Right Girl Wrong Timing (Offsides Book 3)

by Natalie Decker

  I scribble down the notes from the whiteboard and zone out. It’s easily done because the only thing I see is the haunting look on Ads’s face when I rejected her offer of going to the dance. Then I see the searing look on her face when I agreed to take Rachel. She doesn’t get why I said no to her. She will never understand why I said yes to Rachel. Like I said before, when Adaline makes up her mind about something, that’s it.

  I must keep pretending. If I were smart, I’d let her go. She would be better off.

  I glance over at her again. Ads turns her head, locking our stares.

  “Adaline, would you please read page two hundred eighteen to us,” Mrs. Dinger says.

  Adaline turns her hazel eyes from me and smiles. “Yes, Mrs. Dinger.”

  As she reads, I stare at her mouth moving. Those lips I crave to kiss again. Yeah, my imagination is going, and I can’t stop. I uncomfortably shift in my seat, face the board, and lean forward. I pretend to follow along with her words, but it’s impossible. I hope none of this shit is on a future test because I’ll be screwed.

  “Austin, please continue where Adaline left off.”

  Double screwed. I have no idea where she stopped. “Uh … ”

  Giggles erupt in the class. This is nothing new. People think I pay the teachers for my grades. They think I’m slow. I let them think this because I don’t care. At least I never cared what people thought about me until recently. I do care how Ads sees me, and I’m currently proving her point too. I’m just being a dipshit on purpose.

  “Please pay attention. Sarah, please continue where Adaline stopped,” Mrs. Dinger says as she gives me that look. It’s disappointment. Great. It’s exactly what I need, another person giving me the same expression I’ve seen all weekend from my mom.

  I have a feeling this will keep popping up more often during the day.

  Chapter Four

  Adaline

  I drop down in my seat at my lunch table and exhale a frustrated breath. I thought history was never going to end. His scent assaulted not only my nose, but everything about him attacks my senses. The small quiver in his brow when he’s questioning me, to the top of his lips.

  Austin Reed is downright infuriating! I hate how my heart slams into my chest like a wreckingball when I see him. I hate how I practically swoon when he calls me Ads. I knew not to fall for someone like Austin. It’s pathetic. Considering he’s pulled at my heartstrings only to snip them away, carrying on about his life like nothing ever happened.

  He’s the master of this, and I fall for it every single time. The saddest part of all—I know when it’s coming, and I still do the same song and dance. Round and round we go but this time, no more.

  I will not fall for his flirty words, his sexy gray-blue eyes, or that dazzling smile that would make a nun sway. It’s hard as hell, but I have to do this. My heart can’t take another of his games.

  I pull out my lunch, focusing on the sandwich not the person passing by. “Mind if I take this seat?” Greg asks as he pulls out the chair beside me.

  I’m a terrible person. I should tell Greg no. He’s a welcome distraction, though. With Greg here, at least I won’t let my gaze wander about the lunchroom toward a certain someone. “It’s free.”

  “Great.” He scoots in beside me. I can feel Juliet’s eyes drilling into me. I know she’s confused because I told her about a thousand times by now that Greg and I aren’t a thing.

  “I heard someone’s birthday is coming up,” Greg says. I look over at him, and he beams a smile.

  “Yeah, Austin,” I say it like it’s no big deal. Greg’s smile falters.

  “Um. No. I mean, I wasn’t talking about him. I was hinting at you. Wait, how do you know that his birthday is coming up?”

  Once upon a time, long, long ago, Austin and I used to be best friends. Secret friends, he would call us because apparently boys weren’t supposed to be friends with girls. According to Mark Whalan, girls had a case of the cooties, and only boys dumb enough to play with girls caught them. This is when the toying-with-my-heart game started. Austin’s birthday is the day before mine.

  I shrug. “The office has them for announcement purposes.”

  “Oh,” Greg says.

  I bring my sandwich to my mouth. Juliet says, “Yeah, we were going to throw her a party at the ice rink. You should come.”

