“That’s not really about me.” I shrugged and dodged a trash can sitting in the center of the hallway. “It’s about being the quarterback.”
She arched an eyebrow at me.
“I’m not kidding. Anyway, we also need to eat lunch together, maybe hold hands once or twice, and the thing that should clinch it—you’ll have to come by at the end of football practice to watch and wait for me.”
Ali stopped on a dime and faced me. “Excuse me? Why?”
“Because all the girlfriends do.” She tilted her head and sucked in a breath. I figured she was trying not to tell me to shove it. I pressed my lips together, holding back a smile. Man, how had I not seen this girl around school all this time?
“No. That doesn’t even sound right.”
“What’s not right?”
“Why do I have to go to your practice?” She lifted her chin at me. “Why don’t you come by the end of my bowling practice?”
“Bowling boyfriends? Yeah, that’s not a thing.”
“You’ve got me there. But we could be outliers. Trendsetters even. You can come watch me bowl and wait for me.”
“Don’t think I wouldn’t. In fact, I enjoy watching you roll in bowling class.” I grinned. “I enjoy it a lot. But it won’t work.”
“Are you always this negative?” she asked.
“Not negative. Practical. If you don’t show up at the end of football practice, Paige and her friends aren’t going to believe it. No one will. It’s proof of life for our relationship. Hey, I don’t write these rules. It’s just how it works.”
“Fine. But I protest the patriarchy.”
“Patriarchy? No one told girls they had to stand on the side-lines ogling our six-packs.”
“Except you just did. Just now.”
“Right. But you have to admit that’s a thing couples around here do. At least with football players.”
“I guess. But that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
“Understood. Maybe we guys don’t like being used for sexual objectification. Ever think of that?”
“Nope.”
I grinned, digging the fact that she didn’t seem at all impressed with my jock status. I’d admit having girls look at me like I was some football god was a head trip when I was a freshman and a sophomore—but that got old. “As much as I’d like to ogle your bowling form for equality, football practice runs longer, so…”
“Okay. Lockers, lunch, and lusty eyes at the end of football practice. I guess I can take one for team Frost-DeLeon.” She poked a finger into my chest. “Don’t forget you owe me for this.”
“I haven’t. I’m looking forward to it,” I said, throwing heat into my gaze. “I’m at your service. Use me any way you like.”
“You’re funny, DeLeon.” Yet she wasn’t laughing. She tilted her head toward the open door a few feet away from where we stood. “This is me. I’ve got computer lab.”
I leaned into her and her eyes narrowed on me.
“Don’t even think about it,” she growled with enough feistiness that I smiled.
Sure I was messing with her, but she made it too much fun. I took hold of the strap of her backpack and drew her into me. Close, until we stood toe-to-toe. She smelled like peaches. Our eyes locked and held. “Just so you know, we might have to kiss at some point. To make this believable to all the doubters.”
She took a step backward and flicked her gaze down to her gray high-top sneakers and over her cut off sweat pants. Her hand tugged at the bottom of her T-shirt advertising Bowl-o-Rama’s annual bowl-a-thon for veterans. “Doubters. Of course.”
“Whoa, Ali. That’s not what I meant at all. I’m only talking about how sudden it was.”
“Whatever. Either way, let’s kick that can down the road,” she said. “Way down.”
“Fine with me. I was only preparing you. It goes without saying the kiss will only happen if you’re okay with it. But sure, nothing we have to think about right now.” Although after being around Ali for a few weeks now, part of me didn’t want to kick it too far down the road. “I’ll see you at lunch.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. This couple thing sure is a lot of work.” She rolled her eyes. “But let’s start the lunch thing next week.”
“Sure,” I agreed with a nod.
“Awesome.” She entered her science class without a backward glance.
Not going to lie, something deflated in my chest. I didn’t realize until now that I’d been looking forward to spending more time with Ali. I spun around, hiked my backpack further up my right shoulder, and headed to my English class.
“Dax! What the heck, dude?” TJ called from behind me, so I paused long enough for him to catch up. “You are not going to believe the rumor going around about you.”
