How had I gotten to this point? Yesterday, Mia Ashlock and I had never said more than three words to each other. Now we were hugging, sharing secrets, talking about our feelings, and bashing boys. All I needed was an invite to the next sleepover. I had a bad feeling that I’d just become one of the girls.
Chapter 8
Nick and I exchanged phone numbers Friday at the party. I told him to let me know how it went with his grandpa, but he never texted or called. Either he didn’t come clean yet, or he hadn’t enjoyed hanging out with me as much as I had with him. Neither situation was very encouraging.
I was surprised to find him waiting at my locker Monday morning. I didn’t know he knew where it was. He was leaning against the wall and looking down at his phone. He didn’t see me coming, and I startled him. “Morning.”
“Hey!” He jolted upright.
“How’d you know where my locker was?”
“I think everyone knows where your locker is.” He grinned.
What was that supposed to mean? Had he asked around, or had he noticed before today? My instinct was to read into things, and I fought hard not to ask. “So, what’s up?” I twisted the combo and popped the door open.
“I wanted to let you know I might be late to practice.”
My eyebrows furrowed together. “I take it the conversation with Coach Moody didn’t go well.”
He shook his head, a shameful expression on his face. “It didn’t go at all. I wimped out.”
That explained why he hadn’t tried to call over the weekend. I’d hoped he would regardless, but at least I didn’t have to feel like he was avoiding me. The info didn’t help with the question of whether he had fun hanging out, but I was getting ahead of myself. Cheer business first. “Uh, that’s not good.”
“No kidding.” Nick looked seriously worried.
“Well, how late do you think you’ll be? We have a little welcome thing planned for the beginning of practice, but we can hold off until you get there.”
The look of dread was replaced with an impish smirk. “You’re throwing a party for me?”
I grabbed a few books and shoved them into my backpack, avoiding eye contact for fear I’d encourage his suddenly flirtatious disposition. There was only so much of that I could handle. “Okay, hot shot. Don’t let it go to your head. It’s more of a short induction, and we’re doing it for all four new recruits. It’s tradition.”
“Tradition? You mean, it isn’t a gesture designed to show me how cool you think I am after hanging out on Friday?”
I bit the inside of my cheek. So, he did have a good time. I think. I hope. “It wouldn’t be very fair to do something for you and not the other three girls.”
“Other girls? You mean, the girls besides me?” He cocked an eyebrow.
“Recruits,” I corrected quickly.
“Do I come across as terribly girly?” He hooked his thumb through his belt loop and casually crossed one leg over the other.
Hardly. I almost snorted. He was wearing a gray Penn State T-shirt with navy lettering. The way he stood pulled the words across his chest, accentuating the muscles I’d felt when he hugged me. His sleeves weren’t tight enough to see much, but his forearms were corded with muscle, leading me to believe his biceps looked every bit as good.
“Sorry, old habits die hard. It might take me a bit to get used to having a guy. Honestly, it’ll probably be an adjustment for everyone. If we refer to you as a girl, or you get lumped in as one of the ladies, it’s nothing personal.”
He smirked. “Do me a favor. If I ever start acting girly, kick me in the nuts to remind me I have them.”
“That sounds a little harsh.” I slammed my locker shut and shouldered my bag.
He shrugged. “It’s your duty as captain.”
I laughed. “When you say it like that, I guess I’m obligated.”
“Obligated to what?” Cassidy asked. She’d walked up beside me, but I was too engrossed in my conversation with Nick to notice. My eyes snapped to her guiltily.
“To keep Nick on the straight and narrow—pun intended.”
Cassidy threw her arm around Nick’s shoulder. “I take it you’ve seen the list. Congrats. First guy on the Roosevelt cheer squad. How does it feel to be a trendsetter?”
He looked unsure. “I don’t know. Ask me again at practice. After word’s gotten out and I see how bad the damage is.”
Cassidy grew sober. “If anyone gives you crap, tell me. You’re one of us now, and we look out for each other.”
