Forgetting the Rules: A Second-Chance-Romance Sports Standalone

by Mariah Dietz

  “That’s right. I forgot that you do that.”

  Likely, she didn’t know. The four of us never talked much about school or even our interests beyond boys and parties.

  I force the biggest smile I can muster. “Well, I’ve got things to do, places to be. I’ll see you guys later. Have fun!” I can’t make myself look at either of them as I turn to leave.

  My mom used to tell me that fake people are like pennies: two-faced and worthless. Too bad she hadn’t told me how to identify them before they revealed their true colors.

  2

  Ian

  I watch Rose walk away with her steps paced at a slow but sure beat—the epitome of Rose Cartwright, who carries more confidence in her little finger than most on campus.

  Being around Rose is similar to being stuck in a riptide. It’s easy to get confused as to which way is up and where the coast is. Instead, you get stuck riding the wave—until she tires of you, that is.

  Bitter? Disgruntled?

  Marginally, but I’ll proudly wear those titles because copping to anything more would be admitting that her easy brush off after things seemed like they were headed to us being together affected me more than I let on.

  “Are you ready?” Isla asks, spinning to face me. In nearly every way, she’s the opposite of Rose, from her fair skin and blonde hair compared to Rose’s olive skin and sleek chestnut-colored hair. Isla’s sweet and affable demeanor to Rose’s cautious and often impatient disposition. Even their smiles are opposites: Isla’s is fast and confident, whereas Rose’s is often displayed in her gaze, making it harder to detect and yet somehow more rewarding to earn.

  Isla places a hand on my arm, her nails a Pepto-Bismol pink.

  I shake my head. “Didn’t you get my message?”

  She lowers her eyebrows and reaches for her phone from her bag. “Sorry. No. I was in my chemistry class, and the professor is a tyrant about phones.”

  “We’re doing a team-building slash volunteer event, so I won’t be able to hang out.”

  Isla grins. “Well, you can make it up to me later.” For the past week, since classes started, she’s been circling around, making innuendos, and suggesting we hang out. My reflex is to flirt back, and with Isla, it would be effortless, yet I can’t muster the energy even to crack a smile. I want to believe it’s because everything is riding on this season. It’s my senior year, and this is my last chance to get drafted, and I can’t let anything or anyone distract me. I can’t fuck this up. But there’s an awareness in the corner of my mind that tells me this is only a fraction of the truth.

  “I’ve got to go. I’ll see you later.” I’m already moving backward as I say this.

  I make it to my truck and drive the short distance to Shady Grove Park. It looks like one of the many forgotten corners of our city with large overgrown trees, a broken swing set, slides covered in graffiti, and sparsely laid bark dust. The chain-link fence surrounding the park reaches my chest and is broken and cut in several spots. And to complete the dilapidated appearance, trash peppers the ground and follows the fence line.

  Only half of the team has arrived, but I find Luis Garcia and stop beside him. Luis and I have been friends since the fourth grade. While I’m close with several guys on the team, I’d spill blood for Luis.

  He greets me with a smile. “Glad you made it,” he says. “I think Coach Harris found the dirtiest park in the city for us to clean up. Watch where you step.” He points. “That’s like the tenth needle I’ve seen out here.”

  “Shit,” I say, stepping over the uncapped syringe. “I thought this area was nice?”

  “It is once you get about two blocks west,” he says. “They just got a bunch of money in an attempt to regentrify the place. They’ve been working to clean this area up. Alexis grew up over here. Her dad still lives nearby, so she follows what’s going on. They just opened that strip mall with a bunch of fancy stores, and now they have a bus that runs for free to help people get to work, and they’re building a new high school.”

  I didn’t grow up rich, but I didn’t grow up poor, either. My father worked as the attorney general and my mom was an engineer at a small startup tech company that fifteen years later went public, and made them overnight millionaires. The parks near our first house, the more modest one where I grew up, always had play structures twice this size and was well-used. The most scandalous thing I ever found was a used condom—fucking disgusting, but it pales in comparison to used syringes that kids could step on.

