I thought about what Liam had said, and it gave me a boost of energy. I wouldn’t back down. I’d fight. So, I dug my heels into the grass, slowing their progress. It was three against one, but as they always liked to point out, I was muscular. Using my leg muscles, I buried my feet into the grass and pushed forward.
Adrenaline ignited the passion inside. I wanted to play softball. I wanted back on the team. I wanted my friends and my life back.
The three of them loosened their hold on me, their faces softening. I was making progress. Val dropped her hands first. She opened her mouth to say something when someone barreled into me, sending me flying into the grass with a hard thud.
Tamara laid on top of me, pushing my face into the ground. “Leave them alone. You’ve done enough damage here.”
“Tamara!” Coach Wilkes’ voice boomed, like she was using a microphone.
Tamara’s eyes went wide as she slowly turned to see Coach storming toward us.
“The thing with lying about an injury,” I said, shoving her off me, “is that it always comes back to bite you in the butt.”
I expected the team to be surprised that Tamara wasn’t actually injured, but most of them looked guilty. I couldn’t help but laugh as I stood up. I brushed the grass off my body. “Wow, I knew you were all mad at me, but faking an injury . . .” I rested my weight on my my right leg. “Let me guess, Tamara. When we got back home, you were going to be suddenly healed?”
Red engulfed Tamara’s cheeks and neck. “No. I was feeling better this morning and . . .”
Coach held up a hand. “Enough. I’m not sure what kind of game you girls are playing, but it needs to stop.”
The anger inside me boiled over, and I couldn’t control it. “Let me sum it up for you, Coach. I made a mistake sophomore year and did something mean to Val that I regret. And apparently, I walked out during playoffs. I honestly don’t remember that, but I believe them. I obviously wasn’t in the right state of mind back then.” I let out a long breath. “I know you don’t want to believe I’ve changed, but I have. I’m not under Dylan or any other boy’s spell.”
I turned to Coach. “That water yesterday was supposed to be for me. Payback for what I did to Val. You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I thought taking the fall would put me back in the team’s good graces, but I was way wrong. They may say I’m a bad person, but not one of them has an ounce of forgiveness inside of them. Apparently, they expect everyone to be perfect all the time, just like they are.”
I backed away from the group. “I’ve been wanting so badly to get back in, but now I’m not so sure. I’ve been trying to fix my life and hang out with good people who will make me a better person.” I motioned to the team. “These girls aren’t the girls I remember. They have turned out just as bad as me.”
Turning around, I ran off the field and back to the dorm, not bothering to turn around to see their faces.
Chapter 28
I took a long, hot shower, trying to scrub off all the grass and dirt thanks to the other girls. I wasn’t sure if Coach would let them play the game against the boys, and I didn’t care.
When I was done with my shower, I threw on a tank top and shorts and hobbled back to my room. My muscles were still sore from the morning’s workout. I wished I could reach out to Mason for his help, but he’d be busy practicing with the baseball team.
I settled onto my bed with Maroon 5 blasting through my earbuds, but my playlist didn’t have its normal calming effect. I wanted my phone so I could look up city softball leagues. Or call Kaitlyn and Hayley to pass the time.
I’d barely fallen asleep when my bed bounced. I shot up, almost screaming, until I saw Liam sitting on the edge of my bed. I popped out my earbuds and turned off the music.
“Whatcha listening to?” Liam asked. He scooted his butt back on the bed until his back was against the wall.
I set my MP3 player next to me on the bed. “What are you doing in my room?”
“I knocked, but you didn’t answer.” He scanned the room, taking it all in. Not that there was much to take in.
I scooted on the bed so I was sitting next to him with my back against the wall as well. I tucked my legs close to my chest. “Isn’t that the universal sign that someone doesn’t want to talk?”
He pointed to my MP3 player. “Or the sign that someone is listening to Harry Styles incredibly loud.”
I shook my head.
