SEVENTEEN
DAKOTA
The bleachers vibrated with a roar as students jumped to their feet—screaming and cheering at the top of their lungs
The spectators’ voice boomed through the speakers. “Let’s welcome to the field, The Crimson Wolves!”
Our football team sprinted onto the field, and the crowd went wild as the cheerleaders and I stood, side-by-side, cheering them on.
Our mascot, Willy The Wolverine, leaped into the air, throwing up his fists as he followed the team.
Tonight’s game was the last game of the season, and not only were we excited, but on edge as well.
The girls and I all gathered on the bench as we hopped up, looking out at the guys.
Celeste—our very passionate captain— immediately counted us in, and we cheered. It was easy to feed off the crowd’s energy tonight with how ecstatic everyone was.
Eventually, we were told to quiet down and have a seat. The girls and I sat on the bench to the coach’s right, whereas the bench warmers sat to his left.
The team ran up to the coach, and they huddled together. He spoke in terms that I couldn’t understand for the life of me, and soon, the team separated.
I wished Asher luck, and as I turned, I spotted Logan a great distance from me, speaking to one of the students. I watched as she giggled and smiled, and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes in annoyance.
Tonight also marked one month of me officially living with the guys. Thankfully, Chase had another house on the property, so we decided that it would have to do. My father wasn’t keen about the idea of me living close to three men, but eventually, I convinced him that I’d be okay.
My mother, on the other hand, was too busy staring into Kaden’s honey brown eyes to even fully pay attention. He had no problem feeding into her delusions by complimenting her and taking her for a personal tour around the house.
Her continuous giggles confirmed that she enjoyed it, to which my father simply grunted in response.
My mother married my father when she was only eighteen. He was her first everything. So, her being smitten by Kaden’s charm wasn’t surprising at all… I love my father, but I’ve never heard him say anything remotely flirtatious to my mother. I just don’t think he has it in him.
Because Chase and Logan were both professors, we collectively decided that Kaden being in charge was the safest option.
After much convincing and reassurance, my parents finally accepted my decision and organized a moving company to help me. And I’d been having the best time since.
Daisy stopped right next to me and bumped my hip with hers. “You ready?” she giggled, dragging out the vowels, and I smiled.
“Let’s go kick some cheerleading ass,” I lowered my tone to a playful whisper before we rushed over to the other girls.
I stole a glance up at Logan, and he stood with the same girl at his side as they both looked toward the field.
My eyes landed on Celeste ahead of me and the look in her eyes unsettled me. Following her gaze, my eyes landed on Shelby, the cheer captain of the opposing team. With her eyes on Celeste, she wrapped her hand around Luka’s neck and smashed her lips to his.
My fists clenched at my sides.
Celeste and Shelby had been best friends since the eighth grade, but when they started college, Shelby, the traitorous bitch, gave Celeste’s boyfriend at the time—Luka—a blow job in one of the empty classrooms on their campus. Not today, Shelby.
Maliciously, I approached them and Shelby broke the kiss with a tight smirk. The girls on both teams must’ve noticed because they surrounded us in no time.
With my back to the crowd, I casually allowed my eyes to scan the field. “Still spreading your legs for the bare minimum, are we Shelby?” I held back a smile.
“You little—” she began, stepping toward me but got cut off by one of our professors pushing through the crowd.
“Calm down, ladies,” he ordered.
“Say it again, you little whore!” she yelled and the professor grabbed hold of her. “Let me go!” she fought back, tugging back and forth with him.
She attracted the attention of everyone with her little temper tantrum and the girls and I couldn’t help but snicker. Worked like a charm.
Her team tried calming her down by dragging her away and I couldn’t fight the mischievous grin on my face.
I lifted my eyes from Shelby and when they landed on Logan, my smile dropped. He didn’t look pleased at all.
I simply brushed off his disapproval as Celeste shot me an appreciative wink before she stepped up on the bench to attract the crowd’s attention. The girls and I joined her as we rallied up the crowd while the football team got ready.
A gentle hand rested on my lower back and when my head turned, my eyes locked with Asher’s concerned ones. With his help, I carefully jumped off the bench.
“You okay?” his arm slipped around my waist and I nodded.
“Of course I am,” I shrugged, then bunched the front of his jersey in my fist. I pulled him to my level and he grinned, smiling down at me. “It’s nothing new. Now, get on that field and kick some fucking ass.”
I leaned up to kiss his cheek before he jogged off and I huddled with my team.
