I got everyone's praise when I told the team that I got to school early every day this week and gave Teague his favourite caffeinated drink, a spiced chai latte, when he got out of morning practice.
“That's really awesome, Aubrey! But since tomorrow's game night, will you step it up a little to tell Teague that he’s special and you're rooting for him?”
Margaux is really intense where the rally girl role is concerned.
I think about it: how can I ramp it up?
And then I have a great idea:
“I’m gonna go early tomorrow morning and bring him breakfast with his latte to have after practice. I know he loves biscuits with bacon and cheese, it was in the info pack you gave me.”
Yeah, Margaux takes it so seriously, that she compiled an info pack for each player with a list of likes and dislikes, that we can use to cheer our player.
“That's totally awesome but is it special enough? I think stuff like that is for normal days. Days like tomorrow require a definite step up.”
I’m confused.
“Ok, sorry I’m new to this stuff. At Aylesbury I wasn't cheering and before that, my school in Hong Kong didn't even have a cheer team.”
Margaux nods and smiles brightly.
“Rachel, Macy and I are giving our players a blowjob.”
I choke on my water: did I hear her right?
“A—”
She beams.
“Hey, if you wanna do that too, I’ll speak to Knox. I’ll tell him you're only doing it for team spirit. I’m sure he’ll be all right.”
I don't know if Knox would be all right or not: sure, he said that we’re only getting to know each other and the kiss with Landon didn't piss him off but I’d say that a blowjob is a different matter.
Plus, regardless of the fact that I’m going out with Knox again on Saturday, I’ve never given a blowjob to anyone, not even Devon.
I really like Teague and after that dream I’ve had about him, I always feel butterflies in my stomach every time he looks at me.
But giving him a blowjob?
Definitely not just to say: ‘hey you're awesome, I hope you play a fantastic game tonight’.
Something like that would be for someone really special, someone who matters in a different way than just as a football player.
I could've done that with Devon, back at the beach ...
I’m lost in my thoughts and I barely notice that the meeting is over and everyone is leaving.
As I start to collect my things, Margaux’s the only one left and she's observing me quietly.
When she doesn't say anything, I do my usual: I start babbling to fill an uncomfortable silence.
“Look, Margaux, I don't think a blowjob is what I wanna give Teague—”
She smiles.
“It's totally fine, sweetie. You give him his breakfast tomorrow and if he wants more, I’m sure he'll let you know. Just if you decide to blow him, let Knox know. I know he likes you.”
Does she even hear herself?
Is she just telling me to inform her brother, who I'm hanging out with, if I decide to go down on another guy?
“Uhm, sure. I like Knox too.”
Margaux hugs me with a little squeal.
“Aww, you're fucking adorable! If you and Knox became an item, we’d be practically sisters!”
I guess Margaux is sweet in her ‘plastic’ kind of way.
She gives off a mean girl vibe but she isn't so bad after all.
“I just wanted to ask you something, Aubrey. Since we're almost sisters and all ...”
“Sure.”
“But I want you to be honest with me ok?”
I nod.
“What's going on between you and Devon? Do you like him?”
I open my mouth to say something but she speaks first.
“Please, don't even try to deny it. I’m not stupid. I saw how he looks at you even if he thinks he's being subtle about it. I saw how he came after you at the party when you walked away from Knox and Landon having a go at each other. And the other day when you were in the locker room together? I like Devon but if you two are fucking and it's not just fucking, I don't wanna look like a total fool.”
I sigh.
This is hard. I know I don't owe Margaux anything, we are little more than acquaintances and I promised Devon not to tell anyone how we met, however I can't really lie my way out of this one.
So I choose not to reveal the whole story but I tell her that I met Devon on vacation.
“We had a ‘thing’ but we had no idea that we were transferring to the same school. There's nothing else between us.”
And I believe it when I say it because despite the way Devon behaved in the last couple of days, I don't like his hot and cold attitude.
I can't take not knowing if next time I see him, he's gonna be sweet or indifferent.
Plus, I believe that all Devon wanted in the summer, was to get laid.
I gave him what he wanted and now he's moved on.
“So did you two bone?”
I look away from her pale blue eyes and say that we did.
“Only once. Look, we're not dating or anything.”
She smiles.
“Thank you, Aubrey. You're a real friend.”
“Sure thing.”
THE MORNING AFTER, I’m waiting outside the locker room for Teague: I’ve got his chai latte for him and a few warm cheese and bacon biscuits.
His hair’s just a bit damp from the shower and when he sees me in my cheerleader uniform, he smiles.
It's not his usual little knowing smirk, it's a full on smile that reaches his eyes.
Teague is a very attractive guy: at least six foot three, lean but extremely well built.
He has broad shoulders and I know how defined his chest and abs are from the first day of school, when we got splashed by a car running through a puddle and he took his shirt off in the bathroom.
“So? Aubrey?”
Teague must've been talking to me and I was too distracted to listen because I was thinking about his naked torso.
