Later that evening, I was still on a pheromonal high when my mom called me down for dinner. I hadn’t bothered to change out of my uniform since I had to be back at the school at six. Game time was seven, but Stacie wanted to run through a few things before it started.
“Look at you,” Mom gushed. She piled a helping of enchilada casserole on my plate. “You should let me take a picture for your sisters. They’ll get a kick out of seeing you in an RHS cheer getup.”
I snorted. “Yeah, and they’ll tease me about it for the rest of my life.”
The garage door flew open, banging against the doorstop. My dad entered, dropped his bag on the floor, and slipped off his shoes. Normally he’d have come home with Mom, but he’d been attending a business seminar in Pittsburgh all week. He loosened his tie and sighed.
“Sorry I’m late,” he said, kissing Mom on the cheek. “There was an accident on the 76, and traffic was a nightmare.”
“It’s fine. We were just sitting down. You haven’t missed anything.”
“Smells fabulous.” He took his place across from me, and Mom heaped a scoop of food on his plate. Then she set the casserole dish on a pot holder in the center of our small, round, and well-used dining table. “How was everyone’s day?” Dad asked.
Mom sat down between us. “Same-old, same-old for me.”
He chuckled and took a big bite that was clearly too hot, because he winced and panted. After swallowing, he immediately chased it with half a glass of milk. Like father, like son. “How about you?” he asked me. His eyes widened when he finally took in what I was wearing. “It’s game night! I almost forgot. You ready for your big debut?”
I shrugged. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
He laughed. “Don’t sound so excited. If I recall, you were pretty jazzed about being a cheerleader two weeks ago when you made the team.”
I blew on my food, not wanting to make the same mistake he had. “That was before I remembered the whole school would be watching.”
“The whole school was watching you on the football team,” he pointed out.
“Yeah, but I never had to worry about messing up or looking stupid. Sitting on the sidelines affords a certain amount of invisibility.”
Mom frowned. “I thought that’s what you wanted. A chance to shine.”
I pointed my fork at her. “Pretty sure I never used those words.”
“It’s true, isn’t it?” she argued.
“If you want to be technical, I guess. But this is different. I’ll be front and center, doing something that most people have no clue I can do. I feel like everyone will be judging me, waiting for me to screw up so they can justify their laughter.”
“Have people been giving you a hard time?” Mom sounded worried.
Dad gave her the duh face. “Diane, he quit the football team to be a cheerleader.”
She ignored him. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because I don’t care that much about being teased. I mostly don’t want to let the girls down. They took a big chance on me. And I want to prove to everyone that I made the right choice.” I pushed my food around on my plate. “Especially Grandpa.”
My grandfather hadn’t spoken to me since the first day of practice when he chewed me out. That was almost two weeks ago. It’s not like we were best friends or anything, but at least before I knew he was proud of me. Now, I felt like a pariah. He hadn’t even come by the house or anything. I knew he’d be upset, but I didn’t think it’d last this long.
Mom paused, fork halfway to her mouth. Dad cleared his throat. “I know my dad’s being overly sensitive, and I’m not saying it’s right. But give him time. He’s pretty busted up over this.”
“If you ask me, he’s being a jackass,” Mom grumbled. Dad shot her a pointed look. She threw her hands in the air. “Well, he is. Honey, I love your father, but sometimes he’s a prideful, stubborn, chauvinistic jerk.”
Go, Mom! I knew she’d had her issues with grandpa over the years. And they’ve butted heads plenty of times. He really was a male chauvinist. It was especially bad when she decided to drop the homemaker gig and start a business. But I’d never heard her go off on him like that.
Dad didn’t say any more about Mom’s rant. I couldn’t tell if it was because he agreed with her or he was just trying to stay out of trouble. He placed a calming hand over hers and spoke to me. “He’ll come around, Nick. He may not be happy about your choice, but it was yours to make. And he loves you.”
Mom reached out and grabbed my hand with her free one. It looked like we were getting ready to say grace, which we only did on holidays. A bunch of sarcastic comments about family bonding ran through my head, but I refrained from saying any of them.
