Before anything else could be said, the band started up, and the high school’s fight song started to play.
I stood along with the rest of the students, standing shoulder to shoulder with Titus as we watched the girls sing with the band.
“Fuck, she’s hot,” I muttered to myself.
Titus snorted with amusement. “I never really saw it before because she’s always hiding behind that bad attitude and her baggy clothes. I’ve seen a different side of her this last week, and I gotta admit, I like what I see.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You just pay attention to Blue.”
“I think it’s really weird that you’re telling me to pay attention to your cousin,” he murmured.
I shrugged. “As long as it keeps you away from my girl, I’m doing okay.”
Titus rolled his eyes. “I grew up around Perry. I’m sorry, man, but just because I can see her beauty, doesn’t mean I can get over the fact that she’s so grouchy all the time.”
I snorted. Perry wasn’t grouchy.
She was prickly, sure. But grouchy? No.
It was hard to be friendly when people made fun of her so much.
Not that she would ever admit that it was affecting her.
Hell, with Symphony, it was bad enough.
But then you added all of Symphony’s bandwagon? Well, then I didn’t fuckin’ blame her. I’d be defensive and prickly, too.
“How well do you know Symphony?” I asked curiously.
“Biblically,” Slone muttered under his breath.
My brows rose. “You know her biblically, or Titus does?”
My gaze went from one to the other.
“Everyone knows Symphony biblically. If you have a dick, you know her,” Abbott said. “Though, none of us knew that we were fucking the queen whore of the school at the same time. We thought we were all special. Then suddenly we weren’t.”
I gagged. “That’s just fucking bad.”
“Needless to say, Symphony acts like she’s special, but she’s not. You can’t be special when everyone has had a piece of you,” Titus murmured. “Didn’t realize it at the time, but shit if I had, I would’ve done the exact opposite.” He paused. “I think that’s why Blue won’t give me the time of day.”
“Fuckin’ same,” Graham muttered. “Rebel looks at me like I’m infected sometimes.”
There were chuckles all around, but before I could comment on it, the band started up again, and the girls started to line up for the national anthem.
I stood and placed my hand over my heart as the drumline came out with the American and Texas flags.
The anthem played, and I took note of Vance glaring at me from across the court.
I gritted my teeth and looked away, staring this time at Perry who was nervously shifting from foot to foot. Each time that she moved, her ass muscles would flex in her shorts, and I became transfixed.
Hell, the anthem had been over for at least thirty seconds before I realized I was the only dumbass still standing there with his hand over his heart.
The only reason I realized it when I did was because Titus punched me in the leg.
“Sit down, man, you’re embarrassing me,” Titus muttered.
I felt my ears get red as I sat, glancing sideways to see Dawson glaring at me.
I shrugged as if I couldn’t help myself, and he rolled his eyes.
“I swear to God,” I said when the other team started to be announced. “Dawson is like the weirdest, coolest girl’s father I’ve ever met,” I murmured to the group at large. “He doesn’t care that I stay at my own place. He doesn’t give a shit that I’m there with her alone. He doesn’t care that I’m giving her a ride to school on my bike. No dad is that cool. Right?”
“Dawson is a military badass that nobody understands,” Titus said. “My dad and him met in high school. They were deployed together to Afghanistan where Dawson nearly got killed. My dad said that half his body was blown off, and he was still laughing and joking. The man is good people.”
I imagined that he was.
I also imagined that if I fucked up even a little bit, he’d know it. And make me pay for it.
The announcer moved on to the Bulldogs team, and the first person to be announced was Perry, who wore the number one.
I couldn’t help but stand and shout for her, causing her to flush bright red.
Granted, I wasn’t the only one hollering—her dad and mom were doing the same thing four rows over and up.
She just shook her head and ducked it into her chest, but her face was lit with a breathtaking smile that made Titus say, “Damn. You’re good for her.”
I rolled my eyes and sat down, doing much the same thing for Blue when she came up.
Titus called out as well, causing Blue to glare at him.
Over and over the process went until finally all of the girls had been called and the teams started to take their places.
“Now, explain to me what the fuck is going on,” I ordered as I watched Perry get up to the line at the back of the court.
“Perry’s serving the ball. That open space in the front is where she’s moving up to play,” Titus muttered.
Perry did just that seconds later, serving the ball so low over the net that it tipped over it barely, catching the very bottom of the ball and rolling to the other side, falling to the ground without any of the other players making a dive for it.
I blinked. “Does that count?”
The crowd erupted seconds later—all of them Bulldogs fans.
“Yep,” Titus confirmed. “It can hit the net.”
So that was what we did over the next twenty minutes. A play would be made, Titus would explain the game as best as he knew it, and then the ball would land on the other side of the net for the other team to do their thing.
But I could see how they were both playoff potential teams. Each had great strength in playing the game, but the Bulldogs were just a little bit better, and I had a feeling it had a lot to do with the fact that the entire team was made up of seniors.
“Next year,” I said softly. “This team is going to have a lot of making up to do when all the seniors leave.”
