Virgin Playbook: Phoebe's First: College Football Sports Romance

by Crystal Chance

  It was Ariana. She, Adam, and a few of Ariana’s girlfriends were going through the line. Every Friday I ate late at night to avoid them, yet they just happened to be having a late night too. I groaned and looked down at my plate hoping not be seen.

  “Why do you care what she wore?” Adam asked. “She seemed nice enough to me.”

  Ariana turned on her heel, rage in her eyes. Even from my lonely place at the corner, I could see that Adam was in deep trouble.

  “Nice enough?” she shouted, balling her fists. “Nice enough? Of course, she seemed nice! She was all over you!”

  “I don’t think she was all over—”

  “She called you cute, Adam! Cute!” she shrieked. “If some guy called me cute, what would you do?”

  He looked around as though the answer was hidden somewhere in the dining hall. Suddenly, being isolated didn’t seem so bad. At least I wasn’t involved in that kind of drama.

  “I didn’t mean anything by it—”

  “Whatever, Adam! If you think she’s so nice, why don’t you go back and be with her?”

  They had a short exchange I couldn’t hear, and then Ariana marched out of the dining hall, abandoning her plate at the salad bar. Several of her friends followed suit leaving Adam alone with his face buried deep in his hands.

  I felt sorry for him.

  Then, the unexpected happened. He started walking towards my table.

  I was convinced he was going to sit down at the table nearest to mine, but he didn’t. He walked right past it and looked at me. My heart pounded in my chest.

  “Can I sit down?”

  Usually, I would lie and say I was waiting for friends. Yet, for some reason, I didn’t. I just nodded.

  “Sure.”

  He sat down and looked at the table. Something was different about him. Melancholy loomed over him.

  “I just freed up some time if you want to work on the project,” he finally said. “I’m uh . . . I’m not going home for Thanksgiving. And I won’t be going to the sorority homecoming dance either, I guess.”

  I furrowed my brow.

  “How’d all this come about?” I asked, genuinely curious.

  He sighed and scratched the back of his head.

  “Well, let’s just say my dad and I had a little disagreement about my performance at the game tonight,” he mumbled. “So I went to a party with Ariana to blow off some steam, and she got into it with some girl there. I guess the girl called me cute or something . . . I don’t know, really.

  “The girl never hit on me, but Ariana seemed to think she did. I don’t like when girls start to get possessive, so I told her we should take a break for a while.” He exhaled a heavy breath, then added, “You probably won’t see me around your dorm too much anymore.”

  “I’m sure you’re still going to the homecoming dance with her, though,” I said, trying to stay positive. “Ariana gets mad for a bit, but she gets over things quickly. I’m sure you two will make up and everything will be all right.”

  He shook his head.

  “She just texted me saying she’s going with her girlfriends now. Honestly, I don’t think I even want to go with her anymore. She’s kind of a lot to handle—especially with all the pressure my dad has been putting on me. He wants me to stay away from girls that distract me from the game, and Ariana is definitely a distraction.”

  I bit my lip. It was hard to tell why I wanted him and Ariana to be broken up, but it certainly did not have to do with the project.

  “Sounds like your dad expects a lot out of you, what’s your his problem?” I asked.

  He chuckled.“Long story.” I raised a curious brow, so he added, “Let’s just say that if I can’t make to a national team, I’ll have failed him as a son,” he shook his head. “I act like an idiot because, well, being smart is frowned upon in my family.”

  “So your dad is banking your entire future on your ability to play football?” I asked, bemusedly. “Sounds like you may be the only one in your family that isn’t an idiot.”

  He nodded.

  “I like playing football, but I always wanted to be an engineer. I wasn’t allowed to major in that, though. Too big of a course load. Dad thought it’d cut into football time. He wants me to give my profs the impression that I’m not smart, so they’ll have lower expectations and not demand as much. That way I can put more time into the game.”

