Changing Lanes (Lake Park University Book 1)

by Christina Escue

  “I can’t believe you still have that ball,” he says, and I turn to look at him.

  “I will never get rid of it. I had it plugged and drilled for me, but I rarely use it outside of practice. I always have it with me though.”

  “What’s so special about that ball?” Xander asks and I look up at him for a second before I straighten and walk to the rack. After I sit it down, I answer him.

  “It was my sister’s,” I tell him, and Rico’s face softens.

  “It was Gav’s favorite ball,” Rico tells them. “She would not bowl without it.”

  “Like I said, I always have it with me,” I tell them and shrug. “Are we going to practice, or stare at my balls all afternoon?”

  “Let’s bowl,” Rico says, and I silently thank him. Gav’s Motiv Tribal is the ball I rolled my second three hundred with, and I will never part with it. “Gray,” Rico says softly and lays a hand on my shoulder.

  “Yeah?” I ask, looking up at him.

  “Show them what you can do,” he says then winks at me before turning and walking to the approach.

  He takes his shot, another strike, then winks at me again before walking over to the snack bar.

  I take a deep breath and grab Gav’s Tribal. I need something with an edge, and this ball is exactly what I need.

  I roll a smooth strike and turn to see Rico watching me. He’s grinning, but there’s something in his eyes that catches my attention. I recognize that look, and it makes me grin. He wants to beat me, and he’s letting me know he isn’t going to take it easy on me.

  Good, I don’t want any of them to take it easy on me. I’m competitive, and if any of them were to let me win, I’d be pissed. Rico knows that, and he’s going to make this a solid win for me. Because I am going to win.

  I turn away from him and focus on the lanes again. Ryder misses his strike by a long shot, but cleans up his baby split, and Xander, who is still throwing half a board off, misses his strike, and leaves bed posts, a seven ten split. I can tell he’s pissed, but I’d tried telling him how to clean up his throw. It’s not my fault he didn’t listen.

  “Here,” I hear Rico say from behind me. I look over my shoulder and see him holding out a bottle of water.

  “Thank you,” I smile at him and he winks at me before he sits his own drink down and saunters over to the rack. He’s sticking with his Golden Jackal for now, and I’m glad.

  As he rolls, I look over to the other lanes to see what’s going on. Joy, Micah, Brennon, Nadia, Jaylen, and Westin are all just as focused as we are, but their mood seems lighter, friendlier, than the one over here. I’m not sure how, but I think I pissed Xander off when I offered him advice.

  “Damnit,” I hear Rico nearly growl out and look up to see the ten pin rocking back and forth on the lane. As a right handed bowler the ten pin is his hardest spare to get, but he rarely misses it. He picks up his spare with ease, but I can tell his rhythm is off now.

  “Focus,” I whisper to him as I walk past him and grab my Tribal. Rico will let one bad frame throw off his entire game if he gets inside his head.

  I inhale and exhale slowly then close my eyes. I run through my approach and release in my head then open my eyes and do it for real. Another smooth strike.

  “You’re an amazing bowler,” Westin says from beside me. “I know the others are super competitive, and I am too, but I won’t let the competition between us during practice get in the way of friendships and I’m sure no one else will, either.”

  “Pretty sure Xander will,” I respond and look up as he approaches the lane. He’s scowling, and I don’t understand why. “Pretty sure he won’t handle being beaten by a girl well.”

  “His problem, not yours,” Westin says, and I look at him.

  “I know, but I really don’t like upsetting people.”

  “Neither do I, but sometimes in life it’s unavoidable, and out of your control. If someone gets upset because you’re better at something than they are, that’s on them, not you.”

  “You’re right,” I respond with a smile.

  “I’m up, but remember what I said,” he says then walks away. He and I haven’t spoken much until just now, but I think we are going to get along quite well.

  The rest of the game passes quickly, and I end up with a two ninety, the highest score of the team, and everyone aside from Xander congratulates me. I don’t bowl that well all the time, but I usually bowl better than most other females.