  “Coach liked the attention we received from that beach cleanup last year. I’m sure that’s what turned him on to this,” Luis says.

  It’s true. Last year, Pax had us all participating in a cleanup spearheaded by the local aquarium and his sister, Raegan. Several news stations and newspapers showed up, and we spent the first hour doing interviews and posing for pictures.

  “I’m hoping that we get some downtime and can play some football with these kids.” Luis looks across the park where small groups of teenagers are standing around along with more of our teammates.

  A news truck pulls up and parks on the opposite side of the fence. Another joins, and then another. I work to brandish the negative thoughts that make me wonder if any of us would be here if we weren’t obligated.

  “Welcome!” A woman with short, curly brown hair says. She’s wearing a tie-dye shirt and has piercings lining both ears. “My name’s Paige, and I work with Beacon Pointe. For those unfamiliar with our organization, Beacon Pointe is a place for kids of all ages to come and get help with homework and hang out. We’re right across the street,” she points to a large brick building. “and this park hasn’t been a safe place for the kids to come to until recently. So we’re excited to get this place fully cleaned up so we can start using this space for lots of games and activities We want to thank you all for coming out and devoting your time.

  “Today, you guys will be broken into four groups: trash cleanup, graffiti removal, debris removal, which is going to consist of leaves and fallen branches, and water cleanup, but no one is allowed to actually get into the water. We’re cleaning the bank and stream, and if there’s something visible in the water, you guys can find myself or Penny.”

  Many of the kids have stopped talking to each other and are listening to Paige with equal parts interest and intrigue.

  “I just want to know if I’m allowed to tackle anyone who acts like an asshole punk,” Luis whispers.

  I glance at him. “What are you talking about?”

  “Kids are assholes, man. Do you remember me at this age? Hell, if a bunch of college kids walked up to me and acted like they wanted to be my friend, I’d have been such a dick.”

  “You are a dick.”

  He flashes a quick grin, but in truth, Luis is far from an asshole. “Only when you keep cheating at poker.”

  I chuckle. “I wasn’t even going to talk about what a sore loser you are.”

  He lays a hand across his chest as though I’ve maimed him. “Ten years of friendship, and you stab me in the back.”

  I pat his shoulder. “Let’s see if one of these kids twists the knife.”

  “My money’s on the kid with the red hat,” Luis says, nodding to where a skinny kid is standing in jeans and a hoodie that are both too big for him and a bright red baseball hat that’s sitting at an angle.

  “I’ll take that bet. Twenty bucks.”

  Luis offers his hand. “Let’s make it forty. I want to take Alexis out this Sunday.”

  I shake his hand.

  “Volunteers, if I could please funnel yourselves over to Penny at the registration table, she’ll get you a nametag and let you know what you’ll be working on today,” Paige continues, pointing both arms toward a table where a woman with purple hair is sitting.

  Luis and I start to move toward her when long, dark hair and the same sure gait catch my attention—Rose.

  “Did I mention Rose has been hanging out with the team?” Luis asks, noticing my distraction.<
br />
  “It must have slipped your mind.”

  He grins absently. “She’s pretty cool, and it’s senior year.”

  “Exactly. This is our last chance to be drafted. We have to focus this season.”

  “It might also be the last year you live in the same state as her and have an easy excuse to talk her up.”

  “I’m not going there,” I tell him. “Not again. You remember what she told me?”

  “No, because you never talked about it. Every other guy blasts his issues in the locker room. You just take them all out onto the field and run people over. That’s how I know when you’re pissed.”

  I rub a hand across the back of my neck. I prefer to keep to myself. Talking to the team about Rose or school or even my goals for this year aren’t something I actively do. My younger sister, Cassie, calls me an introvert because of it, and occasionally, someone who doesn’t know me will call me arrogant. I don’t really care what I’m labeled as long as they stay out of my business. “She wants to be friends,” I tell him. “Just friends.”

  Luis squints with confusion. “Obviously, she’s lying.”