“Agreed,” Slone said. “They’re losing ten of their team. That’ll leave four on varsity when it’s all over.”
“Sucks for them,” Abbott murmured.
It did. Greatly.
Last year had been one of those years on my old football team. It’d been a learning experience for sure, but they’d been lucky that I’d come back as had Vance.
Though, after all that had gone down with Vance’s dad, it’d turned into a shit show that I’m surprised that I survived.
Perry took a running jump and went up high, her arm outstretched.
The ball went flying perfectly in her direction, and Perry slammed her hand forward, forcing the ball over the net and straight down to the ground.
Sadly, one of the other chicks was there and received it, popping it right back over the net and in Perry’s direction.
Perry dove for it, already off-balance, and slammed so hard onto the floor that everyone inhaled deeply at the impact.
She popped it up, though. Getting it to where another girl on the team could get to it.
This time Blue was the one to spike it from the back row, and nobody was able to return it.
The ball hit with a slam, and everyone in the gym erupted with applause and cheers.
“Wow,” I said. “I guess I didn’t expect volleyball to be this in-depth… or athletic.”
Titus snorted his water.
He coughed, looking at me with humor on his face. “Don’t ever let Perry hear you say that. Or Blue. They love this game, and will argue with anyone that is willing to listen about how much they love it and why it’s the best sport ever created.”
I grinned at that, thinking quietly to myself that I’d love to see Perry argue with me about it… as long as she was in th
ose shorts.
The game went smoothly, and I loved watching up until the point where Perry took a ball to the face that made her nose start to bleed.
When she came out, she looked at me and rolled her eyes, causing the knot in my stomach not to be so tight.
Just as the game was finishing up, my dad called, and I answered it just as the band started to play their victory song.
“Hang on,” I yelled to my dad, putting my finger in my ear as I hurried out into the empty hallway of the school.
“Where the fuck are you at?” he asked, sounding amused.
I chuckled as I flicked a couple of locks that were on the lockers.
“I’m at a volleyball game,” I answered. “Where are you at?”
Dad laughed. “I’m at work. I just called because you haven’t called and talked to your mom and me in a couple of days.”
I instantly felt like a dick.
“I, uh… met a girl,” I admitted.
Dad started to laugh, full out belly laughing.
“Did you now?” he joked. “What’s her name?”
So that was how I ended up spending the next twenty minutes, telling my dad about my girl.
“Your mom and I are coming up for the weekend, as you know,” he said. “I was going to stay at your sister’s place. I just wanted to make sure that you have time for us this weekend?”
I rolled my eyes. “Of course. But if you come down early enough on Friday, you can watch our first scrimmage.”
My dad said something to someone, momentarily ignoring me, and I pulled my phone away from my ear and sent Perry a text telling her where I was before placing it back to my ear.
When I did, I heard my dad talking.
“…what time?” he said.
“Kick off is at seven,” I said. “You could be here on time if you left work a bit early.”
Dad didn’t work regular cop hours anymore like he used to. He was purely a nine-to-five guy now, and my mom loved it.
Though, he liked to say that he still didn’t get the same adrenaline high out of working the ‘boring hours’ as he did when he was younger.
“I’ll talk to your mom, see if she can kick off early, too,” he said. “If you would’ve told us earlier in the week instead of two days before the game…”
I grinned. “I actually just learned about it today at practice. Swear to Christ. I was going to call you after the volleyball game.”
“And will we get to meet this girl?” Dad asked.
Just as I was about to reply with ‘yes’ something shoved me from behind, making me go sprawling.
My phone slid across the floor and hit the edge of a locker, and my body went with it.
I was up and moving before whoever pushed me could get another solid hit in, though.
When I turned, it was to find none other than Vance staring at me with his fists clenched.
“I’m sorry, did I interrupt something?” he asked stiffly.
I gritted my teeth and forced myself to stay where the fuck I was.
It took every bit of control I could muster.
“Go away, Vance,” I snapped.
“Make me.” He prowled forward.
My back hit the locker, and I was seconds away from throwing a punch when I heard a low, “Don’t even fuckin’ think about it.”
When I looked up, it was to find my brother standing there with his arms crossed tightly over his chest. His eyes were solely on Vance, and he was tensed, waiting for a fight.
I had no clue what my brother was doing here, but I really fuckin’ appreciated it. Because I did not, under any circumstances, want to be suspended. One, I wanted to see Perry the next day at school, and I couldn’t if I was suspended. Two, I couldn’t play football if I was suspended, either.
Vance paused, hands tensed to strike, and let them drop to his sides.
“Lucky bitch,” he said before backing away.
“You need to go back home to Benton, Vance,” Ford said through gritted teeth. “There’s nothing for you here.”
“You think so?” Vance laughed stiffly. “I think I’m quite liking it here.”
Then, without another word, he was gone.
That was when I saw Perry standing at the end of the hall, looking worried.
Ford watched Vance leave through the doors he’d apparently entered through, then turned his eyes to me.
I went to my phone, cursing when I saw the large fucking crack through the middle of the screen.
