Second Down (Moving the Chains Book 2) (9 page)

Kerri makes a loud production of getting into her locker behind me, interrupting our privacy.

I don’t want her to overhear our conversation, but after his admission, I can’t let this go. I don’t want to be blind again. Maybe he really does just need more time.

I take a step closer to him, which forces his gaze back up to mine.

“You kinda helped me before, so if it’s not too much trouble...do you think, um...would it be too selfish of me to request the all healing powers of your magic hands?”  

“Depends. Are you gonna bail on Court?”

“I think maybe we can work something out.” I fall into his solid chest before I chicken out because as much as it brings on outright shudders, I need the safety he provides.

He was my boy for a day I don’t even remember. Don’t I deserve to know what that felt like if only for a few minutes?

He doesn’t wrap his arms around me, but buries his face into the top of my hair. “I don’t wanna hurt you, Evie.”

“So don’t.”

He heaves a deep breath, but pulls away, not meeting my gaze. “I heard you can’t drive yet because of your concussion. Is Mike taking you home?”

“No, Alyssa is supposed to.”

“Can…would it be okay if I drive you home? We should probably work out the terms of this deal.” His quiet laughter sounds forced, but if he’s offering to spend time with me, no way am I going to turn that down.

“I think that can be arranged.”

I’ll take his comfort any way I can. And hey, what if Alex is right? What if Rob isn’t disgusted by me; he just doesn’t know how to deal with his perceived failure? If we can just get over the awkwardness of what happened, maybe we can get back what we both believe is lost. As much as I hate that he knows exactly what’s under my shirt, I owe Rob my life. Being forced together this week might not be his ideal scenario, but I want to grasp it with both hands. And maybe, just maybe…I can make him smile again.

Chapter 13

The Pretender

Rob

“So, I’m guessing you didn’t hear the part about the scavenger hunt, right?”  

Evie buckles herself into the passenger seat of my car, and sweet Jesus, this is a sight I never imagined I’d see again. I’m still torn over whether I can handle it or not.

“Yeah…no. I kinda missed that. Why are we doing a scavenger hunt?”

Digging around in my backpack for the packet that one of the cheerleaders handed to me at the pep rally, I hold it out between us so we can both read it. “Uh, something to do with making us work for the title of Senior Power Couple this year.”

She groans, rubbing her forehead. “Are you sure you’re okay with that?”

Her words sting far more than they should. “We’re not the only Court partners who aren’t dating, so I guess it’s stuff that any two people could do.”

“Yeah...Rob, there’s no way I’m gonna be able to do some of this stuff.”

As we read over the list, I know she’s right. There’s things on here that I’m not sure I can do either, no matter how much I try to put on an Oscar-worthy performance.

Homecoming Court Scavenger Hunt

1. Hug a stranger. Post video.
   
2. Saran wrap someone’s car together. Post pics.
   
3. Dye one partner’s hair.
   
4. Buy a new pet. Double points if you both get a pet.
   
5. Video karaoke. Sing a song together. Post it.
   
6. Camp out in someone’s backyard. In a tent. Come to school the next day straight from camping. Post pics and/or video of camping fun.
   
7. Go to the candy store and buy chocolate. Post receipt.
   
8. Go to the bakery and have a cupcake eating race. Video it.
   
9. Switch cars for the day. If one partner doesn’t have their own car, video washing the car of the escort that has one.
   
10. Pick out and buy your escort’s Homecoming outfit.
    
11. Pick out your escort’s Spirit Week outfits.
    
12. Go on a date with your escort (if you’re already dating, go somewhere you’ve never been). Post pics.
    
13. On Monday of Spirit Week, trade places with your escort at their practice. (If one partner isn’t in a fall activity, both go to the same fall practice.)  And yes, this has been cleared with all coaches and directors.
    
14. Choreograph and perform a dance in the senior hallway with your escort, sometime during Spirit Week.
    
15. Pick one day during Spirit Week for the male escort to carry the female partner between every class.
    

All pics and videos to be uploaded on the IHS website.

You will receive an email tomorrow with your karaoke song assignment and your dance song assignment.

“I guess you’re right. We could do most of these, but there’s no way I’m going to hug a stranger. Not gonna happen.” A shudder rolls through her slight frame at the mere thought.