I know I’m blushing when he tilts his head with an amused smile, as if he knew what I was thinking about.
But it's impossible, right? He couldn't possibly read my mind.
“Sorry, Teague. I was a little distracted. What did you say?”
“I said that you're an amazing rally girl, thank you for the chai lattes and for breakfast. Obviously, I’d like it very much if we ate this together? We have about half an hour before home room.”
I nod and smile: I got up early to get ready and get his breakfast in time to get here for a quarter past seven and I didn't have time to eat anything.
“Of course.”
When I agree to have breakfast together, he smiles wider and says that there's something else that he’d like and would absolutely help him play at his best tonight.
“What is it? Is it something special for lunch?”
He shakes his head, his blonde hair catching the light from the fluorescent neons overhead.
Before he can say anything, Landon and Knox walk past us trailed closely by Macy and Rachel.
I think straight away about their intention to give their players a blowjob as an encouragement for tonight's game and my stomach churns with a painful pang.
Neither of them owes me anything and I know that my feelings are all over the place, because I like them both.
Like I like Teague and Devon.
And I blame my confused feelings on Devon: if he hadn't been a total asshole, we’d be dating and I wouldn't even think about looking at another guy.
Or would I?
I can't help but think about Abi and Ayla and how they're both dating more than one man and how happy they all are.
But their situation is not the norm and their guys are close friends, almost brothers, while the guys I like barely acknowledge each other outside of school and the football team.
I divert my gaze from Landon and Knox and ask
Teague what’s this special encouragement he was talking about.
He grabs my hand and starts walking towards the small football field the team uses for training.
This one has just a few rows of bleachers and it isn't made for the big Friday night games.
It used to be the field we played our games on until a few years ago, when academy decided to pursue qualifications to the state championship and began to give football a prominent place among the school’s sanctioned activities.
That’s when they built a huge football stadium a few miles away and the rally girl tradition began.
But for every day training, the team uses the small field within campus grounds.
Teague places his latte and the paper bag with his breakfast on the dividing wall between the playing field and the first row of bleachers and turns his dark blue gaze on me.
“What would make me feel lucky and play at my best tonight would be if you kissed me.”
This comes as a surprise.
“Me?”
He chuckles softly.
“Yeah, you. I’ve been wanting to kiss you since the first day of school, in the girls’ bathroom.”
I don't say anything, considering that I wanna kiss him too.
I can't help but think about Knox for an instant but like he didn't mind me kissing Landon at the party while we’re only getting to know each other, I don't think he’d have a problem with this.
After all, I’m Teague's rally girl.
And then I think about Macy and Rachel’s plan to give their players a blowjob.
Please God, don't let them accept a blowjob!
If they do, I don't think I wanna get to know either of them better.
But this isn't the time to think about them, not when Teague is looking at me with obvious desire in his eyes.
“Ok. I’ll kiss you. But Teague ...”
“Yes, princess?”
“I’m not kissing you because I’m your rally girl.”
He tilts his head, interrogatively.
“No?”
“No. I’m kissing you because I want to.”
His smile disappears from his lips and he looks suddenly extremely serious.
“Good. I didn't ask you because you're my rally girl. That was just my cover story if you’d said no. I asked you because I like you.”
He whispers that with his eyes intent on mine and before I have any chance to say anything, his big, warm hand cups the side of my face and his lips touch mine.
It's a soft kiss at first: his lips move slowly against mine, as if he is trying to figure me out.
When I respond to his kiss by moving my lips against his too, he increases the pressure.
What makes me open my mouth to his kiss isn't his tongue demanding access but the way he uses his lips, nibbling softly at mine to get me to part for him.
And that's when I lose track of time and space and of anything else that isn't Teague and I, and our soft exploration of each other.
He strokes my tongue with his in a confident and gentle way but at the same time, the way he moves his lips against mine is so hot that I feel dizzy.
Each time his tongue touches mine, his lips almost nibble on mine, like you’d eat a soft serve ice cream.
I love the way I feel his lips and his tongue and when I hug his neck and our chests touch, he takes my bottom lip in his mouth sucking on it and grazing it softly with his teeth.
That makes me feel as if I could melt against him and we keep kissing until the first bell tells us that we need to run unless we wanna be late for class.
IT'S A STRANGE DAY at school today: I wonder if every game day will be the same.
There's a palpable excitement in the air, even the teachers mention the game more than once.
At lunch time, in the cafeteria there's an endless procession of students stopping at the football team table to wish the players good luck.
I feel a little nervous about our cheer routines: it’ll be the first time I perform them in front of a large audience and I can't help but wish that Abi were here to give me courage.
My nerves aren't eased by the heated glances I keep getting from Teague: obviously I’m not the only one that can't forget the kisses we shared this morning.
Ever since I had that dream about him, I’ve been imagining how it would feel to kiss him and I wasn't disappointed.
