Chapter 4
JACE
“Mom how’re you feeling?” I removed the washcloth from her forehead and checked her temperature again. She looked and sounded like hell.
“Son, I told you to stop worrying about me, Marisa could’ve taken care of me just fine.”
“Yeah and dad would’ve had my ass. It’s time for your next dose open up.” My mom had come down with the flu two hours after dad left to go out of town.
It was supposed to be a busy weekend for me, but I had to put some things on hold to take care of her or like I said, my dad would’ve ripped me one.
It’s just the three of us and we’re pretty close not to mention whenever dad leaves on business he always reminds me that I’m the man of the house and mom is my first priority.
I was a little bummed about missing the first day of school but not much, there wasn’t going to be much going on there today anyway, and dad was due back tonight.
“Didn’t you say you were supposed to practice with your new wide receiver today? I know you needed to do that, it’s all you’ve been talking about for weeks.”
“Mom quit it would ya, I met Jared on Saturday, he’s cool and if he can do half the things coach says then one missed practice isn’t going to make a difference.
I went in earlier to talk to coach while you were asleep, he understands.
Besides, I’d rather be here taking care of my favorite girl.” I kissed her forehead and gave her some medicine before making sure she was well covered up.
“You want one of those coma inducing books you read or the TV on or something?”
“No, the medicine knocks me out so I’ll be out in a minute.”
“Fine, I’ll stay until you are.” I sat on the edge of the bed with her and held her hand while she got settled. It’s the same thing she did for me when I was little so I know how comforting it is.
We’re not the Cleavers or anything that trite, but both my parents have always instilled a certain set of values in me.
I guess it’s because I’m an only child and they were afraid that I might turn out like some of the offspring of their peers.
Mom’s always regaling me with tales of some of the other kids in the neighborhood who happen to be some of my classmates, and her biggest fear seems to be me turning into a little asshole, influenced by daddy’s money.
That’s not really my style though, so she doesn’t have anything to worry about there. That’s the reason I’d broken things off with Mandy after a year of dating.
She was the hottest girl in school yeah, and her dad was almost as rich as mine, but the girl was missing something.
I’d tried to overlook her shortcomings in the beginning, what seventeen year old wouldn’t if the sex is that good? But in the end it just wasn’t worth it.
As dad likes to say, ‘you’re known by the company you keep.’ If I was still dipping my wick in that well then people might start to think I was a stuck up asshole who only cared about my newest car or whatever the latest in thing was. I was too old for that shit.
My focus this year is the game, not that it hadn’t been before, but now I was being scouted seriously and I had made up my mind that this is what I wanted to do.
I had a lot of opportunities before me. As the son of one of the leading studio heads in Hollywood, there wasn’t much I couldn’t set my sights on.
But I never knew what it was I really wanted to do until now. And now with the new wide receiver who has taken the nation by storm coming to join us, I had no doubt that we would do great things on the field this year.
Mom fell asleep five minutes later and I headed downstairs to toss the ball with my dog Jasper.
My mind wasn’t on anything in particular. I’d just turned seventeen and was looking forward to my last couple years of high school. I was doing pretty good in all my classes, so I was looking forward to cruising it.
Dad got me the new Phantom Drophead Coupe for my birthday in the summer, and I was itching to take it out and put it through its paces, but that was about it. Pretty lame when you think about it, but I’d grown pretty jaded.
My school wasn’t your normal high school by any standards. There were starlets and new up and coming leading men attending, not to mention the off spring of some of Hollywood’s elite.
With dad being who he is, I’d grown accustomed to being brown nosed since I was able to walk, that too had grown old. I had been feeling restless for the past year or so; that had added to the fuel that led to the breakup.
Mandy and girls like her were starting to leave a bad taste in my mouth. And since all the others pretty much tried to emulate her in one way or the other, I was pretty much out of luck.
I guess I’d just have to go cruising for some new skins since I hated going without pussy for more than a couple weeks at least.
I was already coming up on two months and something was about to blow. That’s another thing, I broke up with Mandy during summer break so no one really knew we were through.
It would be the first time since I was fifteen that I didn’t have a steady girlfriend. I can’t go out like that, it’s part of the whole high school experience after all.
“Thanks for taking care of your mother for me son.” I pulled my throw and looked over my shoulder.
“Dad you’re back.”
“Yeah I cut my trip short, couldn’t leave my best girl here to die.” He rolled his eyes and we shared a laugh.
Mom was always dying, if she stubbed her toe it was a national emergency; but this time she had really been sick.
“She’s really sick this time dad, I almost took her to the hospital.”
“Yeah well I’m here now son so take a load off. Sorry you had to miss your first day back, I’ll make it up to you.”
“Nah, it’s nothing. So how did everything go?”
“It went good, only had to knock a few heads together, nothing new there. You sure you don’t want to follow in the family’s footsteps?”
“I’ll think about it when I’m thirty five and ready to retire.”