  I pretend to be involved in eating. I feel like I’m leading Greg down a dark path. I need to set things right. Quickly, before I’m in another situation like Chase and me. “Uh, he doesn’t have to,” I say.

  “I want to. Unless you don’t want me there. I totally get that. I’ll warn you now, I don’t skate,” Greg says.

  “Oh, I’m sure Addy can help you out,” Jared says as he slides in next to Juliet.

  She grins at him as if his idea was the best thing she’s heard since snickerdoodle ice cream. That stuff is to die for. Jared’s idea, not so much.

  “Really. He doesn’t have to come,” I grit out. Not to be mean, but I need these two to stop pushing things in a direction they shouldn’t be going in.

  Juliet shrugs. “Greg just said he wants to.” She gives me the same look she gave me this morning when she told me that maybe I’d find my special someone. That someone might not be Austin. I know she means well, but she needs to understand it’s also not Greg either.

  She pops a grape in her mouth. I turn my attention to Greg and plaster on a smile. “Sure. I mean, the more, the merrier.” My stomach sours, and I pick through my lunch in as much silence as I can.

  Why is everything in my life turning into crap?

  Chapter Five

  Austin

  After lunch, we’re all told to report to our homerooms and not our next class. The hallway pours with people, most of them I’ve seen throughout the day. I’m only looking for one. I spot Adaline stopping at her locker.

  I’m about to go forward and talk to her, but I divert from that plan as soon as I see Greg stepping up next to her. He’s blocking her from my view with his douchiness.

  She said they weren’t dating at the dance. That was weeks ago, so why the hell is he still hanging around her? Why are his fingers clasping wisps of her hair? He shouldn’t be touching her.

  This feeling is not sitting right with me at all. Fact is, I’ve never been jealous. Have I been a little envious of the people who go here recently? Maybe. I mean, a few months ago I used to be just like them. New clothes, shoes, going to parties, not having a care in the world. Then my mom lost her awesome job at the hospital due to cuts, Dad left, and shit just went downhill. Now, I have to make sure my mom and I don’t get kicked out of the dump we live in or have anything shut off because of the lack of funds. I’ve never been jealous of a guy dating a girl I was interested in, though. Until Adaline, and I swear this is going to be a problem. It’s already cost me my childhood home. I can’t afford to lose any more.

  My fingernails dig into my palm as my hands ball into fists at my sides while I watch Adaline tip back her head and laugh. I need to get a grip. I’m losing it. This shouldn’t bother me. In fact, I shouldn’t even give a shit that they’re hanging out. Adaline and I can’t be anything.

  “Hey, Reed, pool party this weekend at my house. In or out?” Tyler asks as he brushes past me with his girlfriend, Layla, in tow heading toward their homerooms.

  “Might be there. I gotta check my schedule.” What I mean to say is I gotta check if there is possibly an extra shift I can pick up at work. With the flu going around, I’m getting more hours which means more money. My mom and I need the extra cash since we’re down to one car, and it’s about as nice as a busted up scooter.

  “Addy!” Juliet shouts from behind me. That’s also Layla’s twin sister and current best friend to the girl I’m crushing on. Yes, I know that sounds lame—a guy crushing. Whatevs.

  Juliet whizzes past me as I step up to my locker. Jared, my football team’s QB, pops open his locker which is beside mine and says, “Going to Tyler’s this weekend?
”

  I shrug. “Maybe. You?”

  “Probably not. You know how Juliet and I are. We’re cool just hanging out and watching movies.”

  Jared has that stupid shit-eating grin on his face when he tells me this. The guy literally hasn’t stopped smiling since he got the girl he wanted since elementary school. I’m happy for him, but seriously, he needs to tone it down a notch. Maybe eight.

  “Awesome. Netflix and chilling, eh?” I tease.

  That does it. His smile vanishes, and he growls, “Watch it. It’s not even remotely like that!”

  “Chill, bro.” I snatch my books and shut my locker. “I’m messing with you.”

  He shuts his locker too. “It’s not funny.”

  I snicker. “Well, consider it payback for all you and Tyler’s mom jokes. Asswipe.”