“Thanks.” Nick chuckled. The five-minute warning bell rang. He took a few quick swipes at his phone, then zipped it into his bag. “But I fully anticipate getting crapped on today. It’ll probably happen for a while.”
“Seriously.” Cass dropped her arm and patted him on the shoulder. “We can easily help you save face. It’s all about perception. No guy would harass you if you suddenly had a new girl on your arm each day. Pretty sure that can be arranged.” She winked dramatically and laced her arm through my elbow. We had first hour together.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he replied. His eyes darted toward mine, then back to Cassidy. “I guess I better go. Wish me luck.”
“Good luck,” I said, walking backward toward my classroom. “If you need a refuge at lunch, our table is always open.”
“I might have to take you up on that.” He gritted his teeth and pulled a nervous face, then headed in the opposite direction. I couldn’t help but sneak a peek. His butt would definitely look just as good in cheer pants as his legs would.
“I never noticed how cute Nick is,” Cassidy mused. “I wonder if he has a girlfriend?”
I gave her a sharp look. “Don’t even go there.”
“What?” she asked, all doe-eyed.
“Nick’s off limits.”
Cass stuck out her bottom lip. “Can I at least look?”
“I can’t really stop you, though I am instituting a strict look but don’t touch policy.”
“You’re no fun.”
“And you’re all fun. Someone needs to rein you in.”
She sighed. “What about his friends? I’m sure he has cute friends.”
I giggled. “His friends are fair game.” I thought back to Friday and how Sean had floated from girl to girl all night. “In fact, I’m sure some of his friends would thrive on the attention.”
Cass grinned. It seemed my compromise was good enough for her. Hopefully she was the only one I’d have to save Nick from.
News spread faster than I thought it would. I should have known better. We were in high school, and this was juicy gossip. I’d had at least half a dozen people ask for confirmation about Nick’s new status. I could only imagine what people were saying to him. I wished we had a class together so I could see how he was taking it. I’d have to spy on him at lunch. It was the only time I’d see him before school got out.
I walked into my dreaded third period, and the first thing I saw was Cole and Sarah in a lip-lock. He had her pinned on a desk, legs wrapped around him. I wanted to barf as I took a seat in the back. I wasn’t a fan of explicit PDA, an opinion that Cole didn’t agree with. Luckily, our teacher walked in and they snapped apart.
“You still want company?” Dalton slid into the seat next to me.
“Yes. Please.” I drew out the word desperately, and he chuckled. “How’d you do with the homework? Because it kicked my trash, and it’s only the first week. I might be in trouble.”
Dalton smiled shyly, revealing a little dimple. “I’m pretty good with this stuff. If you ever need help, just ask.”
Smiling back, I replied, “Looks like I made the right friend.” If he was still embarrassed, he didn’t show it.
I leaned over to retrieve my math book. When I sat back up, Sarah was standing at my desk. “Can I help you?” I asked her. I’d never had any issues with Sarah until she and Cole became a thing last week. Even then, it’s not like she’d done anything to me, so I still felt the pressure to be polite.
“Is it true that Nick Moody tried out for the cheer team?” Her tone was snarkier than necessary. Sarah was pretty and she played volleyball, which meant she was fit and towered over me. Add that to the fact that she’d already stolen my boyfriend, and she had absolutely nothing to feel threatened by.
“Yep.” I was particularly proud of how brusque my answer had been. She stared at me, waiting for me to elaborate. When I didn’t, she rolled her eyes and glanced over her shoulder at Cole. He was watching intently.
“That’s it?” she asked.
I busied myself flipping through my book so I wouldn’t have to look at her when I spoke. It was the rudest thing I could think to do. “Didn’t I answer your question?”
“Well, did he make the team?” She scoffed and threw her hands on her hips, like she was holding back a big, fat duh. Which was stupid, because I’m pretty sure she already knew the answer. This whole Q and A was clearly for Cole’s benefit. I’m just not sure what he was hoping to get out of it.