  I can’t stop myself from laughing. “Yeah, tell her that.” I shake my head, hoping to dispel the conversation with a couple of carefully chosen words. “It’s cool. This is what was supposed to happen. I don’t have time for a relationship this year anyway. Hell, I barely have time for classes as it is.”

  Luis nods. “I know. I hear you, man.”

  “Rose is a cool chick. There are no hard feelings. She did me a favor by eliminating all the drama that would have come out of dating.”

  “I’d probably call you a liar if I hadn’t seen you give Isla the brush off yesterday,” Luis says as we come to a stop in the line of our teammates. “Alexis wants to set you up with her cousin. She sent me a photo to show you.” He starts to reach for his phone.

  “Tell her thanks but no thanks.”

  “She’s actually pretty hot. I mean, don’t tell Alexis I said that, but you know what I mean.”

  I chuckle. “I rarely know what you mean.”

  Luis laughs along, revealing his easy-going nature that has replaced most of his aggressive tendencies from childhood. He now reminds me a lot of his dad, ready for a laugh and slow to the draw. “Alexis wants to double date.”

  I shake my head. “Not a chance. Do you remember when we did that group date to prom senior year? You ordered a fucking Caesar salad.”

  “That was years ago.”

  “You ordered it, knowing you were allergic to anchovies, and then itched your way through dinner and looked like a blowfish by the time we arrived.”

  He shakes his head, biting back his laughter. “Do you have to bring that up?”

  “I swear I won’t bring it up again if you don’t bring up double dating.”

  “Deal.” He shakes his head as his laugh recedes. “Your prom date was such a bitch. Do you remember how mad she was?”

  “You blew chunks on her dress,” I remind him.

  “I had an allergic reaction.”

  “You spewed on somebody?” Lincoln Beckett, our wide receiver, turns around, his brow lowered. “Tell me you don’t have the flu.”

  “Forrest is just reliving the past,” Luis says.

  Lincoln’s gaze moves to mine. There’s mutual respect we hold for one another built on our devotion to the game and for being two of the quieter guys on the team. Like me, Lincoln doesn’t care if people like him because he’s never trying to impress people. He’s as authentic as they come, and that’s the main factor in why I’ve become friends with his small circle which includes Paxton Lawson, our quarterback, and Arlo Kostas, one of our starting running backs. Beside Lincoln is his girlfriend, Raegan. She elbows her brother, Paxton, who’s standing on her other side. “Pax has a good story to share about throwing up. Want to tell them what happened to that old chair in our living room?”

  Lincoln cracks a smile, but Paxton scowls, earning a laugh from Raegan.

  “You skipped the bathroom and barfed on the furniture?” Luis asks.

  “Worse,” Raegan says. “His girlfriend did.”

  “She’d probably shave your head if she heard you telling that story,” Pax warns.

  “She probably doesn’t remember,” Raegan counters.

  “She’d still cut you,” Pax says this with a grin like he knows he’s hitting a button, only I can’t tell if it’s hers or Lincoln’s that he’s aiming for because Lincoln pulls in a breath and squares his shoulders, exposing his unease for the conversation.

  “Hey, guys!” Olivia’s Southern accent has us all turning as she, Rose, and Arlo join us in line.

  “Hey!” Raegan’s friendly tone only reiterates what had Luis had told me, and then she confirms the fact as she wraps her arms around Rose. “Good to see you.”

  Rose smiles, but I see her nerves in the subtle differences, her lack of eye contact, a smile rather than a joke or comment. She’s uneasy around me, something she’s never been before.

  “I’m so glad Arlo was able to convince you both to come,” Raegan continues, hugging Olivia. “I was worried since it’s a four-week commitment that we’d only have five volunteers.”

  “Four-week commitment?” Rose swings her attention from Raegan to Olivia, accusations shining brightly in her eyes.

  “It’s a big park,” Olivia tells her, earning another silent glare.

