing it as a dress with black, ripped tights and a belt. All of the cheerleaders with boyfriends on the team put their jerseys on over their uniforms, so Gretch has Ryan’s tied in a knot to show her skirt and mid-drift clearly. It seems like the players make sure they have girlfriends before the game, because almost every girl is wearing someone’s football jersey.
“Nice.” I gesture to what Blythe has done with the jersey look.
She shrugs and smiles. “I had to do something, and I know he’d kill me if I cut it up or did anything to it.”
“Very true. Plus, he’s already in enough trouble.”
She gives a guilty smile and then starts searching the crowd on the field for Brian.
I turn to whisper to Shane whose gaze is locked on Johnny. “You should have worn his jersey. That’d be the perfect way to come out and make a statement.”
“Funny, Ash,” he says, not laughing.
“I’m serious,” I say, leaning back on the bleacher behind me.
“She’s right, Shaney,” Sid says, figuring out what we are talking about. She’s on the other side of Shane, her eyes scanning the band to find Simon.
Sid and Simon are still going strong. At least he’s not a senior, so they have lots of time left together. I start to feel bad for myself when Blythe and Shane interrupt my wallowing by both leaning into me.
“I can’t believe he is here,” Shane says at the same time Blythe says, “Looks like we’ve got company.” As soon as Sid sees him, she grunts.
I look up to see what they are talking about, and my eyes land on Casey standing at the bottom of the bleachers.
When he gives me a head nod, I give him a small wave and a smile, but whisper back to them through gritted teeth, keeping my eyes locked on him. “Well, we are playing his school.”
“Ashley Taylor,” he shouts in front of everyone, and my stomach does a flip.
I know my cheeks are bright red. I instantly want to shrink down; instead, I give him a WTF type of shrug and pray to God the players on the field can’t hear him.
“Come down here,” he continues to shout over everyone’s heads from the front of the bleachers.
Thankfully, the game is starting and most people are paying attention to that. Unfortunately, Todd is on the sideline warming up, so even though he’s in the zone and doesn’t hear Casey yet, chances are pretty good it’s only a matter of time. I don’t want to do anything that could mess up this game for him, since I know how important it is, and he’s already sitting out the first quarter. As a result, I start to get up, knowing Casey won’t stop shouting.
I feel Sid’s arm pull me back. “What are you doing?”
At first, guilt flashes over me, but he is my friend, my teammate, and I should be able to go say hi without an explanation, so that feeling quickly transitions to anger.
“I’m going to say hi.”
Sid gestures with her head toward the field. I know exactly what she means without her saying a word. I also know there needs to be trust there, or this will never work, and I know Todd trusts me.
I pull my arm away from her. “Don’t, Sid.” I try to make it as clear as possible with my look that she is overstepping, even if she is my best friend. Then I start to make my way down through the crowd of people to meet up with him.
“Hey, Ashley Taylor.”
“Hey?” I say with a questioning tone. “What’s up?”
“I just wanted to say hi.”
“We could have done that from where I was.”
“Well, I wanted to say hi closely.” With that, he steps closer and sort of stumbles. I’m pretty sure he’s been drinking.
My gaze instantly shifts to where Todd is warming up, and I see he hasn’t noticed. He’s pretty focused on his warm-ups, so my heart slows back to a steady beat.
Casey sees the direction of my gaze and quickly tries to intercept. “Let’s go for a walk. Let me buy you a hot dog.” He wraps his arm around me and guides me toward the concession stand.
I instinctively look up to the bleachers, and my eyes lock with Sid’s, her look saying everything I’m feeling. I know if Todd sees me with Casey like this, he will be pissed, and I need his focus to be on the game. Then the opposite thought flashes through my head: if he doesn’t do well in the game, maybe he won’t go away to school, and then he can stay home. I quickly shake my head to erase that thought, though.
What is wrong with me? I need to pull it together.
“Come on, Ashley Taylor. Just a walk if you don’t want a hot dog.” He thrusts his hips, and with the way he says it, he definitely isn’t talking about the food at the concession stand.
“You are disgusting, but fine, a walk.” I give one last glance over at Todd who is still in deep focus on his warm-ups.
Keeping his arm around me as we walk, Casey squeezes me in closer to him, and it’s now clear he’s been drinking; I can smell the alcohol.
As we walk, I’m shocked at how many people say hi to him, pat him on the shoulder, or give him fist bumps. I always assumed but never observed just how popular he is. Even people from our school light up when they see him and everyone from his does. Girls hang on him as we walk by. Just by their smiles and the way they look up at him, it’s obvious they all want him. And every single one of them gives me the insta-once-over with a scowl, but it’s always quickly erased with a fake, forced smile.
A tall girl whose all legs—and I know this because her shorts are so short that’s all I can see—pushes her way between us to drape her arms around Casey. “I thought you were sitting with me tonight,” she says with a pout as she plays with her stick straight, bleach-blonde hair.
“Viv, I am just saying hi to my swim partner.” I see his hand cup her butt before he smiles toward me. “Ashley, meet Vivian. Vivian, Ashley.”