  By the end of practice, I have the highest average score, two fifty-eight, and everyone is praising my bowling today. Everyone except Xander that is. He ended up with a two fifty that first game and went down from there. He’s pissed at himself, and I’m pretty sure at me, too.

  “Don’t worry about him,” Westin says from beside me as I’m packing up my balls. “You bowled better than all of us today, and your skills will help the team. Coach said we have to place high, remember? You’re going to help the team place where we need to.”

  “I hope so,” I say and look at Xander again. He’s still bowling, trying to work off some steam from the looks of it. I want to go over and talk to him, but I’m slightly afraid to.

  “Go talk to him,” Joy says from my other side, like she can read my mind.

  “He’s pissed at me,” I say softly, and she shakes her head.

  “He’s pissed at himself,” she tells me and lays her hand on my shoulder. As the shortest member of the team, I feel like a little kid beside them all at times. “He likes you, Gray, and I’m sure he’ll calm down if you talk to him.”

  “If you say so,” I mutter, and she smiles at me before she walks away.

  “You don’t have to talk to him just because she told you to,” Westin tells me and smiles.

  “I know,” I assure him. “And I’m not sure I even want to talk to him in the mood he’s in.”

  “He’s always pissy when he doesn’t bowl well,” Ryder says from behind us. “We’re heading for pizza, and since you out bowled us all, your pizza is on Brennon today.”

  “What? Why me?” Brennon asks loudly and Ryder chuckles. “Wren had the lowest score today.”

  “True, but Wren wasn’t in on the betting,” Ryder reminds him. “You had the lowest score of those betting, little brother.”

  “Shit,” Brennon says and grins at me. “Since you kicked my ass today, I guess it’s only fair I buy your pizza.”

  “She kicked all of our asses today,” Ryder reminds him, and I hear Xander mutter something from behind us. Ryder looks over his shoulder at Xander for a second then focuses on me and shakes his head. “Ignore him. He’s moody when he doesn’t bowl well.”

  “He’s mad at me,” I whisper, and Ryder shakes his head.

  “He’ll get over it,” he tells me softly and lays a hand on the middle of my back. “Come on, let’s get our gear loaded up, then go get some pizza.”

  “Okay,” I respond and grab one of my bags. Before I can grab the second one, Rico has it and is grinning at me.

  “You always did have more balls than me, Gray,” he says with a smirk and Ryder chuckles.

  “I have six more at home,” I tell them, and Rico’s smirk turns to a grin.

  “Oh yeah?” Ryder asks with an arched eyebrow. “Maybe you’ll show me your balls some time.”

  I feel my face heating at his comment, and I know my face is turning as red as my hair.

  “Maybe,” I respond and open the back of my SUV. I load my bags in and hit the button to close the back before I turn to look at the guys. “Anyone need a ride?”

  They all shake their heads, and I nod.

  “See you there, Gray,” Ryder says and winks at me before he and Brennon walk off, leaving me standing there alone with Rico.

  “Be careful, Gray,” he says and taps my nose with the tip of his index finger before he walks to his own car. I watch as they all drive away before I open my door and slide in.

  I go to plug my phone in and realize I don’t have it with me.

>   “Crap,” I say and slide back out of the car. I guess I left it sitting on the counter behind the lanes, where I keep it when I’m bowling.

  After locking my car back, I walk back inside and my eyes instantly land on Xander. He’s still bowling, and I can feel the frustration rolling off him.

  Inhaling deeply, I walk toward him before I can change my mind.

  “Xander,” I say softly, and he turns to look at me.

  “Yeah?” He asks with a raised eyebrow.

  “You coming to have pizza with the rest of us?” I ask tentatively.

  “No,” he answers then turns back to the lanes and grabs his ball. He hurls it down the lane, and from the sheer force of the throw, I can tell he’s very angry.

  “It’s just practice, Xan,” I mutter, and he snaps his gaze at me.

  “Oh yeah?” He asks and walks toward me. “Then why the hell did you destroy the rest of us?”

