Dare You to Chase the Soccer Player (Rock Valley High Book 5)

by Lacy Andersen

  “You know what? I’m pretty sure you were fired. Take a hint and stay away from the set, before I call security.”

  “Well, see, the thing is Janelle, we’re not actually on the set,” I said calmly, resting my hand on the wooden barrier. Inside, my heart hammered like a drum at a Pep rally. “So, I’m allowed to be here. Isn’t that right, Derick?”

  “That’s right, Miss Black,” the burly guard standing near the entrance said with a satisfied smirk.

  I was pretty sure that was the longest speech I’d ever heard uttered from his lips, but it made me smile.

  Janelle huffed and tossed her long, blonde hair. A smile tugged at my lips as I watched her searching for the words to cut me back down to size. I could smell a victory in the air and it was sweet. Finally, with a last exasperated sigh, she continued her march through the gate and walked away without another glance.

  The girls around us cheered, no doubt every one of them thinking about their own bullies who’d tried to tear them down. Each one of us had a Janelle and we’d all won today. It felt great.

  And as I watched that long-legged girl with the perfect symmetrical face disappear between the trailers, I felt nothing but sympathy for her. She’d become part of a world that would never allow her to be worth more than her looks. She’d embodied it and allowed it to spoil her inside, even as her outside remained looking flawless. At least I could use concealer on my scars when I wanted to. She couldn’t fix the ugly within so easily.

  “Ladies, ladies, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Freddy’s red head appeared through the crowd as he made his way to the gate. He grinned from ear-to-ear, winking at one of the girls from the orchestra and tipping his chin flirtatiously for another girl from the debate team. “If you’re here for a date with the Fredster, I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you. We fly the coop today and it’s back to LA for us.”

  The reality that the movie set would be gone in only a matter of hours hit me hard, just as Zane appeared on the path that Freddy had cut through the girls. There was a twitter of excitement that followed his sudden appearance. I could feel at least a dozen eyes look my way, no doubt from the people who’d read the article about us yesterday.

  Zane’s blue gaze fell on me with an intensity that made my gut clench. I stared back at him, fighting against the pain and the loneliness that threatened to consume me every time I thought about the way things had fizzled out between us. Had his dad convinced him of my guilt? That I was just like those other girls who’d tried to use him?

  “Makeup Girl!” Freddy wrapped me up in a warm hug and then winked at me as he pulled away. “Don’t miss us too much. When you get to LA, give us a ring.”

  “Haven’t you heard, I’m not Makeup Girl anymore,” I said, trying my best to smile at him. I could feel Zane’s gaze on my face. “I got fired.”

  Freddy tilted his head, the warmth not leaving his eyes. “You’ll always be Makeup Girl to me. The one girl in the entire world I couldn’t impress with my endless charm and good looks.”

  I snorted with laughter. If there was one thing Freddy was good at, it was lightening the mood. His eyes sparkled with humor as I giggled into my hand.

  “See?” He glanced at Zane. “She knows just how to cut a boy down.”

  “I’m sorry,” I said weakly. I didn’t mean to make him feel bad. He was just too funny sometimes.

  He grinned and tweaked my cheek. “Don’t be. Someone’s got to keep me humble. Hopefully, I’ll see you around, Makeup Girl.”

  Freddy strode ahead through the gates, leaving Zane standing alone in a mass of girls. I knew everyone expected us to work through our issues right here and now. And I could see from the eager look in Zane’s eyes that he had something to say, but I shook my head to stop him.

  “I’m sorry for what happened yesterday.” A twinge of pain went through my stomach when I thought about everything that I’d messed up with my selfishness. “I really didn’t mean for any of that to happen.”

  He took a step toward me, his frown softening. “Lexi—”

  I held up a finger. Enough was enough. I was finally going to be strong enough to do the thing we should’ve done all along.

