“What?” I barked.
Without another word, he shook his head and went after them.
“And you want to embrace that?” I said incredulously, dropping back down on the bench.
“I didn’t… I’m not… God, you’re right,” Flick said, her cheeks still pink. But as I watched her watching the three of them stalk off toward Asher’s car, laughing and joking, I realized she did want that. She wanted to go to their stupid party and get drunk and make out with some random guy. Maybe even make out with one of them. I suppressed a shudder.
I’d been so consumed with the rivalry between me and Jason, the endless war, and hating on the football team, that I’d failed to see what was right in front of me.
Flick humored me.
All this time I thought we were the same. I thought we shared a mutual hatred of all things school spirit and Rixon Raiders.
But she didn’t, not really.
She pretended.
And she did it for me.
Cameron
“Is it me or did Felicity Giles get hot this year? Those fucking ugly overalls don’t usually do it for me, but on her they look—”
“First Hailee, now Felicity?” Jase jeered. “Next thing, you’ll be joining band and wearing one of those fucking awful sweaters.” His brows quirked up as he shot Asher a pointed look through the rear-view mirror.
“I’m not saying I’d bang that, but you can’t deny they both have that geeky hot girl thing working for them.”
His words made my chest tighten and I rubbed the heel of my palm against my leg. Hailee wasn’t geeky, she was… Hailee. Unapologetically herself. Always had been.
“Can we please not talk about her anymore?” Jase groaned. “I just want to get fucked up, find some bendy gymnast to fuck, and forget all about Hailee fucking Raine and her mother.” His lips pursed, the blood draining from his knuckles as he gripped the steering wheel.
Just then Asher’s cell pinged. “Oh shit,” he said, and I glanced back. “Thatcher just tweeted throwing some serious shade our way.”
“Let me see that.” Jase’s tone was cold as he reached his hand back waiting for Asher to hand it over. “Motherfucker,” he breathed, tossing me the phone.
@ThatcherQB1: Rixon East are ready to rumble with RHS this year. Raiders gonna run scared after the Eagles are finished with them #Eaglesforthewin #Raiderscansuckit
“He’s gunning for blood,” Asher said.
“He’s all talk.” Jase brushed him off, but I saw the tic in his jaw. There was no love lost between Lewis Thatcher and my best friend. They’d come through Pee Wee together, their rivalry only growing over time. Things had finally come to a head last year, when Thatcher’s sister Aimee got involved. And the whole thing had blown up.
“We’re stronger on paper and on the field,” he added, arrogance rolling off him.
“No doubt,” it was barely a grunt from the backseat. But then Asher shoved his face between the two front seats. “They’re our third game, right?”
I nodded.
“So, let’s get our hands a little dirty before then. Show Thatcher we’re not taking any prisoners this year.”
“I thought we were done with that shit?” I said. “Finnigan is just looking for an excuse to bench Jase.”
“Finnigan can kiss my ass.” Jase sneered.
Asher’s house came into view and Jase parked up, effectively ending our conversation. We climbed out, grabbed the supplies from the trunk, and went around back where some of the other guys were already hanging out. Asher’s parents were cool, and since they were out of town for business a lot, we usually hung out here. His house was bigger than most of our places, thanks to his dad’s successful tech company. It backed onto a small lake where they had jet skis and a small motorboat, as if the huge pool and fire pit wasn’t already enough.
It was pretty awesome.
Jase went to join the guys, leaving me and Asher to take the beer and snacks inside. I dumped the bags on the counter levelling him with a hard look. “Why the fuck do you keep bringing up Hailee?”
“That shit’s funny. I’ve never seen Jase so bent out of shape over a girl.”
“It’s his sister, or have you forgotten that?”
“Still… it’s not like they’re blood-related.”
“Something is very fucking wrong with you.” I folded my arms across my chest, letting him deal with the bags. “Don’t be stirring up trouble, Ash, we don’t need it. Not this year.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He ducked into the refrigerator to stow the beers. When he was done, he leaned against the counter, his eyes searching mine. “I still can’t believe it’s senior year. Have you thought about what you might do?”
Dragging a hand down my face, I shook my head. “It’s not that simple.”
“Yeah, I know. But if you know Penn State isn’t going to be—”
“What’s taking so long?” Jase appeared in the door, his eyes hard and assessing.
“Just grabbing some beer, man.” Asher grabbed a six-pack and chucked a bag of chips at me. “Come on.” He brushed past Jase and went outside.
“You okay?” Jase tipped his head at me, and I nodded.
“Yeah, I’m good.”
His eyes lingered on me a second longer, then he spun around and followed Asher. I sagged back against the counter, releasing the breath I’d been holding. Jase didn’t get it. He didn’t get why anything would take precedence over football. Over college. I guess that’s what made him different—what gave him an edge other players didn’t have. He was detached enough from life to make the sacrifices required, and then some. He didn’t worry about family because his team, football, was his family. I guess he’d learned that from his dad. But my dad hadn’t been a rising football star, and although he supported me, supported the team, he also had other things going on that required his attention.
Sometimes, it felt like I was standing at a crossroads: one foot planted firmly in my dreams of football and college and the promise of going all the way to the NFL; the other remaining rooted in real life where dreams didn’t always come true and life wasn’t always fair. And balancing the two… well, it was hard fucking work.
“Yo, Cam, grab an extra bag of chips.” Asher’s voice cut through my thoughts and I stuffed down all my shit and locked it away tight. Because right now I was a Raider, and football and all that came with it, needed to be my priority.
“I’m just saying,” Mackey stood tall, swaying slightly in the middle of our circle of chairs. “Alabama are looking tight this year, and Clemson are looking stronger than ever, but my money is on the Buckeyes.”
A sea of crumpled Solo cups rained down on him as he held up his hands to shield his face. “Come on, Jase, man, help a guy out. Ohio State wanted you, right? What do you think?”
My eyes fell to Jase who was sitting in a chair, legs kicked out in front of him, his eyes slightly glazed from one too many beers. “There’s no denying Ohio are going to be bringing everything they’ve got this year, but it’s not this season I’m interested in, it’s next season. And rumor has it, Penn State have recruited one of the best QB’s in the country.” He smirked. “It’s a motherfucking gamechanger.”