  He grins again. “Touché.”

  “Hey, what’s up with that?” I motion to Greg and Adaline.

  He shakes his head. “Not sure. Why?”

  “No reason.” He and I both know there is one, I’m just not saying it.

  “Right. Well, in any case, you owe me big time for that limo ride from hell. Rachel was way more bitchy than usual, thanks to your Houdini act. Cold move.”

  I scrub my hand down my face. “I know. I’m an asshole. I’ll make it up to you and Tyler, who already chewed me out for it.”

  “It’s your business,” Jared says.

  As if saying her name held a magic spell on it, Rachel appears. I still haven’t apologized in person. On the phone, yes, and she said she was cool. Apparently, that was bull. I guess it hasn’t helped that every time I think about doing it in person, I chicken out. There’s been too much crap on my plate, and this was just another piece of the already effed-up pie. I’m not sure I know how to make this right, and I honestly didn’t think she cared that much. She moves faster than lightning. As usual, I was wrong, which leads us to the awkward moment I’ve been trying to avoid.

  “Austin,” Rachel says right as Adaline looks over at me. Adaline narrows her eyes and walks away with Greg.

  “Rachel, I’m sorry for—” She holds up a hand cutting me off.

  “It’s over. Walk me to homeroom.”

  I don’t want to walk her to homeroom, but I feel like this is the best option. Considering she could have a public meltdown in this hall and cause a huge scene. Yeah, homeroom it is.

  After I drop Rachel off, I go to my homeroom. Tyler is already in his seat, and I groan, “What do you think this shit is all about?”

  Tyler laughs. “I don’t know, probably picking prom queen.”

  Right, that’s coming up soon. Annoyed, I sit beside him. Mr. Crosier doesn’t care where we sit. Hell, he doesn’t even take attendance whenever we have homeroom before first period.

  I pull out a pencil from my bag as the intercom system blares, “All juniors, please report to the gym.”

  Chapter Six

  Adaline

  Assemblies are a death trap for bad body odor, unknown sticky substances on your rear or some other body part, and boring monotone lectures from Principal Briggs. We all get the lucky pleasure of a lecture about not one but two things: prom, which is quickly approaching, and our end of the year junior projects. I would rather be in calculus where I’m supposed to be than listen to this crap. And that’s saying something because calculus and I are not friends.

  I don’t know why we need an assembly for the junior projects. We usually create a group of three to eight people, give Principal Briggs the names of who’s in our group, and he gives our team assignments to us. All done through his office. Guess he’s tired of cramming kids in there, though, and decided to do it in here.

  I scan the gym looking for Juliet. I always do my projects with her and Chase, although I don’t know if Chase would want to be in our group now. We can always add Jared. I just hope they can keep their romance to a minimum. It’s awkward when Jared and Juliet start kissing in front of me.

  Amanda Higgins and Grace Wilder take a seat on each side of me, making a perfume sandwich. My head throbs from the strong body spray scent, but I’d take the headache versus Bobby Shaffer’s bad hygiene any day of the week.

  I finally spot Juliet and wave to her right as Principal Briggs taps the microphone in front of him. “Welcome junior class. As you know, this year is almost over, and soon you will be seniors. The Junior Elites are working with the prom committee in order for you to have a safe and fun night. There will be a pledge promise handout that I urge you all to sign up for. Also, each of you will be handed a dress code policy.” Mr. Briggs smiles as he scans the section of bleachers where we’re all clustered. “Moving on. As you know your end of the year junior projects will be due as well. In the past, we used to let you pick your groups. This year, however, we decided to change things up. Create more of a challenge for you,” Mr. Briggs says into the microphone in the middle of the gym floor.

  I look to the left and the right to see how others are reacting to this because I’m freaking out. This is completely unfair and well, total BS. I need to be with people I can work with. Juliet, Chase, and I did amazing projects, and now Mr. Briggs is about to disrupt our perfect system? All because he wants to challenge us more? Some of us get that enough already. Like it’s a challenge to come home every day and listen to my parents harp on me to pick colleges to visit. Or seeing the guy who broke my heart every day and pretending he meant nothing.