“It’ll keep.” He grinned and went back inside. Dad was third generation Hollywood. My great grandfather had started the studio back in the day with silent movies.
Now we owned the leading movie studio in Hollywood. That’s where dad met mom. She was a young starlet looking to get her name up there in bright lights.
Dad took one look at her and decided he had a better role for her to play. She did a few movies before she got pregnant with me and they got married. She was all of eighteen at the time and dad was twenty-five.
He hadn’t taken over the reins from grandpa as yet, that came five years later.
He’s the youngest studio head and according to him, not many held out hope for the continued success of the family business, but twelve years later he was still going strong.
I knew the day would come when I would have to step into his shoes, but unlike him, I wouldn’t have to do that as early as he had.
Grandpa had died much too young of a heart attack in his office one day, and that’s why dad had had to step in so young.
If not for that, he’d still be looking at at least another five or ten years before he had to make the move.
Some of grandpa’s old cronies were still heading their houses to the disgust of their off spring who were chomping at the bit to get their hands in.
It was their kids that I went to school with mostly, theirs and the children of the men and women who worked for them. Leading men and women.
I was very aware that most of my peers didn’t have the same upbringing I did, and I had gained a few true-life friends by sticking to the tenets mom and dad set down. But there were still the other ninety-five percent that were assholes.
If Mandy was the leading female, then I am the top dog. Not that I worked for it, I wasn’t really interested in the title.
But it came with the territory. The men and women whose kids went to school with me weren’t above usi
ng the school halls to network.
I usually sniffed out the kids who were trying to pull themselves up by my coattails and ditched them.
Again Mandy comes to mind, I’d really fucked up there. It was the one time I’d been sucked in by pussy, too bad for her I like my snatch attached to a warm body.
I headed back inside to see what Marisa had going for lunch. She was another staple in my life. She’s been with the family since before I was born, another one who ran my life.
“Hey beautiful what you got going over there?” she was baking something that smelled amazing. Thank heavens for the home gym or her little delicacies would have me packing on the pounds.
I don’t remember a day since kindergarten that there wasn’t some kind of treat waiting for me after school, and I always partook of whatever she had on offer, no matter what coach said about nutrition.
No way I was going to hurt one of my favorite people by refusing something I knew she’d made especially for me.
“It’s your favorite, I had planned to make them for your first day back, remember how you always liked them?”
“White chocolate macadamia nut?” I picked her up and twirled her around the kitchen making her laugh.
“Put me down senor Jace, I’ll get you some milk, they’re nice and hot have a few.”
“Ummm, marry me, we’ll run away together and live on a beach in Cabo.”
“You like my hometown yes.”
“Yes I do.” We’d been there like five times since I was a kid. “I think these are the best you’ve ever made, better hide some up in my room before dad gets ahold of ‘em.”
Just then I felt a slap across the back of my head. “Too late, hand them over hog.”
“Damn,” I watched as he pawed a couple and wolfed them down. “You know you shouldn’t be having those, mom said your cholesterol is off the charts.”
“Your mom’s asleep, what she doesn’t know can’t hurt her, and if you snitch I’ll kick your ass.”
“Tough talk old man.”
“You boys play nice. Mr. Chad just two for you.” She took the plate away from him and took it over to the counter out of reach while he pouted like a two year old.
“You’re just sad dad.” I shook my head and prepared to rub his face in it as I took a big chunk out of my fourth, but he snatched it out of my hand.
“Who’s sad now sucker?” He checked his watch the thief and brushed the crumbs off his face. “Hey, wouldn’t coach let you join practice even though you missed class?”
“Good idea dad I’m sure he will since he knew why I had to bail.” I got up from the table and headed up to my room to get my gear.
Coach is a hard ass he doesn’t play around. He’d once coached in the pros but something happened there and he left to come here. He wasn’t influenced by the purse strings of his team’s parents and so we didn’t get away with shit.
If we weren’t keeping up with our schoolwork as well as he thought we should, he’d bench us in a heartbeat.
So missing class and then showing up for practice would’ve been a no-no in any other situation. But since I’d seen him earlier and told him what was going on I was sure he’d let me on the field.
I could already feel by blood pumping in my veins, I love this dam game. Sometimes it’s the only thing that gives me pleasure, the only thing I have to look forward to.
And since I was now sans a significant other, looked like I was going to be spending more time with the pigskin.
Chapter 5
SIAN
There goes my car again. I know it hadn’t been there this afternoon when I’d gone outside with Belle to call her friend, but now here it was again.
I wondered what kind of teacher could afford a car like that. Granted it was a private school and I’m sure the faculty here made more than at the average high school. Still, that car was like a half a million dollars easy.
I grinned when I remembered telling dad that that’s what I wanted as payment for him disrupting my life.
I was on my way to the field for tryouts. After this afternoon’s little run-in with the squad I wasn’t sure of my reception, but I wasn’t about to let that deter me.
