Chapter 1
You’re the lion to our kittens
Three months ago
Chase, my best friend, honked twice after he parked in my driveway.
I grabbed my overnight and sleeping bags and beelined for his pickup truck, dropping my stuff in the cargo box.
I entered the garage after punching in the code to open the door, to grab the cooler I had filled earlier and the five-person tent my parents kept in there.
“Need a hand, man?” my friend asked through the rolled-down window.
“Nah. All good. I hope Rusty brought his tent because I swear this thing can only sleep five people if they are either women or little kids. No way can we all fit in.”
“If he hasn’t, he’s sleeping in his car, and we keep the tent for ourselves.”
We bumped fists.
“Deal.”
“Is Craig riding with us?”
I shook my head. “Nah. My big bro is at Paige’s. Sheldon is picking him up. It’s just the two of us.”
I locked the front door, then hauled myself onto the passenger seat once I made sure I had my wallet and my keys.
“Mase, I don’t know whose idea it was to go camping to celebrate the end of our junior year but remind me to thank him.”
“That would be me. Thank you very much. I appreciate the fact that you can admit it is the best idea. I checked the map yesterday, and we can go cliff jumping within a twenty-minute hike from where we are setting camp. There’s also an indoor karting track in the next town over if it rains and the ground gets too muddy to go to the campsite or if we’re bored and need a plan B. ”
“See? This, right there, is why you’re the captain. You always plan ahead, unlike me, who just follows the parade.”
I clapped his shoulder with a snicker. “It’s okay. That’s why we’re friends—”
“Best friends.”
“Whatever. Best friends. Because we complete each other.”
He tapped the steering wheel with his palm. “True. You’re the yin to my yang.”
“Chase, don’t say things like that. It’s…huh…cheesy. And weird.”
“Nah, it’s poetic. Would you prefer the up to my down or the puppy to my kitten?”
“Kitten, really?”
“What? You like me. And I know for a fact you like pussies. Pussies are cats, and kittens are pussies too. It all makes sense.”
I lowered my sunglasses over my eyes, flipped my cap forward, and slouched in my seat. “Gosh, this weekend trip is going to be sooo long.”
“Nah. It will be perfect, kitty.” He grinned at me. “Absolutely fantastic.”
Two hours later, Chase pulled onto a gravel road and followed a sinuous path between the trees leading to a clearing by the riverbank.
“We’re here,” my friend announced.
We had just climbed out of his truck when two cars pulled up behind us, both filled with some of our teammates.
“Paige didn’t hold you hostage?” I asked my brother when he came to stand beside me.
“Ha. Ha. Very funny. She’s spending the day with Mel before she leaves for the summer.”
“Wait, what?” I reeled in my surprise, trying to sound nonchalant instead. “Melinda is leaving for the entire summer?”
“Yeah. Going to her grandparents’ in Jersey or something like that.”
“Oh. Cool.” Nah. Not cool.
“Anyway, Paige was more than happy to kick me out because they had plans.”
Rusty joined us. “Hey, Cap. I was thinking of setting up the tents there.” He gestured to the clearing with a finger. “That way, we’ll have enough space for a bonfire in the middle. What do you think?”
I pointed my thumb at my chest. “What do I think?”
“Yeah. You’re the man in charge.”
“Nah, man. I’m in charge on the field. Not when the season is over. Find someone else to lead your sorry asses. I’m on vacation.”
“Too bad because all the guys voted and you’re the lion to our kittens.”
“Please tell me you didn’t ask Chase for his opinion.” Only my best friend could come up with such a ridiculous metaphor, and he had a weird obsession with kittens today.
“Too late. Anyway, what do you think?”
“Whatever, man.” I sighed, annoyance building inside me. I really didn’t want to manage our camping trip. “Do what pleases you.”
“Who’s ready for some cliff jumping?” Sheldon asked as soon as we were all up the next morning.
We hadn’t slept for more than just a few hours last night, too engrossed in the retelling of stories of the previous school year, sipping beer, and roasting sausages over the bonfire.
“Not me. I can’t swim,” Seth said. “I need my feet to touch the ground at all times.”
“You’re going to play ball in college next year and you can’t swim?” Sheldon asked. “Are you joking?”
“Nah. I’m not a fan of water. I’ll thrive next year. I’m more worried about you guys. How will this team survive if I’m not there to protect you on the field? You’ll see, you’ll miss me.”
“Miss who?” Craig asked, scratching his temple. With his disheveled brown hair—the same shade as mine—and stained T-shirt, he looked nothing like the usually well-put-together guy he was.
“Nothing.” Sheldon stripped off his sweatpants before sliding board shorts up his legs.
Jackson covered his eyes with a hand. “Jesus, Sheld, hide your junk. It’s too early in the morning to be exposed to your balls.”
“You’re just jealous, Pettyfer. You wish you had balls of steel like me instead of a pussy.”