“That’s okay. I can do that.” Even though that idea completely freaks me the hell out, I know it makes Evie feel a million times worse, so I’ll take one for our team.

Christ, the irony. We are actually Team Evie and Rob now.

“What about the date item though?” Just the idea of going on a date with her twists my stomach in knots.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see her shake her head and continue reading through the rest of the packet before she gives me a small laugh. Doesn’t even sound close to the real thing. “Look, things are gonna be awkward between you and me from now on. I get that. But we used to be friends, and I really do wish we still could be. We can just go somewhere and take some stupid pictures. It doesn’t have to be an actual date. And... I dunno. Maybe this could be a good thing, you know? A way to prove to ourselves and everyone else that we’re not as broken as we seem, I guess?”  

When I glance over at her, she’s staring at me with such a hopeful expression in those beautiful blue eyes. Even though this is going to suck in so many different ways, I don’t have the heart to tell her no. If this is what she feels she needs to do, then it’s the least I can give her after everything.

“Evie, are you…are you sure you wanna spend a whole week with me?”

And oh dear Lord, there it is. My favorite song. She throws her head back against the seat and laughs so hard that her face turns the prettiest shade of pink.

“Is that a yes?” I haven’t heard her laugh once since she came back to school. For a split second, I’m transported back to the time before I knew how she felt about me. I have no idea if she’s laughing at me because I’m a bumbling idiot or not.

Her wide grin nearly blinds me. “What part of you make me feel less afraid didn’t you understand, QB? Are you sure you want to spend a week with
me
?” She sobers, then turns her gaze out the window. “I really didn’t mean to admit that to you. I don’t want you to feel like you’re obligated to be my escort or anything. If it’s too difficult for you to be around me, I can still decline.”

Hell no. I may not be boyfriend material, but if she wants anything from me, I’ll always do my best to deliver. Even if it’s only as a friend who remotely understands what she’s going through.

“You’re not declining. We’re in this together now. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that by the end of the week, you’ll be sick of me.”

Not as sick as I am of myself.

***

First possession of the second half, fourth and long, Coach signals me to go for it. I get sacked. Again. Our o-line just isn’t cutting it, but Coach is pushing us because he knows damn well there are recruiters in the stands. I’m not sure how he managed to call them off last week when I didn’t show. Not that my performance tonight is doing me any favors. I can’t focus on the ball. Reading the defense doesn’t register real high on my priority list. Alex and Trevor run their routes over and over again, but I’m stuck in the pocket spinning my wheels.

Every time I glance at the band, I’m reminded of why my head isn’t in this game.

It all started in the locker room during pre-game. My teammates hung welcome back posters all over the walls. Knowing I’d bailed on them the previous week left me feeling guiltier than I already do about everything. Then during the huddle, they collectively decided to dedicate this game to Evie…my girl.

“Let’s win this for Eva and Rob!” Trevor shouted.

Mike pitched in, “For Evie!”

Instead of the usual chant of “Warriors! Warriors!”, cries of “Evie! Evie!” bounced off the navy and gold lockers.

There’s been quite a few times in my life when I wished the ground would open up and swallow me whole. That was just another to add to the list.

Even Coach slapped my ass as I ran out to take the field and yelled, “Go get ‘em for your girl, Falls!”

Yeah. My girl.

Tomorrow I’m taking Evie on a
fake
date.

The idea of spending the whole week with her has me twisted up in knots. As much as I miss her, what we had for just a few short moments is gone. I don’t know how I’m going to pretend that nothing ever happened between us. It’s not that I’m worried about making a move on her. Far from it. I just don’t want my stupid mouth to puke anything that might make all her memories come back.

“Can we start running our own plays and tell Coach to shove it yet?” Mike drops down onto the bench beside me with a groan, downing some Gatorade before we have to go back out on the field for more brutality.

“I’m down. Feel like running? ‘Cause I need a break.”  

He hands me the bottle without a word, rolling his head around on his neck and moaning.

“Come on, pussies. This is a great game. Have a little fun.” Alex sits on the other side of me.

Mike and I send him matching death glares. Easy for the guy who isn’t getting the shit beat out of him to say. If my best running back never has the ball in his hands, then he’s never getting tackled.

“What? Today’s been great. We kick some ass this second half, meet our girls after the game, and all is right with the world again.”

