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I open my mouth to agree, then close it.
It’s not mine.
CHAPTER TWELVE
I’ve just gotten out of the shower on Friday night when there’s a loud knock on my door.
“What?” I call, tightening the towel around my torso. The door opens, and Alexis pokes her head in.
“Get ready, we’re going to dinner and then out,” she tells me.
“I was thinking of staying in tonight…” I hedge.
In truth, Sophia texted me, asking about going clubbing. Beck must have given her my number.
Alexis smirks. “Yeah, right. Cancel whatever other plans you made. Everyone’s going. No excuses.”
I roll my eyes. “Fine.”
I text Sophia requesting a rain check and then get ready. I go for a smokey eye effect with my makeup and make the effort to curl my hair. Then slip on the strapless dress I picked out for the soccer formal last spring. It offsets my tan nicely.
An awkward silence descends when I enter the kitchen, the counter littered with alcohol. I’m honestly a little impressed by my strait-laced teammates.
Ellie breaks the quiet that follows my appearance. “Okay, that’s everyone! Let’s go.”
We all head out of the house, where a line of several taxis is waiting. I climb into the last car with Alexis, Ellie, and a quiet girl named Alice whom I’ve never spoken to before but know has a mean header. Ellie spends the entire drive talking nonstop, making me think she pre-gamed hard. I might be the only sober one in the group right now.
The restaurant we stop outside is trendy and upscale. The exterior is half-timbered but painted black so that the texture differential is barely noticeable.
Based on the monochromatic exterior, I’m expecting a minimalistic interior as well. The variety of decoration inside is a bit of a shock. The floor is covered with woven rugs boasting intricate patterns. The walls are paneled with light wood. Hundreds of twinkling lights cover the ceiling, giving the space a warm, homey glow. The furniture takes the longest to absorb. It’s an eclectic mix in color, weave, and, if I had to guess, century.
There’s a communal feel to the large space. Long tables run the full length of the room, surrounded by chairs spanning every possible shape and color you could imagine. It’s reminiscent of my high school cafeteria, but none of the food being eaten looks anything like the glop I ate for four years. I study some plates as Olivia talks to the hostess. There’s some sort of fish with sectioned citrus, roasted chicken with a fancy sauce on top, and what looks like seared beef with jalapeno.
I’m distracted from my perusal when a familiar voice says, “This is a surprise.”
I turn to see Coach Weber appraising our group, wearing the barest hint of a smile. It’s the first time I’ve seen her in anything but a polo and soccer shorts. She’s dressed in a pink sundress. A few middle-aged women hover behind her, looking at our large group curiously.
Since I’m the only sober one, I take the lead. “Hi, Coach.”
“Scott. Ladies,” Coach Weber responds, swiping her gaze across the girls behind me. “Doing some team bonding?”
“We’re practicing a different kind of shots.”
Ellie snorts. Alexis hisses my name.
Christina Weber has an epic poker face, but I think I catch a lip twitch. “Don’t set any records. I talked to Erika Beck earlier. You’re in high demand this weekend, Scott.” I nod. “Have a good night, ladies. I’d recommend the chicken.” Coach Weber heads for the door with her friends close behind.
“What was she talking about? Erika Beck?” Ellie whispers to me.
“I’ll tell you later,” I reply as we follow the hostess over to the large section of seats waiting for us.
Our group of thirty takes up most of the table. I opt to follow Coach Weber’s suggestion and get the chicken. It’s good. It comes with a cucumber salsa dressed with salt, lime, and mint, which pairs perfectly with the gin margarita I order.
A couple of hours later, we pile back into a series of taxis to head to our next destination.
I’m having more fun than I expected to. It might have taken six weeks, but there’s finally a bit of camaraderie. Maybe it’s leftover goodwill from the water balloon fight. Maybe it’s because we’re so close to the end. Whatever the reason, it was a relief to be plied with questions about playing in the States rather than being beamed by glares at dinner.
Taxi assignments remain the same, so Alexis, Ellie, Alice, and I are all crammed together, heading to our next destination.
