Not Exactly Lying

by Melody Summers

  Josh started to open his mouth, but the other guy grabbed his shoulder and squeezed. “You got it, Quinn.”

  “And pass the word to anyone else on the team who might get the bright idea to pick on her that the same will go for them.”

  When they were gone Quinn turned and folded me against his chest.

  “Are you all right?”

  I nodded, still unable to speak. His arms tightened around me and I let out the breath I’d been holding without realizing it.

  “I’m sorry, babe,” he whispered. “I should have said something to them sooner and stopped this before it had a chance to even start.”

  “It wasn’t your fault,” I mumbled into his shirt.

  I didn’t want to move. Ever. I felt safe, secure, like I belonged there. I knew it was a lie, but I wanted so badly to believe it even if it was just for a little while. His hand stroked soothingly up and down my back, and his breath was warm against the top of my head as he wrapped himself around me like a big Quinn blanket. I was trembling, but not with the shivers like I’d gotten from those other guys. I felt deliciously warm and snuggly.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll get with Walker and we’ll make sure nothing like this happens again.”

  “Okay.”

  He loosed his hold on me and took a step back with a half smile that was almost shy. “I’d better go before we start a whole new crop of rumors.”

  I had to look away before I did something stupid. I didn’t want him to go, but I couldn’t tell him. I just couldn’t.

  “See you around, babe.”

  And now I knew for sure that he would, that he was already keeping an eye on me. Normally the thought of something like that would have sent me straight up the wall into a panic attack. This time, though, it just gave me butterflies.

  Chapter Nine

  Whatever Quinn and Walker said, nobody bothered me after that. The whispering died down almost completely—at least when I was around to hear it. Quinn stayed away, too. At first I wasn’t sure if it was to avoid giving any more fuel to the rumors or if it was because he’d gotten tired of me telling him no, but whenever I went into the halls I could usually spot him somewhere conveniently nearby, watching me with a totally wicked grin playing on his lips when our eyes met. No, he hadn’t moved on.

  There was speculation about that, too—that he was dating a girl from another school or even a college girl from A&M Corpus Christi. He did nothing to dispel that idea, but I knew better. I knew it every time I caught his eye.

  With that unpleasantness at an end, I settled into the school routine with my new friends. Ashton turned out to be a great guy, and if it hadn’t been for my hopeless crush on Quinn I might just have fallen for him. Not that it would have done me any good. He and Dannika were just as crazy about each other as Delaney and Walker, even if they refused to admit it.

  Then there was my chemistry lab partner, Daniel Foster. He was brainy, cute in a geeky way, and painfully shy until he figured out that I was even worse. After that he opened up a lot and we ended up having a good time together in class. I found out that he was a gamer, too, and I almost confessed my Valkyrie secret identity to him. I chickened out, though, because I had just gotten out from under all the talk about me and Quinn and wasn’t about to risk starting up a whole new mess of gossip.

  The second week of school we had our first pep rally of the year. Instead of hiding out in the bathroom until it was over like a sane person, Delaney and the others dragged me to the gym with them. We sat in the very back row of bleachers with me in the middle—probably so I couldn’t escape. It was even worse than the cafeteria at lunch. Everyone on the opposite side of the gym could look right at me.

  “I can’t wait to see Walker,” Delaney burbled. “He is going to kick some serious butt tonight.”

  She was too far gone to see the state of my nerves, but Dannika noticed and gave my hand a reassuring squeeze.

  “It’s okay, Molls. No one is watching you. Look.”

  And she was right. No one was. Their eyes were all on the cheerleaders as they bounced out onto the gym floor. Still, I wasn’t remotely comfortable and couldn’t wait for it to be over.

  The cheerleaders moved off to the side and the band began to play for all it was worth as the football players charged through the double doors.

  Delaney sat upright and pointed. “There’s Walker! Isn’t he so cute in his uniform? Squee!”

  Allison rolled her eyes in disgust. “Did you seriously just squee?”

  “Yep,” Dannika said. “We’re going to have to get her some tranquilizers or something.”

  I stopped paying attention to their banter. Every molecule in my body was focused on Quinn. Cute wasn’t even the word for him. The boy was hot, and the rapid bass drumming from the band matched my pulse perfectly. His jersey emphasized his broad shoulders, and he stood a few inches taller than most of his teammates. As the head coach called out their names, the rest of the gym faded away around me and my anxiety went with it. The only thought left in my head was how much I wished I dared to take the leap and trust him.

  But then the band stopped, and as the boys left the lineup two of the cheerleaders latched onto Quinn like lampreys, and I knew that I was doing the right thing. It left me feeling so empty and hollow inside that I didn’t get any more anxiety about being in the gym again until the bleachers were almost empty. We were the last ones down, and I would have stumbled down the stairs if Dannika hadn’t grabbed my arm.

  “You okay?”

  “Sure. Just not used to the crowds.”

  She gave me a commiserating smile and we hung back while Delaney rushed off to find Walker. When we came upon them by the exit Quinn was there, the three of them laughing together. Delaney turned to us and grinned.

  “You guys are coming to the game with me tonight to root for him, right?”

