R&R!

The Game Off of the Field 4

-Max

Why did I agree to this? I don't even like coffee! I mentally scold myself as I take another sip of the bitter black liquid inside of my Styrofoam cup.

Fang sat across from me in a small foldable chair as he chugged his black coffee. We were sitting inside a coffee café just outside of the school building, not saying anything. Fang had just bought me my coffee (ignoring my complaints) and sat down at a table. We hadn't said anything to each other since we ordered.

But it wasn't an awkward silence.

We just sat there, studying one another from across the tiny round table that separated us.

I couldn't take it.

"So . . ." I said lamely, failing at my attempt to make a conversation.

Fang put his drink down on the table. "So?"

I give him an incredulous look. "Why did you want to take me out to coffee?" I counter.

He rolls his eyes. "Calm down, don't worry. You still have your pride; this isn't a date. I didn't 'take you out to coffee' I just asked if you wanted to get some."

A blush starts forming on my cheeks, so I look down at my phone in my other hand, pretending to be occupied with texting someone – but he can see it's just a façade, I can tell, by the way that he's smirking at me. "That's not what I meant."

Fang leans back in his chair, casually and puts his hands behind his head, stretching his shoulders. I breathe deeply as I look away, trying not to take notice in the way his arms flex nicely through his tight black long-sleeved shirt – and the fact that three senior girls are staring at him across the room, smiling and giggling.

But Fang doesn't seem to notice. He's just watching me, waiting for me to say something else.

I sigh. "So . . . why did you ask me to get coffee with you?"

He smiles. "There you go, now was that so hard to say?" He leans forward and scoots his chair into the table. "Well, you see, Nudge is –"

"Your girlfriend? Sister?" I guessed.

"A good friend," Fang says sternly. "And I'm just . . . well, don't take this the wrong way, but I'm checking you out to make sure that you don't do or say anything stupid to Nudge. She's . . . uhm, easily offended."

I sputter. "No freaking duh, genius. I've known her for less than half an hour and she's already ruined my beginning of the school year! I can't believe that she actually change my classes! She–"

But I didn't get to finish what I was going to say, because Fang had reached over the table and covered my mouth with both his hands, giving me a panicked look. "Jeez, can you go one second without yelling?" He asks, only I hadn't realized I was yelling. I look around to see a couple people staring at me with strange looks on there faces. Oopsie daisy.

"This is supposed to be a quiet place, kinda like a library? I figured that once we were here you would realize that and you'd stop acting like such a drama-queen, but–"Suddenly, Fang's eyes got really big, like he'd just realized something.

"What?" I questioned, but it sounded more like "mhut?" because his big calloused hands were still covering my mouth. My lips moved against his skin, and I felt like I'd been burned.

All too quickly, Fang pulls his hands away, as if he'd touched a burning stove. I eyed him carefully. "I forgot," he says, only he's staring at the floor. "I was going to go to the library to finish a really important project for one of my AP class's. Ahh crap! I forgot! I really need to get it done . . . so, can we catch up another time?"

I let this sink in for a second, hesitant because of the moment that we had just a second ago. "Uh, yeah, sure."

He quirks a side smile and then he's out the door – and I'm left alone in the coffee shop.

But only for a second.

Before I had a chance to get up from the table, I was approached by two tall blonde girls with bright wide smiles. They were wearing blue and white cheerleading uniforms with matching ribbons in their hair.

"Can I help you?" I asked them curiously.

The shorter one of the girls spoke first. "Oh my gosh, you like totally know Fang? Are you, like, his girlfriend or something?"

I almost chocked at her seriousness. "You have got to be kidding. No . . . we just met."

The two girls exchanged looks eerily.

The other girl extended her hand to me. "My names Bridget and this is Bethany. We're twins."

I stared at Bridget's hand until she slowly dropped it.

"I'm Max. I'm a new—"

"Student. We know," Bethany finished for me, proud to be knowledgeable.

'It's a small school," Bridget explains to me. "Word gets around fast if there's a new student."

I nodded understandably.

"So, uh, did you know that Fang is the varsity captain for both the football and lacrosse teams?" Bethany asks curiously.

I shake my head. "No, why?"

"No reason," Bridget says to me with narrowing eyes at her sister. "So. Me and Bethany were wondering if you would want to try out for the cheerleading team."

To this, I really did choke and then burst out laughing. "Woah, you're being serious?"

"Why wouldn't we be?" They both said at the same time.

My laughter slowed. "Why are you asking?"

Bethany answered for me. "Because our main flyer just broker her leg doing a stunt and we need a new girl soon before the next game."

"Ha, yeah, that's totally gonna make me want to join." Me? A cheerleader? In what world?

Just as I was about to get up and leave, Bridget grabs my arm softly. "Max. Being a cheerleader is an honor at this school. It give you a reputation that every girl would dream of. We party, drink, and hook up with the hottest guys on campus. Why wouldn't you want that? It's not like I ask just any girl to be on the squad."

Just at that moment, an idea went off in my head – this could be my ticket out of here. I turn around stiffly to the twins. After a long moment, I say, "Count me in."

R&R!