Page 86 of Kickoff

“Do you think she’s saving herself for marriage?”

I lifted both arms in front of me and splayed my palms. “Again. Enough. None. Of. Your. Business. Didn’t you guys hear anything I said before?”

“Why her?”

“Is it serious?”

“Are you two dating in secret and no one knows because that would be soooo cool.”

“Oh, wait. Is she pregnant and that’s why you’re sticking by her side? So your baby isn’t fatherless?”

I blocked out their voices. Every question was more ridiculous than the previous one.

Chase turned to Craig. “Any spoilers for us? I swear over my dead body whatever you tell us about Pierce Junior and Shepard will stay in this room.”

Someone snorted.

Craig’s smirk reached both ears. “You guys are the worst kind of tattletales. None of you know what the term keeping what you hear here between these walls means. You’ll walk out of this room and repeat everything to whoever is stupid enough to listen to you.”

I gestured to my brother. “Point made. Thanks, man.”

He nodded and stretched his arm forward so we could high-five. I could read on his face what he didn’t speak out loud. I have your back. Even though I will give you shit when we’re home alone.

“Just one piece of info,” Chase begged, his hands linked together under his chin in prayer. “Give your best friend something.”

I tossed a lone sock at him. “You wish.”

“You, Pierce Junior, are no fun,” Sheldon chimed in.

“True,” Peters, a linebacker, agreed.

“Okay, I’m done with the twenty questions. Nothing to say, nothing to add. Find gossip elsewhere and get a life.”

I walked to the showers, unable to erase the grin plastered on my face. If only my teammates knew about my infatuation for the girl next door, I would never hear the end of it.

Dressed in a pair of Heather gray sweatpants and a coral-pink hoodie and ready to go, I hauled my bag over my shoulder and tucked my letterman jacket under my arm, about to take off and pick Melinda up from swim practice when my phone chimed with an incoming notification.

Melinda

Mase, I’m sorry, but Coach Vivien asked me to swim fifty additional laps before I go home. She said something about increasing my endurance. I’ll be late. Leave without me. I’ll call my dad so he can pick me up later.

Me

Nah. Forget it. I’m in no rush. I’ll meet you at the pool. Take your time.

Melinda

You sure? It will take me a little while.

Me

Yep. No stress. See you soon.

“What’s with the smile?” Sheldon asked when he returned from the showers with a white towel around his waist. “Is it Shepard who makes you grin like a fool?”

“Nope. My mom. She just informed me she made lasagna for dinner. It’s my favorite. And before you ask, no, you’re not invited.” I winked and hurried away before any of the guys could follow me.

I sat in the bleachers section of the pool and grabbed my physics textbook, wanting to finish the last pages of the homework due the next day. Every few minutes, I scanned the pool area, watching the one girl my eyes were trained to find in a crowd slice through the water, her strokes timed and precise. She stepped out of the turquoise body of water and rushed to wrap a towel around her waist before waving in my direction. I was aware Melinda was on a new training program, but I was an athlete too, and I didn’t understand what her coach and nutritionist were trying to accomplish. She looked skinnier than she used to be, and her muscles were, not stronger or leaner, but smaller and weaker.