“Ed Sheeran?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but he held a finger to my lips. It was becoming a bad habit of his.
“Niall Horan.”
With a sigh, I folded my arms across my knees and leaned my head against the wall. “Maybe you should stop guessing young guys.”
Liam arched an eyebrow. “Selena Gomez?
“Maroon 5.” I said it as quickly as I could, so he couldn’t stop me.
“I love them,” he said. “Did you know they’re coming to a concert this fall?”
I’d planned to go with Dylan, but obviously, that wasn’t happening anymore. Then I remembered that meant I had an extra ticket. How would I pick between Hayley and Kaitlyn? “I have tickets.”
His eyes lit up. “Lucky. They sold out before I could buy some. Who you going with?”
“Why are you here, Liam?”
“I wanted to see how you were. I heard what happened.”
I drummed my fingers against my arm. “How does gossip travel so freaking fast?” I turned to him. “Are they playing the game?”
Liam shook his head. “The coaches cancelled it when they found out some of the baseball players helped Val plan the water prank. Everyone was running laps when I left.” He grinned. “So glad I’m not on the team.”
“I’m just happy I get to go home tomorrow. I can get back to a place where a few people actually like me.”
He bumped my arm. “I like you.” He twisted his hand back and forth. “Most of the time.”
I bumped him back. “You didn’t pick me to be on your team.”
“Aww, is someone feeling left out?” He draped his arm over my shoulders and side-hugged me. “I had to maintain my cover. I spent the whole morning getting information out of the girls, which I didn’t end up needing, and I couldn’t be seen fraternizing with the enemy.”
I motioned between us. “What do you call this?”
Liam looked around the room. “Are there cameras or something? Because I don’t see anyone else in here.”
I rolled my eyes, but a smile pulled at my lips. “I hate that it’s impossible to get my old life back. If I would’ve known Dylan was going to screw me over so badly, I wouldn’t have fallen in lust with him.”
Liam lifted his arm off me and scooted away. “Fallen in lust? Who says that?”
I laughed until I snorted. “My dad.” When confusion stayed on his face, I laughed harder and waved my hand. “Never mind.”
An awkward silence hung in the air. Liam finally scooted back toward me. “You can have your old life back. Secret missions and all.”
“Not to how it was. Val and the others didn’t accept my apology, and I’m not back on the softball team, so I basically have Kaitlyn and Hayley, and that’s it.”
“And me,” he said. “For what that’s worth.”
“You’re my secret mission buddy.” My lips were dry, so I pulled my lips gloss out of my pocket and applied it. The instant moisture was a relief.
Liam reached into his pocket, and then held his hand out to me, revealing a wrapped mint. “You could use this, too, if we’re going to kiss.”
My laughter came back until I snorted again. Liam opened the package and popped the mint in his mouth.
“So, you weren’t putting on your lip gloss for me?” He sighed. “I just can’t win today.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Did you try to kiss someone else today?”
He held up his palm. “I did not try to kiss you. You were preparing to attack me. But I did ask Val if she’d save a dance for me tonigh
t at the after-camp dance.”
“Aww.” I patted his arm. “That’s so sweet. You’re a true gentleman.” I pulled back at his frown. “Wait, she said no?”
He lowered his head in fake disappointment. “She thought I was joking, I think.”
I bit back my laugh and rubbed his back. “Sorry. I’d dance with you, but I can’t go, and I’m no Val.”
“No, you’re not.” His voice was so low that it was hard to make out his tone, but he frowned in disappointment.
I removed my hand from his back and rested it on my knee. “You really like her, don’t you?”
His eyes snapped up to mine. “What? No, not really. I was just trying to be nice.” Something flitted across his eyes that I couldn’t read. His eyes went to my mouth for the briefest of seconds that I might have imagined it.
I’d been thinking about kissing way too much. Not every guy wanted to kiss me. I wasn’t that shallow, was I? I checked my watch, looking for a distraction. “Dinner is soon. You should probably get down there so no one knows you were fraternizing with the enemy.”
