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CHAPTERONE
IAN
“Listen,Ian, I’m going to be frank with you,” Coach Jefferson sighed. “You’re good. One of the best running backs this school has had in ten years. But your GPA is a problem. Unfortunately, if you want to guarantee yourself a scholarship to KU or K-State, you’re going to need to bring it up.”
I knew that what my coach was saying was right. Really, I did. The University of Kansas and Kansas State University both had great football programs and were interested in me, but I knew that schools were selective about who they offered scholarships to. They didn’t just want someone who could play ball. They wanted the whole package. And my dad was an assistant district attorney, so he didn’t make much because he was essentially a public servant. If I wanted to go anywhere other than Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, I needed a scholarship.
“I’m trying, Coach,” I told him. “I’m doing the best I can. It’s my grades in Spanish and Pre-Cal that are bringing my GPA down.”
“You know this school’s branch of the National Honor Society has a tutoring program, right? I can get you set up with them.”
“Yeah, I’d really appreciate that.”
“Ms. Upton is the sponsor for that program,” he told me. “I’ll talk to her.”
“Thanks, Coach.” I gave him my best million-dollar smile. “Anything else?”
“Nope. That’s it. Good job at practice today, Ian. We’ll see you Friday.”
“See you Friday,” I said, walking out of his office.
* * *
“Hello, Ian,” Ms. Upton said as I walked into her classroom before the bell a few days later.
When I saw who was standing in the room with her, I stopped dead in my tracks.
It was Kyler Strong. This beautiful auburn-haired, blue-eyed girl had been in most of my classes since my family had moved to the Kansas City area from Wichita in the middle of last year. I’d been spending that entire time trying to get to know her, but I’d never been able to get more than a one-sentence response whenever I tried to talk to her.
I wouldn’t have called her cold, though. It was more like she was just painfully shy, and I could understand that. No one at this school was kind to her…except Melissa Van Der Beek. Literally everyone else talked shit and spread rumors about her like wildfire every chance they got. Rumors that I could tell had zero basis in reality. My heart hurt for her when I heard all the cruelty that was flung her way, and I tried to stop it whenever I could, but it rarely worked. Most of the time, all it did was goad her tormentors on.
Because the quarterback of our football team, Max Taylor, was the one who kept the rumors alive, no one seemed to care about the truth. Clearly his dad’s money was more important than whether or not he was a nice person, right?
“Mr. Thomason?” Ms. Upton asked, bringing my attention back to the fact that Kyler wasn’t the only one in this room.
“Yeah,” I said quickly. “Sorry. I’m not quite awake yet. Didn’t have enough coffee this morning.”
I saw Kyler crack a hint of a smile, but she didn’t say anything.
“It’s fine,” Ms. Upton said, still all business. “Coach Jefferson spoke to me and said that you’re in need of a tutor for Spanish and Pre-Calculus. Is that correct?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“This is Kyler Strong,” she said, gesturing toward the gorgeous girl next to me.
I smiled. “We’ve met. She’s in both of those classes with me, and Economics too.”
“Well, she’s got a full roster for normal morning tutoring sessions, but she’s one of the few students who’s able to tutor in Spanish, so I reached out to her, and she said she’d be willing to work with you to find a time in the afternoon that would work with your football schedule.”
Kyler’s face visibly darkened at the mention of football, and I swore I could see her retreat into herself, like she was afraid.
I’d never liked most of the guys on the football team here to begin with. I just played because it was something I was good at and because I needed a scholarship to be able to go to college. But now, seeing how much the bullying that my teammates inflicted on this quiet girl who had never done a damn thing to them was affecting her…it made my blood boil.
“I really appreciate you taking me on, Kyler,” I blurted out, inwardly cringing at my choice of words.
“Sure,” she muttered with an unenthusiastic shrug. “When’s your practice?”
“Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and sometimes Saturdays.”
