Clutch Player

by Ash, Nikki

  Six

  Harper

  “Everyone chipped in for that house on the beach for the after-prom party,” Angela says through my bathroom door. “Are you and Landon going?”

  Tonight is the night of prom, and it also marks three months since we officially became a couple. I honestly don’t know how I would’ve gotten through this semester without him. My parents are now officially divorced. Because Mom lost the house, we had to move into an apartment down the street, so I could stay at my school. Because of Dad being drunk, Mom was able to get full custody of me, but Dad has yet to pay any child support since he’s unemployed. I also have yet to see him since the day he packed up and left. Mom has finally stopped crying and is in the stage where she’s working on herself, ready to move on. She’s joined the gym and gets her hair and nails done on a regular basis. She also goes to the bar with her girlfriends for ladies’ night every Wednesday. I hate that my family has been ripped apart, but I’m glad my mom is working on finding happiness again. She deserves to be happy.

  Through everything, Landon has been my rock. He’s the laughter I need when I’m down. The strength when I feel like everything is crushing me. He’s the brightness when my world feels dark. He’s not just my boyfriend, he’s my best friend. And I’m in love with him. I haven’t told him yet, but I’m planning to tell him soon. I know next month, when he graduates and enters the draft, everything will change, but for right now, he’s everything I need and want. And if one day we have to part ways, I truly believe he’ll always be there for me, and I’ll be there for him as well. Since our night in New York, we’ve spoken a few times about the future, but because we don’t know if or where he’ll be drafted, we can’t exactly make plans. So instead, we’re just focusing on right now.

  “I’m not sure,” I tell her. “Landon said he would take care of everything.” I step out of the bathroom with my dress on and my makeup and hair done.

  Angela grins wide. “Girl, that dress looks amazing.”

  I twirl once in front of the mirror. It’s a sapphire blue strapless dress with an empire waist. It flows at the bottom and hits right at my knee. It’s the perfect mix of fun and flirty. I’ve paired it with black heels. Not too tall that I’ll be hurting later, but enough that I look sexy.

  “Thank you. You look gorgeous too.”

  “Girls, you ready?” Mom calls through the door. “The boys are here.”

  Since Angela is going to the prom with Cohen, we decided to share a limo. Melissa isn’t going—swearing prom will be boring—and instead, meeting everyone at the after party. Her loss. I can’t wait to dance with Landon. The theme is Starry Night, and even if it’s boring, I know just being with Landon will make it fun and memorable.

  We step outside and both guys are waiting for us, dressed to the nines in their tuxedos. Angela’s dress is red, and Cohen’s tie matches. Landon’s tie is blue striped and also matches my dress. The guys did well.

  “You look beautiful,” Landon says, stepping closer and placing a gorgeous corsage on my wrist.

  After my mom takes a million pictures, we head to the prom, which is taking place at the local hotel. They’ve rented one of the ballrooms out, and it’s just as I pictured. Swirls of blue and white along the walls. Twinkling yellow lights dotting the ceiling. The music is already pumping, and everyone is having a great time.

  “Can I have this dance?” Landon asks, taking my hand in his.

  “Of course.”

  We step onto the dance floor, and since it’s a slow song, he holds me in his arms while we sway to the music. My head finds its place against his shoulder, and I get lost in the moment.

  “I was thinking, instead of the party, we could be alone tonight,” Landon murmurs. “I know it’s probably cliché, but I booked us a room here.”

  Is he saying what I think he’s saying? “Does this mean…” I lift my head and look into his eyes.

  “I said I wanted to wait until we were in love,” he murmurs. “And I’m in love with you, Harper.”

  My heart goes erratic behind my ribcage. He’s in love with me. “I love you too,” I blurt out.

  “You do?” His brows rise to his forehead.

  “Yes. I was planning to tell you, but I wasn’t sure how.” I press my lips to his and then pull back. “I love you, Landon, and I want to spend the night with you.”

