Chapter 20
Cooper
Dahlia wanted to go out on Saturday night. I told my mom I was working until eight, but I was only on the schedule until six. I left my phone in my work locker in case she checked my location and took Dahlia to a Mexican place for dinner.
She spent a lot of time talking about the trouble she’d had finding the perfect homecoming dress.
She flirted and complimented me. It was the kind of date I’d imagined having with her, the kind half the guys at school wanted to have.
I should’ve been happy. Instead, it felt anticlimactic.
I couldn’t bring myself to care about anything she said. I was just going through the motions.
At the end of the date, she hugged me goodbye and lingered in my arms, making it clear I could kiss her.
I didn’t, though. Kissing her seemed like a commitment, like I would be saying I wanted her as a girlfriend.
I wasn’t sure if I did. Lately, my thoughts had been wandering to Madeline.
It was her messages I always looked forward to even though I knew she was only pretending to like me.
Over the next week, whenever we saw each other in the hallways between classes, she always gave me a slight, secret smile.
Sometimes she looked at me in a knowing way that made me think of how she’d looked before our last kiss—a mix of hesitancy and eagerness.
I wondered if she looked at me that way on purpose, if she meant to remind me of those moments on my front porch.
Because that was where my mind went every single time.
Our parents might need more convincing about our status. Kissing ought to become a repeat event. Maybe before our homecoming date on Saturday. Or after. Or both.
Once, I found her after school to talk about homecoming details. She hadn’t mentioned the dance since our date on Friday, and I hoped she’d changed her mind about it. “Are you still going to the dance with TC?” I asked.
She lifted her chin in a challenge. “Are you still going with Dahlia?”
So that was a yes. I couldn’t dump Dahlia after she’d already bought a dress and given up the chance to go with anyone else. I owed her that much.
“We should go to the same restaurant for dinner,” I said. “That way if our parents check our locations we’ll be at the same place.” And that way, I could keep an eye on TC and make sure he didn’t get too friendly with Madeline.
She held up a hand. “I’m declining that motion right off.”
“Why?”
She gave me a look like she couldn’t believe I was asking. “Because it’s my first date with TC, and it would be awkward to double with my fake boyfriend.”
In other words, she was looking forward to going out with TC. “It wouldn’t be a double date,” I said. “We’d just be in the same restaurant.”
“Still awkward.” She made a conciliatory gesture with her hand. “I’ll give you my phone for the night. Then if our parents check, they’ll think we’re together.”
Not a good idea. “I’ll give you my phone for the night. I shouldn’t leave you without one just in case TC turns out to be such a jerk you need to call for a ride to get away from him.”
She cocked her head. “Is there a precedent for that worry? Do you know of a girl who had to flee, mid-date, from him?”
“No.” TC was a jerk in a lot of ways, but I’d never heard of girls fleeing from him. “I just . . .” I didn’t know how to explain my feelings. I wasn’t quite sure what they were myself. “It’s just safer for you to have a phone.”
“Fine.” Her lips quirked into a teasing smile. “While I have it, I’ll try and guess your password and see what secrets your phone holds.”
“Good luck with that.” My phone was low on secrets.
We spent a few more minutes finalizing the rest of the plans.
Once we took pictures at her house, I’d drive her to whatever restaurant she and TC decided to eat at so they could meet up there.
After the dance, TC would take her back to the restaurant and wait in his car with Madeline while I dropped Dahlia off at her house.
Then I’d drive to the restaurant, pick up Madeline, and take her back to her house.
I wondered if she and TC would kiss while they waited in his car and made a mental note to drop Dahlia off early and quickly.
I also wondered if Madeline and TC would become a couple. I didn’t like the idea. TC was a dirtbag half the time. He wasn’t good enough for her.
c c c
Friday night came and we geared up for the homecoming game against Riggs. It should’ve been an easy win. We were a better team and had the home-field advantage.
I could tell my game was off from the start. TC was a defensive end, and every time he lined up across from me, I thought about Madeline and him at the school tomorrow night. Slow dancing. Flirting. Sitting in his car at the end of the night.
TC knew Madeline and I were only pretending to date, but he seemed to sense I had more skin in that game than I should. He never missed an opportunity to taunt me.
“Hey, Coop,” he called to me after we’d barely managed to make our first down, “maybe once I’m done tackling you, I’ll show Madeline some of my moves. I bet she’ll like them better than yours.”
Then it was: “You’re just a fake—like you’ve been your entire life. I guess you’re good at that role.”
And: “Chicken Coop, do you like your snobby school? Too bad the SCH babes have to go looking at Riggs for real men.”
Why had Madeline chosen him? Out of all of the guys who would’ve been happy to take her to homecoming, she’d chosen a guy I had bad blood with.
I threw a pass that went short. While we jogged to the next huddle, Henry said, “What’s the deal with Mullins? Why does he keep yelling stuff about Madeline to you?”
My hands curled into fists. “He’s going to the dance with her.”
“And you’re going with Dahlia,” Henry said, “So why does it matter?”
Jasper joined us. “Do you really have to ask?”
A sudden flash of understanding went across Henry’s face and he groaned. “Seriously, Nash? This isn’t the time to second--guess your dance choices. Get your head in the game.”
“It is,” I said.
“If it was,” Henry said, “you’d be calling a play, not glaring at the defense.”
My gaze snapped back to the forming huddle, and I drew in a deep breath to clear my mind.