  “It was a friendly bet,” I say, and he narrows his eyes at me.

  “For some, maybe, but you made it very unfriendly. You just had to show off. You just had to smoke everyone else and show us all just how good of a bowler you are, didn’t you? You act all shy and quiet, but you’re a know-it-all, Graycen, who thinks you’re better than the rest of us because you’ve bowled two perfect games and won three state tournaments. You’re nothing but a show-off who’s gotten lucky a few times.”

  “Xander,” I say quietly as tears fill my eyes. The anger in his words, cuts me deep. Until this moment, I liked him, and was going to accept his invitation for a date, but now, I don’t want anything to do with him.

  “Just go, Graycen,” he snarls, and I flinch at his tone. “We don’t need people like you on the team.”

  Without another word, I grab my phone from the counter and flee the bowling alley as tears stream down my face.

  I sit in my car for a few minutes as I try to stop shaking and think about the things he said to me. In my heart, I know none of it’s true, but I can’t help to wonder if anyone else on the team feels that way.

  I send Coach a text telling him I won’t be at practice on Wednesday, but not telling him why, then start my car.

  Not feeling like pizza any longer, I head toward the dorms with tears still falling from my eyes.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Rico

  “Gray should be here by now,” Ryder says, and I nod in agreement. “She couldn’t have been more than a minute behind us.”

  “Let’s give her a couple more minutes,” Joy says. “Xan isn’t here yet either.”

  “Maybe she went back inside to talk to him,” Wren says, and I snap my head over to her.

  “With the mood he’s in, I hope not,” Ryder says before I can.

  “Come on, he’d never hurt her,” Micah says.

  “Not physically, anyway,” Brennon adds. “But we all know he has a temper and is really good at cutting people down with his words.”

  “Shit,” I say and move to stand just as the door opens and Coach walks in. “This doesn’t look good.”

  “Hey Coach,” Joy greets him. “Come to join us for pizza?”

  “Hardly,” he says and looks around the table. “Would anyone care to explain to me why Graycen just texted me and told me she wouldn’t be at practice on Wednesday?”

  “What?” I ask and rise to my feet. “What happened?”

  “I was hoping one of you could tell me,” he responds. “When I left you were all joking around. Did something happen after I left?”

  “Ryder, Al, and I walked with her to her car,” Brennon tells him. “She was supposed to meet us here. Pretty sure Al was just about to go call her since she isn’t here.”

  “How long ago did she text you?” I ask as I round the table.

  “About fifteen minutes,” he answers, and I shake my head.

  “That was only about five minutes after we left her,” Ryder says and rises from his seat, too. “Call her, Al.”

  I pull my phone from my pocket and pull up her number. I hit send and listen to it ring four times then go to voicemail.

  “Gray, call me when you get this,” I say then end the call. “Voicemail.”

  “Yeah, same for me when I called her,” Coach says and runs his hands through his short hair then looks around again. “Where’s Xander?”

  “We don’t know,” Joy answers as she picks up her phone. “But I’m going to call him.”

  “I swear, if he said something to upset her,” I say then shake my head. Xander would never physically hurt anyone, but what Brennon said a bit ago is true. He is really good at cutting people with his words.

  “Voicemail,” Joy says after she ends the call.

  “I’m calling the bowling alley,” Coach says and unclips his phone from his belt. “Maybe someone there can give me some insight on what the hell is going on.”

  “I’m going to find her,” I say, and Coach shakes his head.

  “Let me call them first,” he says and walks away.

  “Joy, I swear if your brother hurt her in any way,” I start, and Micah interrupts me.

  “We’ll all kick his ass,” he finishes.

  “Come on, guys, do you really think Xander would say anything to her that would make her miss practice?” Joy asks.

  “Yes,” Jaylen answers. “He’s said shit to all of us when he’s been pissed. He can be a douche, Joy.”