  The others agreed, but I kept my mouth firmly shut. Go sit in a stadium packed with screaming people? Or I could just set myself on fire. Both sounded equally appealing.

  Walker gave me a knowing look. “Come on, Molly. Come cheer for us.”

  I threw a glare back at him. He knew perfectly well how I felt about things like that.

  “Yeah, Molly,” Quinn piped up. “And since Walker’s already got Delaney to cheer for him, you can cheer for me.”

  “I think you’ve got plenty of people in your fan club to cheer for you already.”

  Allison and Dannika laughed.

  “Maybe so,” Quinn said, “but I’ll still play better if I know you’re there rooting for me. You don’t want to take a chance on us losing the game, do you?”

  I couldn’t do it. Just the thought of all those people made my stomach hurt.

  Delaney batted her eyes at me. “We’ll all be right there with you and we’ll sit up high in the stands. It won’t be any worse than the pep rally, and you survived that.”

  I was going to strangle her on the car ride home. “I really don’t think it’s a good idea.”

  Quinn came up and slid an arm around my waist and I found myself lost in the heavenly blue of his eyes.

  “Please, Molly? It really would mean a lot to me.”

  I hated myself for it, but between his touch and his eyes I was turning to jelly. “Oh, all right. If you lost the game now everyone would blame me for it,” I grumbled.

  He grinned and for one brief second I thought he was going to kiss me, but instead he let go and nodded his head.

  “Great. I’ll see you after the game, then.”

  Walker sighed. “Yeah, we need to go take care of some things before the game.”

  Delaney watched them go, her eyes shining. “This is the first time I’m going to see him play. I’m so excited.”

  It would be my first time to see Quinn play, too, but I wasn’t sure if I was excited or going to throw up. Maybe I’d do both.

  The panic started as soon as I got out of my car. As the other girls talked excitedly about the game all I could see were th
e throngs of people on their way towards the stadium. It was much, much worse than the pep rally. While we stood in line at the gate I kept my head down and concentrated on standing upright and putting one foot in front of the other and hoped my heart didn’t explode before we even got to the stands.

  But my friends stayed together in a protective knot around me and we climbed up to the top level of the stands like they’d promised. It was a lot less crowded up there, and I calmed down as it became obvious that everyone’s attention was devoted to the field and the electronic scoreboard. Ten minutes later the announcer came on and the band blasted out our school song as loudly as they could play. I didn’t pay much attention to what was going on until the football players tore through the big paper banner under the goalpost.

  My heart skittered uncertainly as Quinn came out. Even from that distance I had no trouble picking him out.

  “There they are!” Delaney announced, and she leaned forward to peer down at her boyfriend.

  I tried to feign indifference, but really I was just as intent on Quinn. Why, oh why had I had to go and fall for the boy? Was I crazy or something?

  Since he played offense and we started off on defense, it took a while before he was back on the field after that. All during the kickoff to the other team and the struggles of our defense to keep them in check I sat lost in my thoughts about what I was going to do about this insane crush on Quinn. Finally, though, it was our turn to get the ball and Quinn jogged out onto the field in the middle of his offensive team.

  I thought Delaney was going to spontaneously combust when Quinn threw the ball to Walker, who ran halfway up the field before a player scored a lucky tackle on him. I didn’t know or care anything about football, but I sat watching in awe as Quinn directed the other players and threw perfect passes again and again to his receivers. Even a novice like me could see that he was incredible out there, and I couldn’t help wondering why he was content to be just another player in Valkyrie’s little death squad when he could easily have been leading his own gamer team.

  I alternated between boredom during defense and having my eyes glued to the field during offense. Whenever Quinn was on the field I sat up and devoured him, his effortless power and easy grace, and I realized more than ever why so many girls were willing to risk their hearts with him. And he’d wanted me here.

  During halftime the players disappeared and I came down from the cloud I’d been floating on. Had I made a mistake? Should I give him a chance? But then I remembered the cheerleaders hanging all over him after the pep rally and forced myself to recite the long list of girls he’d dated just since I’d moved into town a little over a year ago. It was pathetic that I knew every single one of them by heart; nevertheless by the time the buzzer sounded signaling that halftime was over my feet were planted firmly on the ground once more.

  That didn’t stop me from fangirling over the boy again during the second half, though. I guess we always want what we can’t have.

  After the game we waited for the stands to clear out before starting down so Delaney could find Walker. A text from him sent her scampering down to meet him at the edge of the field, where he swooped her up and lifted her high in the air while they both laughed like a pair of lunatics. It was disgustingly cute.

  Quinn was there when we arrived at our more leisurely pace, and he greeted me with a triumphant grin that was almost blinding.

  “Told you I’d play better with you here.”

  I blushed. It wasn’t me at all. It was all him. He was pure magic on the field and everyone knew it.

  “Somehow I think you still would have won even if I’d stayed home.”

  He stepped closer to me until I began to tremble. “Babe, knowing that you were up there watching, I couldn’t lose. There was no way I was going to screw up in front of you.”

  Allison snorted. “It’s starting to get a bit deep over here.”

  “And just how many other girls have you used that line on, Quinn?” Delaney asked.