  “Zane, what we had was great. It was short, it was sugar sweet, and I’m pretty sure you and I could’ve evolved into something amazing. But I let the idea of you and me take over everything. To the point that I was willing to risk your career and my future on it. We never should’ve let it get that far.”

  He swallowed hard and nodded, misery lining his face. “I know. I feel like I’m the one to blame, though. I couldn’t stand up to my dad for you. I was weak.”

  “No, you’re the most wonderful boy I’ve ever met. And you showed me that someone could like me for just me.” I smiled at him and thought about the fact that a few weeks ago, I would’ve died before letting anyone see me without my makeup. Especially a boy. I was completely changed. “I’m forever grateful for that. But this time, I’m going to do the right thing and I’m going to walk away.”

  Zane looked at me as if he wanted nothing else but to convince me to change my mind. I slid my hands into Charlotte and Beth’s at my side, squeezing them for comfort. They squeezed back. And then we turned and began to walk through the crowd.

  The link I’d felt to Zane since we first met was still there. I could feel his heart breaking a little as I walked away. Just like mine. But this was for the best. I was stronger now. I knew better that we couldn’t just hide away from the world. He had a career to build and I had a plan to join his world in just another year. I wouldn’t jeopardize either of those things anymore.

  I had to be the one to end things.

  My heart begged me to look over my shoulder. To glance at him one last time and fall into those baby blues. But I kept my chin pointed straight ahead, my two best friends guiding me gently forward as my heart cried out in protest. And when we finally got into the school, I grabbed my stuff and strode confidently into my English lit class. Mr. Garret already stood at the front of the room with a stack of papers held tight in his hand, his eyes gleaming with a kind of glee he only got when he was about to pass out an extra difficult quiz.

  Standing up to Janelle and letting go of Zane weren’t the only things on my list to do today. There was one other area of my life that I needed to take control of. No more phoning it in. No more excuses.

  This was my life. And I was going to take control of it.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  My eyes ached as I glanced down at my quiz one last time. Just as I’d suspected, Mr. Garret had made this one a doozy. I could practically feel his glee in the wording of the questions and how tricky he’d managed to be.

  Any other day, I would’ve stumbled up to his desk, my head feeling like it had been stuffed with cotton, and blindly handed in another failed quiz. But not today. Today I’d been fully prepared—thanks in part to both my best friends who’d studied with me last night and to Zane, who’d helped me in the library this past weekend.

  Thanks to all of them, I was able to slide out of my desk before most of the other kids were done, shoulder my backpack and walk confidently to the front. Mr. Garret was hunched over his desk, grading a stack of papers from another class. He blinked when I slid my quiz in front of him. His gaze slowly roved up to my face and he frowned in confusion.

  “Did you need something, Ms. Black?” he asked. “You already know that I can’t clarify any of the questions for you. It wouldn’t be fair to the other students. If you don’t understand something, you’re just going to have to work through it.”

  I smiled through his assumptions. Men like Mr. Garret would never believe a girl like me was capable of doing anything other than dressing up and flirting with boys. I doubted that even after I aced this quiz if I would change his mind. That was just the way it was. At least I could do better for myself.

  “No questions from me,” I said sweetly, nudging the quiz a little farther on his desk. “I’m done.”

 
His brow arched and he leaned back in his chair with an amused expression. “At least take the time to finish it, Ms. Black. Turning in a half-finished quiz will do you no favors.”

  “No, I finished it all.” I shrugged. “It wasn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be.”

  Disbelief shown in his eyes. He grabbed the quiz, his gaze speeding over my scrawled answers. And as he read, his frown hardened into disapproval. If it had been any other teacher, that would’ve worried me. But I knew Mr. Garret didn’t celebrate success in his class. He would never congratulate me for turning things around. My victory was his loss. Thankfully, after this year, I’d be finished with his classes.