She gives me the same fake smile as the others. “Nice to meet you.”
I only smile back. Why even waste words on her?
“I’ll be back,” Casey says as he removes himself from her grasp. Then he drapes his arm right back around me as if it belongs there.
It doesn’t.
“She seems nice,” I say, meaning just the opposite.
“Jealous?” he asks, reading my tone perfectly.
“You wish,” I retort without even thinking.
I feel him stiffen. I didn’t mean for that to sting, but I can tell by his tense hold that it did.
“Sorry. I was just kidding.”
“I know.” He nuzzles his head into my shoulder. I need to stop him. I know he’s just drunk, but there are too many people here.
I grip my shirt and feel the cool paint that makes up the number eighteen on Todd’s jersey. It’s the perfect reminder of him.
“Do you know you are the only girl who has ever turned me down?” Casey says as he continues to nuzzle into me.
I can’t believe he’s going there right now, in the middle of the game. I don’t even know what to say, so I don’t say anything.
He pulls away and looks down at me as he runs his hand through his shaggy, blonde hair, his green eyes locked on mine. “It’s true, you know.”
He is so sincere, honest, and raw in this moment that my heart sinks with regret. I know I made the right choice, but I really do care about him. On the outside, it looks like he has the perfect life, but he’s let me in on the inside enough to know there is nothing perfect about it.
“Casey…” I start, but I don’t even know where I’m going.
He brings his finger to my lips to stop me. “Don’t. It’s okay, Ashley. I know. I just wanted you to know”—he stops and looks up at the deep blue night sky above us—“that I’m still not over you, and I think that’s why.”
Before I can say anything, he intertwines his fingers with mine and leans his forehead down so it’s resting on mine.
“It just hurts; that’s all.”
Pull away. Stop him, I think, but I don’t do it.
“Hey, asshole.” I hear his voice, and I know. I squeeze my eyes shut to try to make it go away, to make this look different.
Knowing his voice, too, Casey instantly pulls away and puts his hands up in surrender.
I turn slowly, hoping I am wrong, and it’s not who I already know it is. However, my eyes land on Todd. He’s standing there in full pads and uniform on the other side of the fence, and standing right next to him is Rebecca. Of course. I’m sure she was more than happy to point us out. We are on the far side of the bleachers, so there is no way Todd would have seen us, but I didn’t realize we are right next to where the cheerleaders are set up.
“I told you already to back off and leave her alone,” Todd shouts from behind the fence. I know he’s already in trouble, and college scouts are here. If he comes over that fence, he will get kicked out of the game for sure. I run over to him to try to calm him down.
“It’s nothing. We were just talking,” I say as I glare at RTS, and she gives me a smirk that proves she is the reason he’s here. Just when I think I can’t hate her any more than I already do, she proves me wrong.
“Seriously, Todd. I’m sorry, man. We were just talking. That’s it. She was telling me how much she cares about you, and I was admiring her ... shirt.” Casey’s eyes land on my chest. “Nice, man.”
With that, Todd starts to climb the fence, and I brace myself for what I know is coming. Just as he’s about to make it over, he’s pulled back down by his collar and pads. “Hamilton. Get your damn head in the game!” Coach W. shouts. “Son, you are on thin ice. I wouldn’t do anything else to piss me off.”
Todd glares at Casey as he responds, “Sorry, Coach.”
“Go finish warming up.” Coach is still at volume ten, and he is as red as the other teams’ jerseys.
As Todd backs away, his eyes never leave Casey.
Once Todd is out of sight on the other side of the field, Casey smiles and gives a salute to RTS.
Unable to believe my eyes, I push him as hard as I can in the chest. “Wait, you both planned this?”
Casey gives me a wide, Cheshire cat smile and then glances at RTS who’s now standing in a semi-circle, giggling with most of the cheerleaders. Gretchen isn’t with them, and by her body language, she looks as angry as I feel.
“Nope, but I’ve gotta love a girl who has my back. Plus, I’ll do whatever it takes to help my team win the game.” He flashes me his flawless teeth as he runs his fingers back through his hair. His expression says he’s kidding, but his wall is back up, letting me know he’s done being honest about his true feelings.
“Well, this was fun, but I think Viv is waiting for you. That was her name, right?” I look back to the opposing team’s stands.
“Yeah, that’s her name. We’re not together or anything; she’s just fun when there is no one else, if you know what I mean.” He steps a little closer, but glances over at the sideline. He’s much more cautious now. I guess I was wrong; his wall came back down for a second. Then, just as quickly as it came down, it goes back up. “You going to Mark Conner’s party later?”
I swallow hard and try to hide my shock. “Are you?”
“Yeah. Conner and I go way back.”
God, does he know everyone?
“Well, I guess I’ll see you later, then,” I say with a quick smile as my heart sinks. I know this isn’t going to be good. Todd and Casey in the same place with Todd already pissed and Casey already drunk—none of this adds up to a good night.
“Don’t look so disappointed.” His fingers brush across my cheek, causing me to stiffen.
Please don’t let Todd see this.
“This will be good. Maybe Todd and I can kiss and make up.”