As much as I love him, sometimes I really have the urge to punch Alex right in his smug face. “For the hundredth time, I don’t have a girl. I can’t fucking believe I’m Evie’s escort. I’m gonna have an ulcer by Homecoming.”

“You really shoulda seen that one coming, bro.” Mike scrubs his face with his hands, prepping himself for the next round of assault. “Just because you don’t want her to know you two were together doesn’t mean the rest of the school forgot. That’s your own damn fault for the PDA in the hallway.”

“Yeah, no shit.” I check on Evie behind me in the stands anyway. Old habit.

“How’d she take it, by the way? I couldn’t really tell at the pep rally; couldn’t see you two from where I was.”

“Uh. She panicked. And then, told me she was going to back out. And...now we’re a team.” Did this afternoon even really happen? My mind is still reeling, and all the hits I’m taking on the field aren’t helping.

“Dude, this is the perfect setup. You’re gonna take this week, spend a shit ton of time together, and she’s gonna fall for you all over again, no problem.”

Seriously, if I could shoot laser beams from my eyes, Alex would be a smoldering pile of ash next to me. “It’s not about her falling for me, asshole. It’s about her never remembering what happened.”

“I think you’re playing this all wrong. You’re so worried about her remembering the attack, but I think you’re the one forgetting important shit. She wants you, man. And what happened hasn’t seemed to change that. She’s been watching you like a hawk the whole game. You two just hit a little speed bump, that’s all. Nothing you can’t come back from.”

Before I can argue, or potentially start a fist fight on our own bench, one of our middle school water boys runs up to me with a note.

“Uh...thanks?” I smooth out the paper, and Mike and Alex lean in to read over my shoulders.

Enough is enough, Falls.

Make something happen.

Quit getting sacked. At least throw it away.

They’re reading blitz every time.

Lead your o-line and make some plays.

You don’t get to quit on ball over me.

Pretend I’m not here.

Sure. As if that’s an option. I openly scoff at the idea.

Alex slaps me hard on the back, jerking my attention away from her perfect handwriting. “Time to man up, Rob. Evie’s right. Enough is enough.”

“Fuck off,” I snap. My patience for today is done. “What do you know about it?”

“I know plenty. I’m not blind. I see the way she looks at you. Hell, I’ve seen the way she’s been looking at you for years. You were just too scared to notice, just like you’re scared of her now. She might not remember all of it, but she chose you, Rob. All by herself, like the big girl she is. She picked you. And when shit got rough, what did you do? Backed the fuck off like some kind of douchebag. Abandoned the woman you love, have loved for
years
, when she needs you the most. And guess what, asshole?  I’ve spent a lot of time with your girl over the past few weeks since you were too caught up in your own problems to be where you were needed, and you know what I’ve figured out?  She still needs you.”

“How the hell would you know?” The idea that Alex has been spending quality time with Evie leaves a sick taste in my mouth.

“Because every time I’ve seen her, her muscles are so tense that she looks like she’s going to snap at any minute, a constant look of fear in her eyes. Because every time I’ve seen someone touch her, the shudder that rolls through her is kinda hard to miss even though she’s trying so fucking hard to hide it. Because the only time that I
haven’t
seen those things?  Is when she’s practically sitting on top of you in Bio.”

As his words register in my hazy mind, all I can do is blink at him several times while my brain tries to process the information he’s giving me. Was Evie really not lying when she told me I make her feel less afraid?

“Mike and I have given you enough time. Two weeks to pull yourself together and get your head out of your ass. We get that you love her. We get that what you saw must’ve been hard, but now it’s time to man up and be there for her.”

“You have no idea what I saw,” I whisper. I don’t want anyone else on the sidelines to overhear me.

“I’m not stupid, Rob. I saw the way that bastard looked at her in the diner. I know damn well there was more to what happened than is public knowledge. So, trust me when I say, I get that this has been really hard on you. But maybe if you’d get over yourself, you’d realize it hasn’t exactly been a picnic for her, either. She might not remember it, but she was there. So, get your ass in motion tonight, win this game, then give her what she needs.” He emphasizes his last words, leaning into me, before plastering an award-winning fake grin on his face and sauntering out on the field.

Mike rises from his spot on the bench and punches my shoulder. “I never thought I’d say this, but Alex is right. Enough is enough. Man up, Falls.”