“He’s so fucking hot.”
She looks at the new guy.
“He’s fine all right,” she shrugs. “But what’s the difference? He’s just one more football player your dad will forbid you to date, and scare away if he tries.”
“Maybe he won’t make the team,” I say hopefully. “Then I won’t have to be teased all season long by what I can never have.”
“Don’t hold your breath,” she replies. “I know you still don’t know or care a lick about football, but I watched him during the scrimmage and he’s probably better than most of the seniors on the team.”
“Great.”
Just my luck.
But I’m determined not to let my dad ruin this for me. I sneak a quick glance back in the new guy’s direction, and I’m pleased to see that I’ve had an effect on him. It’s clear that he can’t stop looking at me, either.
“Ready? Let’s go!” I command, forcing myself to join reality again, and the team kicks off our routine.
One, two, three, one, two, three… I count in my head like a newbie myself, afraid to mess up the steps. Even though I know this routine so well, I’m not used to performing in front of a handsome, mysterious stranger.
I make it all the way through the routine without screwing anything up too badly. But then I just kind of stand around, dumbfounded, as the new player and Christian walk in my general direction.
It looks like he might actually come over and talk to me, which is exactly what I was hoping for. But it appears that I’m suddenly unable to do anything but freeze.
Taylor elbows me and then speaks into the bullhorn on my behalf.
“I hope you were paying attention, ladies,” she says, to the scared looking girls huddled in front of us. “Because that’s the routine you’re expected to have mastered by tomorrow, if you want to have any chance of making the team.”
“Thanks,” I whisper to her, grateful that she stepped in to say something since my vocal chords don’t seem to work.
Taylor has helped me lead the squad, and even though I do most of the choreography and training, she always steps in to help out with anything I need. Just like she does with everything else in my life.
“Get your head out of La-La Land,” she snaps at me. “Tryouts for this year’s team are a lot more important than some guy you’re not going to be able to be with anyway.”
I must really be spacing out, if Taylor is this mad at me.
And I know she’s right. This isn’t even like me. I didn’t get to where I am by being obsessed with boys. Instead, I’m usually focused and determined on the task at hand.
But right now I can’t help but continue to stare at those abs and those eyes on that new guy. I hope he’s really going to approach me, even with my dad so close.
At the last minute, though, Christian says something to him and they make a beeline for the science building, and I realize he’s not coming over to talk to me after all. Maybe it was all just wishful thinking.
But then he turns around and looks at me one more time, before sauntering off into the sunset with Christian.
I wonder what Christian said to him. He’d hit on me last year kind of relentlessly. I kept using the excuse that my dad doesn’t let me date football players, and, as often happens, I was glad to have an alibi. Because really he just isn’t my type.
He finally got the hint and he’s cordial enough to me now. But maybe he told the new guy I’m stuck up or something. I get that reaction sometimes from guys I’m not interested in.
I pout about the fact that the new guy didn’t come talk to me, but I know that Taylor’s right. Or at least, she would be, except that this time I’m determined to have things turn out differently.
Because that new football player is one of the hottest guys I’ve ever seen and I’m not about to let my father ruin things for me.
Chapter 4 – Chelsea
After practice, Taylor and I each head off to our different classes. She’s a literature major whereas I’m more of a science nerd. After class we meet up to go to lunch together as we almost always do.
“My Greek myths class was so boring,” she says, untying her ponytail holder and letting her thick, brown hair flow loose. “And I’m starving.”
“Me too,” I agree. “But first I have to stop by my dad’s office.”
“Why?” Taylor groans, scrunching up her nose.
She and my dad get along well enough, but she knows that he and I are prone to fight, and she likes to stay away from the conflict if she can help it.
“Because I know he’s there strategizing for the next game,” I tell her, feeling sorry for my dad for having a losing team when he always works so hard to make them better.
Calton isn’t a strong division school for football so it just doesn’t attract the good players. It’s not his fault, but he takes it personally.
“And I have to ask him about the party.”
“Oh yeah,” Taylor says. “But can’t you do that later, maybe? Like, at home?”
I just roll my eyes and keep walking towards my dad’s office. I know he likes Taylor and thinks she’s a good influence on me. So I want her there with me.
It’s ironic, because she didn’t grow up with such a strict father like him— in fact, her dad left when she was young, leaving her mother to raise her. Her mom was busy working to provide for Taylor and her siblings as a single parent, so she wasn’t around to be as over-protective as my dad was. I have a brother, but it’s different with daughters.
As a result, Taylor is much more experienced with guys and with life in general than I am, but my dad still thinks I’m the bad one and she’s the good one. It works for me in times such as these, though, so I just go with it.
When we arrive at my dad’s office, I put on my best “Daddy, please” face before asking him my pressing question.
“Hi girls,” he says, looking up from a playbook.
Then, he looks at the clock with a worried face. “Don’t you have class?”
“No, Dad,” I tell him reassuringly. “That was last semester. We have lunch first now.”
“Oh okay.”
His face relaxes, which makes me hopeful. I blurt out my question, before I get too afraid to ask him.