“About me and Ali Frost?” I knew TJ would track me down once he’d heard the news. The gossip had probably fried a few computers and cell phones getting spread around last night.
“Crazy, right?” He laughed.
“Like a fox. As far as you know, it’s true.” I grabbed his arm, pulling him along with me to class. Coach would have both our butts if we got marked tardy. “Between you and me—this is that other idea I mentioned to solve my Paige problem.”
“So, it’s not true?”
“Nope. But Ali’s cool enough to help me out. So yep, me and Ali Frost, Jackson High School’s hot new couple.”
“I dig it,” TJ said. “Let’s hope it works. The faster the better.”
“Exactly.” Except, I was enjoying the back and forth with Ali. Enjoying getting to know her. Sure, I wanted this plan to work, but I wouldn’t mind if it took a little while.
10
Football Coaches Shouldn’t Pack Lunches
Ali
“A” Lunch, Oct 23, 11:31 a.m.
Lunchtime. Oh, how I hated the cafeteria. It was worse than the hallways. Much worse. If the hallways were like walking through a gauntlet, the cafeteria was like being locked up in jail. Not that I had been. Just a guess.
Twenty minutes of cool kids judging the heck out of everyone walking by while they laughed and acted like they owned the place. It was annoying to watch and not fun to be on the receiving end of their laughter.
What the cool kids didn’t know was that most of us outcast nerds were happy to be excluded from their exclusive club. If being a snotty b-word were the “dues” you had to pay to join, it didn’t seem worth it.
I stood near the entrance, scanning the football players’ table for Dax. Eating with DeLeon would be fine. Some of the other football players were nice like Duke Schwiky in my calculus class. There were also a couple in my computer class who didn’t act like total jerks. Most of the time. No, it was the fact that eating at Dax’s table meant eating with the cheerleaders too.
There probably were some nice girls on the cheerleading squad, but I didn’t bother talking with any in my classes. That was on me. Armadillo, remember? Seeing Paige and her battalion armed with their weaponized put-downs and shunning tactics in action only confirmed that going solo was the safest path toward graduation.
Just then Dax and his friend TJ got to the table, lunch trays in their hands. Dax caught my eyes and jerked his head, motioning me over from across the room. I pulled in a deep breath and began weaving my way through the tables toward Dax.
“Ali! Over here!”
I stopped and spun my head toward the voice that had called me. Shani. She stood waving me over from a table next to the far wall.
“Come sit with us!” This time it was Gaby waving me over. The whole bowling team sat together.
I’d been eating outside by myself, but now that I was getting to know my teammates it would fun to sit with them. Only I couldn’t today. I shook them off and tipped my head in Dax’s direction. Like watching a tennis match, they glanced over and then back at me. Shani sent me a wink. Gaby held two thumbs up. Mari shot me an okay sign. Rowena frowned, her gaze moving over Dax’s table before she nodded at me. Bhakti shrugged.
>
With my teammates’ seal of approval, I squeezed my paper lunch bag tighter in my hand and wove the rest of the way to the table where Dax stood waiting for me.
“Ali.” Dax gave me a look so hot he almost had me convinced he actually liked me. He was really pouring it on for Paige. Which worked for me since the faster Paige clued in, the faster Dax and I could “break up” and get back to our regularly scheduled program. After he helped me, of course. But I could pour on the sappy girlfriend too.
“Darling Dax.” I blinked up at him with dewy-eyed adoration. I’d see his “baby” and raise him one.
He snickered but quickly turned it into one of those clearing your throat deals, but the look in his eyes said touché.
TJ slid over so Dax and I could squeeze onto the bench. Yes, we got the side-eye from most of the table. Except not from Paige and her posse. Definite glares from that direction.
“I almost didn’t recognize you without your bowling ball,” Gwen said.
“Jeepers, I’m so glad you did. That would have been such a loss,” I said.
“Hi, Ali Frost,” Kev said, giving me a huge smile.
