Chapter 21 #2
“You’re welcome.”
“Shut up, Matthews.”
I laughed as she marched away from me. Picking up my own backpack, I headed to class.
I’d just sat down when my phone vibrated in my pocket. She’d texted me the images she took. I flicked through them. I didn’t feel awkward looking at them . . . complete lie. I hated the very thought of it.
Me: Thanks. I’ll post them later
B: Them? Not them. One.
What?
Me: One?
B: You can’t post them all, a) you’ll look like a narcissist, and b) you’ll bore your ‘fans’.
Me: Why did you send me nine if I’m only to post one?
B: OMG! You really are clueless. You get a selection, you pick the best one, you post ONE.
Me: Well, which one is the best one?
B: You don’t know?
Me: If I knew, why would I ask?
She sent me one of the images again.
B: This one
I looked at it. I was looking up from my phone, looking straight at the camera, my hair falling over my forehead. I looked like I was about to do something devious.
I sucked my teeth as I considered it. I looked at it again. She’d picked the one that showed exactly who I was. I wasn’t sure whether to be unsettled or impressed.
Me: I look like I have a secret
B: Exactly
B: You’re welcome
I smiled a little at her sass, putting the phone away as the professor started the class. I looked around for Dante or Dustin. They were both in this class with me, but when I couldn’t see them. I tried to pay attention to the professor instead.
My phone vibrated again.
B: Will you drive me to the garage after practice?
Me: Magic word?
B: Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo
I didn’t know the reference. I had to google it. Cinderella?
Me: I’m struggling to picture you as a Disney princess
B: Just take me to the damn garage, Noah!!
Me: There’s those leadership skills you keep telling me about
The dots appeared and disappeared. Then again. The third time, they vanished, didn’t return, and she didn’t reply.
I put my phone back in my pocket and decided it may be better if I wasn’t on the receiving end of her temper. I’d missed what this lecture was about now.
I’d need to rewatch it online. I slipped my phone out of my pocket again.
Me: Where are you? And can I borrow your car again?
Dust: In the same room as you, look behind you and stop looking at your phone
I turned around, and five rows behind me, to the left, were Dustin and Dante. They both raised their hand off the desk to give me a wave of acknowledgment.
Me: Must have missed you
Dust: D’ya think?
Me: Can I take the car?
Dust: What for?
Me: She needs a ride to Halston
Dust: Don’t do anything stupid
I grinned and glanced at him over my shoulder, seeing his disapproving frown, and Dante beside him, typing out notes.
I turned back and quickly fired off a text to Briar.
Me: I can take you for the car
I got a thumbs-up emoji. What was she? Thirty?
Not long after the class was over, I picked up my stuff. I was no further forward in knowing what I’d just listened to. But that was nothing new.
Dust and Dante were waiting for me, and I flinched when Dustin hit me in the abs with his notebook.
“Why?”
“What do you think of the play call?” he asked as I looked down at the page.
“Why am I on the outside?”
“We made a joke of it, but really, you could be a tight end, so, I was thinking, if we put you here,” he leaned over, pointing. “And the opposition moved their receiver back here,” he pointed at where he was thinking. “Then you could wipe them out, and still have time to take down their tight end.”
I looked at the play. “I’m not Superman.”
“But you’re fast,” Dustin countered. “And you’re off your line quick. I’ve seen Gray do this,” he indicated back to the play. “No one’s ever stopped his run because the set pieces are the set pieces. But you, you could do it.”
I glanced over at Dante, who had glanced at it and said nothing. “QB?”
“As long as it keeps you away from my pocket, I don’t care who you flatten.”
Dustin and I both laughed. “Show it to Coach Merriman,” I told him.
“You show it to Coach Holt.” He pushed the notebook back at me.
I took it. “Fine, we’ll show it to him together.”
We walked to the next building, and then Dante went to his class, which no one understood why he was taking. Dustin went to something for advanced something-or-other, and I went to Understanding Financial Statistics.
This class I didn’t need help with. I understood stats and money. I could practically nap through this one.
I met up with the guys again on the training ground. They both looked the same as me. Glad class was over, and eager to train.
I watched my teammates. Some of their faces showed the same eagerness to play. Others looked almost lethargic as they complained about different aches. I recognized that most of them were second-team players or benchwarmers.
“Just seeing it?” Dante asked me as he stretched out his left leg.
“Seems to be clearer today.”
His nose wrinkled as he looked over to the sidelines. “He doesn’t miss it.”
I looked toward Coach Sutherland, who was watching us all with a clipboard in hand.
“He’s a good coach.” The words tasted like ash in my mouth.
“Yeah.” Dante bounced on his feet a few times. “Pity he’s a lying sack of shit.” Dante walked over to where Coach Hembry and the backup QB stood.
I jogged over to the defense, noticing the flash of the sun over the dark hair of Briar as she sat four rows back in the stands. She was looking the other way, her camera pointed at the other side of the field, and I followed her line of sight.
Dustin had the center by the throat, and I watched as if in slow motion as my roommate punched him. I was already moving toward him.
“Shit.”