by Lane Hart
“Aric!” I exclaim as I bury my face in my hands, not sure what I’m more embarrassed about, the fact that he knows what I did or because he spent hundreds of dollars to help me.
“It’s not a big deal. The money part at least. Consider it an advance for tutoring. I need your help, Maddie, or I may not graduate.”
“Seriously?” I ask when I lower my hands to see his face.
“Seriously. So, will you help me? Most tutors charge like fifty dollars an hour, so I’m thinking that the rent advance works out to be about six hours of time.”
This time I grab the bottom of his shirt, subtly feeling his abs as I tug him forward and into the trailer.
“Then I guess we should get started. I have a little time before my next online shift starts.”
“Thank you,” Aric says, and I just roll my eyes because we both know that I’m the one who should be saying those words, but I won’t because my pride won’t let me.
Aric
I can’t believe my plan actually worked. I knew Maddie would never accept letting me pay for her shit without her owing me something in return. She’s smart as hell, so she’s the perfect person to tutor me. And as an added bonus, it means I get to spend more time with her.
We go over the math lessons covered in my class since school started because that’s my worst subject, but time passes too quickly, and Maddie says she needs me to go so she can get online.
When she walks me to the door, I steal another quick kiss on the way out, before I blurt out, “I want you to come to my game this Friday.”
“Why?” she asks.
“Because I want you there. I need at least one person in the stands who thinks I suck, otherwise my head may explode.”
That makes her smile, but I can tell she’s still not convinced. “I don’t think you suck.”
“You don’t?” I say in surprise.
“How could I when I’ve never seen you play…” she trails off with a bigger grin.
“Harsh,” I tell her. “So, will you come and find out? You could bring Matt and Mandy too. I’ll leave three tickets at will call.”
“We can afford the tickets.”
“I can get them for free, so there’s no reason for you to waste any money,” I counter.
She bites down on her bottom lip while she considers it. “Fine. Make it four tickets and maybe I’ll come.”
“Four? Why? You planning on bringing a date or something?” I huff.
“No, I was going to invite Hannah.”
“Oh. Okay,” I say, relieved that she’s not thinking about some other dude. “Then I’ll leave four tickets at will call.”
Aric
The week leading up to my game, I break Maddie down a little each day.
Maybe because she’s starting to realize that I’m not just trying to get into her panties. I’m also making an effort to get to know her brother and sister.
One afternoon, I heard Mandy crying in her room while Maddie was checking the mail, so I went in and asked what was wrong. She refused to talk until I threatened to tell her sister she was upset. Finally, she told me about a field trip her class was going on to the zoo this Friday. She didn’t want to ask Maddie for the money because she knew she would give it to her even if she had to go without food to cover the expense. And Matt’s apparently been saving his money to buy a handheld video game.
“He wants a Gameboy, huh?” I asked Mandy while taking a seat on the foot of her bed. I’m pretty sure I have an old Nintendo DS and a ton of games packed up in my closet that are only collecting dust. No reason I shouldn’t give them to a good home. But first, I needed to figure out how to solve Mandy’s problem. “So how much is your field trip?”
“Eighteen dollars,” the little girl said with the gravity that the adults I know would say a hundred grand.
I didn’t brag about how that was nothing to me, belittling her worrying. “Wow. Eighteen dollars. That is a lot. I can see why you’re worried.”
“I know,” she sighed sadly.
“But getting to go to the zoo is totally worth it. I bet that would be a lot of fun.”
“It would,” she agreed with a nod while her chin trembles and eyes start to glass over because she doesn’t think she’ll get to go with them. How did I not know that there were sweet, little kids like her in my town who honest to god stressed about small things they can’t afford while I’ve never had to think twice about them? It’s not fair that I was born into wealth and she was born to two parents who are too selfish to care for her. At least she’s got a sister who I know would do anything she could for her, even though sometimes that’s just not enough.
Knowing Maddie’s stubborn pride is likely genetic and that she’s no doubt instilled in her siblings that they shouldn’t take handouts, I came up with a better idea to help.
Facepalming myself, I told the crying blonde angel, “Oh wow. I can’t believe I forgot to pay you the boyfriend tax. I paid Matt but not you yet. I’m so sorry, Mandy.”
