Chapter 8
Eight
CHLOE
The tang of salted butter fills the air in Anita’s kitchen. Increasingly loud and impatient pops punctuate the low hum of the microwave. I spin slowly on the barstool, my palms down on the white stone countertop. “I already told you. Like ten times.”
The microwave beeps, and Charlotte retrieves the steaming popcorn bag. “Tell us again. Exactly what he said and how he said it.”
“And how he looked. His body language. That’s crucial,” Anita adds, sliding a large yellow ceramic bowl toward Charlotte.
“I don’t know, guys. We’re just going to help each other. For the sake of soccer. And breakfast, I guess.” I get up, open the fridge, and set three cans of chilled soda on the counter. At Anita’s glare, I put one can back and fill a cup with water instead. “Okay, Annie, I’m hydrating.”
“You’re the one always bemoaning your leg spasms. And you’re the one who told me to keep you accountable. So, don’t get mad at me for doing what you asked.”
I laugh. “I know, I know. Thanks for keeping me honest.”
Anita’s soda can hisses as she pops the tab.
Charlotte pours the popcorn into the bowl and tosses a piece into her mouth. “Well, it sounds like a date to me.”
“Training is not a date,” I say, eager to finish this topic.
Charlotte’s blond eyebrows tick up. “But breakfast afterward totally might be.” She tosses another piece into her mouth and smirks.
“When are you supposed to meet?” Anita asks, settling into a barstool and stealing the popcorn from Charlotte. She munches a handful.
“Monday. Although he didn’t exactly seem happy to see me at the bonfire.”
Charlotte dismisses that concern with a wave of her hand. “He said something came up. He was clearly already on his way out when you got there. So, whatever it was couldn’t have had anything to do with you. What are you going to wear?”
“Soccer clothes, obviously.”
“At least tuck your shirt in,” Charlotte says. “And braid your hair or something. French braids keep your hair out of your face and look cute.”
“I don’t remember asking for a makeover.”
“Who’s getting a makeover?” Anita’s twin brother, Kyle, enters the kitchen and tosses his pre-calculus book on the island.
“Hi, Kyle,” Charlotte says.
“Charlotte. Chloe.” He nods to each of us and reaches for the popcorn.
Anita slaps his hand. “Get your own, oaf.”
“Ow, hey! Remember that time I rescued you when you got yourself locked in the library after hours?”
Anita scowls. “That was not my fault.”
He shrugs. “Still. You called, and I came to help.”
“Fine. One handful. There’s, like, sixty bags in the pantry. Mom went bulk this week.”
Kyle flashes a taunting smile as he grabs two handfuls, just to spite her. “You getting made over for your date with Rhoads Simpson?” He raises an eyebrow at me.
“Kyle. No,” Anita says.
“Anita, I spent two whole years subjected to the Chloe-Graham saga. I feel like I lived and breathed it. Gossip is like a drug, you know. And you’re responsible for getting me hooked.” He shoves a handful of popcorn into his mouth.
“You only know anything because you eavesdropped. Didn’t you have anything better to do than listen to your sister’s friends’ drama?” She challenges with a glare.
He shrugs and turns his attention back to me, not flustered in the slightest. “So?”
“Who told you about Chloe and Rhoads?” Charlotte asks.
“It’s not a date,” I say, though nobody pays me any attention.
Kyle smiles. “The grapevine, sis. I heard it through the grapevine. And those vines are twisted.” He winks at me and snatches the bowl of popcorn.
I exchange a look with Charlotte and Anita. “And by grapevine you mean Shenna James.”
He shrugs again. “I have last period Chemistry with her. She saw you and Simpson chatting in the music hall.”
I fold my arms. “Since when does talking with a person mean there’s something going on?
If that’s the bar, Rhoads is dating half the school.
Shenna must be starved for gossip if this is her juiciest offering.
” But it will pass soon. Someone else will do something more interesting than talking to a hot guy.
Will he still want to train with me if people start talking?
“It’s about the look, Chloe. The body language. Those moon-eyed glances,” Kyle says.
My hair might have ignited if someone looked at me the way he was looking at you in class. He was captivated.
Warmth creeps up my neck at remembering the spark in his eye as he teased me.
I shake Anita’s words away. Rhoads wasn’t looking at me any differently than any other girl at school.
Kyle places a mocking hand over his heart and flutters his long eyelashes. “Anyway, I’m just busting your chops. Rhoads is a cool dude. You do you, girl.”
Anita tears the bowl from Kyle’s hands. “Contrary to what you may think, saying stuff like that does not sound cool.”
“Thank for the tip. I’ll try to remember that when I end up at a state university.” He turns away from his sister. “What else is on the gossip list for tonight?”
I jump in, ready to not be the topic of conversation. “Charlotte’s looking for a boyfriend.” She smacks me on the shoulder. “Ow! Are you sure you haven’t been working out?” I rub the spot.
“Ooohhh who are the lucky hopefuls?” Kyle leans in. “Anybody I know?”
Charlotte looks past Kyle, focusing on the painting of the watercolor rooster Mrs. Rodriguez bought from the school’s craft fair last year.
He watches her thoughtfully. “You interested in someone on the team? Is that why you were at the home game?”
“Umm—” Charlotte stammers. Weird. She’s usually so composed.
“You should tell me who it is,” Kyle continues. “I can hook you up. I have an in. Plus, I can save you the trouble if he’s a jerk. So?”
“I, umm, don’t know his name?” Charlotte’s voice has taken on a strange high pitch that I’ve never heard before. Huh. She didn’t mention a crush to me; I was just trying to turn the heat on someone else for a minute. Does she actually like someone? And if so, why don’t I know about it?
Kyle seems unfazed. He taps his pointer finger to his lip in thought. “Maybe one of the new guys who moved up from JV? Although, if you haven’t been coming to games you wouldn’t know the OG’s anyway. What’s he look like?”
“You know, I don’t really want to talk about this anymore. I’m not even sure if I like him or not. Probably not worth involving anyone else until I figure it out.”
“Suit yourself. But, let me know if you need an introduction.” Kyle snags another handful of popcorn.
“Can you leave now?” Anita glares at her twin.
“Fine, fine. I’ll get the full scoop on Chloe and Rhoads one way or another.” He saunters back into the living room.
“Don’t pay attention to my stupid brother. He likes to stir things up. I’m sure he embellished whatever Shenna told him just to see your reaction.”
“Yeah.” I nod. “You’re probably right.” But my stomach squirms. Rumors have a way of blooming into many shades of trouble. We haven’t even hung out on a not-date yet and already things are getting blown out of proportion.
Is that why Rhoads was weird at the bonfire? What if he thinks I told people we’re dating?