Page 11 of Off Sides

I’m in agreement, but of course, Adler and Shields want nothing to do with that, and Adler has to open his big stupid mouth again. “I just want to know what you had to do to get back on the team after all that, Duke. I mean, Coach must really like you.” He waggles his eyebrows in an obnoxious way that makes me want to deck him. “Like really, really like you.”

I watch as Calvin clenches his jaw tight and flexes his hands at his sides, but he doesn’t fight back. He doesn’t say anything.

Well, I’m not going to stay silent. “What the hell are you trying to say about my brother?”

That makes Adler grin and Shields cackle like a hyena. “Listen, man.” Adler places his heavy hand on my shoulder, and again, I want to lay his ass out, but now is not the time to get suspended from the team or the school, so I remain calm, staring at the meaty hand on my shoulder with disdain. “You have to watch Calvin here. He’s a very curious guy.”

“Fuck off, Adler,” Calvin growls, and I’m honestly surprised he said anything. How he can be so quiet through all their jabs is beyond me. But also . . . why do they always go back to the curious thing?

The way they say it . . . there’s no other way to take it but curious about other guys. Gay. Bi. Something. I’m used to the word gay being thrown around as an insult. I’ve heard it most of my life, growing up around jocks thinking they’re clever and tossing out something insulting by insinuating a fellow jock likes guys. But I don’t think that’s what this is. As appalling as both are, I think this is . . . different.

They know something.

They’ve seen something.

And they’ve held onto it, torturing this guy. I look over at Calvin and see the shame written on his face. The fear. Could he be . . .

I never assume someone’s identity. I believe sexuality is fluid and our own damn business. But the way he looks right now, like he could puke—it angers me like nothing else. If he is gay or pan or bisexual or any other identity, how dare these motherfuckers use it against him? Try to hurt him.

“Aw, I’m sorry I’m not into you, Duke. You don’t have to get all testy,” Adler says with a mean smirk, just begging for the fight.

Calvin’s cheeks go so red, he looks like a tomato, and it’s not just from the heat. Part of me wants to see Calvin punch his stupid face to knock that grin right off it, but the other part of me needs my left tackle for the season.

So I say something. “What the hell would he want you for? He can see and smell.” I sniff the air, kind of hating that I did because I’m not kidding, the stench coming from him is not pleasant. “Surely he has better taste than that.”

I watch Adler’s right eye tick slightly as he steps closer to me. “Well, I’m not gay, so that’s fine with me.” I roll my eyes at him, but I’ve struck a nerve, and he’s losing his calm, teasing composure, moving straight to angry. “But I’m guessing big brother must have been enticed by him, because why else would he allow Duke back on the team? I think maybe something must have gone down.”

“You mean, Duke must have gone down,” Shields adds with a menacing laugh.

Adler laughs right along with him, and I want to punch his face—consequences be damned, but it’s Calvin who speaks now. “Coach is married, dickhead. To a woman.”

“Maybe she doesn’t put out,” Adler says, shrugging his shoulder, and I see red. That’s Jenna he’s talking about. Sweet, smart, loyal Jenna. I nearly pull my hand back for my hand to make acquaintance with his stupid face, when a loud whistle blows and makes me stop.

“Showers! Now!” It’s Micah’s voice, but I don’t think he heard. He sounds way too calm and cool about it to have heard anything. Trust me, he doesn’t play when it comes to Jenna or his girls.

I glare at Adler and Shields, but they just take off, laughing like the idiots they are, and I stand there for a second, trying to lower my blood pressure before I have a stroke. Calvin just stares at me for a minute, his head cocked to the side, like he’s trying to figure me out. But I’m not in the mood for that shit.

I walk past him and head for the showers, every part of me on high alert and still ready for a fight.

Luckily, Adler and Shields leave me the hell alone, and I’m thankful for it. I don’t know what my problem is.

Bullies, I can handle. I’ve handled them all my life, but seeing Calvin getting pushed around like that . . . bullied when he doesn’t fight back at all—this huge, impressive guy.

It just doesn’t make sense to me, and if he won’t stand up for himself . . . Well, I guess that’s now my job.

CHAPTER SIX

calvin

He has to know.

I mean, he has to. Shields and Adler are not subtle. Not at all. He knew exactly what they were insinuating when they said Coach must have really liked me to let me back on the team.

Even though he knows his brother is faithfully married, he knew what they were saying about me. And that they meant it.

So why the hell did he keep defending me? Why didn’t he just join in like all the other assholes around here? What’s his deal?

I can’t figure Jonah Zimmerman out, and it’s starting to drive me a little crazy. I make my way into the locker room, going right past Adler and Shields, ignoring the kissing noises they make as I head through Coach’s open door. He’s chatting with his assistant coach, but when he sees me, he walks into his office and closes the door behind him.