Us at the Beach

by Stephanie Street

  Bly: Yeah, if it’s still alright with you.

  Me: Are you kidding? Of course, it is.

  Bly: Great. Thanks.

  Me: No problem.

  Me: Night, Bly.

  Bly: Night, Walker.

  I was a little nervous walking up to the locker room Monday morning. Not about my skills, but the team. I usually fit in well with my teammates. I’d never had to worry about that. And honestly, I still knew a lot of the guys here since I’d gone to school with them all the way through middle school. And I was friends with a lot of them on social media. But a lot can change and I wondered how friendly the reception would be, especially if I was able to steal someone’s starting position, because that’s exactly what I intended to do.

  I made my way into the coach’s office. The name on the door said Coach Haskins. The man behind the desk greeted me with a smile.

  “Hey, Coach. I’m Walker. I just moved back from California and was hoping to join your team.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Blythe

  The next week seemed to fly by and yet crawl at the same time. Practice every morning seemed to come too soon, but I had hardly seen Walker at all and that made it seem as though Monday morning would never arrive.

  Not seeing Walker had played havoc with my confidence. We hadn’t really talked about anything since coming back from the beach. I guess, I thought that kiss might have been the start of something, but now- now, I think it was just a fling. Walker was just playing with me because I was there and available. I hated to think he was capable of that, but really, what do I even know about him? What, I spend one week with him after not seeing him for three years and automatically I trust him? How could I be so stupid?

  And so, as much as I had been looking forward to seeing Walker on Monday morning, I decided to build walls. To fortify my defenses. The last thing a nobody like me needed to be doing was getting my hopes up that hottie Walker Thomas might actually like me. Because he didn’t. If he did, he would have called. He would have texted more than once in seven days. He would have wanted to see me. And he hadn’t done any of those things. And so, I was the dumb one wishing I had told Walker I would just take the bus this first day of school, because I wasn’t entirely sure my heart could handle being so close to him.

  Now, here I am pacing in front of the picture window in our living room, watching for his car to pull up in front of my house getting my game face on. For a moment, I considered calling Lilly. As soon as we’d pulled into our driveway last Saturday, I’d called my best friend and told her every single detail of my week spent with Walker at the beach. She’d squealed and exclaimed in all the right places and reassured me that Walker must be so into me. And it was awesome. Just what I needed to hear.

  As the week wore on and I hadn’t heard from Walker, I turned to my friend again. At first, Lilly continued to hold out hope that Walker was just busy. Or maybe his phone broke. Or maybe his leg, since he lived right behind me. By Wednesday, Lilly’s faith wavered and she accused him of being a jerk. I defended him, because the guy I’d hung out with in the ocean and at the lighthouse was not a jerk. On Friday, we’d decided Walker was a huge player and he’d only been messing with me on vacation.

  Walker

  What a freaking week! To say Coach Haskins had been glad to see me walk into his office last Monday would be a severe understatement. Apparently, the junior who had been groomed to take the starting quarterback position this season broke his leg at an end of summer party, jumping off someone’s barn roof. He’d been drunk and according to Coach was lucky he hadn’t broken his dang fool neck. Either way, I felt bad for the guy and relieved to be coming in to save the day rather than rob some dude of his starting position.

  After one day of practice, Coach was all but worshiping at my feet. Last year’s graduating quarterback had led Ridge High to two straight undefeated seasons and one championship game. He’d been recruited by Notre Dame and Coach was already missing him. The idiot junior with the broken leg had started JV last year and was familiar with the offense, but Coach confided the kid didn’t have much of an arm.

  And that was the beginning of hell week. Coach was determined to get me up to par on his game book. Between practices, he had me watching film from last year, memorizing plays, and studying. I’ve always been a committed athlete, but this kind of program was both exciting and intimidating. On top of all that, they had me in the weight room and doing cardio every day. By the time I got home each evening, I was lucky to finish my dinner without falling asleep face first in my plate.