I’m picking at my pasta salad when Macy and Rachel sit next to me and they both keep throwing annoyed glares at the football team table.
This is when Margaux arrives and sits right by my side, picking at a rather sad looking salad.
I seem to be the only one eating and the other girls are staring at me, so I stop with the fork suspended in mid-air on the way to my mouth and ask them if they're all right.
“Not really! I suspected that Landon liked you after last week’s party but I’m still surprised that he refused a blowjob. I think I’ll either ask for a different player or I might borrow Knox. I know he normally doesn't sleep with a girl more than once but blowjobs don't count!”
I’m about to ask what's the point of blowing a guy who isn't into you when Margaux intervenes.
“Look, Mace, my brother is a lost cause. He really doesn't do relationships, so you and Rachel are wasting your time. See what Coach Benson can do, the third string players normally don't get their own rally girl, we’re all supposed to cheer them on. Maybe you’ll have more luck. The whole fucking point of hooking up with the players is to eventually get to date one. If one’s not interested and my brother’s a twunt (twat + cunt) when it comes to dating, then you need to cut your losses and find someone worthy of your time.”
Rachel complains.
“Yeah, I’ve always known that he doesn't date but when I offered to go down on him this morning after practice, he said ‘no thanks’. You say that he doesn't date but I saw him look at Aubrey all the fucking time. And he took her to the party ...”
Margaux shrugs.
“Just find someone else, for fuck’s sake! Desperation isn't attractive, ya know?”
Macy narrows her eyes at our cheer captain.
“Really? Does that fucking smug attitude mean that QB1 hasn't turned you down?”
She winks in my direction.
“Of course not! No one’s ever turned me down!”
Her words ring in my ears all afternoon, until it's time to get out on the field and cheer our team.
Most of the girls are already warming up on the field but I’m still in our locker room, trying to calm my jittery nerves and to stop thinking about Margaux blowing Devon.
I’m so jealous that I feel sick to my stomach but after the way Devon’s been acting, I’m not surprised that he’s hooking up with someone else.
All his problems, that he won't reveal, aren't an excuse for the way he's been acting towards me.
So I should do myself a favour and forget about him.
“Hey, Aubrey! I need your help!”
And speaking about the devil, Margaux’s head peeks into the locker room.
I follow her outside and she gives me a cooler full of ice and packed with sports drinks.
Macy and Rachel are each carrying identical ones and so is Margaux.
“The guys have already been warming up and it's still so hot outside that they’ll appreciate a drink. Aubrey, please make sure that you give Devon, Teague, and Landon the sugar free lemon ones. They all indicated that they're their favourites and there were only those three when we went shopping. Come on girls! Let's go win this game!”
The guys accept the drinks gratefully: Teague gives me one of his knee weakening winks, Landon kisses my cheek and Devon takes my hand and squeezes it briefly, with his eyes fixed onto mine.
The game is an absolute massacre: the other team is literally obliterated by BHPA and the crowd is especially crazy about Devon.
Our QB1 is unstoppable and throws with stunning precision.
But Teague and Landon are also amazing, fast and always in
the right place at the right time.
I know the guys haven't been playing with Devon for long but you’d never guess by looking at their dynamic on the field.
At the end of the game, the cheer team is first on the school bus that will take us to Principal McArthur’s house for the traditional first victory bonfire.
We’re all surprised that the football team has taken longer than us to shower and change, especially when we wait for almost an hour.
When they finally arrive on the bus, Mrs Stubbs asks Coach Benson what took them so long.
The coach shrugs.
“Both teams got drug tested. Apparently the league is tightening up on doping after some allegations that our opponents last year had used steroids to enhance their performance. But, nothing to worry about, we keep a close eye on our boys. Come on team! Let's go party!”
6.
Chances
Landon
THERE'S NOTHING LIKE having to pee in a cup to put a fucking dampener on a victory!
But whatever!
I’ve never as much as taken an aspirin on game day, because mostly I’ve got so much adrenaline coursing through my body, that it feels like nothing can touch me.
And tonight on the field I was feeling especially excited because I knew that she was there.
I felt Aubrey's eyes on me the whole time and I wanted to show her that I’m as good a player as Teague.
I know my friend likes her, we’ve talked about it after last week’s party.
If anything, I’d have expected to see Knox really pissed off about what I did at the party but he hasn't really said much to me other than that he thought that kissing Aubrey while she was on a date with him was disrespectful.
And I agree, it was a bit of a shitty move on my part.
But I couldn't resist: the moment I noticed Aubrey sitting in the auditorium on the first day of school, when she blurted out that ‘fuck me’, I liked her.
I liked her like I’ve never liked any girl before.
It obviously wasn’t in love, you can't ‘love’ someone you just see for the first time, but I thought she looked so beautiful and her voice had a warmth that made my heart beat faster.
The Retribution: A High School Light Bully Romance (Beverly Hills Prep Academy Book 3) Page 7