And now, I’m at the high school that helped sponsor that league. I’ve been the QB for the Mustangs for one and a half seasons. I stepped in as a sophomore, when our senior quarterback got hurt and was out for a few weeks. I took over and never looked back. I made that position mine. That guy never got another chance. Coach Watson gave the position to me and that was it.
We’re not as good as I want us to be, but we’re trying, damn it. And I’m having fun. Isn’t that what it’s all about? I know that’s Jake’s problem. He takes all of this shit so seriously. It’s a game, for the love of God. Life is just a game.
You know what game I wouldn’t mind playing?
How fast can I get Ava Callahan to fall in love with me.
Yeah. That sounds like a lot of fun.
Four
Ava
Dinner was boring. They had a speaker and I have no idea who he was or where he came from, but after about two minutes, all it sounded like he was saying was blah, blah blah. Beck kept wiggling in his chair, and Mom kept shushing him, until finally, I told her I’d take Beck back to the cabin. She was so grateful, she let us both go without protest.
“That sucked,” Beck says the moment we hit the trail that leads to our cabin.
I laugh. “Yeah, it did.”
“I like football, but I like playing it, not listening to some old guy talk about it,” Beck says, kicking a rock so it goes skittering across the dirt trail.
“I would guess pretty much everyone in that room feels the same way you do,” I tell him.
“I wanna go swimming,” Beck says, his lips formed in a semi-pout. He looks like Dad too, though his hair is lighter. A golden-brown shade that reminds me of my Uncle Owen, my mom’s brother.
“We could probably do that tomorrow,” I say.
“In the lake?” he asks hopefully.
“Isn’t there a pool?” Not sure if Mom will let him swim in the freaking lake if she’s busy. I don’t particularly want to be my brother’s babysitter, but tonight, I gladly volunteered.
I wanted out of there. The longer dinner took, the more I could feel eyes on me. Watching me. There were a lot of boys in that dining hall. And I’m one of the only girls.
It’s a little—nerve wracking, if I’m honest.
“Yeah, but I want to go out in the lake. Maybe even go on a boat and go fishing. Dad said we could,” Beck says, right before he launches into a full-blown run, heading straight for the cabin, which now appears in the near distance.
The sun is going down, the sky a pinkish-orange haze, tinged with purple. I can already see stars twinkling, and that breeze is still blowing, though it feels decidedly cooler.
It’s a night for romance. I don’t know why I have these thoughts, but since I was about thirteen, if the evening air was a particular way, I’d always think that.
Those thoughts have always been futile, though. I’ve never had a serious boyfriend. Not even a semi-serious one. So why am I always thinking about romance? Um, that’s because I want a boyfriend. A serious one. One who falls totally and completely in love with me and makes me feel like a princess, just like my sister and her boyfriend. I want what Autumn has and more. I’m a romantic. I can’t help it.
Autumn makes fun of me for reading romance novels still to this day. Whatever, she’s got romance in her life, thanks to Ash Davis.
Me? I’ve got no one. None of the boys will even look at me at school. One, because of my dad. Two, because of my brother.
It sucks.
I figure, once Jake graduates, I’ll have some freedom. Is Dad still going to coach the football team? He hasn’t confirmed yes or no, but I’m hoping no. What’s the point? Jake will be gone. And if they are both gone for my senior year? Holy crap, I don’t know what I’m going to do, but it’s all going to be great. I can’t wait.
For now, I’m patient. I can wait this out. I have one more year.
One.
More.
Year.
And then I will be free.
“Ava! Wait up!”
Whirling around, I see Jake jogging toward me, Caleb close behind him. I stop and wait for them, crossing my arms and tapping my foot impatiently. I don’t like Caleb. He always stares at me as if he’s trying to imagine me naked, which he probably is. It’s kind of gross.
“What do you want?” I ask my brother warily as they stop in front of me.
“I need you to hold onto something for me.” Jake glances around as if he’s making sure no one is looking, before he reaches into his shorts pocket and withdraws something from it. “Hold out your hand.”
I don’t automatically do as he says. Last time he asked me to hold out my hand, he put a disgusting slimy frog on it. Of course, he was only thirteen, and I was almost twelve and pissed. It was dumb.
This describes our relationship. Friends. Enemies. Take care of each other, yet torture each other too.
“Come on,” he says, sounding exasperated.
With a huff, I hold out my hand, ignoring Caleb, who’s watching us with eager eyes. Jake rests his curled fist on my palm for a long second before he releases whatever he’s holding. Whatever it is, it’s hidden within a crumpled brown paper bag.
“What is it?” I ask.
“Promise me you won’t tell,” he says, his gaze serious.
I roll my eyes. “If you’re giving me drugs to stash for you, I’m going to flush it down the toilet the second I get into the cabin.”
Caleb makes a noise. “Damn bro, that’s a smart idea. We should’ve brought some weed. Ava could’ve held it for us in case they searched the cabins!”
Jake sends him a look, rendering Caleb silent, before he faces me once more. “It’s not drugs.”
“Then what is it?”
He flicks his chin at me. “Look for yourself.”
I open the bag and peek inside before I glance up at him. “Really?”
Firecrackers. A small box of those little popping ones kids used to throw at each other’s feet when I was younger. A box of smoke bombs. And some red ones that look potentially dangerous.
“We’re going to set them off later tonight around the Mustangs’ cabins,” Caleb explains, a giant grin on his cute face. Yes, I can admit he’s cute, even if he annoys me.
“Shut the hell up, Caleb,” Jake snaps.
“This is such a bad idea,” I tell them, shaking my head. Yeah, I’ll hold these firecrackers for them. I’ll hide them so well, they won’t be able to go through with their lame plan. “What happened to the toilet paper?”
“That’s dumb,” Caleb says with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Middle school type shit.”
“And setting off firecrackers in a forest isn’t dumb?” I ask, raising my brows as I curl the bag back up and then hide it casually behind my back. I should toss this bag into the lake. “We could catch this entire place on fire.”
“We?” Jake asks. “You’re not a part of this.”
“You can totally help,” Caleb says at the same time.
“I’m not helping. I just feel like I’m a part of it because now I’m involved.” I shake the bag at Jake and Caleb, the paper rustling.