  At this, Raegan chuckles. “Now that you’re helping the team meet their quota think about what you can get in return. I’m sure you can convince one of these meatheads to give you an oil change, detail your car, get an invitation to an event…” She shrugs. “If you need someone to be thrown up on, we have two candidates.”

  Rose lowers her brow with equal parts confusion and revulsion. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “I think this is a cool idea,” Arlo says, peering around the vast, grassy space. “We get to be outdoors, helping out some kids, and it’s counting as our practice time.”

  Pax laughs. “Yeah right. You know Coach is going to have us doing extra morning practices to make up for this.”

  “Don’t ruin my mood,” Arlo warns.

  The easy flow of their conversation is infectious, and I find myself chuckling in response. While I tend to keep my friend group on the smaller side, these guys have all managed to get close.

  “How was your summer, Ian?” Olivia asks. The others turn their gazes on me, but Rose stalls a few moments before looking my way. When she finally does, trepidation greets me before aloofness settles in.

  “It was great,” I tell Olivia.

  Luis looks at me with round eyes and a silent ‘now’s your chance’ expression that is more lost on me than Rose’s reaction. Before anyone can change the subject, Luis clears his throat. “I’ve got to say that I was jealous. Beautiful city, beautiful beaches, beautiful women, this dude spent the summer living in paradise and rubbing it in with all the selfies he sent me.”

  I look at him, confused and annoyed because I didn’t send dickface a single damn selfie.

  Paxton nods. “Color me jaded. I’m jealous.”

  The woman at the table with purple hair greets us by asking for our names and licenses, making our conversation come to a halt as we all shuffle for our wallets. Rose is the first to hand hers over, and the woman who is wearing a nametag that reminds me her name is Penny begins filling out a form as we all turn over our licenses.

  “You’ve got to make her jealous,” Luis murmurs under his breath.

  I close my eyes, trying to tame the plethora of curse words bubbling to my surface. I don’t know why he can’t get a fucking clue and understand that I don’t want to make Rose jealous or play any other type of game.

  “Rose, you’re going to be on garbage duty. You can grab some gloves, a red vest, and an empty garbage bag over there by that tree and set to work wherever you’d like.” Penny hands Rose her license back, and then Rose walks away without a second look toward the tree where a he
ap of red vests sits beside a box.

  “This might take more than dim sum and barbecue pork buns,” Olivia says as Penny registers Paxton.

  Arlo shakes his head, a wide grin forming on his face. “Like food will save you.”

  Olivia elbows him, and Arlo smirks. “I’m serious It’s Rose,” Arlo says with a shrug. “She makes the best out of every situation. You’re overthinking this.”

  Olivia frowns. “She had a bad day. Maybe I can get on trash, too, and go around with her?”

  I hate that I’m listening so intently, and even more, I hate that I’m considering what made her day so bad.

  “Paxton and Arlo, you’re going to be on water. Lincoln, you’re on graffiti with Luis and Poppy. Raegan, you and Olivia are on debris, and Ian, you’re also on trash pickup,” Penny says before directing us to the different stations, but I don’t hear what she’s saying because I’m staring across the park where Rose is shoving something in her bag, her thoughts elsewhere.

  Fan-fucking-tastic.

  “Where am I picking up trash?” I ask.

  Penny shakes her head. “Anywhere you want. This park is ten acres and leads to the forest, but you aren’t permitted to cross the river and go into the forest as Paige told you all.”

  Ten acres. That gives me a little room to breathe.

  Luis looks at me and then at Paxton as we step away from the table to allow more to get signed in. “I preferred your beach cleanup. This is too organized.”

  Raegan laughs.

  “This will give you and Rose a chance to catch up,” Olivia says. “I know you haven’t seen much of each other since you left for Italy.” Her words remind me that others aside from Luis were aware of my interest in Rose.

  Arlo reaches forward and pats me on the shoulder. “Fate’s giving you a gentle shove.”

  I shake my head. “Don’t even get started with fate and curses, and all of that bullshit. Not again.” Arlo spent the first half of the year convinced he’d been cursed. It’s actually what brought him and Olivia together.