Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 112951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 565(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 377(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 565(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 377(@300wpm)
I could’ve done jumping jacks naked and gotten arrested, and I didn’t think they’d notice.
I went back to the concession stands, but I asked a guy if he wanted the rest of my popcorn. His eyes lit up, and it was another rendition of love at first sight, with him and the popcorn. “Hell yes.” He grabbed it before I could change my mind, and I only bought a new soda.
I was returning with it, but there was no sign of Gage or Casey. I spotted them sitting in a corner on our team’s section. Kristina, Sarah, and Laura were on the row in front of them.
I’d been rejected.
By my own brother.
“Loser.”
Wha—
No way.
I rounded, my neck stiff as Becs and Aby approached. They were dressed similar to Casey, in full Dulane University gear. The only differences were that instead of sweatshirts, they were wearing tight, long-sleeved shirts, their hair was up in high ponytails instead of braids, and they both had lots of glitter on their faces.
I asked, “Did you actually just call me that?”
They stopped and shared a confused look. “What?” Becs asked. “Shay told us to greet you like that. We thought it was an inside joke.”
“Shay did?”
She nodded.
Aby, too.
Becs frowned. “It wasn’t this whole thing where we were supposed to call you that, and you’d know immediately it was from Shay, then dissolve in laughter? It wasn’t that sort of thing?”
“No.” But goddamn. It was a good prank. “What do you want?”
Becs barked out, “You’ve grown some more teeth since the abortion discussion.”
“No.” I shook my head. “I had teeth then, too.” I pointed to my mouth, baring them. “See. Razor sharp. Took a bite out of both of you, if I remember correctly.”
Becs said, “Uh. No.”
“Well.” Aby lifted her hand before letting it drop just as quick. “Kinda. Yeah.”
“Whatever.” Becs rolled her eyes. “You weren’t in class on Friday. Shay said he’d tell you, but since you’re here and I’m sure Shay had more important things to deal with, I thought I’d mention it.”
“What?”
“We got assigned our presentation on Friday. We have to do a whole paper and present it later, but I saw Linde last night, and he mentioned maybe starting the research tomorrow.”
“What’s our topic?”
“Social media and how it has affected politics.”
“Oh.” I was surprised. “That actually sounds fun.”
She gave me the once-over. “Yeah. Fun. Sure.”
“We’re starting tomorrow?”
She nodded. “The guys said they have your contact info, but yeah. We’ll meet in the library sometime in the afternoon or evening. I have a ton of other homework to do, too.”
“Okay.” My Sunday was now planned. Sunday Funday.
Someone called out the name Becca, and she waved at them. She said to me, pointing over her shoulder, “My friends are calling. See you tomorrow.”
Aby waved, and I was left with another discovery.
I half-whispered to myself, “Her name isn’t actually Becs?” That made a whole lot more sense.
I started for the opposing team’s section, but realized I wasn’t sitting with Gage anymore. I could sit on my own team’s side, and with that, I rotated swiftly, but stopped again.
Wait.
I came because of Gage.
I didn’t have to watch at all, but halftime ended, and the teams returned from their locker rooms. They ran past me, and I saw Shay in the middle of the pack. His head was bent forward, listening to one of the coaches who was running beside him.
I was conflicted.
I might hate his personality, but I couldn’t deny how good he looked in his football uniform. The shoulder pads. The tight white pants that ended on his calves. And how dark and sweaty his hair was. It stuck up in all the right spots. The black spots under his eyes were smudged, but in a hot way, and I faltered.
Then Linde jogged past, and seeing me, he flashed a blinding smile. “You better be cheering me on, Kennedy Clarke. You hear me? I want to hear you yelling.”
Everyone started to clap as they ran past, and feeling myself smiling, I shifted the soda to the side. I began to clap, and by the time the last of the team was on the field, I was hollering and hooting with the best of them.
I stayed, but only for Linde.
And maybe Shay’s backside.
We won seventeen to ten.
The opposing team got a field goal in, hence the last three points, and when that happened, our side acted as if we’d been punched in the balls. Even the girls winced. Sure, the other team’s offense was finally picking up, getting some drive into their runs, but it was the end of the game. The clock ran out, and it didn’t matter. A cheer went up after that, and a bunch of guys sitting near me proclaimed “GOTTA GET DRUNK NOW!” That warranted its own set of cheers.
I was walking down the path toward the parking lot. A lot of others, like parents and little children, were heading out at the same time. Some other students, the quieter, more reserved and sane ones, were in my mix as well. I spotted Kristina lingering on the edge of Casey, Laura, Sarah, and now my brother’s group. They formed a circle, and some of the other guys were joining them. There was a whole ton of students staying back, no doubt making plans for the after-game drinking. That was what Gage usually did. Aby and Becs (now Becca) were standing with their own clique, too, and some guys.