AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hey,” she says, background noise coming from her end of the line. She’s always doing something, never sitting in place. “Have you heard anything about a high school field trip to your training facility coming up?”
I take a sip of my drink. “Yeah,” I say after swallowing. Coach Scott had told us about it after today’s game. Said something about a senior class visiting next week to see where the Rebels train and meet the team as well. “How’d you know—”
“I’m one of the chaperones for that trip,” she answers my question before I even finish asking it. “And I’m gonna need a favor from you.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Which is what?”
There’s a beat or two of silence and I wait patiently for her to speak up. When she does, my stomach knots. “I’m gonna. . . gonna need you to pretend we don’t know each other. Like, total strangers.”
My eyebrows pull together, even though I recognize the subtle nervous tone in her voice. Slowly, I lower the glass I’m holding onto the counter with a quietclink, staring out towards the window that makes up most of the living room wall. “Come again?” I ask, even though I know I heard her loud and clear.
“It sounds fucking ridiculous when I say it out loud,” Daria says, her words rushed, like she’s trying to get them all out in one go. “But I just—I mean, it’s what we do anyway, right? Not like we’re out in public at all in the first place. I just didn’t want there to be any confusion, and I don’t want to explain to, like, the other teachers and students how Caden Bennett knows me, you know?” she finishes with an awkward, breathless sort of laugh.
Silence follows her words, my grip on the phone tight as I turn what she said over in my head a couple of times. Of course, everything she just said makes sense. Of course, it’s expected that we would act like we don’t know each other in public. But to hear her sound so. . . Desperate to clarify it all with me, like it would be the absolute worst thing in the world for people to know that we know each other. As if we weren’t seen talking by others at Lilah’s birthday party. It kind of fucking stings, even as I tell myself that isn’t a big deal. So, why the hell does it feel like it is? Why do her words feel like a Goddamn punch to the gut?
“Caden?” Daria prompts when I haven’t responded. “You there?”
I press my tongue to the floor of my mouth. “Yeah, I’m here,” I say, my voice only slightly gruff despite myself. I press my free hand to the cool marble countertop, head tilting back to turn my gaze to the ceiling.
I ignore the burning in my chest as Daria says, “I know this is super weird—” Yeah, weird isn’t the word I would choose to describe this aching sensation. “—like, me making sure we don’t act likeuswhen I’m there with my students. But, I mean, it makes sense, right? Like, I’m not saying anything we don’t know?”
I hear some of the nerves return to her voice within her anxious rambling, and I clench my jaw. She clearly feels bad about even bringing this up, and I get it. Even though there is an ache in my chest, I have to admit she’s right—thisdoesfeel weird, her requesting this of me. But she also brought up another good point: this isn’t anything either of us don’t already know. That had always been the deal, hadn’t it? Everything is behind closed doors.
So, I wonder. . . Why is she even bringing it up? Why feel the need to clarify things? My thoughts run wild a little before I can help it. Does she possibly feel something else between us, that has her needing to have this conversation? Feelings that are being stirred up for her, the way I have been wondering if they have been stirring for me? Or is she just being overly cautious?
Fuck me, I’ve got a headache now.
“It’s fine, Daria,” I tell her, because despite my own spinning head and confusion, I don’t want her to feel so anxious over this. “Don’t worry about anything, alright? We’re good.”
She’s silent as she lets out a breath before asking softly, “Yeah?”
My jaw is clenched and my throat is tight, but I sure as shit won’t let her know any of that. “Of course,” I answer.
“Good,” she says, her voice sounding relieved. She chuckles then, the sound seeming only somewhat forced. “I mean, your focus should be on the kids anyway, right? Showing them how to be a superstar,” she says a little teasingly.
One corner of my mouth ticks up slightly. “Yeah,” I agree. I take another long sip of my drink and revel in the mild burn as it travels down my throat. I think of Dad then, and his question of whether or not he was going to get to meet Daria when he comes into the city next week. Part of me wants to ask Daria about having lunch with us, but the timing isn’t right.
What the fuck am I going to do? Ask her to have lunch with me and my dad right after she makes sure we don’t act like we know each other in public? I don’t fucking think so. The ego doesn’t need any more bruising.
9
DARIA
“Alright, everyone—we’re here!”
My announcement is followed by a low murmur of excited chatter among the students, all of them gazing out of the window to admire the building we have arrived at. Two more school buses pull up alongside of us, and once all of the vehicles are parked, it is time to unload.
Everyone is filled with excitement as we get off the bus, wrapped up in coats to keep us warm as we make sure everyone is good to go. There are about a hundred and thirty seniors with us, and once everyone is lined up, we head inside of the building where we are met with a guy named Tony Barnes, who is apparently our tour guide for the day as assigned by Coach Scott.
We walk through the brightly lit halls of the facility, workers lingering around and going about their day, doing their jobs, and Tony chats with the students and answers their questions. None of which I pay any attention to, because the only thought going through my head currently is the fact that, for the first time since I have known him, I will be seeing Caden in all of his glory in the place that is basically a second home to him.
I have seen the man play football on TV, admired the hell out of him, how he plays, and how he looks in his uniform. But to see it all in person for the first time? Talk about finally.
Tina walks next to me towards the back of the group, nudging me with her hip as she says quietly, “You look a little too excited to see him.”
She’s grinning when I glance at her, and I roll my eyes, though I can’t help myself from smiling, either. “Hot football guys in their uniforms. What’s not to be excited about?” I whisper back, making sure no one else can hear us, before shooting her a teasing grin of my own. “Oh, sorry, I forgot men don’t get you going.”
This time Tina rolls her eyes with a laugh, shaking her head. “Women may be my weakness, but even I can admit the attraction towards sexy, rich football players.” She shoots me a glance. “Besides—who’s to say I’m not excitedforyou?”