“Dad, Taylor and I would like to know if we can use the lake house for a little congratulatory party for the squad, after our competition next weekend.”
“A party?” he asks, and I can tell he’s about to say no right away.
“Chelsea doesn’t really mean ‘party party,’” Taylor jumps in, saving me. “Just a small get together to celebrate the kick-off of the new season.”
My dad squints an eye at us, not overly impressed.
“It’s also a getting to know you party for the new recruits,” Taylor quickly adds, and I wish I could give her a kiss on the cheek. She always knows just what to say to get him to give in. “We thought some bonding time would be nice.”
“I see.”
My dad sighs. He shoots me that look that says he’s about to give in to me even though he doesn’t really want to.
Yes.
I love my dad, and being Daddy’s little girl can definitely have its advantages, even though I wish he weren’t so overly protective of me all the time. I’m glad he’s been here for me after Mom passed away. It was the hardest thing that either of us have ever gone through, so at least we have each other.
“I suppose it’ll be all right,” he says. “On the condition that none of my players are present, of course.”
“Of course,” Taylor instantly confirms, and I flash back to memories of middle school, when we’d cross our fingers behind our backs during times such as these.
“That’s good,” Dad continues. “And don’t try to pull one over on me, because I’ll be on the other side of the lake at my usual fishing spot, so I plan on dropping by.”
“Sure, Daddy,” I say, leaning over his desk to give him a peck on the cheek. “Thank you! I can’t believe you said yes. Last year you
said no.”
“But I told you to ask me again this year, didn’t I?”
“Yes.”
“Look, Sweetheart,” my dad says, leaning back in his chair and looking at me as if he’s not sure he wants to say anything further. “I know you’ve grown up a lot and that I can trust you. I’m proud of you.”
“Really?” I ask, suddenly feeling guilty for knowing that I want to invite the new player to this party, against my dad’s rules.
“Really. You’ve been through alot and you just keep keeping on. That takes real determination. I know how hard you’ve worked to get your team to this point.”
I nod.
“I’m glad that at least you realize that, Dad. Lots of people think cheerleaders are ditzy and shallow. But it’s a tough sport.”
“I know it is, honey. I’ve seen the long hours you put into planning and choreographing the routines. I know you and Taylor are good leaders of the squad. So I think you deserve a celebratory party. And I wish you all the best in this upcoming year. You too Taylor, of course.”
“Awww, thanks Dad,” I tell him.
Taylor chimes in with her thanks as well. I try to choke back tears. My dad isn’t usually the sentimental type, and what he said means a lot to me.
Taylor saves me once again by saying, “Well Mr. Thompson, we’d better get to lunch so we’ll be on time for class.”
“Have a good afternoon, Taylor,” he says, returning to his studies of the playbook. “You too, Sweetie.”
I’m torn between a confusing mix of feelings. I’m grateful for my dad’s kind words, but I’m also really excited to invite the new football player to the party my dad has forbidden him to attend.
I don’t know whether it’s the secrecy that’s causing my rush of adrenaline, or the thought of seeing the new guy again. I just know that I need to get that accomplished as soon as I possibly can, for the sake of my mental health. Because he’s all I can think about and it’s driving me crazy.
Chapter 5 – Chelsea
As we head to the cafeteria, I tell Taylor, “Oh my god, I feel bad for totally playing my dad… especially when he got all sweet and nice about me.”
Taylor says, “Well, he’s hiding stuff of his own, you know, so I guess it’s even.”
“Really?” I ask.
“Oh come on. He was totally bullshitting about dropping by the lake house to check up on us. I already know that he and my mom have plans for this weekend.”
I don’t say anything at first, so she looks at me and asks, “Didn’t you know that too?”
“Oh yeah, I know,” I lie, laughing. “He must think we’re so oblivious.”
It’s been painfully obvious that my dad and Taylor’s mom have been spending an awful lot of time together recently. It’s kind of weird, since Taylor and I have been friends since grade school and more or less grew up together.
But then again, it makes sense, with both of them having been lonely single parents for so long, and in a way I’m surprised it hasn’t happened sooner. I guess they were waiting until Taylor and I were both off to college to start flirting and dating and hooking up.
They probably weren’t expecting that we’d both still live at home, but they did want us to go to Calton University. Of course my dad thinks it’s the best school in the world. And college tuition has jumped up so much that it’s much cheaper to stay put and save money on room and board.
I only got a partial scholarship at Calton and Dad said he’d pay for the rest of my tuition and that I could just keep living at home. Although I’d always imagined Taylor and I going off to a larger and further away city for college, this arrangement seemed to make the most sense.
I hate having to abide by my dad’s super strict rules. But it definitely works financially. And I didn’t want to leave my dad grieving for my mom alone. When I’m honest, I know I didn’t want to be grieving for her alone without him, either.
Now that Taylor and I are at least out of high school, I guess my dad and her mom figure it’s safe to hook up now and then without being a bad influence on us. It couldn’t be that they were so busy raising us that they never had the chance to worry about their dating lives until now, because that’s not true for either one of them.