I picked it up and placed it to my ear. “Dad?”
“Vance?” Dad asked, sounding pissed.
“You got it,” I growled. “I can’t fuckin’ believe I’m having to deal with his ass.”
“I’m gonna take Friday off. Have a talk with your principal,” he said.
I laughed then. “Don’t bother. I heard he was a complete dick.”
In fact, the one and only time I’d run into him had been when I’d gone to the office on my first day of school to pick up my schedule. When I’d arrived, he’d berated me for not arriving earlier. Even though I hadn’t known when school started, and I’d literally rolled into town that morning.
So, needless to say, I hadn’t been super impressed with him and his manners.
Who talked to a new student like that? Especially one that hadn’t done anything to deserve his ire?
“Great,” he muttered. “I regret sending you away now.”
I grinned at Perry who was down the hall walking toward me.
“I don’t,” I murmured. “I’m okay… and you’ll meet Perry on Friday.”
“I will,” he muttered, sounding amused. “Tell me what’s up with your phone. I’ll bring another one with me if it’s beyond repair.”
I grimaced. It likely was, but I wouldn’t have him pay for it if I didn’t have to.
“Thanks, love you, Pops.”
“Love you, too, kid. Tell Ford you’re my favorite.” With that he hung up, making me grin.
Ford rolled his eyes, having heard my father’s parting comment.
“Typical,” he muttered just as Perry made it to us.
I reached out and pulled her to me, grinning when her sweaty face came into contact with my shoulder. “Good game.”
She smiled weakly, her eyes going to Ford then to me.
“This is my brother, Ford,” I introduced them. “Ford, this is Perry.”
Perry held out her hand, and my brother took it carefully.
“Nice to meet you,” he said, his eyes coming to me. “Got a bit worried when you didn’t come home, so I came to see if you were still here. When I saw your bike in the parking lot and all the cars, I decided to come inside.”
Perry breathed out heavily. “Vance is a problem.”
Ford nodded his head. “Agreed.”
I sighed. “There’s nothing I can do about him, though. It’s not like I can tell his parents that he’s a dick. And, correct me if I’m wrong, but he’s not doing anything ‘illegal.’”
“Yet,” Perry muttered under her breath.
Ford looked at her with amusement on his face. “Agreed.”
Perry grinned at him.
“I’m going to go get changed,” she said softly. “I came out here because I wanted to see you. But I need to go get my bag and stuff before Coach closes the gym.”
I squeezed her tight to me, then let her go. “Meet me at the locker room exit.”
She pulled away, gave my brother and me a wave, then jogged back into the gym and disappeared from sight.
“He’s going to fucking hurt you,” Ford muttered as he watched her disappear.
I sure the fuck hoped not.
“Want to go grab pizza with Ashe and me?” he asked when I didn’t respond. “We’re going to Pietro’s. Bring Perry.”
I felt my heart clench. “Do you like her?”
“She was sweet,” he said. “So not someone I would’ve pictured you
with, to be honest. Much different from your other girlfriends.”
I agreed. My other girlfriends had been more along the lines of Symphony and not Perry, that was for sure.
But I found that I kind of liked the way Perry didn’t seem to ‘take up my time.’ She was more along for the ride and didn’t make me feel like I was obligated to spend time with her. It was more of a want.
“Mom’s gonna love her,” I admitted.
“Mom’s gonna start planning your wedding,” Ford countered as he slapped me on the back. “Let’s go wait for your girl. Then I’ll make sure y’all get to the bike okay.” He paused. “Her dad’s okay with the bike?”
I grinned at that. “He didn’t tear me a new one when I saw him at the game earlier.”
We walked out of the school then, shoulder to shoulder now.
I’d finally caught up to him in the height department. I still had a bit of filling out to do shoulder-wise, but I knew that one day I’d make it.
Ford took after our dad. And Ford was resembling him more and more lately.
I, on the other hand, took after my mother and I still had a lot of growing into my skin to do. But I was going to get there. That was for sure, if Ford’s transformation was anything to go by.
When we made it outside, I led him around the school to the locker room exit, then leaned with him against the brick of the building.
“How’s Ashe today?” I asked curiously.
When I’d seen her this morning, she’d been in a shit mood. Apparently, someone had broken into the cat shelter she worked at and tried to steal their cats. Meaning she’d been woken up in the middle of the night to go deal with the police since the owner of the shelter had been out of town.
Needless to say, when I’d seen her this morning when she was getting home and I was leaving, I’d said a few words to her and that’d been it. Mostly because she’d gone inside and had gone straight to bed with only a few words to me.
“She’s okay,” he said as he leaned his shoulder next to me. “Pissed. They were trying to steal the cats because they thought that we were going to kill them. When, in fact, we’re a no-kill cat shelter. Which surprised the stupid kids.”
“Kids?” I asked curiously.
He nodded. “This generation is a bunch of morons. They hear something on Facebook, and all of a sudden it’s gospel and true. They don’t fact check at all.”
Somethin' About That Boy Page 10