  “Yes, I see that you answered all of it,” he said finally, swallowing as if he’d eaten something sour. His dark eyes darted up to my face and took in my appearance. Surprise washed over his face for a mere second and then it was replaced by a cruel smile. “You’ve expelled the silly out of your head. Must’ve been all of that makeup. They say those chemicals can seep into your skin and rot your brain. I congratulate you on deciding to take yourself seriously for once.”

  I inadvertently pressed a hand up to my cheek. Blood pooled in my face and down my neck as anger sparked in my chest. Right then, I wanted to tell Mr. Garret just exactly what the kids at Rock Valley High thought about him, but I kept my mouth closed. That wasn’t what Dad would do. He’d told me that when he was in the courtroom and in danger of losing his temper, he’d take a deep breath and hold it to the count of five, letting those angry thoughts evaporate.

  So that was what I did. With a deep breath, I stared coolly at Mr. Garret for five solid seconds and then let it out. He watched me curiously, that same smirk stamped on his mouth. And when I was ready, I clenched my fists at my side and rose my voice just high enough for the rest of the class still finishing their quizzes to hear.

  “Mr. Garret, I am not and never have been silly. Yes, sometimes I’ve been lazy and unmotivated. And sometimes I had a hard time understanding the text. But this time, I found help to get me through it. And I passed because I took that extra time to work through them. It had nothing to do with what I put on my face. Whether or not I decide to wear makeup does not mean I don’t take myself seriously. That’s a sexist and rude assumption.”

  He frowned nervously, his gaze darting toward the rest of the class and then back to me. I could tell I’d grabbed the attention of the rest of my peers. A few of the girls who’d shown up this morning to support me were sitting in there, finishing up their own quizzes.

  “Ms. Black, I don’t think it’s appropriate to—”

  “You’re right.” I smiled sweetly at him again. “It’s not appropriate, but I’m glad I could set you straight. This week I learned that my makeup does not define me. That I didn’t need to use it to hide my insecurities anymore. And tomorrow, when I put it back on, it’ll be simply because I enjoy the way it makes me feel. Not for anyone else. Just like rocking this quiz made me feel. Thank you, Mr. Garret, for helping me learn that lesson.”

  Confusion flickered in his eyes as he grumbled a low you’re welcome. I tightened my backpack and smiled over my shoulder at my classmates. Sure enough, they were all watching the exchange go down. A few of the girls gave me thumbs-up signs and pumped their fists in solidarity. I was done with Mr. Garret. There was no need to push this show of rebellion into a detention or visit to the principal’s office. Feeling accomplished, I strolled out of the classroom as the bell rang.

  “So, what just happened back there?” Beth asked when she appeared by my locker. Her curly blonde hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail and her cheeks were flushed. “I was so focused on my quiz that I missed what was going on. It wasn’t until Charlotte kicked me in the shin did I see you and Mr. G having words.”

  “Ummm...I might have totally chewed Mr. Garret out,” I said, hiding my face behind my locker door.

  She yanked it open and grinned. “Yes, girl! It’s about time someone put him in his place.”

  I smiled sheepishly at her. “Thanks. I couldn’t help it. He deserved it.”

  “Well, that’s a true statement if I ever heard one.” She leaned back against the lockers and grinned happily. “I would give anything to see it again. I’ll bet he sweated right through his toupee.”

  I giggled. While I was pretty sure Mr. Garret’s horrible hair was all his own, it was a funny thing to imagine.

  “Whelp, today didn’t turn out so bad, after all,” Beth said, eyeing me as my giggles ended. “We started a movement and got revenge on Janelle. There’s even a video floating around of your speech cutting her down to size.”

  I plastered a hand to my forehead. “Are you serious? How bad is it?”

  “It’s brilliant. Charlotte thinks you’re going to go viral and become a famous influencer. She says we knew you when.”

  That was the last thing on my mind today. I had so many other things to worry about before becoming famous.

  “So...” Beth glanced nervously at me. “...are you going to say goodbye to Zane before he leaves?”

  The mention of his name killed the moment of hilarity. A sadness went through me that felt like icy fingers digging into my organs.