My dad, being the football coach and in good shape for his age, has been pretty sought after and has never had a problem finding a date or a string of casual girlfriends. But he’s told me that no one has ever come close to my mom. He isn’t interested in looking for a replacement because that’s just not possible.
Although it’s a little weird that his current fling is my best friend’s mom, it makes sense that in such a small city they might eventually get around to going out on some dates together. And it also has its perks. Taylor and I know when they’re distracted spending time with each other, and therefore when my dad is less likely to be breathing down my neck.
But I didn’t know they were getting together this weekend. I’m kind of bummed that Taylor knew and I didn’t. I don’t know why my dad wouldn’t just tell me.
“It’s so gross to think of our parents getting it on,” I tell her, to lighten the moment.
“I know! Ewww!” she says. “But it’s clear they also really like each other, and I’m glad my mom is so happy.”
I want to stop in my tracks, but I don’t.
I just say, “Taylor, you know how my dad is. This week it’s this woman, next week it’s another…”
“Thanks for trying to warn me,” she laughs. “But my mom’s a big girl. And she’s not much different from your dad.”
I nod, knowing it’s true. Taylor’s mom is still hot. I’m kind of surprised my dad hadn’t hooked up with her earlier, even with the limiting factor of their daughters being best friends.
“Yeah,” I say. “They’ll get tired of each other’s ways after a while but at least it’ll be fun while it lasts.”
“I think they’ve been seeing each other for longer than their normal track records,” Taylor says, shaking her head as if what I’m saying isn’t making sense. “And it seems to me they’re actually kind of into each other.”
Poor Taylor. Always wanting a father figure. She’s already had my dad to fill that role to some extent, but now she’s clearly trying to project it even further.
I don’t want to crush her hopes and usually it’s her giving me life advice so I wouldn’t know what to say in terms of lowering her expectations even if I wanted to. I decide to just change the subject.
“Well, I’m glad my dad is in a good mood because I’m so glad he said yes to us having the party,” I say, as Taylor and I walk into the cafeteria.
My attention turns away from the conversation. I’m thinking about inviting the new football player to the party, and wondering whether he’ll come, when I see that he’s here eating with Christian.
“Oh my god,” I say, catching my breath.
Taylor follows my line of vision and says, “Uh oh. This can only mean trouble.”
“I’m going over to him,” I tell her, surprised at my newfound boldness.
“Chelsea! Do you really think that’s a good idea…?”
But I’m already walking over to him, and she’s following me. And he’s looking at me, in a way that lets me know he’s happy to see me.
In fact, his look lets me know he wants to do more than see me.
And I’m beginning to think I might just let him.
Chapter 6 – Chelsea
“Hi Christian,” I say, as if I came over to talk to him, even though he and I don’t have the best history.
I’ve always thought he was kind of spineless and weasel-like for some reason, even before he hit on me and I had to turn him down. Although we still talk to each other when we see each other in classes or at games, I obviously wouldn’t be coming to talk to him if I didn’t have to invest some pretext to talk to the new guy who is sitting with him.
“I was just coming over to…”
“Hey there,” says the new guy, re
aching out a hand for me to shake.
I like the way he makes the first move, even if he was too chicken shit to come over to me on the field.
“Wesley Reynolds,” he says, as I shake his strong hand. “Transfer student.”
I just stare into his dark brown eyes, forgetting why I even came over, other than to look at them.
“We came to meet the new guy,” Taylor says, to Christian, lightly poking my side with her elbow. “The cheerleader welcoming committee.”
Oh yeah.
Good ole Taylor.
“Chelsea Thompson,” I say, unable to hold back some light laughter. “Sophomore.”
“And I’m Taylor Hudson,” Taylor adds.
Wesley shakes her hand next, but I notice it’s with a less enthusiastic grip.
“We’ve actually come to invite you to a party,” I say.
Taylor elbows me again, but not as nicely, this time.
“A party already?” Christian jokes. “Aren’t you even going to pick the new cheerleaders first?”
“Oh, they’ll be chosen by then,” I say. “The party is this weekend, and it’s in part to welcome the latest cheerleaders. It’s at my dad’s lake house.”
“Nice,” Christian says. He raises his eyebrows at Wesley. “I’ve heard about the cheerleaders’ parties, and that they’re a lot of fun.”
I ignore the bitter tone in his voice, which reeks of offense at never having been invited to one himself.
“But they’re usually not at the coach’s lake house. And football players are usually banned,” Christian continues. “Due to, as I’ve already warned you, Coach Thompson’s strict rules against anyone on the team fraternizing too much with his daughter…”
So that’s why Wesley hadn’t come over to me on the field. Christian had already let him in on my dad’s rule. Although my dad may have already told Wesley himself. He tends to make quite the production out of announcing it.
“You’re not banned this year,” I quickly blurt out, wanting him to shut up already. He didn’t have to keep rubbing salt in the wound. “You’re both invited.”
Out of Line: A Bad Boy Stepbrother Romance Page 16