"Alright, guys, it's rival week. Practice will run until seven-thirty every day," Coach announced, his tone leaving no room for argument.
I opened my mouth to protest but quickly closed it when I saw my teammates nodding, already hyped up to tackle the extra hours.
"Alright then, let's start with plays," Coach adjourned, clapping his hands.
I jogged to the offense huddle, already feeling the weight of a long practice ahead.
"What's with the face, Pierce?" Damien smirked as we gathered. "Got a problem with staying late, or does Daddy need you home by a certain time?"
Some of the guys laughed, but not all. I shot Damien a glare. "Shut up. Blue Lightning, break!" I barked, ignoring his jab.
As practice dragged on, my muscles screamed in protest, but I powered through. By the end, I was drenched in sweat and completely spent. Deciding to shower at school, I grabbed my stuff and headed to the locker room.
While wrapping a towel around my waist, I overheard voices coming from the other aisle.
"You know his parents paid for the new wing at our school. That's the only reason he's quarterback," Damien sneered. "We all know who should be in charge."
My fists clenched instinctively, and I stalked toward the sound, rage bubbling in my chest. Before I could say anything, the sharp clang of a body slamming into lockers echoed down the aisle.
When I rounded the corner, Kyle had Damien pinned against the lockers, his face a mask of fury.
"You're scum," Kyle growled. "Talking trash about your own teammate and captain."
The other guys scrambled to pull Kyle off Damien, but not before he got a good shove in.
"Back off, Damien," I growled, locking eyes with him.
Damien muttered something under his breath as he walked away with the others. I slumped onto the bench, shaking my head. Kyle sat beside me, his anger already dissipating into a grin.
"You told me to chill out," I said, smirking.
Kyle burst into laughter, clutching his sides. "Shut up, man. I'd just had enough of his crap. Did you see his face? He looked so freaking scared."
I chuckled, grabbing my clothes and getting dressed.
When we left the locker room, Kyle veered off toward his car, flashing his signature crooked grin. "See ya, Red!"
I waved him off and climbed into my car. Sitting behind the wheel, I pulled up my contacts and sent a quick text.
Me:
Coach said practice is running until seven-thirty this week because of the big game Friday. I can't work on the project until next week.
After hitting send, I rolled down the windows, letting the cool evening breeze fill the car as I drove home.
That night, after eating dinner with my family, my phone buzzed with a reply.
Pinky:
Alright, but our next meeting can be at my house.
I wasn't sure why the thought of going to her house made me feel... excited. I shook it off, closed my phone, and went to bed.
The next morning, I threw on a blue T-shirt and black jeans, running my hands through my hair to give it a tousled look. Satisfied with my reflection, I grabbed my bag and headed downstairs.
My mom was in the kitchen, humming as she cooked. My dad sat at the table with his newspaper, and Isla was glued to her phone.
"Morning, honey. Sit down! Your breakfast sandwich is almost ready," Mom chirped.
I dropped into a chair just as my dad folded his paper and looked at me.
"Sorry, but I need you to take Isla to school today," he said.
"Why?" I groaned.
"Your father has something important to do," Mom said, blushing slightly.
I scrunched my nose in disgust. My parents had always been embarrassingly affectionate, and now I had to pay the price for their... enthusiasm.
Finishing my sandwich quickly, I stood up. "Let's go," I grumbled to Isla.
"Watch the attitude," she sassed, grabbing her bag.
After kissing Mom on the cheek, I headed to the garage, with Isla trailing behind.
As soon as we got in the car, she reached for the radio. I caught her wrist before she could press a button.
"No one touches my radio," I said firmly.
She huffed, crossing her arms. "So possessive over an ugly car," she muttered.
I shot her a look. "Just wait till I get older. My ride's gonna be as hot as its owner—me," she bragged, flipping her hair dramatically.
"Like you'll even get to drive," I teased.
"Shut up," she muttered, going back to her phone.
"By the way, when's Pinky coming back over?" she asked slyly.
"Her name is Tasha," I corrected, glaring at her.
"Fine. When's Tasha coming back over?"
"Why do you care?"
"She showed me this reading app—Wattpad—and now I need recommendations," she said with a shrug.
"You won't see her for a while. Practice is late this week, and our next meeting's at her house."
Isla stared at me for a long moment. "You better not sleep with her. And don't flirt either."
I rolled my eyes. "We're just friends. It's for a project."
Satisfied, she nodded and went back to her phone.
When we got to school, Kyle greeted us in the parking lot with a wide grin. "Hey, Red," he said, slinging an arm around Isla's shoulder.
"Ugh, it's like having two annoying twin brothers," Isla groaned, swatting him away before walking off.
Kyle and I cackled as we headed inside.
By the lockers, I spotted a flash of pink. Tasha was standing there, talking to some guy who looked about my height.
"Pinky," I called out.
She turned, her honey-brown eyes lighting up as her cheeks flushed. "Hi."
The guy next to her frowned. "Her name is Tasha, not Pinky," he snapped.
Kyle leaned in, throwing his arm over my shoulder. "I think I like Pinky better," he said, smirking at the guy.
Tasha glanced between us, her voice soft. "It's fine. I mean... you calling me Pinky."
"See?" Kyle grinned, inching closer to the guy just to irritate him.
I gently pulled Tasha aside, leaving Kyle to mess with her friend. "Did you get my message?" I asked.
"Yeah, it's fine. I think we should each work on Chapter 24 on our own," she said.
"Alright," I nodded.
"KYLE!" I called. He smirked at the guy before joining me as we walked to class.
"That girl is cute," Kyle said with a grin.
"Hmm," I muttered, shoving him lightly.