  I frowned. “Your family doesn’t get to choose what you do with your life. You do know that, right?”

  “I know,” he said with a sigh, “but it’s hard to argue when they’re footing the bill. I mean, I got the scholarship for this year, and I had it last year, but as soon as that’s over and done with my dad is gonna be the one to pay for tuition. I know he won’t pay unless I keep doing well in football. Last year I did pretty well, but he’s on my ass even harder this year. My workload is a lot tougher too, so there’s a lot on my plate.”

  I thought for a moment.

  “What about your mom? Can’t she talk some sense into him? You’re still only a sophomore, you can still switch majors.”

  “Yeah. I wish,” he muttered. “Anyway, I have some trig homework to get to. You free to work on the project later? We could maybe get the lab bit done during open lab hours?” He sighed and looked down. “My nights are looking surprisingly free from now on.”

  I was shocked that he wanted to work on it with me.

  “Y-yeah, sure!” I stammered, nervously. “Sounds great.”

  He nodded and left the dining hall. He ate nothing, and when I looked down at my plate, I realized I’d eaten very little too. I had been too fixated on him.

  If only his father didn’t have so much control over him. He could be an excellent guy if he were given the chance.

  I hoped that he and Ariana’s breakup wouldn’t keep him at arm’s length. Secretly, I liked when he visited our dorm.

  7

  We’re Similar, You Know

  Part of me did not expect Adam to show up at the open lab. For that reason, when I got there at ten and he was nowhere to be found, I wasn’t even really surprised. I groaned and decided to get started on the experiment on my own.

  Calculating the allelic frequency was not easy, but the real-world experiment was even harder. Using several small groups of lab rat families, I had to determine which genes were dominant and which were recessive. I also had to determine exactly how often each gene occurred. If the average didn’t match my calculations, I would have to start from scratch.

  I was counting the number of black and white rats when someone interrupted me.

  “Sorry, I’m late.” My heart leaped out of my chest as I turned around. Adam was smiling at me. “My dad called, and I got stuck on the phone for a while,” he added. “He wanted to get my coach’s number so he could check on my progress during practices. Total pain in the ass.”

  I gave him an understanding nod.

  “My mom emails every single one of my professors on a regular basis. She actually used the cookies on my old laptop to use my student login. Now she sees all of my grades. If I slip below an A, it ends in a nasty phone call. Parents, eh?”

  He raised his eyebrows as he leaned down to look at the rats.

  “Wonder what it’d be like to be a rat,” he thought aloud. “Parents can’t tell you to go to football practice or get As or do anything really. Must be nice.”

  I chuckled.

  “Well, we do have one thing in common with rats—and that’s how genes are passed along.”

  Adam glanced sideways at me with a smirk on his lips. “You’re really desperate to get started on this, aren’t you?” he asked, amusedly. “Would that have anything to do with your mom emailing your profs?”

  “Maybe,” I laughed, reaching to pet one of the rats on the back.

  We were silent for a moment.

  “You know, you look beautiful with your hair like that,” he murmured. “You should do it more often.”

  My cheeks became hot.


  “You mean, wear it down?” I asked, nervously. “It’s really not that big of a deal.”

  “It is to me,” he replied, softly. “You look great. I don’t get why Ariana always takes jabs at your looks. You’re gorgeous.”

  I could not believe what I was hearing. Deep down, I wanted to hear it. I wanted to believe it. Yet, he had just broken up with Ariana. Obviously, he was mixed up.

  “Well, thanks,” I mumbled, “but I think we should stick to the assignment.”

  “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” he said in a hurry. “I just was . . . you know.”

  With one brow raised in annoyance, I asked, “Trying to hit on me to get in my pants? Not going to work.”

  “I don’t just want in your pants. I like you. A lot.”

  “And why is that? I’m nothing like Ariana.”

  “And that’s why I like you!” he exclaimed. “You’re so much simpler. And we have so much more in common.”