“Yep,” I replied, even more clipped than before.
Her eyes widened. “So, it’s true? In that case, Cole wanted me to tell you to tell Nick that he can’t do both.”
Ah, so there it is. I wasn’t about to speak on Nick’s behalf. The last thing I wanted was to get him in trouble. Or more trouble, based on the impression he’d given me. I folded my hands and placed them delicately on my book. With the sweetest snarl I could muster, I replied, “Tell Cole that I’m sure Nick isn’t intending to do both. If he wants to know what Nick’s plans are, he’ll have to talk to Nick. And I’d suggest doing it himself, rather than sending a third party. Lack of initiative is a sign of poor leadership.”
The bell rang and our teacher called, “Take your seats, please.”
Sarah wrinkled her nose but didn’t say anything else and walked back to Cole. Dalton snickered and teased, “Remind me not to mess with you. That poor leadership speech was hard-core. I’m shaking in my shoes.”
“Shut up.” I tried to look angry and failed. After a second, I laughed and shook my head. “I’m working on my insult skills. Okay?”
“Don’t. Your absence of intimidating qualities is one of the things I like most about you.” He opened his folder and started scribbling on a piece of paper. I was pretty sure he meant that as a compliment, but somehow it didn’t feel like one. It only reiterated what the team thought of me. I was weak.
When the bell rang after fourth hour, I hurried to my locker to switch out books for my lunch. Then I hightailed it to the cafeteria. I was the first member of the team to reach our table, though it didn’t take long for others to trickle in. I watched for Nick, but he was still MIA. When Stacie arrived, I tried to grill her without sounding anxious.
“Have you talked to Nick today?” I asked.
“No. But I’ve heard lots of talk about him. He’s caused quite the commotion.”
“Tell me about it,” I replied. “Cole had the nerve to send Sarah over during calc to ask me what was up.”
Stacie cocked an eyebrow at me. “And what did you say?”
“I told her the truth. Then I told her to tell Cole to shove it.”
Stacie laughed. “I’m calling BS on that one. You actually used the words shove it?” I stuck my tongue out at her, and she smiled smugly. It was all the answer she needed. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”
Cassidy slammed her lunch tray on the table. “Parker Bennet told my second hour that Nick tried out for cheer because he was batting for the other team.” She held up one hand and used the other to pop a fry in her mouth. “His words, not mine.”
“How original,” I replied.
“Dimwit scumbag,” Stacie muttered.
Suddenly, the cafeteria went from loud and boisterous to whispers and murmurs. I looked up to see that Nick and Sean had just entered the room. Hundreds of eyes watched as Nick stood motionless in the doorway. I was about to have a panic attack, when all at once the crowd exploded into a crazy mix of noises. There were catcalls, lewd comments, and rude slurs. But for every unkind gesture or statement, I was surprised to see at least two of support. People saying things like way to go or good for you, rowdy whistles and cheers. A whole group of performing arts students stood on their chairs and clapped for him.
He waved to the crowd and took his normal seat, then opened his lunch and dug in as if he weren’t the center of attention. I waited until the pandemonium died down before I pulled out my phone and sent him a text.
Mia: How you holding up? Has it been awful?
I watched him reach into his back pocket and pull out his own phone. He looked at the screen and smiled as his fingers tapped rapidly. A few seconds later, my phone buzzed.
Nick: It’s been better than expected. I’m getting a lot of encouragement from the ladies. Who knew girls would dig it? Should have tried out for cheer ages ago.
Mia: LOL. Seriously, though.
Nick: I’m fine. Really.
Mia: You sure? Because I heard Parker Bennet started a rumor…
Nick: Don’t worry. I can think of worse things for people to think about me. I have a gay friend, and he’s twice the man Parker will ever be.
I was impressed by his blasé attitude, but I couldn’t tell if it was all for show or if he really didn’t care. I spoke to the table. “I wish there was something we could do to make those archaic meatheads ease up on him.” I jutted my chin toward Cole and Jackson, who were throwing wadded up napkins at the side of Nick’s head.
