Chapter Thirty Vaughn
Chapter Thirty
Vaughn
Monday morning, I wake up with a smile on my face.
I go through my normal routine of getting ready for school. In the kitchen, Dad is up having coffee and reading the news on his tablet.
“There’s oatmeal on the stove,” he says, looking up to study me in that scrutinizing way he does. We’re wearing our warm-up shirts today, and mine is probably too wrinkly for his liking. But today nothing he does or says is going to get to me.
It’s game day. The last obstacle between us and heading to the State Championships again.
And if I’m honest, a certain girl I can’t stop thinking about might also have something to do with my untouchable good mood.
I eat breakfast quickly and head to school early. I’m not the only one feeling anxious. Half the team is already in the halls, standing by our lockers, louder and cheerier than normal.
“The cap is here!” Rowan shouts over the noise.
My teammates turn as I approach. I smile at them, but it’s the posters decorating the hallway and our lockers that have my attention.
I don’t see her, but it’s Lacey and the cheerleaders’ doing, I’m sure of it.
“Are you ready for this?” Austin asks, stepping forward. We bump fists.
I nod. “Wish we didn’t have to sit through classes today.”
“It’s going to be torture,” Rowan agrees.
We fall into conversation, mostly about tonight. Everyone is eager and antsy, but above that everyone is excited.
I have one eye looking out for Lacey’s arrival, and when I finally spot her, a wide grin breaks out on my face.
She’s wearing a blue T-shirt that says I heart soccer on the front. A laugh builds in my chest. When she realizes she has my attention, she turns around to show me the back.
COLLINS is written across the top with my number below.
My heart stops.
She spins back around, flashing me a flirty smile.
I close the distance between us, admiring her every step of the way. Up close, I can make out the ***9 painted on her left cheek.
“Too much?” she asks, still smiling in a way that tells me she doesn’t think so even if I do.
I don’t.
“Exactly the right amount.”
“So I should leave my pom-poms home tonight?” she asks, letting her backpack drop to the floor in front of her locker.
“Definitely bring them.”
A small laugh leaves her mouth.
“The posters look great. When did you find time to make them?”
“Last night. We decorated your dad’s office door too. Don’t tell him it was me.”
He’ll know. Everyone in the school knows Lacey is head cheerleader and that she takes that job seriously. I swear I don’t know how she manages it all.
“You think of everything.”
She hums her disagreement. “I think the football guys are starting to get jealous. My attention has been a little more focused on supporting the soccer team lately.”
“We win more.”
She shakes her head slowly, grinning. “I don’t think that’s the reason.”
I reach forward and wrap my hand around the bottom of her T-shirt to tug her closer.
“You should wear this shirt every day.”
Her laughter tinkles like a bell around us. “I could get us matching ones. Yours could say I heart cheerleading.”
“Don’t think I wouldn’t wear the hell out of a shirt with your name on it.”
“I’d like to see that.”
I lean forward to press my lips to hers.
“No PDA in the hallway,” one of the teachers calls from somewhere.
I groan but pull back.
I side-eye Dr. Frievalt, who doesn’t look like he feels bad at all for interrupting me mid-kiss. The morning bell rings, so my irritation fades away with the need to get to class.
“To be continued later,” Lacey says, stepping back to her locker. “Will I see you at lunch?”
I shake my head. “No. I’m cutting out after third period to help my dad get the field set up.”
“Okay.” A flash of disappointment crosses her face.
We both need to get going, but I don’t want to leave her yet.
“I’ll see you tonight.” Her smile brightens. “Good luck!”
Lacey looks away first, turning to grab her things for first period and then shutting her locker. I’m still staring at her when she glances back. Her smile widens. Someone bumps into her while she’s not looking, and she flushes, apologizes, then gives me one last look before leaving for real.
I head back to my locker to get my things. As I approach it, another smile stretches across my face. Taped to the front is a protein bar, just like the one I gave her, except with a little blue bow stuck to the top.
* * *
The first two periods of the day drag by. I can’t concentrate on anything except the game tonight. When second period is finally over, I shoot out of my seat. Dad doesn’t say anything when I show up twenty minutes earlier than the rest of the team.
I follow him out to the field. We inspect every inch, each starting at opposite sides and meeting in the middle. We fill holes and low areas, then Dad gets the line marker out. I check the nets and pull out balls for warm-ups.
When my teammates arrive, there’s a new hum of energy in the air. We joke and laugh, but the second Dad yells out an instruction, we snap to attention.
For lunch, Dad orders food, and we pile in the library to watch game videos one last time.
After Dad dismisses us to get changed, the first hint of nerves work their way in.
“You ready to do this?” Rowan asks me, holding up his right arm in front of him. He’s bouncing with excitement and smiling so big I bet his face hurts.
“Definitely.” I tap my fist against his, and he heads off at a jog.
Austin has gone quieter as the hour to suit up has grown closer.
“You good?” I ask him as I fall back to walk beside him.
He glances up like he was in a haze that kept him from seeing anyone else. “Yeah. Good. Nervous. Excited. Might throw up.”
A rough laugh rumbles in my chest. “Just any other game, Keller.”
“Yeah. Right.” He glances around the hallway. “This doesn’t feel like any other game.”
I do the same perusal. I saw all the decorations earlier, of course, but as I look again, I have to agree. The cheerleaders went all out. And by cheerleaders, I mean Lacey did. Maybe she would have even if it weren’t for me, but I’d like to think it was at least in part because of me.
“It will. It might take a few minutes into the game to settle in, but I promise, at some point, muscle memory and the familiarity of it all will take over.”
His expression brightens the tiniest bit, then a real smile tugs at his lips. “That almost sounded optimistic. I think Lacey is rubbing off on you.”
I shove at his arm. “Fuck off. I can be optimistic when it comes to soccer.”
He lifts one brow in protest.
“Go throw up, and then get ready to play, Keller.” I stop walking with him and turn to go the other direction. I’m not sure where I’m going until I reach Lacey’s Physics class. I peer inside and easily find Lacey. Of course she sits in the front row.
Mr. Holis notices me outside the door, and I freeze. He smiles hesitantly and walks across the classroom to greet me.
“Mr. Collins. Can I help you?” he asks.
I feel Lacey’s and the rest of the class’s eyes on me.
“I need to borrow Lacey Kerr,” I say.
I’m prepared for him to ask me more questions, and I have no idea what I’ll say. Lie, I guess. Tell him my dad sent me to get her or that there’s a cheer emergency. But instead, he looks to Lacey and nods. She stands hesitantly like she can’t believe he’s letting her go that easily either.
I step to the side in the hallway, trying not to appear too eager while I wait for her. Nervous energy drums through me until she steps outside and the classroom door shuts behind her.
“What’s going on?” she asks, smiling but looking a little uneasy.
I grab her hand and tug her to me, then drop my mouth to hers. She squeaks her surprise, then softens against me, drops her things at our feet, and throws her arms over my shoulders.
My hands rest on her hips, and I relax for the first time since this morning as we fall into a now-familiar kiss that makes me forget about everything else.
Maybe she has changed me. Or maybe I’m just finally figuring out who I really am.