  Not wanting to lie to my mom, I pull my phone out of my clutch and text her to let her know what we’re doing. I had originally mentioned we would probably be going to the beach house for the after party.

  A minute later, she texts me back that she trusts me and loves me. I hate what’s happened between her and my dad, but through it all, she and I have formed a stronger relationship.

  Landon and I spend the next couple hours enjoying the prom. We eat, drink, and dance with our friends until my feet feel like they’re going to fall off. When everyone says they’re taking off, we say our goodbyes and then head to the room Landon has reserved for us.

  The room isn’t as luxurious as the one we stayed at in New York, but there’s a huge fluffy bed in the center of the room with rose petals sprinkled all over it.

  “You did this?” I ask.

  “Yeah, I came here earlier to check in.”

  I glance around the room, in awe that he would go through all this trouble to make tonight special.

  Landon shrugs his jacket off and sets it across the back of the chair. Then he unties his tie and throws it on top. I watch as he toes his shoes off then untucks his shirt. He reaches into his pockets and pulls everything out of them, placing it all on the desk.

  I should probably be undressing too, but suddenly I’m worried. What if we’re not good together and having sex ruins what we have? What if Landon is good, but I suck?

  “Hey,” Landon says, walking over and pulling me into his arms. “You look kind of nervous. We don’t have to go all the way, Harper. We’ve done everything but, and if that’s all you want to do tonight, I’m okay with that. Hell, if you want to just lie in bed and watch a cheesy rom-com, I’m okay with that too.”

  “I want to,” I tell him. “I’m just kind of nervous I might not be good,” I admit honestly.

  “Are you crazy, Harp? I’m not even sure how long I’ll last.” He groans through a laugh. “But I’m glad my first time is going to be with you, and because it’s with you, I believe it’ll be perfect.”

  With his words, my entire body relaxes. He’s right. This is Landon. The guy I love. My best friend. Everything we’ve done so far has been amazing because it’s with him.

  Landon takes my face in his hands and kisses me soft and gentle for several seconds. His hands move from my face, and he reaches behind me, unzipping my dress. Lifting each of the straps off my shoulders, I shrug it off and let it fall to the floor, leaving me in only my bra and panties.

  Wanting to undress him the same way he did me, I unbutton each of the buttons on his shirt then push it over his shoulders. Landon helps by shrugging his arms out before he reaches down and unbuttons and unzips his pants. He pushes them down his legs, leaving him in only his boxers.

  Taking my hand in his, he leads us over to the bed. “Don’t be nervous,” Landon murmurs once we’re lying in the center of the bed, facing each other. “It’s us. No matter how it goes, it will be perfect.”

  Landon was right. It was perfect.

  Yes, it hurt.

  No, I didn’t orgasm—but he did make sure I was taken care of beforehand.

  He came just as quickly as he feared he would—but the next time he lasted longer.

  He kissed and held me afterward, and eventually we fell asleep in each other’s arms.

  It’s a night I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

  Seven

  Harper

  “With the twenty-fourth selection in the MLB draft, the Boston Reds selects Landon Maxwell, a right-handed pitcher from Franklin High School.”

  We’re watching the draft at the local Ale House—m
y mom, Landon, his family, which consists of his dad and brother, and his team and friends—including his coach—are all here to support him. When the announcer says his name, followed by who’s drafting him, I think it takes a second for the words to sink in, because he doesn’t move right away. But once they do, Landon jumps from his seat and lifts me into the air, spinning me around in a circle. “Holy shit, Harp! I did it.” He was told by his agent he would be drafted, but he didn’t know when or by who.

  “You did!” I hug him tightly, so excited for him. “Congratulations!” I give him a quick kiss on his lips. “I love you,” I whisper so only he can hear me. “And I’m so proud of you.” This is everything he’s ever wanted, everything he’s worked for, and it’s finally happening.

  “I love you too,” he says before he kisses me harder for several seconds before releasing me.