“What’s the boyfriend tax?” she asked while wiping away her tears.
“Well, it’s for brothers and sisters to put up with me coming around all the time to date their sister.”
“There’s a tax for that?”
“Yep.”
Her eyes brightened up. “Is it eighteen dollars?”
“Nope. It’s forty.”
“Forty dollars!” Again, it’s like we’re talking about lifechanging amounts of cash. And maybe getting to go on the field trip with her class is lifechanging for Mandy.
“Maybe you can even buy something at the zoo gift shop with the extra.” I pulled out my wallet and laid two twenties on the bed.”
“Thank you so much!” Mandy exclaimed as she launched herself at me and threw her arms around me.
“You’re welcome,” I told her with a smile on my face, because for the first time in as long as I could remember I had felt…good helping someone else.
Little did I know that it would become an addiction I couldn’t stop.
Chapter 22
Maddie
No wonder Aric is such an arrogant bastard.
He looks like a god among boys out on the football field. In his shoulder pads and navy blue and red uniform that make him seem even bigger than usual, he’s taller and better than all the other players on his team and the visitors. His teammates obviously look up to him as a leader of the offense, and there are hundreds of fans in the crowd cheering for him.
Why did I think for even a second that he could ever be mine?
Collette was right. I’m a fool because I’m falling in love with a guy I can’t have.
“I can’t believe you wanted to come to a football game. You’re not exactly Miss School Spirit,” Hannah says from her seat on the bleacher next to me. Mandy and Matt are on the other side, standing up and cheering even though I don’t think they know anything about football.
“Yeah, well, neither are you,” I point out.
“I haven’t been to a school event since…the spring, and I used to go to all of them, every sport with my friends...” Her gaze is on the cheerleaders and the most popular kids sitting on the front row, including Royal.
“They were never your friends, Hannah. Friends don’t let some asshole tell them who they can and can’t hang out with.”
“You’re right,” she says with a sigh as her fingers fidget with the thick braid hanging over her shoulder. “Are we friends, Maddie?”
“Of course,” I reply. “We sit together at lunch every day and now we’re at a game together.”
“Yeah, but we don’t really talk outside of school. Sometimes I’m not sure if we’re just two misfits taking pity on each other or what.”
“I’m not taking pity on you,” I assure her. “If anything, I just like to show the Royals that they don’t run the school, even if they think they do. Telling me not to talk to someone is like ensuring that I do just that.”
“That’s not exactly giving me the warm an
d fuzzies,” Hannah mutters.
“No, I mean, maybe I started sitting with you at lunch and talking to you at first because Royal said not to, but I’m glad I did because I realized that you’re nice and not anything like those stuck-up snobs,” I say, gesturing to our classmates below.
My attention goes from the cheerleaders to the players, searching out number twelve on the sideline since it’s the end of the first quarter. When I find him, he’s pouring liquid from a water bottle into his open mouth while looking up at the stands. Looking at me maybe?
That seems unlikely. He’s probably just searching for his parents.
That’s my assumption until he sets the water bottle down on a table and goes over to a cardboard box where he pulls out several tiny navy blue and red plastic footballs. With a big grin, Aric starts hurling them one by one into the crowd.
When kids begin to notice, they stand up and wave their arms for one, my brother and sister included.
And either they get really lucky or Aric has a laser arm because both Matt and Mandy catch one, much to the disappointment of the many kids around us. My siblings are ridiculously happy with the small souvenir from their first football game, waving them proudly above their heads.
“Aric is so cool,” Matt says. “Yesterday he gave me his old Nintendo DS and like a bunch of games!”
“He did what now?” I exclaim. How did I not know that?
“I like him too,” Mandy says when she takes her seat next to me and cuddles the football to her chest like it’s a stuffed animal. “Aric gave me boyfriend tax to pay for my field trip.”
“You had a field trip? When?” I ask in confusion.
“Today,” she says with an enormous smile. “We went to the zoo!”
“But…I didn’t sign any forms.”
“I signed mama’s name just like you do,” she informs me.
During the entire enlightening conversation with my brother and sister, Hannah didn’t say a word. Now, she clears her throat as I let all this new information sink in and says, “Guess now we know who got Clay and Andy to apologize. Are you ready to finally tell me the truth about you and Aric Prince?”
