Page 13 of Kickoff

My pulse kicked up at the thought the fourth ticket was hers. I would think she would be eager to spend time with her friends after being away for so long, no?

“Fine. Count me in.” New gameplan. The idea I could switch things around between Melinda and me this year filled me with renewed hope. I had to make the most of all the opportunities that presented themselves. “What time are we leaving?”

“Two. We’re all going out to dinner afterward.”

I nodded. “Okay. I don’t know if I have plans yet. I’ll confirm later.” If I sounded too interested, Craig and Paige would know something was up with me. The best thing I could do was to act nonchalant. Interested enough, but not too much. Inside me though, there was a fireworks show going on. Jitters danced in my belly. I couldn’t stay still. Two o’clock was hours away. Time was moving too slowly. I had to get out of here. Do something. Clear my head. Exert my body.

I jumped to my feet to bolt when my brother grabbed my wrist.

“Mase, wait.”

“What? I’m going for a run. I need to breathe some fresh air, and running will help chase away last night’s mistakes.”

He fixed me with a stern gaze and bunched eyebrows. I knew this look. Craig was about to use his big brother card on me. The one that only came out whenever he thought I was being an idiot. “Mase, tell me you are done with Lydia Santos.”

I offered him a tiny smile. “Yeah. Not going there again. I won’t screw with the team. You have my word.”

“Whatever it is you’re trying to prove or fix by sleeping around, it won’t do.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

He lowered his voice. “How’s your shoulder? Coach was hard on you all week.”

“Okay. Don’t worry about me. It’s all good.” I gave my shoulder a roll back as if that proved my affirmation.

“Are you still in pain?”

Sometimes. “I’m not… I don’t… I’m fine. Gotta go.” I jerked away from his touch, fearing he could tell all my secrets if he looked at me too closely.

The state of my right shoulder was nobody’s business. No way would I ever let it slow me down or restrict my movements this season. It was senior year, and I planned to lead my team to victory for the second year in a row. My mind drifted to my neighbor—again.

Melinda and Paige were best friends. The last thing I wished for was to complicate the relationship between the four of us and for them to think I wasn’t being serious toward their friend.

I had to prove myself first. I knew that. I’d be halfway there if only I could figure out how not to turn into someone else when Melinda was around.

Fixating on something other than my physical pain was the distraction I needed right now. And Melinda Shepard was the chosen one.

Rushing to my room, I changed into a pair of dark mesh shorts, a worn Heather gray T-shirt with cut-off sleeves, and runners.

I came face to face with my dad on the landing, dressed in a deep-blue terry cloth bathrobe, his dark hair spiking in all directions, and his eyes red and still swollen from sleep. “Morning, son.” He rubbed a palm over his two-day-old stubble.

I chuckled. “Wow, Dad, the night has been rough.” I motioned at his hair, and he used a hand to try to tame the beast. “Keep trying. It’s stuck like that.” I shrugged. “I hope it’s not forever, or you’ll have to shave it.”

“Oh, well.” He sighed and dropped his arm to his side. “Not sure your mom would find me handsome if I go bald. Anyway, too little sleep and too much on my mind.”

“Well, there’s always coffee downstairs if you need a pick-me-up. Going now. Bye.”

I jogged downstairs, and when I entered the kitchen, Paige and Craig had disappeared. Only the smell of freshly baked cupcakes hinted at their earlier presence. I swallowed a protein bar in three bites and downed a glass of water before making my way outside to stretch.

The storm swirling inside me resembled a mixture of excitement and anticipation at the idea I could prove to Melinda I was done being a stupid version of myself. I had no clue how to interpret it. It felt different from the jitters I felt before a game or the doubt and anxiety that crippled me when I tried something new. This agitation in my stomach was foreign, and I couldn’t wait for it to settle down.

4

My brother is weird, girl

From my position on the front deck, I had a partial view of the Shepards’ house. I cracked my neck and stretched my glutes, positioning myself in the only spot where I had an unrestrained view of their porch. Just in case Melinda magically appeared. A line of mature trees between our houses made it almost impossible for me to see anything from here. From my bedroom window or the back deck, I had a much better chance to catch movements next door because their angle made it perfect to spot any activity going on in their backyard. Over the years, I had gazed multiple times at Melinda doing her late-night laps in the pool during the summer. She was on the school swim team and was pretty amazing at it. I knew college scouts had been watching her because I heard her father tell mine one day. Crestwood University, a college a little over an hour’s drive from here, renowned for its academics and athletics programs, had shown interest, amongst others. They did for Craig and me too. Even offered us a full ride if we played football there next year.

My brother and Paige had their sights on Thompson University in Philadelphia, though. Paige couldn’t wait to move away from our little town and live in a big city. My brother was so head over heels in love with her that he would follow her anywhere. Even if her college of choice ended up being in Antarctica. It helped that Thompson U had one of the top football programs in the country, so both would thrive there. Craig wasn’t compromising his future by following his girlfriend.