“Forget about grandpa,” Mom urged. “I believe in you, and that’s what counts. Dad and I will be in the front row tonight, cheering you on. You have my permission to be spectacular.”
“I’ll try,” I replied with a stale smile. I finally started eating my dinner. Up until this point, I’d basically been playing with it. “For the record, my feelings won’t be hurt if you keep the excessive mom cheering to a minimum.” She gasped, as if to say how dare you suggest such a thing. I chuckled. “Or cheer as loud as you want. That works, too.”
Chapter 16
“Are you nervous?” I asked Nick. He always seemed so confident, but right now he looked petrified. Perhaps it was just the stadium lighting, but his face was kind of green.
“I’m fine.” He waved me off and took a deep breath. It was ten minutes to game time, and the stands were packed. I noticed a man and woman squeeze their way into the front row. They called Nick’s name and waved. He looked up and waved back. Then the woman blew him a kiss.
It was cute, and I giggled. “Let me guess: that’s Mom?”
Nick was bouncing on his toes, filled to the brim with tense energy. “Nope. It’s my girlfriend.” He rolled his head from side to side, stretching his neck. I waited for the punchline, but it never came.
“Hush!” I pushed him firmly on the back. My hand might have lingered.
He’d practiced without his shirt once last week. We were outside on a particularly hot day. Ever since then, it’s all I can do not to reach out and run my hands down his back. Or chest, or arms, or shoulders…or abs. Who knew gymnasts had such great bodies? When we were in the locker room after practice, Nick’s muscles were all anyone could talk about. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who appreciated his physique. And I didn’t like that one bit.
Nick laughed. “Yes, those are my parents. Why, were you jealous?” His expression was taunting, but his voice held a serious edge.
I played it off like he had no effect on me. “Absolutely green with envy.”
The more time Nick and I spent together, the more I liked him. And not just in a physical attraction kind of way but as a friend. He made me laugh. He’d talk with me about my problems. He seemed genuinely interested in my life. And I always felt like he was looking out for me.
I’d never had a real guy friend before. One who was more than an acquaintance but wasn’t trying to date me. I’d totally been missing out. Plus, hugs from Nick were way better than hugs from Stacie and Cass; different in the best possible way. It took an incredible amount of self-restraint not to text him every five seconds or find little ways to touch him. Though, admittedly, I was weaker in that area.
Today at lunch, I thought I might die when he rubbed my back, then ran his fingers through my ponytail. I don’t know what possessed him to do it, but it felt awesome. I almost asked him to keep going. Then I remembered the hussy conversation and held back. My mother’s voice rang through my head. “A lady would never throw herself at a boy.”
That was problematic, since every time he touched me, I forgot I was a lady.
“I think I’m going to puke.” Nick was watching his parents. His mom was staring off into space with an annoyed look. His dad was leaning against the rail so he could talk to Coach Moody, who was standing on the track below
. Coach glanced over his shoulder at Nick. “Where’s a trash can?” Nick mumbled, his hand clutching his stomach.
“Is he still mad?” I asked.
“Am I still a cheerleader?” Nick retorted.
I grabbed him by the arm and spun him around to face me. Then I put my hands on his shoulders and turned on my captain voice. “First of all, don’t throw up on me. Second, you’ve got this. We’ve been practicing for weeks. Your execution was perfect half an hour ago. There’s nothing to worry about because you, Nick Moody, are a bad-a.” His mouth twitched at the side. “What?” I asked.
He smirked. “I’m a bad-a? That’s pretty intense.”
I bit my lip. He was teasing, but I stayed professional. “Well, I have lots of faith in you.”
Nick clucked his tongue and shook his head. He had an impish glint in his eyes. “I’m not sure you do. I think I need to hear you say it again. For real this time.”
Had it not felt real the first time? “I have faith in you.”
“No, Mia. Badass. I need you to tell me that I’m a badass.”