“Says the man who lacks self-confidence. I’m not gonna respond to this.”
Sheldon tied the drawstrings of his shorts. “Whatever. As I was saying, I’m going cliff jumping. Who’s in?”
“It could be fun,” Craig said. “I need caffeine first, though. I have no clue how to reboot my brain this morning. Mase, that camping mat you brought is the worst. I would have slept better on a bed of nails.
I sighed. “Stop being a brat. Next time, bring your own camping gear if you’re not happy.” I turned to Sheldon. “Count me in. As long as I’m fed first.”
Chase buttered a few slices of bread and placed them on the mesh grate along with last night’s potato leftovers over the dying campfire. “Breakfast will be served in a minute, guys.”
“That’s breakfast?” Rusty asked.
“Yep. Since none of you fuckers moved a finger to do anything, that’s what we’ll have.
We’ll keep the eggs and bacon for tomorrow morning.
I’m too hungover to prep anything right now.
There’s orange juice in the red cooler, and my mom sent a portable coffeemaker that is somewhere in my truck, so help yourselves.
If you can figure out how to make it work. ”
An hour later, we were all overlooking the lake from the cliff.
Half a dozen people were sunbathing on the other shore, girls floating on tubes and guys throwing a ball around.
The sun was shining bright, a perfect beginning to our summer vacation.
Starting Monday, we would have different schedules, all of us having secured summer jobs, so this weekend was our one chance to hang out together before school and practice resumed.
“You sure it’s safe?” Seth asked. “It’s kind of high.”
Sheldon neared the edge. “I’ve jumped from much higher than this last summer.” He peeled his shirt over his head and kicked off his shoes. “I’m going first. Watch and learn, pussies.”
Before we had time to register his next movement, he walked back to the tree line to gain momentum and ran, screaming “Yahoo” at the top of his lungs when he propelled himself airborne. Seconds later, a loud splash echoed from below, and someone on the opposite shore wolf whistled.
Jackson walked closer to the edge and looked down. “He made it.”
Sheldon hollered something, but we couldn’t hear him from up here.
Jackson turned to face us. “You guys all gonna jump?”
“Yep,” I replied at the same time the guys said, “Yes.”
“Are you sure it’s deep enough? There are boulders. I can see them.”
“You gotta jump straight ahead, and you’ll be fine.
People have been cliff jumping here for decades.
My old man used to camp here when he was our age.
Don’t ruin the fun, Pettyfer. Anyway, watch me execute a perfect front dive pike.
” Rusty extended his arms over his head in some sort of stretching exercise.
“I should have been recruited by the Olympics diving team. I’m that good. ”
“Only when you’re wasted,” Craig said.
“You wish.” Rusty folded his body in two, grazing his toes with his fingers. “The trick is to warm up properly. And also, flexibility. That’s what makes me popular with girls.” He rotated his upper body to the left and then to the right. “See? Flexibility.”
“Like that?” Seth asked, imitating him, but also walking on his tiptoes like a ballerina. “Sure, you look gracious enough, Rust. It’s not the Olympics team that will recruit you, but a ballet company.” He continued to do one ballet position after the other.
“Man, are you sure football is your sport?” Craig asked. “You’re too good at this to just be a coincidence.”
“Shut up. My mom owns a dance school.” Seth twirled. “She’s been teaching me since I was a kid. Said it would help with football. Just sayin’.” He moved into another position. “You guys should try it. As Rusty said, it’s all about flexibility.”
“Stop making fun of me,” Rusty growled, pushing Seth in the chest. “You’re stealing my show.”
Everything happened in slow motion. Seth’s ankle rolled on a rock, and he lost his balance. He flapped his arms at his sides, worry creeping into his gaze. His lips rounded in an O. Before any of us could react, he fell backward.
Rusty shook his head. “Good riddance.”
“Didn’t he say earlier he couldn’t swim?” Craig asked.
We heard water splashing down below.
“Oh.” Rusty neared the edge of the cliff. “He’s not coming up for air.”
“What are you all still doing up here? I thought some of you would have jumped by now.” Sheldon, who had hiked back, was now standing next to us and staring down at the water. “What are we looking at?”
I didn’t think. I just reacted. No way would my friend drown. Not on my watch.
“Massse.” My brother’s worried voice was all I heard as I plunged forward, headfirst, with no safety net to hold me back.
The sound of bones and rocks colliding reverberated through me.
This was bad. I resurfaced and spotted Seth holding on to a rock feet away, his face white as a ghost. Thank God, he was alive.
I tried to move my shoulder to swim in his direction, but winced as pain radiated across the right side of my body.
No, this couldn’t be happening. Not now.
Not months before the last year of my high school football career.
Not when scouts were coming to our games to watch me play, and I was at my pinnacle.
Tears prickled the back of my eyes. I clenched my teeth, doing my best to keep the pain away. In vain.
What did I just do? Did I mess up my entire future?