  “None of them. She’s the first. Don’t you feel special?”

  Yes. “No.”

  Delaney pulled back from Walker’s lips and stuck her tongue out at me. “Li-ar! Li-ar! Li-ar!” she sang out.

  “Fine,” I mumbled. “Maybe a little.”

  Since they weren’t kissing anymore, Walker set Delaney back on her feet. “I need water. You guys want to come hang out at my place later for a victory celebration? I’m having a little pool party.”

  “I can’t,” Delaney told him. “Mom’s going to work and I’ve got to babysit my sister.”

  He was obviously disappointed, but he just gave her a tender smile. “Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

  She jumped back into his arms and kissed him until Allison’s gagging noises had them laughing too much to continue. The whole time Quinn was watching me with that hungry speculation that made me think of a lion eyeing a gazelle.

  “You could come by, Molly,” he said.

  “Sorry. I don’t do parties. And no offense, but some of you jocks aren’t properly housebroken.”

  I didn’t want to risk running into Josh or Dylan or any of the other guys who had been talking about how far I’d gone with Quinn. Awkward didn’t begin to describe how that would feel.

  “I guess I’ll see you on Monday, then.”

  “Labor Day, bro,” Walker said. “We’ve got a three day weekend.”

  My heart sank a little. That meant I’d hardly see Delaney until Tuesday, because she’d be glued to Walker. On the other hand, I could get some more gaming in, which meant a few more stolen moments with Quinn.

  After I dropped Delaney off, half of the football team and no telling how many other people swarmed around Walker’s pool. I kept peeking out at them until the cars were all gone and then I snuck out of the house. I figured Walker would be up for a while, still on a high from their victory. He’d done that a lot last year. The gate was open so I went right in, but I stopped at the corner of the house when I heard voices.

  “That you, Molly?”

  Knowing that I’d been spotted, there was nothing for it but to go on.

  “I brought you a Mountain Dew.”

  Walker laughed. “The last thing I need right now is caffeine.”

  “I’ll take it.”

  I couldn’t see his face, but I would have recognized the voice out of a million others. Quinn. I groaned inwardly. The universe hated me or something.

  “Sorry, I thought everyone had left already.”

  “He caught a ride with me and he’s crashing here tonight.”

  “Don’t feel like you have to leave on my account,” Quinn said.

  I wanted to. I needed to. I knew from experience exactly how dangerous a combination Quinn and moonlight could be. Instead I sat down in the empty chair next to him.

  “Do you really want the Mountain Dew?”

  “Why not?”

  He popped the top and took a swig. “Gah! How can you drink that stuff? It’s like citrus flavored sugar.”

  I laughed and opened my own. “It’s an addiction.”

  With a little grunt Walker shoved himself up out of his chair. “I’m still feeling dehydrated. You want a water instead?”

  “Nah. I’ll finish this and see if I can figure out what she sees in it.”

  Walker disappeared inside his house leaving me alone with Quinn.

  “Walker told me that was your first football game ever,” he said. “What did you think?”

  “I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would.” Mostly the parts where I got to watch him owning the field.

  “That’s good. Maybe you’ll come to another one. I can use the edge.”

  I looked up at the stars and sighed. “You know that my being there had nothing whatsoever to do with you playing so well.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong, babe. When I knew you were there in the stands watching me, I felt invincible. I couldn’t do anything wrong.”

  “And you probably s
ay the same thing to every girl you chase.”

  He sat up and I could feel the weight of his eyes on me in the darkness. “I don’t chase. I’ve never chased anybody. Until now.”

  Except I knew that he had. He’d been after Valkyrie for months. So I couldn’t believe a word he said, however much I might want to.

  “If you say so.”

  He heaved a sigh of his own, frustrated. “Look, I know my history is a strike against me. I just wish you’d give me a chance to prove that I’m sincere.”

  And I wished that I dared to make his wish come true, but his own words proved that I couldn’t trust him. I got up and started to turn away.

  “I think I’d better go.”

  “Wait.”

  The boy moved even faster than he had on the field earlier that night, and I was in his arms before I realized what he was doing. His mouth was sweet and hungry, and electricity scorched through my whole body like I’d stuck my finger in a light socket. He kissed me like he meant to do it forever and held me like he never intended to let me go again. Sometime later he pulled back just enough that our lips were barely apart.

  “Last time we did that because you wanted to,” he whispered. “It’s my turn this time.”

  His lips grazed mine, teasing, and I couldn’t help the little groan that rose from my chest. I wasn’t ready to stop. He gave a throaty laugh in response and kissed me again until I forgot how to breathe.

  “I’ve been dying to do that again, but next time it’s your turn. Just let me know when you’re ready.”

  I was always ready for his kisses. That was the problem.

  “I have to go,” I blurted, and fled into the safety of the night.

  Chapter Ten

  Despite what I’d said, I went to every game after that, even when Delaney had the flu and it was down to just me and Dannika sitting together. But I never gave Quinn another chance to kiss me, though my lips ached for his whenever I saw him. He kept away at school, but now and then I caught him watching me with that look of heated longing in his eyes that never failed to excite the butterflies that seemed to have taken up permanent residence in my stomach.