I stand back and let the swarm of girls grab theirs and run off to shower. Most of them have places to be and things to do, but I, on the other hand…nada. When the crowd clears and it’s just Coach, I step up and take mine.
“What’s bothering you?”
“Is it that obvious, Coach?”
“Written all over you.”
I shrug. “I guess I’m just stressed. Promise to have my head screwed on straight from here on out.”
“I have no worries.”
She walks away, and I admire how cut and dry she is as a coach. No bullshit or gray areas with that lady, just straight business, and boy, how I wish I could’ve kept my college life that way.
“Blue, want to go to dinner?”
Sophie has her bag slung over her shoulder and is running out of the gym. She’s made an effort to be around a bit more the last nine days, and I’ve really appreciated it.
“Sure, but I’m going stinky.”
“Me, too. Lane loves my smell.”
“God, you two are disgusting.”
“You know you love us.” Sophie’s tan arm pulls me into her as we walk outside into the sunshine.
Lane’s truck is easy to spot as he waits for Sophie in the first parking spot. It does stick out among all the small cars.
“There’s my girls.” He jumps from the driver’s side of the truck, letting his phone drop to the seat. He opens the door for us, and I let Sophie slide to middle and then get in after her. Before he shuts the door, Lane gives my thigh a light squeeze and sends me a comforting wink, and I know Sophie told him everything.
When he rounds the front of the truck, I elbow her in the ribs.
“Sorry, I thought he might have more info on Tuck.”
“And?” I ask, slapping her leg.
“He wouldn’t budge. I even swallowed.”
“Sophie,” I scream and give her another elbow.
As Lane hops up in the driver’s seat, he asks, “What has she done now?”
“Nothing. Absolutely nothing,” I say, leaving no room for further inquiry.
I listen as Lane goes on about football practice and how hard the coaches have been on them, while I pretend to be more interested in my phone than listening to him. I’m on high alert for any Tuck info, or even the mention of number thirty-two, but nothing. All I get is the information I already know. The first game of the season is an away game, and I will not be cheering, even though I’ll be at every other fucking football game. Coach Lindsey is letting all the seniors go. I guess it’s tradition or some shit like that.
So, in five days when Tuck gets on a plane and flies east to play his first game of his junior year, I’ll be at an all-day volleyball match cheering and passing around a damn coffee can for money for our national cheer competition this spring. Oh, the life.
We pull up to the greasy burger joint where I ate the first day on campus, and the whole cab of the truck hears my stomach growl with delight.
“What can I say?” I shrug as I get out and try to contain my giddiness over a greasy bacon cheeseburger. “I’m going to even splurge on cheesy fries, bitches.”
“You’ll run it off, Blue.” Sophie grabs my hand and we portray a very odd happy threesome as we walk in.
“You’re still running at night?” Lane cranes his neck to look at me, his eyes wide with shock.
“Yeah, why?”
“Blue, you shouldn’t be out after dark with all the fucking crimes that’ve been going down.”
“None on campus, so no worries.”
“Yeah, but Tuck hasn’t been with you.”
His last words cause my eyebrows to shoot straight up. “Excuse me?”
Our conversation is broken up as we enter the crammed diner with clattering noises surrounding us. I want to push him for information, and need to know how he knows that Tuck used to run with me, but I don’t. Instead I head to the counter and order, not giving Lane the chance to buy my food, which he always tries to do.
“I’ll find a table.”
I turn to scope out a place for the three of us and leave the lovebirds at the counter to order. I roam the corner where the football players usually are and find their long table vacant, then settle for a cozy booth on the opposite side of the diner. I sip on my cold water as I wait for the rest of my party. Lane and Sophie climb in the booth and tangle their bodies together.
“I’m so bummed I won’t see your first game, Lane.”
“It will probably be for the best.” He slumps over as her elbow connects straight to his ribs. “Less distraction is what I meant. Ohio is going to be one of the toughest opponents of the year. This game will be setting the pace for the whole season.”
“Nice cover up, lover boy.” I roll my eyes in his direction.
Sophie perks up and perches her elbows on the table. “So, Blue, tonight is the last official party before football season.”
I try to keep up with her conversation between her eye rolls and finger quotes, but find the surrounding noise distracting.
“Sure.” I shrug as a waitress sets my food in front of me. The melted cheese on the golden fries dances with delight before me, and I can’t help but plop one of the delicious bitches in my mouth.
“Are you serious?”
“Why not?” I answer around a mouthful of cheese.
“Well, fuck me running, I thought I was going to have to drag you.”
“Nope, I need a distraction from…”
My words are cut off by a loud ruckus, and I see a large crowd of players enter the diner. Lane props himself up, giving some of them high fives and slaps on the ass as they walk by. I turn my head just in time to see Noah and Tuck walk in. In typical fashion, Tuck’s eyes dart away from me quickly and he heads for the back table while Noah offers up a feeble smile, but that’s it.
“I guess your pussy didn’t kill him,” Sophie whispers.
Those motherfuckers.
Noah orders and heads straight back to the corner, not making any effort at all to acknowledge me.
“Blue, you might want to shut your mouth and wipe the cheese sauce from the corner of your lips.”
Sophie is right. I place my hand under my jaw to keep my mouth firmly locked shut, and then use the back of my other hand to smear off the cheese sauce and then dart my tongue out to finish the job.
“Wow, that was all sorts of manners,” Sophie adds.
I keep my mouth closed, mostly to keep all the words ready to spew from me hidden away.
“Take it easy, Blue.” Lane ruffles his hair. “Tuck got in deep shit for beating that guy up, and when we are days away from a big game, we stick together with no distractions.”
And my seal breaks.
“Distractions?” I draw the word out, putting emphasis on each syllable, and point between the two of them.
“She’s my girl. It’s like my get out of jail free card. I’ll release frustrations and then band together with them.”
“Fuck your band. Fuck you.” I pick up my hamburger and slam it back down. “Fuck this food, and fuck everything football.”
“Blue.” I hear Sophie’s voice, but I’m too far gone.
I slide from the booth and continue on my rant. The noise level doesn’t break as I continue.
“And fuck motherfucking weak assholes who have no fucking manners.” I pluck my cheesy fries from the table. “And don’t forget to pick me up tonight.”
“Blue, stop.”
“Sophie, I’m walking back to the dorms, and don’t try to stop me.”
My left shoulder is dragged back as someone runs into me.
“Watch where the fuck you’re walking.” I turn to see a group of giddy bitches making their way back to the football team.
“Are you talking to me?”
“Does it look like I’m fucking talking to you?”
This has gone from bad to worse and I have no intention of stopping it. My cheese fries go flying back onto the table as I step right up into the bitch’s face, ready to hammer her. Before I get the chance, Lane drags me outside and probably saves me from being kicked off the cheer team. Through the front window, I watch as she walks her way back to the football team, and then I catch sight of Noah and Tuck and feel all that anger boil right back up.