  The good news- I felt prepared for our first game this Friday. The bad news- I hadn’t seen or talked to Blythe since that first day of practice all the way up until I texted her last night to see if she still wanted a ride to school. Thank goodness, she did. I have missed her and feel a little like a jerk for not just seeking her out. And now it’s a little awkward that we haven’t really talked about anything since coming home from the beach.

  I admit to feeling a little nervous as I pulled up to the curb in front of her house on the first day of school. But that didn’t stop the grin from spreading across my lips at the sight of her. Man, she is cute. She wore dark wash skinny jeans and a kind of lacy pink shirt over the top of a thin strapped tank. And, of course, white flip flops. Her hair hung around her shoulders in these big, loose curls and when she got into the passenger seat of my car, I had to grip the steering wheel to keep myself from reaching out to touch one.

  “Hey, how’s it going? Ready for your first day, junior?” I teased since today I would be starting my senior year while Blythe was just a junior.

  “Ha. Ha,” she deadpanned as she clicked her seatbelt into place.

  A feeling of uneasiness gripped me as I watched her. She didn’t seem like herself and I wondered if she really was nervous. But what could she have to be nervous about? She’d been going to school here all her life. She knew these kids better than I did. And she looked gorgeous. She’d be surrounded by friends the minute she walked on campus.

  “You okay,” I asked, cautiously, pulling out onto the road to drive the couple of miles to the high school.

  “Yeah, of course,” she replied, fidgeting with her backpack in her lap before meeting my gaze. Her eyes were distant, wary. What was going on with her? I really wanted to reach out and hold her hand to still her nervousness, but looking at her, I didn’t think she would welcome the gesture. What had happened since that night on vacation? Since that kiss? I couldn’t get it out of my head. Or how much I wanted to do it again.

  “How’s cross-country been going?” I asked, trying to come up with something neutral to talk about to keep myself from pulling the car over and kissing her senseless until she was ready to tell me what the heck was going on with her.

  “Good. How’s football?”

  “Grueling,” I answered. “I’m beginning to question my sanity. You coming to our game on Friday?”

  Her head snapped in my direction. “We had a bet, remember?”

  It was my turn to look at her. She was fidgeting with her backpack strap again. What in the world? Did she really want to go through with that bet? The one that meant she would just stand by while five girls flirted with me? Touched me? Ugh. Not that I think that will even happen, but really?

  “You want to go through with it?” I asked, kinda hoping I didn’t sound as flabbergasted as I felt.

  Blythe shrugged. “We had a deal, right? I go to your games if you win and you buy me unlimited shakes if I win.”

  I almost smiled at her interpretation of the shakes as they applied to her, but then remembered I didn’t want any girls flirting with me except Blythe and that she didn’t seem to care at all that we were discussing me and other girls! What the hell! Did I completely misinterpret our connection at the beach? Had Blythe just played me? Like I was some summer fling before school started? My heart hardened just a little at the thought.

  I smirked before answering. “That was the deal.” I
didn’t want her to know how much it bothered me that it didn’t bother her.

  Blythe brushed at her backpack like it was covered with crumbs or something then looked out the window. “Right, so three minutes and five girls.”

  The thought of it kind of turned my stomach. Were girls in Indiana really that forward? I’d had my share of dates in California and even a couple of girlfriends, but seriously? It’s not like I’m a big deal or anything.

  “You don’t think I’ll win?” Blythe answered my smirk with one of her own. I didn’t like it on her.

  “I don’t think you will win at all,” I told her. “Better be prepared to be my own little cheering section at the game on Friday.”

  She rolled her eyes and shook her head, but the easy smile I remembered from our week at the beach was missing. Did I even know Blythe at all? Maybe this cold girl was the real Blythe and she’d just been trying to pull me in on vacation with the fake, sweet version I’d come to love.

  Love?

  Was that true? Had I fallen for Blythe? Ugh, I thought to myself as I pulled my car into the front row parking space I’d paid twenty bucks to park in for the school year as a football fundraiser. Suddenly, I wasn’t excited about going to school here as I had been. To be honest, I’d had visions of Blythe and I together long term. As in Homecoming. Prom. Marriage. Okay, maybe not marriage necessarily, but kinda. Yeah. Eventually.