Jasper patted my shoulder. “The best way to put Mullins in his place is to crush his team.”
As though I wasn’t already trying to do that. “Okay, we’re running Red 28 Sweep.” I slapped my hands together. “Let’s move the chains, guys.”
My teammates nodded and we took our positions. TC paced near the line of scrimmage, his eyes locked on me like a wolf sizing up prey.
Did TC even like Madeline or did he just like the idea of taking her away from me?
TC jogged in place and swung his arms as though he had energy to spare. The guy was all smug assurance. “The next one’s for Madeline,” he called.
I clenched my jaw. “Yeah? You practicing your slow-dance footwork or something?”
TC chuckled darkly. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure she knows how much better I am than you—on and off the field.”
The ball snapped, and my mind clicked back to the game. I dropped back, scanning the field for my wide receiver. The pocket was collapsing, but I spotted an opening. Two seconds after I launched the ball, TC crashed into me, driving me into the turf with a jarring thud.
Pain smacked through me, pushing the breath from my lungs. The hit was late, and the ref’s whistle immediately screamed.
“Unnecessary roughness!” the ref shouted and signaled a fifteen-yard penalty.
TC stood over me, smirking. “Sorry. Guess I couldn’t stop in time.” He extended a hand. I swatted it away and got to my feet on my own. Punk. It took everything I had not to knock the self-satisfied expression off his face.
“Careful,” TC said, his voice mocking. “Wouldn’t want you getting too banged up before the dance, pretty boy.”
My pulse pounded in my ears. “And it would be a shame if you broke a leg and couldn’t go.”
“Not happening,” TC said. “Just like your love life. Mine, on the other hand? I’ll make sure it’s real good tomorrow night.”
I stepped toward him. Jasper took hold of my arm. Apparently, he could tell I was about to do something that might get me ejected from the game.
“Ignore him,” Jasper said. “It’s just jealousy.”
He meant because I was a better player, because my team was better. But I heard the meaning he hadn’t intended. I was letting TC get to me because I was jealous of his date with Madeline.
I didn’t want the guy anywhere near her.
I turned and stalked away from him.
I only had one thought as I played the rest of the game.
I wasn’t about to let TC win anything on the field or off it.
I was going to drop off Dahlia so early that I’d be in the restaurant parking lot waiting for TC to pull in with Madeline.
And then I was going to suggest, in front of him, that Madeline and I have a dramatic kiss goodnight on her doorstep.
Despite TC’s taking every legal opportunity to hurt me, and some that weren’t legal, we won the game. The crowd erupted in applause. The band delivered a triumph song. My teammates hooted and patted my back in celebration.
I was just glad the game was over. I’d made too many mistakes and was sore from the constant tackles.
Half of my body ached. As I trudged to the locker room, I wondered if Madeline knew players from the other teams we played.
Maybe she would date more of them. Maybe this was going to be a recurring theme at the games.
In the locker room, the coach spent way too much time pointing out the ways we could’ve done better. Specifically, the ways I could’ve done better. When he was done with his lecture, I got changed and tromped outside to find my mother and Claire.
Mr. Seibold and Madeline were also there.
Surprising. I’d half expected her to make an excuse to skip this meet and greet and be off consoling TC.
She was dressed up for it, wearing some tweed coat like she was on her way to a fox hunt instead of watching a football game.
Her hair spilled around her shoulders in blonde waves, and she’d done something to her lashes so that her blue eyes looked huge.
They all gave me the usual congratulations. My mom and Claire told me I’d played well, but I wasn’t in the mood for false praise. “I sucked.”
“Don’t be hard on yourself,” Mr. Seibold said. “Everyone has an off night. A win is still a win.”
My mom gave my arm a consoling squeeze. “I know playing against your old friends is difficult.”
“Especially,” Claire added, “when they have it out for you. What did you do to tick off TC?”
I shot Madeline a dark look and didn’t answer. Really, what had she told TC about the two of us?
Madeline bit her lip and didn’t say anything. I hadn’t bothered to tell Claire that TC was Madeline’s homecoming date. Tomorrow night, Claire planned on hanging out with friends instead of going to the dance. She didn’t have to know what went on there.
By way of explanation to Madeline’s father, my mom said, “Some of Cooper’s old friends are still angry that he chose to go to Silver Creek High instead of Riggs.
You’d think their coach would bench any players who were roughing the passer.
” Her eyes ran over Cooper. “How are you doing? Any injuries?”
“Just bruises,” I said. “And an assortment of related pain.”
“Sorry,” Madeline said.
“Are you?” I asked.
Our parents exchanged a look. They could tell there was subtext in the conversation.
“Of course, I’m sorry,” Madeline said. “I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”
I grunted. “Yeah, you wouldn’t want to miss the dance.”
My mom’s gaze bounced between us and landed on Madeline. “Do you have anything planned before dinner?”
She probably meant as a couple, but Madeline said, “I’m getting a manicure, then going to a salon to have my hair and makeup done.”
“Oh,” Mom said. “That’s nice. You’re really going all out for the dance, aren’t you?”
Madeline shrugged and smiled. “I want to look good for Cooper.”
She meant she wanted to look good for TC. I smiled at her but could tell it was tight and unhappy. “Always thinking of me.”
“You have no idea,” she said, with a sigh.
I wondered what she meant by that for the rest of the night.