Chapter Two
Kick Off
"Do anything else besides break your arm over the summer?" Zach asks as he throws the ball to me at a strategic angle I have to adjust to in order to catch it.
He looks so sexy in his number nine jersey. Grant's jersey number is six, just like he asked for since it gave him good luck in the National Championship for high school football.
"Not really. There's not much to do in Virginia besides putting yourself in risk of bodily harm."
"Sounds fun."
"I sprained it, by the way," I lie.
I throw the ball back to Zach, trying different tempos and adding some footwork into it.
"I thought your post on facebook said you fractured it," Zach says, jogging back a few feet, cocking his arm back and snapping it towards me.
Damnit, Grant. Why the hell would you post it on freaking facebook?
"Oh, yeah, um," I said spinning the ball in my hands nervously, "that was when I thought I fractured it, but then we went to the hospital and they said it was just a…small sprain."
"Okay," Zach says, eyeing me suspiciously. "So, why did you decide USC instead of Virginia?"
"Why did you choose USC over the Hawaiian Rainbow Warriors?" I quip back. Grant and I have rehearsed this answer.
"Point taken," Zach grins and it takes everything in me not to rip off these guard pads and launch myself at him. The gross ace wrap covering my chest is the only thing that stops me.
"That and my sister was already here," I say, which is true. Grant and I are close, so when he got into USC with a full scholarship, it was an obvious choice for him to come to school with me.
We didn't anticipate his accident.
"What's your sister's name again?"
I look behind me so he doesn't see me roll my eyes. Figures he wouldn't remember me.
"Cammie," I say and keep my head down, hoping he won't recognize me. I mean, I kind of look like Grant, but the fact that he's got at least five inches and fifty pounds on me makes it a little hard, even if not very many of these guys have seen him in person.
"Sorority?" Zach asks.
Without thinking, I scoff and snap the ball to him and say, "Hell no!"
Catching the ball to his chest with a gasp, he says, "Jeez, Grant, sorry for asking. What's so bad about your sister being a part of a sorority?"
What isn't bad about it?"
"She's no airhead," I say haughtily.
Zach snickers and shrugs as he throws it back to me.
I sigh in relief, thinking that topic of discussion is over when he says, "There was a Cammie in my Chemistry class last year, I think."
I try not to look surprised.
"Oh, yeah?" I say, throw the ball, and hesitate before asking, "Is she hot?"
I'm such a masochist.
Zach smirks and opens his mouth to answer when coach's whistle blows.
I can't believe I asked him that. I can't believe he was going to answer.
Embarrassed and slightly mortified, we finish practice and head to the locker rooms.
I clutch my workout bag to my chest and follow my teammates warily.
"Hey, Rookie," the wide receiver, Jonas, says. He has shaggy black hair and hazel eyes. His grin is wide and he seems like the type who likes to party and have a 'good time'.
"You got any Old Spice. Ran all out. My girl friend won't be happy if I show up with this stank."
"Um, no," I say because all I have is Dove Brown Sugar deodorant.
"Crap," he mutters and shrugs, "Usually I won't mind the man smell but Lizzy thinks it's gross. Some girl thing I think. But it's not that bad!"
"That's too bad," I mumble. Is this really what guys talk about?
"Here, smell," he shoves his armpit in my face.
"Oh, God," I hold my breath and girlishly smack his arm away, "That's so disgusting!" I hold back a gag.
Jonas grins for a second before narrowing his eyes, "Dude, did you just squeal?"
"I heard that too!" Max from defense says.
In a form of a small miracle, we reach the parking lot located right next to the locker rooms.
"I did not squeal," I punch Jonas on the arm-I've seen Grant do that a bunch of times to his friends-and say, "I'm gonna skip the shower today. I'm gonna head back to the dorms."
I dash away from the group as they promise to see me later and jump into my truck. I bang my head against the wheel multiple times.
"Gah, I'm so stupid!"
Rubbing my hands over my face, I sigh and drive off as fast as I can that's legal.
Grant better get his ass back here, and fast.
^*9~6*^
After changing into shorts and a tank top, I sit at my desk and rehash all of the conversations I had with the guys. I have to get used to acting more…manly. No squealing, deeper voice, more swagger.
There was also the situation about sleeping arrangements. What was I supposed to tell Zach tonight when he doesn't see me sleeping in our dorm? I sure as hell wouldn't be sleeping in there.
Pacing back and forth, chewing on my fingernail-a bad habit I've had since I was three-I think of ways to get out of it. I knew eventually I'd have to sleep in there.
"Stupid Grant! This is all your fault," I yell and feel sort of creepy that I'm talking to myself again.
I mutter obscenities into my pillow when my phone suddenly vibrates.
Speak of the devil.
"Hey sis!"
Rolling my eyes I reply, "Hey, Grant. When are you going to be back?"
"That's what I'm calling to tell you about…" he sighs over the phone and says, "I'm going to be out for a month and a half. Maybe two."
Choking on the water I had just taken a big gulp of, I gasp, "What! No way in hell am I covering for you this long. It's only been a day and I already almost blew it. "
"Believe me, if I could come back without losing my scholarship and spot on the team I would."
"They wouldn't take away your scholarship."
"Really? Cam, I'm definitely no academic whiz like you. Football is all I have and they'll throw me out on the streets if I can't play."
"I'm no you in football. All of our games are locally televised-some nationally. I can't play as well as you, Grant. What if I get hurt or something and I have to go see a doctor? We'd be screwed. I'd be screwed!"
"All the more reason to not get caught. And as far as the football thing goes, you probably won't even have to play much since I'm still the freshman. By the way, you have no idea how frustrating it is staying inside the house all day."
"You are so freaking lucky that mom and dad are on their trip in Europe right now."
"Yeah…listen, I've got to go. Talk to you later."
"Bye Grant," we hang up and I plop back in bed and send off a message to Zach.
Hey dude. Won't be back tonight. Staying at a friend's place. See ya tomorrow.
~C
~^*9~6*
"I can't believe he's going to be gone that long," Bex shakes her head as we walk to our class.
I nod with a sigh, "I don't know how we're going to do this."
"We'll figure it out," Bex assures me.
We walk into class and sit down. We pass notes, talking about how I'm supposed to get through staying overnight in the dorm with Zach.
"You're going to have to sleep there tonight."
I nod reluctantly.
"Just remember one thing."
"What?"
"Keep the boob-concealing-ace on."
Shit.
~^*9~6*^~
A.N.
Hope you guys like it so far! I'll update LtmS by the end of this week so look out for that!
Review?
~Akira