  I looked down at the floor. I was having a hard time believing that someone like Adam would take any interest in someone like me.

  “Why would you like me, though?”

  He beamed at me. “You’re pretty. You’re smart. You’re not high maintenance. Why wouldn’t I like you?” he asked. “You’re great.”

  My face was crimson.

  “Well thank you, but—”

  He cut me off with a kiss.

  At first, I was confused, so I didn’t reciprocate. I stared at him for a couple of seconds, trying to understand what it was that he was trying to pull. Then, he kissed me again. And I kissed back.

  The kiss was delicious and hot, and I did not expect for it to go as far as it did, but within minutes his hands were running under my blouse and his tongue down my neck. The lights were on. The lab was open. Anyone could walk in.

  “Let me go close the door,” I breathed.

  He pulled away and nodded. I hurried to the door, locked it, and flicked out the lights. Nobody needed to see what we were up to.

  “Dark in here,” he murmured, leaning over to one of the counters. He flicked on a Bunsen burner. “Better.”

  “Kinda like romantic candlelight, right?” I joked, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him again.

  He didn’t answer. His tongue parted my lips as his hands unbuttoned my blue jeans. I wondered if I should stop and tell him that I had never done such a thing before. I had not even let a boy get to second base before, and here I was, getting naked with Adam. It was all out of character for me, yet we kept going. I kicked off my pants, and he set me on top of the rubberized desk.

  “You ready?” he whispered.

  I could see the glow of his face from the Bunsen burner. Between his legs was a worthy erection. I had only seen something like that in the movies. I didn’t know what to expect.

  “Look, before we start—”

  “What do you need?” he asked. “I have condoms in my wallet.”

  With his pants around his ankles, he shuffled to his backpack and started rifling through it. I closed my eyes.

  “Yes, we need those, but there’s another thing . . .”

  He was already putting the condom on when he turned around and raised his brows. I could hardly see him in the dim lighting. For some reason, it was less nerve-wracking that way.

  “What is it?” he asked, pulling me close to him.

  I felt his manhood rub against my thighs. My heart was racing.

  “I-I’m a virgin,” I whispered. “I know, it’s probably silly of me to—”

  “No,” he said, kissing my lips once more. “It’s not silly. We’ll be careful.”

  I smiled up at him. “Promise?”

  He nodded. “I promise.”

  I bit my lip and whispered, “Well, then let’s get to it.”

  Adam smiled against my mouth and rubbed his tip against the entrance of my womanhood. My lips parted as I wrapped my legs around his waist and he slowly pushed himself inside of me.

  “Is that okay?” he asked, slowly moving his hips.

  I nodded. It didn’t hurt like girls had told me it would. In fact, it felt amazing.

  “More than okay, actually,” I murmured, moving my hips towards his.

  “Good,” he whispered, pulling me closer to him. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  My legs tightened around him and I bit my lip hard, stifling a scream of pleasure.

  “You’re not. I-it feels good.”

  “Good,” he breathed. “You ready for a little more?”

  With a nod, he started to move faster. Deeper.

  I could almost feel our souls connecting as he explored my insides. My eyes rolled back into my head as a small moan escaped my lips. As much as I tried to be quiet, I could not hold back. It felt too good.

  “I’m getting—” Adam panted.

  “Me too,” I interrupted.

  His manhood stiffened inside of me as his movements became less and less precise. My breathing hitched as his fingers clutched onto my hips. My body seemed to pulse around him, with him, until I could hold no longer. I let out a deep gasp as my body exploded with the greatest pleasure I ever felt.

  Adam held me and kissed me softly until our breaths returned to normal. Then, he pulled his pants up and went to toss the condom in the biohazard bin.

  “I can’t believe we just did that,” I said, blushing and putting my clothes back on. “We should—we should probably get something done with our project . . .”

  “You lose your virginity, and you want to work on a science project?” he asked, amusedly. “You really are dedicated.”