I snorted softly, and my head lolled to the side. “Is that really necessary?” I didn’t swear very often, and never around other people. My mom had ears everywhere.
“It’s the only way.” He nodded somberly, desperately trying to keep a straight face.
I lowered my voice and glanced over my shoulder to make sure nobody was listening. “Nick Moody, you’re a bad...” I mumbled the last part. It was barely audible.
He laughed. “That wasn’t the least bit convincing. You need to say it again. With conviction this time.” I looked around, then repeated myself a little louder. His face scrunched up. “Who are you looking for?”
“I don’t want people to hear me.”
“Relax, Mia. Let your hair down for once. Nobody’s going to care.”
I huffed and put my hands on my hips. “I let my hair down, all the time.”
“Oh yeah?” he challenged. “Name the last improper thing you did.”
I had to rack my brain really hard, which was sad in and of itself. It was even sadder when I answered, “Last time I went to a movie, I got shushed for talking.”
He whistled. “Wow. That’s pretty bad.”
“Whatever.” I was trying to look annoyed, but it’s hard to pull off when you’re stifling giggles.
Nick waved his hand toward the rest of the team. “I’m way out of my comfort zone here. The least you could do, as my captain, is show moral support by getting out of yours.”
I frowned. “Pulling the captain card. That’s dirty.”
He shrugged. “Some situations call for drastic measures.”
I felt the sharp prickle of anxiety ping in my chest. This was so stupid. Why couldn’t I do it? No one would think twice about hearing that word. Well, they might be shocked to hear it coming from me… But still, I heard worse things a thousand times a day. High school was a cesspool of vulgarity. This shouldn’t be such a big deal.
It’s like Nick could sense my fear. He put his hands on my shoulders, the same way I’d done to him a minute ago. “You’re thinking about this too much. Don’t think, just do it.”
“Just do what?” I was growing flustered, partly because of his request and partly because of his proximity. I could smell his cologne, and it made my head a good kind of foggy. “You want me to yell it out for the whole school to hear?”
“Yes! Exactly! Let go, Mia. For once in your life, let go.”
Something bubbled inside me. I didn’t know if it was the desire to please him or some repressed need to rebel. His eager eyes bore into mine. My heart sped up. I could do this. Nick was willing to dance with fifteen pom-pom wielding girls in front of a thousand people. Surely, I could say a bad word in front of twenty.
I took a deep breath, my courage mounting. “Come on,” Nick whispered.
He dropped his hands from my shoulders. My arms fell to my side, my own hands balled up in fists. My shoulders tensed, and I opened my mouth, yelling at the top of my lungs. “Nick Moody is a bad—”
I didn’t get to finish, because Nick slapped his hand over my mouth. Everyone in a thirty-foot radius was gawking at us. He quickly pulled me into a hug, his chest rumbling with laughter. “What the heck, Mia?”
I tore his hand from my mouth and leaned back, looking up at him in confusion. “I finally worked up the nerve to do what you asked, and you stopped me before I could say it!” He pulled me close again, still chuckling, and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. The adrenaline of the moment was zipping through my body, making my legs shaky and my knees weak.
“Honestly, I didn’t think you would.” His chin ruffled my hair when he shook his head. “I was hoping you’d tell me no and yell at me for being a bully. I wasn’t going for peer pressure so much as I wanted to prove that you could accomplish hard things.” He held me at arm’s length and grinned. “But what you did was equally impressive.”
“You’re a horrible influence on me.” I ducked out from under his arms and started to walk away.
He grabbed my hand, and I froze. “But you’re a good influence on me. Also, I feel much better now.”
Nick was waiting for a response, but I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t even remember what he said, because he was holding my stupid hand. Focus, Mia. “Okay,” I fumbled breathlessly. “You’re forgiven.”
“Just like that?” he asked. I nodded, words still escaping me. My cheeks got warm. I glanced down between us. He followed my eyes and seemed surprised, as if he hadn’t even known what he was doing. Nick quickly dropped my hand and cleared his throat. “Oh, sorry. You probably want that back.”