  “Hell yeah, man!” Cohen high fives him just before Landon’s dad, Bill, pulls him in for a hug.

  “I’m so proud of you, Son,” he says with tears in his eyes.

  Landon’s brother, Brian, who came up from Providence, where he’s going to school, hugs him next. “How does it feel to be living out your dream?”

  “It’s unbelievable.”

  We spend the night celebrating, and since it’s the summer, my mom lets me spend the night at Landon’s place, after she tells me not to make it a habit.

  “I can’t believe my dreams are actually coming true,” Landon says, lying next to me in bed. We’ve just got done making love, and we’re both tangled up in the sheets with our bodies wrapped around each other.

  “You deserve this,” I tell him, leaning over and kissing the corner of his mouth. “And the Boston stadium is so close, you won’t even have to move, right?”

  Landon’s body stiffens, and he rolls over to face me. “It’s my first year, which means, while Boston drafted me, I won’t be playing for the Reds.”

  “Who will you be playing for?” I ask, confused.

  “The Salem Reds.”

  When I give him what I’m sure is a perplexed look because I have no clue about baseball, he explains. “I was drafted into class A. It’s one of the Minor League teams for the Reds. My hope is that they’ll see I’m good enough and bring me up to the Majors in the next couple years, but some players never make it up. Until that happens, I’ll be playing at their field in Salem.”

  “Salem? Like in Massachusetts? That’s not bad.” It’s only about a forty-minute drive.

  “No.” He shakes his head. “Salem, Virginia.”

  I sit up and grab my phone from the nightstand. I pull up my maps app and enter in our city and then Salem, Virginia. The distance has my heart plummeting into my stomach. “Eleven hours.”

  Landon snatches the phone from me and pulls me into his arms. “You only have one year left, and then who knows what’ll happen. Maybe I’ll get pulled up to the Majors, or maybe you’ll get a scholarship and join me in Salem.”

  I love that he’s trying to make this work, but we both know it’s not going to. We’re too young. I’m still in high school. We would be fools to try to do the long distance thing. It will only end in heartbreak, and we promised we wouldn’t let that happen.

  “We have to break up,” I say out loud.

  Landon shakes his head. “No, let’s just give it some time. See what happens. Please.” He looks at me with his hazel eyes pleading, and I don’t have it in me to say no.

  “Okay, but if we find it’s not working, we break up so we can remain friends.” I lay my head on his chest and wrap my arms around his torso. “I need you in my life, Landon. Even if it means we’re only friends.”

  “I’m going to call you every night and text you every chance I get,” Landon promises as he hugs me tightly. It’s moving day. Landon has signed his contract and is leaving for Salem in a few minutes. Since the team has thirty days to sign the contract, I thought we would have some time together. Unfortunately, they called him in to sign five days later, only giving us one week together.

  “I know,” I say, trying and failing not to let the tears fall from my lids.

  “Baby, please don’t cry,” Landon pleads, gently wiping the tears away with his thumbs. “Everything will be okay.”

  I take a deep breath, not wanting to make him feel bad for following his dreams, even if my heart is breaking into pieces. “I know. You’re right,” I say through a fake smile. “Go knock ’em dead… or hit ’em hard… whatever it is you do in baseball.”

  Landon laughs sadly. “I love you, Harper. This isn’t goodbye. This is just a ‘see you soon.’”

  “I know. I love you too.”

  Eight

  Harper

  Four Months Later

  I’m sitting in class, with my phone in my lap, listening to the teacher go over what we can expect on our quiz on Friday. Well, I’m half-listening. The other half of my attention is focused on my phone, wishing I were anywhere but here. Actually, not anywhere—specifically Salem, Virginia, with Landon.

  After we said our ‘see you soons’ at the airport, I spent the next couple weeks moping around, missing him like crazy. Sure, we texted and video chatted as much as we could, but it wasn’t the same. I wanted to be back in his bed, watching movies while we cuddled. I missed my boyfriend, but more importantly, I missed my best friend.