  “Shut up,” I joked giggling. “We just said we were going to finish tonight—”

  “Well technically, we did finish,” he chuckled, re-buttoning his pants.

  I rolled my eyes, though I did appreciate how lighthearted he was. It made the situation feel a lot less awkward.

  “I didn’t think I’d like you,” I mumbled.

  He shrugged. “I’m just a likable guy,” he said with a grin.

  “And I’m not so likable. How can we ever work?”

  “Hey, give yourself more credit,” he replied, wrapping an arm around me. “You are likable. You are to me, anyways.”

  I blushed. It had been a long time since a boy was interested in me.

  “Well, thank you. Let’s uh—let’s call it a night. We’ll find time to finish the project later,” I said, closing my book. “It’s been a pretty eventful evening already.”

  He nodded. “How about tomorrow? I’m off practice at seven.”

  “It’s a date.”

  “You want a ride back to your dorm?” he asked.

  I raised my eyebrows not expecting such an offer. Maybe Adam was more of a gentleman than I thought.

  “Well, sure. Thank you. But, just to the curb. I don’t want Ariana seeing us together.”

  He laughed and pulled his backpack over his shoulder. “Who cares what Ariana thinks?”

  “I do. Don’t forget, I still have to live with her.”

  8

  Sleep in the Lobby

  When Adam pulled up to the curb in front of Stratfordshire Hall, my insides were in knots. I could not believe what we had just done in the open lab.

  “I’ll walk you to your dorm if you want,” Adam suggested.

  “That’d be nice and all, but I don’t want Ariana to—”

  “To what? Tell me who I can and can’t hang out with?” he asked, then smiled at me. “Don’t worry about Ariana. I think she has a sorority thing tonight, anyway.”

  He was right. I recalled her talking about a sorority mixer, which would likely keep her out late. Perhaps Adam had a point. There was no reason to tiptoe around Ariana. Besides, she was never around to catch us in the act, anyway.

  “Okay, fine,” I agreed. “Only for a few minutes, though. And don’t park your car right in front!”

  He rolled his eyes but drove around the roundabout all the way to the student parking lot on
the hill. I leaned against the side of the dorm hall and waited for him to come back. There was a sinking feeling deep down in my gut saying he wasn’t going to return at all. I still did not understand why he was interested in me—not when there were girls like Ariana batting their eyelashes at him.

  “Hopefully, I don’t get towed!” he shouted as he came over the hill.

  My heart settled as soon as I saw him. He was serious about me. Weird.

  I led him into the hall, where I had to sign him in as a guest since he wasn’t a resident. It was the first time I’d ever signed anyone in at the front desk.

  Riding the elevator up to my floor was a little awkward. I rocked on my heels, my heart pounding in my chest and my palms sweating. Adam, however, was playing it as cool as could be. I wondered how everything came so easily to him. He was a social butterfly, and I was a social reject. We made no sense together.

  Finally, the elevator dinged, and I led him towards my room. I unlocked it and, to my relief, Ariana was still gone. There was a note on our whiteboard telling me I shouldn’t expect her until midnight. It was only ten.

  “Looks like we have a couple hours,” I noted, locking the door behind me.

  Adam sat on my bed rather than Ariana’s. Seeing him there made me finally understand the severity of the situation. I closed my eyes and shook my head.

  “You seem tense,” he murmured. “Come here. Sit down. Relax.”

  I took a deep breath that did nothing to dissipate the tension I felt and nodded as I walked to sit next to him He laughed and shook his head.

  “You’re still tense.”

  “I’m sorry. I can’t help it,” I confessed with a sigh. “Ariana and I already have a hard time getting along, I don’t want to give her another reason to hate me.”

  He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and kissed my cheek. I felt my face become hot again.

  “You worry about Ariana too much. She’ll be over me within the week.”

  “That’s not the point, though,” I muttered. “The point is that if she finds us—”