No, please keep it for a while. “That might help.”
The moment was stuck in a strange place; not quite natural but not uncomfortable, either. I didn’t have time to figure it out, because a voice came over the loudspeaker. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Roosevelt High School football season home opener.”
I sucked in a breath. “Showtime.”
Nick squared his shoulders and followed me to the field where we lined up to create a tunnel. Traditionally, we waved our poms as the team ran under. But since Nick wouldn’t touch those with a ten-foot pole, we made a banner out of butcher paper for the guys to crash through. Nick held one end, and I took the other.
The announcer spoke again. “Make some noise for your 2019 Ravens football team!”
Cole led the guys onto the field, pumping his helmet in the air. The crowd went wild as he broke through our sign, then moved aside. I watched him give everyone a high five when they passed. I was reminded of what a good leader Cole was. And what a crappy boyfriend he’d been.
Nick, on the other hand, would be an excellent boyfriend. For the first time, I wondered why he was single. I couldn’t possibly be the only girl with that opinion. Had he dated a lot? Had he ever been in a serious relationship? My mind wandered, working through a way to acquire this info without having to ask outright.
“Earth to Mia.” Stacie was waving her hand in front of my face.
“Yeah?”
“You going to stand there all night?”
Nick had already taken his half of the banner to the trash can. The rest of the team was heading down the track. “No. I’m coming.”
Stacie tapped my temple and nodded toward the field. “Get your head in the game.”
“Har-har. Very punny.” I hurried to the trash can, disposed of my half of the banner, and jogged to catch up with everyone else. When we reached the fifty-yard line, I called out, “Let’s get in formation, people. Everyone cheer ready.”
At Nick’s request, he was placed in the center of the back row. Since we stood in a pyramid shape—with the top lobbed off—it was the best place for him anyway. He stood out like a sore thumb in our sea of pleated skirts. Having him center back created the most balance. We’d put him in the back of our dance routine as well. At least, until it was time for his solo.
“We are the Ravens,�
�� Stacie shouted from her place next to me in front. The rest of the team took their cue and yelled, “The mighty, mighty Ravens.” I wished I could see how Nick was doing, but I couldn’t exactly turn around to spy on him.
By now most students knew that Nick was on the squad, so the pointing and double takes were minimal. But even from the track, I could tell that a lot of eyes watched him between plays. At the end of the first quarter, we stopped for a water break.
I made my way over to Nick. “How’s it going back there?”
“I feel like the freaky sideshow.”
“Come on, it’s not that bad.”
He gave me a flat look. “I’m pretty sure a couple of girls in the third row were taking videos of me.”
Pretty sure he was right. “Maybe they find you so irresistible that they took footage so they can watch it before they fall asleep tonight.”
He chuckled morosely. “Nice try. Double or nothing on the ice cream that it’s all over the Internet tomorrow with funny captions drawn in.”
I shook my gold pom in his face. “Don’t be such a drama queen,” I taunted.
He snatched the blue pom from my other hand and did the same thing to my face. “I can’t help it,” he replied. “I spend all afternoon with a bunch of girls. You’re bound to rub off on me.”
Cassidy sidled up next to him. “Are you saying we’ve made you girly?”
“That’s me. Nick Moody, one of the girls.”
“I might have agreed last week,” Cass said. “But now that we’ve seen you half naked, I don’t think anyone’s going to buy it.” She tapped him on the chest and made a kissy face before strolling away with her poms behind her back.
“She has a good point,” I said. I hadn’t meant anything flirtatious by it, but Nick grinned, and something crazy came over me.
“So, you don’t think I’m turning into a girl?” he asked.
“Not when your shirt’s off.”
Holy crap, did I just say that out loud? Nick’s eyes widened, and so did his smile. I smashed my lips together. I don’t know where the brazenness came from. The sentence spewed from my mouth like verbal vomit, as if I’d been momentarily possessed by Cassidy’s evil twin. Her lustful, hormonal, insanely evil twin.
One of the Girls (Friendzone #1) Page 14