10: Up Your Game-1

A wide body towered over me, followed by Bryce's griping. "Bro, we need to talk." "No," I answered without looking up. "We don't." "He's right." In my peripheral vision, Cole's thick eyebrows furrowed. "You can't let some chick-" The whine in his voice pulled my eyebrows together. "Distract you from football?" I finished for him. "I agree." His frown deepened before my diversion registered. "Not what I meant." Not that football players should hide behind this excuse but, collectively, we were a slow-processing group. The guys needed a few days to realize I was serious. Past Bryce the idiot and Jackson the desperate to impress, who was lucky his ass wasn't here, Cole was the most upset. "Bullshit," he grumbled from behind his orange juice glass. "Won't change your parties, Jenks." I suppressed an eye roll. Classic rich kid ignored by overworked parents. "People will still hook up in your poolhouse, so chill." "You chill. Not sure what you did with the old Logan Hightower," he grumbled. "But I miss him. Can we get him back?" His butthurt scowl prompted my warning. "Don't test me." My purge of their game would avoid getting caught, provided no one did something stupid, like - I elbowed Bryce. "Can I borrow your phone?" His sheepish grin and guilty eyes signaled, 'something stupid.' He unlocked his phone and handed it over. I cursed at another list created by Jackson. The very first entry was no surprise. Eleanor - hot | virgin | Jake Harrison's sister (trifecta) - Hightower These fucking idiots made it personal. I deleted Ellie's name, then Jackson's spreadsheet. Fuck, that little shit pissed me off. "I said quit this bullshit." I lifted my eyes to half-guilty, half-irritated expressions around the table. "And how do you know she's a virgin?" Josh laced his words with a not-at-all-subtle warning that matched his glare at me. "Fair assumption that Jake would murder anyone who touched her." I ignored him and stared at the eggs that now tasted like cardboard on my tongue. My blood rushed up into my face, heating my cheeks. A slow-simmering rage festered in my chest. It increased as I squeezed my fork. Whose eye would I jab first to make them listen to me? Beyond disrespecting me as their captain, Ellie's V-card was no one else's fucking business except hers. Fuck, they were too bored. We needed to get home and start the season. "Don't end the game when things get started." Bryce's face scrunched into a scowl. "Your girl caught our attention." "Stay away from her," I warned him, as well as all the eavesdroppers. Josh's skeptical eyes lifted from his cereal bowl. His spoon hovered and dripped a few milk drops. I was a chill guy, but this crawled under my skin as if an ant colony lived there. It wasn't the first time we'd had this conversation and I was tired of them not listening. "How's that protective-hero approach working out for you?" Bryce glanced at his screen, typed in something, then slipped the phone out of my sight. Like that move didn't raise any warning bells. "Fine." I scoffed with feigned indifference. Only Josh knew I'd gotten nowhere with Ellie. "She's hot…" Cole eavesdropped from his seat across from me. "Eleanor." Given the number of curious eyes, that creep wasn't the only one interested in Ellie. Labeling her trifecta was throwing a bucket of chum to a family of sharks. "Hard to get ups her score." I narrowed my eyes at Bryce's ridiculous claim. Harrison alone made her a challenge. My challenge. "No fucking scores." "What?" He threw up his hands. "You're not getting anywhere. Let the rest of us have some fun." "No." I glared daggers at the table. "That one's mine." Josh's eyes snapped up and one corner of his mouth tugged into his cheek. Fuck, I shouldn't have said that. It's not like I meant it, but I didn't want these buffoons harassing her. Nothing more. Irritation seeped into my veins and both my chest and fists tightened. I was one comment away from doling out black eyes and broken noses. With a grunt, I shoved my tray and stood up. Bryce pointed at my abandoned plate. "You gonna eat that?" I frowned and shook my head. My chest heaved as I breathed against the anger twisting my stomach. These fucking idiots. When would they learn? "It's all yours." The walk to my room was shortened by my long, stomped steps. I squeezed my fists until my skin stretched tight. Inside, I flopped stomach-down on the world's squeakiest bed. My phone chimed over the bedsprings' squeals. AlexHenderson: First book club meeting in 2 weeks. Santa Cruz Library, 2 pm, Pride and Prejudice. "Pride and Prejudice?" That was a chick's book. And Saturday? Annoying but at the moment my single in-person connection to Ellie. AlexHenderson: Ellie's favorite, as you know. "Good to know." I texted his thanks with a thumbs up. "Pride and Prejudice it is." With heavy fingers, I contacted my source for all things book-related. Me: I need to read Pride & Prejudice for school. She took a few minutes but responded… with her usual explosion of unnecessary emojis. Mom: First of all, hi! I hope camp is going well. 👋😍❤️ Mom: Thanks for finally contacting me, more than a week into camp. Did you call Brody? Are you eating? And using deodorant? 🤔🤪🦨🤢 Mom: I'm bowling right now. Your Mom's on 🔥 tonight. ❤️🎳💪🏋️‍♀️ I pinched my nose and sighed. Me: The book Mom. Mom: Already have it on my reader. 😉👍📖 ❤️ One of my favs, I'm so impressed that you're… I shut off my phone before she won the Guinness record for the most emojis used. The bed frame dipped and squeaked as I rolled over and leaned against the headboard. With a sigh, I stretched my legs and crossed my ankles. The ceiling's cracked paint was no help in figuring out how to best wedge me onto Ellie's radar. Too bad I didn't go to her school. Brody did though. A heavy, long sigh left me as my shoulders relaxed and I closed my eyes. With a slow, deep breath, I threaded my hands behind my head and fanned my elbows. No girl should influence my mood this much. Ellie was only a means to Jake's end. Nothing more. After a few days, I went from pumped to chomping at the bit to start. At every snap, every handoff, every throw, I strove for perfection. My stronger muscles tightened my throws. I wouldn't ever be the fastest guy on the field, but I was damn impossible to take down. It felt good to pound the turf.