  Shit.

  I turned the car off and stuffed the key into a pocket on my shorts. Blythe hadn’t moved to get out of the car yet and I wanted to shout at her. I wanted to get her to admit that she had played me. That everything at the beach was just a joke to her. Because, right now, it kinda hurt and I wanted to get mad.

  “You ready?” she asked, her flat eyes fixed on me.

  “Sure. Why not?” Maybe getting mad wouldn’t be as difficult as I thought. I yanked open my door and lunged out of the car. I grabbed my own backpack out of the back seat and slammed the door with enough force to rattle the windows.

  Good.

  I started toward the door to the school. After a couple of steps, I turned to see that Blythe still stood beside the passenger door to my car. She looked unsure.

  “You coming or what? Don’t you need to witness this? Don’t want to be accused of cheating on our bet.” I knew I sounded angry and I was.

  Blythe stepped away from the car and slung her backpack over her shoulder. If things were different, I’d offer to carry it for her.

  But they weren’t.

  So, I didn’t.

  Chapter Twelve

  Blythe

  He seemed mad. Annoyed. Each step testified of his frustration. Was he mad at me? But that was silly, wasn’t it? I was mad at him, right?

  I was so confused.

  I’d been a little baffled getting into his car this morning. He’d seemed genuinely happy to see me and I don’t think I imagined the appreciative glance he’d given me as I slid into the passenger seat of his car. But that didn’t make sense? Did it?

  And then he’d asked about me going to the game and I remembered our little bet we’d made that day swimming in the ocean. I hadn’t really thought of it since then, especially not after kissing in the closet.

  And that date.

  That kiss.

  My toes wanted to curl just thinking about it.

  I shook my head to clear it. Walker was not the guy I thought he was. And it appeared he was about to prove it.

  He walked toward the school as though he owned the place. His swagger, both confident and sexy, immediately grabbed the attention of the harem of popular girls surrounding Mike Danielson’s pickup truck. They were there flirting with half the football team. Mike raised his hand in greeting to Walker, who made his way toward the truck and the females. Walker fist bumped a couple of guys like he’d never left for California three years ago. He laughed at something Jason Simpson said and then turned to look down at Deidre Parker, who had sidled up next to him and touched his shoulder.

  After glancing at Deidre in surprise, Walker’s gaze swung toward me. I stood, rooted to asphalt in the parking lot where he’d pretty much left me. I forced a knowing smile to curve my lips and raised one brow at him.

  At first, he looked annoyed. Maybe even hurt. Hurt? No, I must be imagining things. But then, he turned to Deidre and smiled. I watched as her whole face lit up. It was on after that, as though his smile had opened the door. Before I knew it, Walker was surrounded like he was a freaking rock god or something. I was seriously waiting for one of them to strip off her panties and throw them at him.

  And I kept count. First, Deidre. Then, Mandy. After Mandy was Shelly and Christine. Four. And finally, just as the guys turned to head into the school, Abby Anderson came running up to walk into school with the other girls. She was best friends with Deidre, for goodness sake. And there it was- girl number five nudged his elbow in greeting.

  And there you have it folks.

  I sighed, resigned. Just like that, I became invisible to Walker, too.

  Walker

  I promise, I did not go over to Mike’s truck because of all the girls standing around it. In fact, I had every intention of walking into the school glued to Blythe’s side just so I could prove her wrong about our little bet and her prediction. But instead, I realized I welcomed the out. I didn’t know if I wanted to walk into school with Blythe if I wasn’t holding her hand. If I wasn’t going to follow her to her locker and walk her to her first period class. If I couldn’t kiss her in the hall and tell her I’d see her after the bell rang signaling the end of first period.

  And so, I made my way over to Mike’s truck, leaving Blythe to walk into the school on her own. But she hadn’t. She just stood there. Watching like an outsider. I wondered about her again. It wasn’t like there was anything keeping her from following me. These were her friends, too, weren’t they?