Cassidy had been quiet, which was unusual for her. I could tell her temper was close to the boiling point. Finally, when she could stand it no longer, she leapt to her feet and glared at the guys’ side of the table. “Uh-oh,” Stacie said. “I don’t like that look.”
“What’s going on, Cass?” I asked.
She took off toward Nick and called over her shoulder, “I’m doing something about it.”
The next thirty seconds unfolded in slow motion. I expected her to lash out with a string of profanities and reprimands, but what she did was so much better…and worse. Cass tapped Nick on the shoulder. When he turned sideways to talk to her, she straddled his legs and sat on his lap. She said something that I couldn’t hear, then wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned over, planting a big old kiss on his lips.
From what I could tell, he didn’t really kiss her back. But jealousy shot through me anyway, even though I had no right to be jealous. The fact that Cass had her hands all over him sent a wave of nausea through my gut. I felt myself wanting to growl, to storm over there and pull her off his lap by her hair. If my mother knew the horrible things I was thinking, she’d send me to finishing school. Or a convent. Maybe both.
A chorus of hoots and hollers erupted from the football team. The kiss felt never ending. In reality, it lasted all of three seconds. It’s hard to drag something out when it’s one-sided. Cass pulled back and stood, then reached out to give Nick a few soft slaps on the cheek. He was clearly dazed and confused by what had happened.
“Dang, girl!” someone shouted. “Is that how you welcome everyone who joins cheer?”
“Nick, bro, sign me up!” someone else yelled.
Cass addressed the football team but was loud enough for half the lunchroom to hear. “You Neanderthals spend your practice wearing skintight leggings and slapping butts after lying on top of each other all over the field. Nick now gets to spend his afternoons up close and personal with fifteen hot girls in short shorts and sports bras. Seems to me that his sexuality is the only one that shouldn’t be in question.”
The snickers and giggles had a ripple effect, starting with those closest to our table and eventually making their way across the cafeteria. It was at least ten minutes before the buzz died down. Cass took her seat next to me, and I gaped at her. It took a second for me to formulate a coherent thought. “You really know how to take a burgeoning social crisis and light it on fire.”
Stacie scanned the room before adding, “Yeah, I don’t kn
ow how much that helped.”
Cass shrugged. “At least now nobody should question which team he bats for.”
Stacie laughed and raised her water bottle in a toast. “Here’s to solving one problem and creating ten more.”
“Chill out,” Cass said. “It’s not a big deal. People will talk about it for a few days, and then something more scandalous will make my official cheer team welcome old news.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Is that what that was?”
She smirked. “Sounded like a good tradition to start.”
“Heaven help us all.” I sighed and shook my head.
Stacie took a bite of her apple and chewed a moment before saying, “If we get any more male recruits, I’m assigning all the kissing to Cass. She’s just so generous with it.”
“That’s cool, if they all have lips as soft as Nick’s. The boy didn’t even kiss me back, and it was still good. I can only imagine how much better it’d be if he were participating.”
That was enough of that. “No more kissing,” I ordered sternly. At the back of my mind, the words echoed, unless it’s me.
Chapter 9
The razzing increased after Cassidy’s lunchroom stunt, but so did the high fives. Most guys would be thrilled to have a pretty girl randomly accost him like that. All I could think was, I wish it’d been Mia. She’d never do something so forward, but hey, a guy could dream.
Unfortunately, I knew this would be the hot topic of conversation for at least the next few days. That included locker room and water cooler talk. I glanced at the clock as I strode into the gym. If grandpa hadn’t heard the news yet, he’d know soon enough. I spent the second half of school debating whether to show up at football practice and tell him in person or hide out and address it tonight when there was less of an audience. I figured one gossip-worthy scene was enough for today and went straight to cheer like a coward.
One of the Girls (Friendzone #1) Page 7