After a few minutes the game finally started and the girls and I kept the crowd going. Every time the opposing team’s crowd got loud, we got louder.
We did all our practiced routines and cheered until our feet hurt. The game went extremely well in the first half as expected, even with the deadly glares we received from Shelby, and her squad.
After Asher scored a— a goal? A point? A win? Same thing. After he scored, everyone charged toward him, nearly knocking him off his feet.
They huddled around him and cheered. I couldn’t stop smiling.
As the game progressed, our team scored a couple more times, which put us in the lead by half-time. The guys went off to the locker rooms and the girls and I desperately needed to quench our thirst.
I specifically waited for all the guys to come back out before I headed inside to use the bathroom.
Unfortunately, only the guy’s locker room was unlocked and I grimaced at the idea of having to use their bathroom. With a heavy pressure building in my bladder, I did little hops on either foot, the organ feeling like it would explode. Do I really have to…?
With a deep breath of forced—dreadful—courage, I snuck inside.
It took a second of hesitation before I walked into the back to find the bathroom. Chewing my bottom lip I looked around, shaking my head. I can’t… their bathroom is disgusting.
Bile crawled up my throat and I suppressed a gag as I whipped back around and headed back out but immediately stopped in my tracks, seeing Chase down the hallway, speaking to another woman.
“Oh! There you are!” Solace called out, stealing my attention. She clung to my side then slowly followed my eyes.
Chase and the woman both looked up in our direction, because of Solace’s loud voice, and my heart drummed in my ears. Who is that?
“Hi, Professor Chase! Hi Professor Madeline!” Solace smiled, lifting her arm in the air to wave at them. So that’s the infamous Madeline…
Madeline, mirrored Solace’s smile and waved back. Chase simply nodded and when his eyes shifted to me, I didn’t miss the uneasiness behind them. Madeline turned to look at him again, and he shifted his attention back to her.
“What were you doing in the men’s locker room?” Solace half chuckled, looking behind me in confusion.
I exhaled slowly. “The girl’s bathroom is locked.”
“No, it’s not,” she shook her head, her eyes filling with concern.
My brows pinched together. “It’s not locked?” What is going on with me tonight?
“Are you feeling okay?”
“Yeah, I just— I don’t know,” I stuttered. “Let’s get back to the girls,” I forced a smile, heading back out with her. First Logan, now Chase? I know I’m overthinking this but I…
I had never been the jealous type. Ever. But tonight something felt different, and I wasn’t sure why. Maybe I was finally allowing myself to be vulnerable with someone, and the fear of getting hurt frightened me.
Mentally, I shook those brain eating thoughts away and focused on putting my trust in them. Both of them.
During the second half I found myself rushing down the hallway, heading straight for the bathroom. The girl’s bathroom.
Thankfully, it was empty and I was in and out in no time so that I could get back to cheering
Rushing back down the hallway, I felt a sudden hand on my arm and noticed Chase standing in the doorway of Logan’s classroom.
Without hesitation, he pulled me inside and slammed the door shut. I didn’t know whether or not to be thankful that Logan was inside. He was seated behind his desk, hands hovering over the keyboard due to our sudden entrance.
“What’s going on?” Logan hesitantly asked and I glanced over at Chase.
“Logan, please get out,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest, not tearing his eyes from me, and Logan got up in confusion.
He cast me a look and I simply shrugged in response. He stepped around his desk, grabbing his keys, and leaving the classroom by shutting the door behind himself.
“Who is Asher Graham to you?” Chase asked and I was taken by surprise, turning my entire body to face him.
“He’s my friend, why—”
“Then why were you kissing him, Dakota?” he questioned, stepping closer to me and I stepped back.
“What are you talking about?” I asked—dumbfounded—and the muscle in his jaw ticked. Oh… “It was a kiss on the cheek. Chase, it was platonic—”
“I don’t care what you call it,” he began, stopping in front of me, leaving no space between us. “You don’t kiss or touch another man. Do you understand?”
“Chase, please—”
“Do you understand me, Dakota?”
I swallowed hard, contemplating my next move. “No.”
Deep blue eyes pierced through me but I kept my head up to look him in the eye.
“Stop treating me like some kid you can push around. Asher is my friend and if you can’t accept that then leave. You should know better than to get jealous of your student, Mr. Madden. Or threaten one.”
“I’m not in the mood for your games.”
“And I’m not in the mood for your possessiveness.”