  Finally, Melissa and Angela had enough and dragged me out of bed. We spent the rest of summer hanging out at the mall, with friends at the lake, and making day trips to the beach. I might not be able to stand Melissa on a regular basis, but this summer she was a godsend. She kept me busy and my mind off how much I was already missing Landon.

  Once school started back up, it got a little easier since I became busier with my classes. I even got a part-time job working at our local coffee shop after school and on the weekends. It helps keep me occupied while I wait for Landon to text or call, and since Mom is still struggling, it means I can pay for my own cell phone, car insurance, and gas.

  Landon’s been training hard for months now, and with his training only increasing, his downtime has become more and more limited—our everyday calls and texts having turned into a few times a week at most.

  I miss him so much, and I hate that we’re drifting apart, but I won’t tell him that. He’s not doing anything wrong, and he can’t do anything to change our situation. Complaining will only make him feel bad.

  The bell rings, and when I glance down, I realize I haven’t taken a single note all class period. I’m going to have to ask someone if I can borrow their notes. I can’t afford to mess up this semester. I’ve already started to apply to a few different colleges. Unfortunately, since I’m not in the running for any scholarships, I’m going to have to apply for financial aid, which means while I’m still applying to NYU, I’m also applying to local colleges as well.

  “Hey, Harper!” Melissa calls me over to the table she’s sitting at. “Did you hear about the Halloween party?”

  “No, who’s throwing it?” I sit and set my tray of food down, then place my cell phone next to it just in case Landon texts.

  “Cohen and Dale,” she says.

  “At Boston University?” Most of our friends who graduated last year ended up either going to the local community college or Boston University.

  “Yeah. The theme is Halloween.”

  “Like the holiday?” I laugh.

  “No.” She rolls her eyes. “The movie.”

  “Gotcha.”

  I check my phone for the fiftieth time, only to find there’s still no response from Landon. Not that I expect there to be. His days tend to start early in the morning and by the time he’s done with his conditioning and practice, it’s late.

  “Will you stop checking your damn phone?” Melissa says, snatching it from my lap. “All you do is check it all day long. Have you not seen Landon’s social media? The guy is living his life, and you should be too.”

  She types in the password on my phone and pulls up my social media. I hav
en’t even thought to check it since Landon never really posts on there.

  “There.” She holds my phone toward me, and staring at me is a picture of Landon with a bunch of guys and girls. I recognize some of them as his teammates, but I don’t know who the girls are. The picture is innocent, and there’s no indication he’s cheating on me, but it’s enough for me to realize we can’t keep doing this. I can’t keep waiting for the next text while he’s following his dreams.

  “Here’s another.” She shows me another photo of Landon laughing at something someone is saying. He’s dressed casual and appears to be at a bar or restaurant of some sort. Again, there’s nothing wrong with the picture. He’s not doing anything wrong. But at the same time, it feels like it’s all wrong.

  She swipes to the next photo. It’s a selfie of Landon and some girl. “This is on his page?” I ask, my heart full of shock and hurt.

  “No, but he’s tagged in it. It’s on hers.”

  Melissa swipes to another picture. It’s another group shot. Landon is looking at the camera, but the girl is looking at him. I don’t even know her, but I can see hearts in her eyes. My stomach tightens as I stare at the picture until Melissa swipes to another one and then another one.

  “Okay, I get it.” I grab the phone from her and stand, needing to get away and clear my head. We still have one more period left, but I leave early. The drive home is spent with the images of Landon running through my head. And by the time I get home, I’m so worked up, I’m practically in tears. Needing to talk to him, I drop to my bed and dial his number. Of course he doesn’t answer, so I send him a text that we need to talk. Then I wrap myself up in my blanket and cry myself to sleep.

  Ring. Ring. Ring.

  I wake up to the sound of my phone ringing, but before I can answer it, it stops. I look at the time and see I’ve slept through the entire afternoon and it’s now almost ten o’clock. Great, I’ll probably never fall back asleep.