  When that girl, D-De, ugh, I can’t even remember, came up to me, placing her hand on my forearm, I about fell over with shock. It hadn’t even been thirty seconds since Blythe and I began our walk toward the school and already one girl had put her hands on me.

  I couldn’t help it, my eyes immediately turned to Blythe. She was still standing right where I’d left her, her expression indefinable. I wished I knew what she was thinking. And then, it was as though she were taunting me, throwing down the challenge. So, I did the only thing I could do at that point and still salvage my wounded pride- I smiled at the little blonde in front of me.

  It was like opening the floodgates. Suddenly, the whole crew of them descended on me. Who knew girls were so touchy? Before, I knew it all four of the girls had in some small way touched me. My arm. My shoulder. One of them had even playfully smacked at my chest. I figured that would be the end of it and I would be seeing Blythe at all my football games, but then a new girl came running up and it was like I was a magnet or something because she came right up beside me and tapped me with her elbow.

  Damn.

  Now, not only had I somehow become more popular with the ladies than I had ever been, but none of them were as cute, or remotely as interesting to me, as Blythe.

  Plus, I owed her an unlimited supply of shakes.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Blythe

  I entered my first period class with an ache in my stomach. I don’t know why I’d allowed myself to get my hopes up that this year would be different. That Walker coming into my life would change everything. That’s right, because I’m stupid. And nothing changed at all, this first day of school was exactly like all the others. No one even noticed I was there. The only difference is that now I know what it’s like to be noticed, even for a brief moment, by someone like Walker. Even if he did turn out to be a huge douche, for that one week, he’d been amazing. And I’d enjoyed every minute of it.

  “So, how was the car ride here,” Lilly asked, slipping into the seat beside me.

  Okay, so I wasn’t invisible to everyone. Thank goodness for Lilly.

  “Awkwa
rd,” I replied.

  “He didn't say anything?” Lilly’s mouth gaped. “Not even a sorry I didn't call?”

  “Nope.” I popped the ‘p’.

  Lilly sat back in her seat, shaking her head. “Wow. He really is a player.” She turned back to me. “Don't worry about him, Bly. He isn't worth it. Anyone that would treat you like that isn't worth it anyway,” she repeated for emphasis.

  “If you only knew,” I mumbled under my breath. She heard me anyway.

  “Knew what?”

  “You remember I told you about our silly bet we made? Basically, just me trying to tease him about how popular he would be here?” Because, well, he's gorgeous and athletic and nice- or he was nice. I thought he was nice. Whatever!

  “Yeah, about the skanks mauling him?” Lilly got it.

  “Yeah, well, it was weird at first because it seemed like he'd forgotten about it or was trying to get out of it and honestly, if we were, you know,” I wiggled my brows at her.

  Lilly giggled. “If you were a thing.”

  “Right, if we were, then I wouldn't have wanted to go through with it.” I shrugged, not sure how to explain that exactly.

  “Well, of course not!” Lilly exclaimed. “You would have walked in holding hands and any girl who tried to touch your man- smack!” Lilly slapped her hand on the desk in front of her.

  “Oh, my goodness,” I laughed. Lilly cracked me up and her silliness was just what I needed right now. “I would never do that.”

  “I would. You better believe I would,” Lilly said and I laughed again picturing all five feet, two inches of blonde fury defending her man- if she had one.

  “Well, there’s really no point talking about it since he and I are not a thing.”

  That didn’t stop me from searching for Walker in the halls between every class and at lunch. I always sat with Lilly during lunch. We had a few other friends that sat at our table, but for the most part Lilly and I kept to ourselves. I had already gotten my tray of questionable cafeteria food and made my way toward our corner table when I saw Walker arrive in the lunch room surrounded by the same football players and girls he’d walked into school with this morning. I watched as his eyes scanned the room and wondered if he was looking for me. I told myself to look away, but I couldn’t. And so, when his gaze landed on me, I was staring right at him.