“Aren’t you going to eat?” He kept his eyes on his checkered Vans.
“I’m not really hungry. I probably shouldn’t show my face down there, either.”
Liam hopped up from the bed, adjusting his T-shirt. “Want me to sneak something up here for you?”
“Nah.” I snapped my fingers. “Actually, yes. Mason.”
His eyes bulged. “Wow. So, you and Mason?”
I shook my head. “I just need his miracle hands.”
Liam rubbed the back of his neck. “Was that supposed to make it better? Because that sounded a whole lot worse.”
I shimmied off the bed and went to the door, opening it for him. “He’s a physical trainer, and I’m in an extreme amount of pain.”
He winked at me. “Riiight. I’ll pass the message along.”
I pushed him out the door, and he laughed. “See you tomorrow, Liam.”
He paused in the hallway, his hands in his pockets. “You’re coming to the after party tonight, right? They can’t stop you, especially if you sneak in.”
“I’m not sure if I’m in the mood.”
“Mason can get you there.” He ducked when I tried to hit him. He backed away down the hall. “It’s supposed to be awesome. DJ Ice came all the way up.”
Isaac was here? That made things a whole lot more interesting. There was a sliver of a chance that I could have the list checked off by the end of the night.
Chapter 29
Mason never came to my room. I wasn’t sure if it was because Liam never told him, or if Mason didn’t want to see me.
Around eight, I slipped into my blue paisley maxi dress and slowly made my way toward the gym, where they were holding the dance. I could only go as fast as my sore muscles would allow, which was basically at my grandma’s pace, who had a bad hip and knee.
I went through the back entrance, hoping no one would see me. Really, I didn’t know why I was going. I didn’t want to see any of the softball players, and being in the same room as Alejandro, Mason, and Isaac could be dangerous. But this weird rebellion crept in, wanting some excitement. If Kaitlyn had been with me, she would have tried to talk me out of it. Hayley would have been all for it.
Opening the door, I snuck in and headed for the corner next to the bleachers. I could get a good look at the crowd from there.
DJ Ice was on a platform on the south side, opposite where I came in. All the baseball and softball players were in the middle of the court, dancing. Isaac had one of his famous pop remixes playing that I loved. I so wanted to be out on the dance floor.
I wished they would have picked a smaller venue to have the dance. It wasn’t like there were a ton of players to fill up an entire gym. If I walked out from behind the bleachers, I’d be spotted.
So, I ducked underneath them and went to the front. Since the music was loud, there was no need for me to stay quiet. I peered out through an opening between the bleachers, watching everyone having fun without me.
Tamara was dancing like she’d never been hurt, which she probably hadn’t. All the girls surrounded her, cheering her on. Izzy had her back to the guys. I suddenly remembered how timid she was around them. With her friends, she was strong and powerful. The second a guy talked to her in any way that suggested he was hitting on her, she’d crumple.
It was then I noticed the boys and girls were separated. There was a clear rift between the teams.
Out of all the guys, Mason was the only one not dancing. His gaze kept wandering over to the bleachers, like he wanted to sit down. A part of me hoped he would, because then maybe I’d have a chance to talk to him.
Alejandro glanced at the door like he was waiting for someone. From where I hunkered, it looked like everyone was there except me. All the coaches were sitting on the bleachers on the other side of the gym, completely ignoring those on the court.
A shout among the guys turned my attention to them. Liam was break dancing on the gym floor. He spun on the ground, and I couldn’t help but smile. I really wished I was out there, cheering him on.
Being by myself under the bleachers was as boring as it sounded. There was no point in me being there. I turned to go back the way I came in, but a baseball and softball player had snuck over to that corner and were making out. They’d definitely see me if I suddenly popped out from under the bleachers. Though the thought of scaring them was tempting.
