Page 40 of Kickoff

“You wish. I know you miss me this semester, Mrs. B, but no. I’m here to deliver book bags.”

Paige joined us, her lips red and swollen and her face flushed. “Sorry,” she whispered to Melinda.

“Book bags?” The teacher’s eyes ping-ponged between the three of us like my brother’s did earlier. “Whatever. Nothing surprises me anymore when it concerns you, Mr. Pierce.”

“Thank you,” I said with a huge grin, deciding to take it as a compliment.

Mrs. Belleville stared at me over her glasses. “Who said it was a good thing?” The curl of her lips betrayed her humor. “Make it quick.” After a moment, she waved us off and turned around to answer a student’s question.

“See you after class, ladies.” I faced Melinda and took her hand in mine. “Wait for me. I’m serious.”

“Fine.” She sighed like I was asking her the impossible, but then she grinned, and I knew she would do as I said. Feeling light on my feet, I sauntered away, humming.

When I entered my homeroom, I bumped into Lydia Santos. I’d done my best to avoid her since school resumed. “Ugh, Mase. Watch where you’re going. Or better, stay away from me.”

Before I could prevent myself, and feeling my classmates’ stares on me, my cocky persona took over. “That’s not what you used to say.” I winked at her.

Lydia gave me a slow once-over, her red-painted lips parting. “I’m with Dave now, so you better not try anything.”

“Come on, Lyd. We’re history. Not interested in rekindling anything with you. I always knew you’d go back to him. Told you, you were using me. No hard feelings, though. It’s like I’d already predicted the future where it concerned you.”

If looks could kill, Lydia’s would have annihilated me right on the spot. I weaved through the desks to reach the last row and slouched in my seat, dropping my bag on the floor.

“Hey Mase,” Tanya, the cheer captain, purred, leaning toward me and pushing her black hair over her shoulders in a gesture I bet she thought was seductive. “If you have some free time later, I will need your help in physics.” She pouted as if it would help her case. “Wanna come over tonight? We could also practice biology if you’re up to it. I kinda need to refresh my memory of human anatomy. I have a quiz coming up.”

“Sorry, Tan. This ship has sailed. Find someone else.”

“But I gotta find a tutor or I’ll flunk, and you know if I don’t keep a high enough average, they’ll kick me out of the squad. Help a girl out.”

I pinched my lips together to avoid saying something I might regret. “Sorry, I can’t. I’m working after practice. Tonight and every other night. My schedule is fully busy these days.”

“You working? I thought your daddy was all about you and Craig focusing on school and football until you graduate.”

“Well, I’m a nurse now, and it’s taking a lot of my free time.”

She snorted. “You, Mason Pierce, a nurse? Feed me better bullshit.”

I fixed the most shocked expression on my face. “I take my job very seriously. Don’t mock me. Anyway, it’s none of your business.”

Mr. Stenberg, our teacher walked in, calling for silence. I faced forward, tapping a rhythm on my jean-clad thigh with a pencil, ignoring Tanya’s heavy gaze that I could still feel on me.

For the entire class, I watched every minute ticking on the clock hung over the board in front of me, waiting for the bell to ring, so I could return to my book bag delivery duty.

“Who are you taking to Homecoming next week?” Chase asked a few days later as we sat at our usual table at the back of the lunchroom, the Bears’ unofficial reserved section. Other than the team, only girlfriends were welcome to sit with us. Most times, I thought this rule was stupid, but hey, it was our chance to get together during and after football season. Craig was my brother by birth. Along the way, my teammates had become my brothers on and off the field.

The idea of inviting any girl other than Melinda to our school fall dance knotted my stomach. I had wanted to ask her to Homecoming last year, but she had picked up a shift at the movie theatre where she worked a few hours a week and made it pretty clear to everyone she wasn’t going, so I had missed my chance.

I ended up accepting Hilary Jones’s invitation and had run back home pretending I had the flu when she tried to kiss me. Not my finest moment—and a big contradiction to my usual ways.

Homecoming was the biggest weekend of the year, and the stakes were high.

Not only was I expected to give a speech at the pep rally and lead our team to a victory, but if the rumor mills were true, I’d be crowned Homecoming King again this year.

“I haven’t decided,” I lied, pushing my chicken salad away, not so hungry anymore at the thought Melinda would reject me if I asked her to accompany me. I sighed. Our friendship might not have been solid enough to risk it. We just reconnected. My life seemed to be an eternal catch-22 situation when it concerned her.

“Gigi cornered me after Chemistry this morning, and I accepted to be her date. Jude is going with Laura, and Landon asked Mel. I’m sure anyone in your fan club would jump at the chance to be your date.” He laughed, draining his bottle of water in two gulps. “Sometimes, I’d love to be you for a day, man. Sounds easy enough.”

I scratched my temple. “Yeah, well, it’s not that simple.”