“Hi, Kev.” Kev was actually the only kid I’d made friends with at school. The guy was like sunshine in human form. I knew he had bad days like anyone else, but it was hard to keep Kev down long.
He cupped his hands together and held them out toward me. “Kev’s ready.”
I opened my lunch, digging around until I found the Twinkie and tossed it to him.
“Thanks,” he said, tearing it open.
Dax’s friends looked between me and Kev like they’d never seen high school kids share food before. Oh, wait. I knew what it was. They’d never noticed the daily transaction between me and Kev because they’d never noticed me. I elbowed Dax and flipped him a pointed look.
“Yes, I get it. Has anyone told you that you have sharp elbows?” He bumped his shoulder softly into mine. “Let’s see what you have for lunch.”
“The usual stuff. You know, sandwich, fruit, cookies.” It’s just that there was almost enough food to feed a two-hundred pound linebacker. Football coaches shouldn’t pack lunches for their daughters. That’s why I’d started giving Kev my Twinkies. I dumped my food out on the table and reached for my sandwich. Looked like a BLT today.
“OMG, is that a note on your banana?” Gwen grabbed up my banana faster than a rattlesnake strikes. And then she proceeded to read my banana-note out loud to everyone at the table. “‘Tackle your day, kiddo! Dad.’ Your dad writes you notes? That is freaking hilarious.”
Yeah, I could tell by all the laughter up and down the table. Whatever.
“Aww, that’s cute your daddy makes your lunches.” Paige’s voice held the smallest trace of haughty condescension. Not too noticeable, but enough not to miss. The Goldilocks amount of snottiness.
“What can I say? I’m a lucky girl.” I meant it. I loved my dad. If taking care of me—making my lunch every day—gave him something solid to hang on to until he rebuilt his life… I was more than fine with that.
“I think it’s cool,” Dax said.
“Thanks. Now”—I held my hand out to Gwen—“hand over my banana-note and no one gets hurt.”
Gwen tossed my banana over. “You’re such a weirdo.”
Dax wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me in close. “I think the word you’re looking for is unique. There’s something sexy about a girl who’s not afraid to be different.”
Sexy? This awkward nerd? My heart sort of tripped at that. Of course, being pressed against the warmth and hardness of his body may have had something to do with it too. Get a grip. He’s acting, dummy. I did my best to ignore the itchy feeling from the look of green-eyed resentment on Paige’s face. The quicker she accepted that she and Dax were over, the sooner I could take the target off my back.
To that end, I needed to do “couple” things. Slight problem: I’d never been part of a couple. Yep, never had a boyfriend. I know, I know… You’re shocked, right? You’re looking at my cut off sweats and my “Grab Your Balls, Head to the Alley” T-shirt and wondering, how could that possibly be? So, I’d have to wing it.
“H—hey, Dax. Do you want to hit up the McDonald Observatory this weekend?” I ignored the snickers from around the table and pressed on. “I heard they have a new Coronado SolarMax 90 hydrogen-alpha telescope…”
One peek over at Paige, and sure enough she was glued to our conversation, a smug grin blossoming on her face. TJ leaned around Dax, his eyes wide at my lame attempt.
“The…um…the Orionid meteor shower is supposed to peak.” I poked Dax’s thigh under the table with my finger, warning him not to laugh.
“This weekend? We’re both busy on Friday night,” Dax said.
“You’ve got the football game. But why will I be busy?” I cocked an eyebrow at him.
“Because you’ll be there to watch me play.”
“I will? I mean, of course I will. Yeah, no. I meant Saturday.”
“I’m busy Saturday too,” he said.
Gwen and Paige both snickered.
“Then two Saturdays from now.” Geez, did he want my help or not? “In or out, DeLeon?”
“Oh, I’m in. I’m all in.”
Paige didn’t look smug anymore. She blinked across at Dax looking sad and lost. I might not like her, but I felt a little sorry for her. Then I remembered the many times I’d heard her go full-throttle mean girl on some poor innocent kid. My sympathy dried right up.