Peeking my head out from behind the bleachers, I scanned the distance between me and the door nearest me. It looked like most of the players were focused on what they were doing, so they might not notice me sneaking out. My eyes wandered up to Isaac on the stage. He wore a dark blue fedora with a little feather on the side. It went well with his dark blue suit and white shirt. He held a headphone against one ear, the other hand working his system. He probably wouldn’t see me, but even if he did, it wouldn’t matter.
“Camille?” Mason’s sudden voice startled me.
My hand flew to my mouth to cover up a yell. He was leaning against the side of the bleachers. Taking his hand, I pulled him underneath the benches with me. We were toward the back, so we could both stand with no problem.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“I got restless in my room.”
Mason had on a plaid button-down shirt that fit his form well. I almost blushed at the thought of him catching me checking him out, but when my eyes wandered up to his, I saw he was checking me out as well. It was another dress Dylan never liked me wearing because it highlighted my curves, but not in a good way for him. Mason’s expression said he thought otherwise. Stupid Dylan.
He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. “Why are you hiding?”
“I’m not supposed to be here.” I rubbed my stiff shoulder. “Did Liam pass along my message?”
Mason stared down at his tennis shoes. “Uh, yeah. Sorry I didn’t come. I . . .” His face flushed, and it was adorable.
I gently set my hand on his arm. “Don’t worry about it.”
He motioned to my shoulder. “Need some help?”
I turned so he could get a better angle. “Yes, please. I’m dying. Coach Wilkes was vicious this morning.”
His hands were warm on my shoulder. He worked through the muscles. It hurt at first, but they slowly loosened to the point that I could relax. Mason switched to my other shoulder.
“I heard you aren’t going to make it on the softball team.” His voice was soft. “That’s too bad. You’re really good.”
If his hand hadn’t been on my shoulder, I would’ve shrugged. “Thanks. But I got what I deserved. Karma and all that.”
A frown rested on his thin lips. It wouldn’t take much for me to close the distance. I had no idea how Mason would react to me kissing him. But the thought of us kissing left an uneasy feeling in my stomach. I didn’t think I’d feel bad about kissing a few guys, but the fact that I’d kissed Alejandro the day before took away the de
sire to kiss Mason. He was such a good guy. He deserved a girl who would treat him with the respect he deserved. Unfortunately, I wasn’t that girl. At least not yet. I needed time to myself before I jumped into another relationship.
When I’d put Mason on my list, it was just for a fun kiss. But the more time I spent around him, the more I realized Mason was relationship material, not hookup material.
Mason took a step away from me. “Any other spots?”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “No. The shoulders were the worst. Thanks, Mason.”
“Any time.” He moved to duck out from under the bleachers, but then turned back around. “Hey, is Hayley seeing anyone?”
I drew back in surprise. “No. Why?”
His face turned crimson. “I wanted to ask her out.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I’m just not sure how. I’m not really good with that kind of stuff.”
Mason liked Hayley? Hadn’t he tried to kiss me the other day? I licked my lips. “Hayley likes confidence and honesty. Just call her and ask her if she wants to go out.”
“Right.” He looked down at his shoes. “Can I get her number?”
I’d flirted with him so much, and he liked Hayley the whole time. The more I thought about it, the more I realized he never returned any of the flirting. He never called me after Hawaii. He didn’t come up to my room. “You tried to kiss me.”
His eyes went wide. “What? When?”
“The other day when you were helping with my sore muscles.”
His head shook vigorously. “I never tried to kiss you. I’m sorry if it looked like that. I’m just kind of awkward around girls. I’m never sure how to act.”
I put my hand on my forehead. I felt like an idiot. Why did I think every guy wanted to kiss me? I folded my arms close against me. “I don’t have her number memorized, and Coach has my phone. But I’ll get you the number as soon as I can.” I’d never been so uncomfortable in my life, so I kept talking. “When you call her, have a specific date and activity planned. She likes people who get things done.”
The Kiss List Page 15