Ms. Simmons, the coach was very personable when we spoke earlier, and she seemed pretty impressed with my stats.
The school had never been part of the nationals, whereas my old school had won twice in the last three years. I was a shoo-in and since I seem to have gotten over whatever was bugging me earlier, I really wasn’t too interested in what Mandy and her crew thought.
Yes you have to work together when cheering but like any other job, everyone didn’t always get along or even need to, in order for things to work.
I’d left Belle back in the hall looking for Tammy who was still a no show and who hadn’t answered her phone.
I wanted to stay with her and help find the other girl since she seemed so distressed, but coach had made it clear that she didn’t put up with tardiness or any form of slacking off, and I wasn’t about to start off on the wrong foot, so I told her to come find me when she got word.
I saw the other girls in a huddle as I approached. They looked over and saw me coming and as if by mutual consent turned their backs.
This morning my step might have faltered, I might’ve missed a step, but now that I was in fighting form I really didn’t give a frack.
I walked over to the coach to let her know I was there and she blew the whistle for attention, apparently I was the last one there.
“Right, now that we’re all here let’s get started. Now last year we had some issues that I’d like to avoid this year.
This is supposed to be fun for all involved, yet there were stories of bruised feelings and cattiness that I will not abide.
Let this be a warning, I will not think twice about removing any trouble makers from this squad are we clear?”
There was a bit of mumbling from the back but I kept my head forward, I wonder what that was about?
I know cheerleaders get a bad rap and most are seen as stuck up divas, but in truth, most of the girls I cheered with were just happy to be doing something they loved.
I personally like the excitement of the crowds but that’s secondary to the feeling I get when I’m being tossed in the air and doing my flips and shit.
It was just a graduation from dance as far as I’m concerned, and since I wasn’t planning on making it a career choice since cheerleaders made squat, it was just a fun way to get through high school and stay in shape.
I’m sure it meant a lot more to some and some people might call me cynical, but for crap sake it was just a sport.
My brother played football and I cheered, mom and dad come to see both of us doing what we love, that’s about it for me.
“Okay, before we begin let’s go over the nutrition sheet.” There was even more grumbling as she passed out the sheets of paper.
After the rudimentary questions and answers she turned to me and the other hopefuls who were there to try out. Oh boy here we go.
I stood off to the side and watched the others as they went ahead. She didn’t have them do anything extra just the basic jumps and rolls but when it came my turn she had other ideas.
“Okay Claiborne I’ve read your file, since you’ve been part of a team that has won nationals your last two tries let’s see what you got.” She smiled encouragingly after putting me on the spot.
I could see Mandy and her girls weren’t too happy with this turn of events, but I did my warm ups and got down to business.
Since I didn’t want to be a show hog I didn’t hit them with my skills, but I had to bring something more to the table since coach had outed me.
Which, from the indrawn breaths and loud whispers I gathered the others had not known of my past success.
Where the other try-outs had done the basic requirements of cartwheels, round offs and handstands, with forward and backward rolls, I did back handsprings and tucks and threw in a few fulls.
> I made sure my toes stayed pointed during my jumps because if coach was any good at this, she’d be watching that stuff.
She started calling out jumps in the middle of my routine and luckily I’ve dealt with that scenario before so I didn’t miss a beat.
“Right hurdler, pike, straight jump.” I kept my toes pointed, legs straight and a big smile on my face. I’m the cheerleading queen. Suck it.
There wasn’t much muttering and whispering going on but there were a few pissed off divas I can tell you that; especially when the younger girls who were there for the first time flocked to me and started peppering me with questions.
“Hey I’m the head cheerleader, why are you asking her stuff? She’s not even a part of this team.” Mandy showed her ass for real. Seriously?
“She is now, welcome aboard Ms. Claiborne that was nice I hope to see more like it in the future.” She mumbled something under her breath but I didn’t catch it.
She chose a few other hopefuls and I felt bad for the ones who didn’t make it. There was one girl there with braces, who for some reason reminded me of Maggie.
I don’t know why since my sister have never worn braces, but there was just something about her that made my heart hurt at the look of disappointment on her face.
“Alright ladies saddle up let’s hit the tracks.” I ran over to the girl who was walking off dejectedly.
“Hey, you were really good out there you just need to stop flexing, I think you’re a little nervous but with some help I’m sure you’d make the next try-outs.”
She looked around like she thought I was talking to someone else. “You’re just saying that.” She pushed her glassed up higher on her nose and my heart was a puddle at her feet.
“No really I mean it, look here’s my number, call me later and we’ll set something up okay.” I put my number in her phone and passed it back.
“I didn’t get your name by the way.”
“Really, you’ll help me? I’m Cassandra.” She was staring at me like I had the answers to the meaning of life.
“Sure.” I smiled at her reassuringly. She started to say something else but then stopped as if struck by lightning. Her whole face changed as she looked over my shoulder at something or someone behind me.
Eden High Series One: The Eden High Series Boxed Set, Books 1-6 Page 3