  “Nope.” My chin trembled a bit. “It’s better this way. I don’t want to make him have to choose me over his career. It’s not fair to him. I’ll keep my distance for the both of us. But I am going to try and say goodbye to Alanis after school. She deserves an explanation, even if it doesn’t stop her from hating me forever.”

  Sympathy shone in Beth’s smile as she squeezed my upper arm. “I’m sorry, I really am. None of this is fair.”

  “Life isn’t fair.” I turned to her. “At least, that’s what my mom always used to say when we were kids. But at least I’m getting better at losing.”

  She shook her head firmly. “No, it’s not losing. It’s choosing a different path. A better path.”

  I appreciated Beth’s positive outlook, but I was pretty sure there was no better path than the one that led to Zane. Still, I’d taken myself out of the equation to give him his best shot at the career he deserved. Maybe, in another life, we’d meet again. Until then, I would be the girl who walked away from him. Maybe that was it for our story.

  Not everyone got a happy ending.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  I waited until I was sure the coast was clear. The entire crew was shooting one last soccer game scene on the field and most everyone else was quickly trying to get things packed up and ready to move out. Derick the guard let me in with a warm smile, despite the fact that I didn’t have my employee badge anymore. I booked it to Alanis’ makeup trailer with the prayer that she was still there. I didn’t have the heart to look for her. Not when that meant I might run into Zane.

  After the day I’d had, I wasn’t sure I had the strength to do that again.

  “Hello?” I called as I opened the door to her trailer. The lights were on overhead and it smelled like cucumber water.

  “Come in,” Alanis replied sharply from up above.

  Anticipation made my heart palpitate painfully. I took the steps up into the trailer and spied Alanis curled up on the very chair she’d banished me to on my first day. She wore gold painted denim and a white crop top. In her hands, she held a half-empty cucumber water that she stared at intently. Not even my entrance tore her gaze away from it.

  “Hi, Alanis,” I said softly, grimacing at her. I wouldn’t blame her if she screamed and yelled at me. Not after what had happened to her star actor.

  “You didn’t show up for work yesterday.” Her perfectly stenciled brow arched, but she remained staring at the water.

  “Um...yeah. I got fired by Mr. Rees after that article came out.”

  She nodded and then shrugged as if I shouldn’t have let that bother me. “I don’t remember firing you. And I believe I was the one who hired you after Zane Rees begged me to take you on.”

  The room tilted for a moment and I reached out to touch the wall to
make sure I was still standing straight up. Had I heard her right? Zane had asked her to hire me?

  “But I thought my dad had gotten me this job,” I said, staring wide-eyed at her.

  For the first time, her gaze flicked to mine and I saw amusement dancing there. “You really think I’d agree to take on some spoiled lawyer’s daughter as my assistant just to make the studio execs happy? Not happening. But Zane told me you were different and talented. He insisted that I give you a chance and that’s what I did.”

  My heart melted with gratitude for the boy who’d done so much more for me than I’d realized. That was the night I’d been furious with him for pretending not to know me. Little did I realize he was battling for me behind the scenes at the same time I was cursing his name. It made me want to break out into hysterical giggles. He really was too good. I could only hope that someday I could return the favor for him a hundred times over.

  “I’m sorry, then, that I didn’t live up to his description of me.” I hugged my arms around my stomach and smiled painfully at her. “But I just wanted to make sure that I got a chance to thank you before you left town. Maybe I turned out to be a disappointment, but just in these couple weeks, I’ve learned so much from you. Thank you for taking a chance on me. I know now, more than ever, this is where I want to be.”

  Her lips formed a hard-lined smile. “And you’re sure of that?”

  I nodded. Makeup was no longer a shield for me. It was art. It was whatever beauty standard I wanted to display. It was creativity. It was the way I expressed myself. I wanted so badly to learn more and to be where Alanis was someday. I wanted that with every fiber of my being.