“But why don’t we drive to Davis Mountains Park instead?” Dax asked. “It’s not an official dark sky sanctuary, but a class two. We can watch the shower from the bed of my truck.”
“Or…we could do that.” Me and Dax DeLeon under the stars? That sounded weird even to my ears. No wonder everyone at the table gawked at us.
“Great. We have a date.” Dax gave me a crooked smile.
Dax’s smile was the smile that made girls around school giggle and blush. Yesterday I would have sworn an oath that I was immune to that smile. Immune to his charm.
The kaleidoscope of butterflies that took flight in my belly said that was a lie.
A big lie.
“I’ve got to go.” I did need extra time to make it out to the portable classrooms behind the school for my next class. But what I really needed was to get away from Dax and his smile and the vision of us lying in his pick-up truck watching stars. Because in this vision we were holding hands. Wrong, wrong, wrong. I gathered up my leftovers and trash and stood.
Dax delayed me with his hand on mine.
“I’ll see you after football practice. I mean, if you can make it.”
“Are you kidding? That’s like the best part of being the quarterback’s girlfriend,” I gushed. Then up and downed him with my gaze before adding, “Okay, maybe the second or third best part.”
His lips wiggled like he wanted to laugh, but he held it together as I turned and left the cafeteria. I swung through the Language Arts hallway to grab my calculus book from my locker. I’d slammed it shut and was giving my lock one quick spin when someone called my name.
I twisted my head around to look and, oh wonderful, it was Paige. Sucking in a breath, I turned to face her head on, realizing I was holding my calculus book against my chest like a shield. The fire in Paige’s eyes said a shield would come in handy right now.
She stopped three feet away, staring at me with narrowed eyes. “Dax is mine, Frosty. You are way out of your league. Didn’t you hear everyone laughing at you at the lunch table? You don’t belong in our group. Get a clue. Dax is just trying to make me jealous.”
“Dax and I have talked a lot about what we are to each other. He’s not trying to make you jealous.” Everything I said was true, and unlike Paige, I was trying to be nice. “Dax and I are together. Maybe it would hurt less if you accepted it and moved on.”
“Accepted it?” Paige stepped into my space with a growl. “Oh my god, have you looked at yourself? You’re a joke. N
ow stay away from Dax.”
“Yeah, that’s not going to happen,” I said. Part of me was pissed that Paige thought she could treat people like this and get away with it. The other part of me wanted to roll back up into my solitary armor, safe and protected.
Maybe I needed to hurry up and have Dax meet my dad. Just in case. And let Dax handle his Paige problem by himself.
11
Rules for Football Girlfriends
Dax
After School, 3:20 p.m.
I left my seventh period class and headed out to the parking lot to grab my football gear. I might've sped up the littlest bit with the chance that I could catch Ali before she left for bowling team practice.
Sure enough, she was halfway out to her car in the parking lot. It didn't take much jogging to catch up with her. Wrapping my arm around her waist, I pulled her in toward me, chest to chest. I'd surprised her and she looked up at me, the sunlight revealing flecks of gold in her eyes.
“Hey there. Just wanted to see you before both of us head off for practice.”
“I guess this is a thing too, huh?” She shook her head at me.
“It is. But not too painful, right?” I brushed back a wild curl from her face.
She sucked in a breath of air. “No. I think I'll live. Is there a minimum time that we have to stand here like this?”
I laughed. This girl was killing me. “Yes. 10 seconds should do it. We’re still early days yet. Give us another week or two and it might take more time than that.”
“Do you really think this is going to take a couple weeks?” She squinted up at me trying to keep the sun out.
I nodded. “Yeah, I do. I broke up with Paige five months ago, and she's still acting like we’re just on a break. No matter how many times I've tried to set her straight. So, yeah.”
“Okay. As long as I know what I’m in for,” she said. “Ten seconds. My work here is done.”
Ali & the Too Hot, Up-to-No Good, Very Beastly Boy: A Standalone Sweet YA Romance (Jackson High Series Book 1) Page 6