  “When Mrs. Martin calls your name, please come and meet us on stage,” Mr. Briggs says, then he passes the microphone off.

  Mrs. Martin adjusts her jacket and smiles at us. Her dark rim glasses slide a little down her nose. She pushes them back up and reads off the first card given to her.

  I zone out after a few minutes. Then suddenly I hear it. “Adaline Bea Frost?” I wince.

  Grace, who’s still beside me, grimaces. Yeah, be lucky it’s not your name.

  I rise from my seat and make my way down to the stage but almost trip in the process when I notice who’s already up there. Austin. I can’t. It’s bad enough seeing him in the halls or in history class. At least there, I can act like I don’t care. I can ignore him; it’s difficult but manageable. This, though? Oh no.

  My heart cannot take working with him again. Once was enough, and I’m still picking up the pieces. He already fooled me twice. He doesn’t get a third try.

  When I was little Austin and I were neighbors while my parents built their dream house outside of town. My parents wanted to send me to another school, but the thought of not seeing my best friends Chase and Juliet really bummed me out. All right, and not seeing Austin, well, that felt like a dagger to my chest. Little did I know Austin would put one there a few years later. I might have had different reservations.

  I should have known never to let my walls down around Austin again. Especially when he told Mark Whalan in seventh grade he’d never fall for someone like me. I was too much of a bookworm, and my hair smelled bad. It broke my heart to hear his words behind one of the stacks of books in the library. Did I learn though? No. Because this year I worked with Austin on another class project for history. Let’s just say I let him in again, and I got duped.

  Now, I am standing in the middle of the gym floor with him, Rachel Little, Zander Hastins, and Lucas Walker. This is officially the group from hell. I squeeze my eyes shut hoping this is all just a bad dream. I must have passed out during the assembly. That’s it. It has to be a perfume coma.

  “Great. Group C you are together. Here is your project card and also the prom policies,” Mr. Briggs says. I haven’t awakened from the nightmare. Crap. This is real.

  Mr. Briggs hands our assignment off to Zander Hastins along with our prom papers. Not that I care about prom; being dateless, I doubt I’ll go. “Please convene over there.” Mr. Briggs points toward an empty spot under the basketball hoops.

  Zander’s eyes are red-rimmed and glazed over. Not to pigeonhole this, but I cannot believe I am stuck with the two biggest stoner
s in the world, my crush, and the most popular girl in school. Someone in the office must have been laughing their butts off when they put this team together. HA. HA. So funny, jerk, whoever you are.

  I glance over at the other groups and frown. Juliet gives me an awkward half smile from across the room. This is her way of saying cheer up, and it’ll be okay. It’s not okay, though. This flat-out bites the big one.

  An elbow grazes my side. I glare at the person trying to walk next to me and stutter step. It’s Austin. He smirks. “Looks like most of the gang is all together again.”

  My heart instantly cracks. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of not only working with Austin on a history project, but Rachel was a part of it too. I did most of the work, and she got to reap the rewards. I foolishly thought Austin would ask me to the Valentine’s Day dance once our project was over. We were getting close like we were when we were neighbors, but he asked Rachel.

  Once we’re all under the basketball hoop, I say, “May I please see the card?”

  Zander stares off while Lucas nudges him and starts giggling. “Wh-what?” Zander says.

  “Dude, the card in your hand,” Austin snaps.

  Lucas sits down on the gym floor. “Bro, you need to mellow out. It’s not that serious,” Lucas says.

  Zander agrees and takes a seat beside his friend.

  I’m about to have a full-blown meltdown. I can feel it bubbling to the surface. My arms itch like crazy, and my ears are on fire. Rachel beats me to it. She snatches the card and papers from Zander and bellows, “Hell no! This is not happening. Like. At. All.” She shoves the prom papers in my chest.

  Zander cries out, “Ouch. You gave me a papercut, you witch!” as she stomps over to Principal Briggs with our assignment.