  “Gray isn’t a confrontational person,” I say and shake my head. “She’s competitive, but only on the lanes. She takes bowling serious, but not to the point she’d ever hurt someone because she lost.”

  “Xander is the opposite,” Micah adds. “We’re used to him, but Gray isn’t, and if she went back inside to talk to him in the state he was in, there’s no telling what he said to her.”

  Joy is about to answer when Coach walks back up.

  “Did you find out anything?” I ask, but I already know the answer from the expression on his face.

  “More than I wanted to, actually,” he answers then runs his hand down his face. “Gray went back in after you guys left. Mike said she walked up to Xander and said something to him. He couldn’t hear what she said but he heard what Xander said to her.”

  “What did he say?” Ryder asks. He’s nearly as pissed as I am.

  “What he said isn’t important,” he answers, and I snap my head up at him.

  “Like hell it isn’t,” I nearly shout. “Xander has a bad habit of cutting people down with his words when he’s pissed, and he was pissed today.”

  “I’ll handle Xander,” Coach says and sighs. “I need you all to find Graycen.”

  “If she didn’t head back to Newberry, then she’s probably in her dorm room,” Wren tells us.

  “I know she’s in Mary White, but does anyone know which room?” Nadia asks.

  “Two twelve,” Westin answers and we all look at him. “What? We’re in the same dorm. Her name is on the directory posted in the commons.”

  “Maybe us ladies should go talk to her,” Joy suggests.

  “No,” Westin says and sighs. “Depending on what he said, she may not want to talk to anyone from the team.”

  “Why don’t you go?” I suggest. “You’re new to the team, too, and may be the best one to talk to her.”

  “I was thinking you would be,” Westin says and looks at the others before looking back at me. “With your history, and your feelings for her, she may open up to you more than she will anyone.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Ryder says, and I narrow my eyes at him. “Don’t give me that look, Al. If she’s hurting, I think she needs someone she doesn’t know to talk to. I agree with Al. I think Westin is the best option.”

  “You’re just saying that because he’s the least likely of the guys to try getting in her pants,” Wren says and shakes her head. “But Westin’s personality is closest to hers, so I think he’s the best option, too.”

  “Right,” I say and look at Westin. “Which is why I suggested him i
n the first place.”

  “Yeah, okay,” Westin says and looks at us all. “I was talking to her earlier and she was already upset about upsetting Xander by offering him some advice.”

  “He’s being a dick,” Wren says, and Joy looks over at her. “What? He may be your brother, and we all like him, but he’s a dick at times and you know it.”

  “I’d better go find Xander and talk to him,” Joy says instead of responding to Wren.

  “Tell him I want to see him in my office at eight in the morning,” Coach says then looks at us all. “The things he said to her may very well make her leave the team, and possibly the school.”

  “It was that bad?” I ask, trying to keep my anger in check. I swear if she leaves because of him.

  “Yeah,” Coach answers then sighs. “Westin tell her I’d like to speak with her tomorrow at nine. I’m hoping we can keep her from leaving because of this.”

  “Will do, Coach,” Westin says and looks at us. “I’ll do my best to find out what happened.”

  “Call one of us and let us know what she says,” Wren says, and Westin looks at me. I nod, and he nods in return.

  “I’ll call Al, then he can let everyone else know.”

  “Perfect,” Nadia says then Westin turns and walks from the restaurant.

  “Joy find Xander and give him my message,” Coach says then leaves the restaurant behind Westin.

  “If Graycen leaves because of Xander, I’m going to kick his ass,” Ryder says and leaves too.

  “Me too,” Brennon adds then follows his brother out.

  “Shit,” Joy mutters and covers her face for a second. “I need to go find my brother.”

  “Yeah,” I say and walk from the restaurant. She better hope she finds him before I do.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Graycen

  I sit and stare at my laptop in front of me. I’ve been trying to focus on this article about me for the past five minutes but can’t seem to see what it says. All I can focus on are Xander’s words. I know what he said isn’t true, it isn’t who I am, but how can I be sure everyone on the team doesn’t feel the same way?