“I have no clue what you’re talking about,” I mutter.
“Fine. I’ll just ask your brother and sister about him,” Hannah says when she leans around me and taps Mandy on her shoulder. “Does Aric come over to your house?”
“Yep!” my sister answers. “All the time, like every day this week!”
“Oh, really?” Hannah says with a Cheshire cat grin.
My face turns various shades of crimson as I get ratted out by my siblings.
Aric
“Your head wasn’t in the game tonight,” Coach Henry says, chewing me out in the locker room in front of the entire team.
“We won,” I remind him. “So what's your fucking problem?”
“My problem is that you didn't do shit to help us! You just handed off the ball a few times. Even a cripple could do that!” he replies. “Now I'm going to get bitched out by your folks for not calling throwing passes. But I called them, and you ignored them. This isn't your team, you cocky little shit. If you ever ignore another play I call again, I’ll bench your ass.”
I wished. But if I get benched, my dad will lose his shit, especially with scouts coming to almost every game.
Honestly, I don’t know why I slacked off. Probably for the same reason I don’t put any effort into my classes. I think I want to sabotage my chance of getting a football scholarship, so I won’t have to keep playing or studying. I really fucking hate school and can’t imagine four more years of this shit.
After a long, hot shower, I head out of the locker room and stupidly look for Maddie in the group of people standing around waiting for the team to come out. She’s not there. Of course she's already left because she would never act like some groupie. Why did I even expect her to wait? She had to get Matt and Mandy home and put them into bed.
I do find my parents, though. They come up and my dad asks, “What's wrong with you?” As if I must have been switched at birth because there's no way that he could have conceived someone as worthless as me on the field.
“Are you drinking?” my mother asks, frowning in concern. “Is that why you barely put in an effort?”
“No, Mom. I’m not drinking.” At least not before games. You can bet your ass I will be tonight, though.
“Are you getting enough sleep or staying up late texting or whatever?” my dad demands.
“I get plenty of sleep,” I assure him.
“Where have you been going after practice? Coach Henry told me you haven’t been doing extra reps or hitting the weight room like you told us,” he grits out. “So what the hell have you been doing?”
“I’ve been seeing a tutor,” I tell them, which isn’t a total lie. Maddie and I get all of my homework done before we make out on her sofa until her brother or sister interrupt us.
“A tutor?” my mom asks, her face lighting up.
“Yeah, to help with my grades. They’ve been falling, and I didn’t want to tell you both and have you make a big deal about it. I’m already doing better.”
“I’ll be talking to your teachers on Monday morning to confirm that,” Dad says.
“Okay, fine. Can you please just leave me alone and go home already?” I ask before I make the decision for them and walk away. Spotting Blake and Royal, I stroll up to them and say, “I’m ready to get trashed,” before I notice Collette and Kurt are there with Blake.
“Trashed, huh?” Kurt says with a chuckle. “Better not let your parents hear that, and it better not happen in my house.”
“Absolutely not, Mr. Sullivan,” I tell him.
“Sophie’s having another party at her place tonight,” Royal says.
“Again?” Kurt asks. “Where the hell are that girl’s parents?”
“Paris or was it Switzerland? I can’t remember where she said they were,” Blake replies.
“Just try and behave, meaning make sure no cops get called,” Kurt tells his son with a squeeze to his shoulder.
“Make sure you’re home by two,” Collette tells Blake. “Aric, will you be staying over tonight?”
“Ah, no, ma’am,” I respond even though I know she hates when I call her that because it makes her feel old, like the mother of an eighteen-year-old she is. “I’ll probably just crash at my place since my parents are worried that I’m not getting enough sleep.”
“Oh, well, you boys have fun tonight,” she says before she grabs her husband by his arm, and they start toward the parking lot.
“I’ll meet you both at Sophie’s,” I tell Blake and Royal before I head to my car, pulling my phone out on the way to see if I have any messages from Maddie.
There’s one from half an hour ago, right about the time the game ended.
And while I know I didn’t play worth a shit, even though she was there watching and I wanted to show off for her, just not as much as I want to be done with football, my chest still swells with pride reading her words.
You don’t suck at football, much to my disappointment. Will I see you this weekend?
I also know Maddie, and her question about whether or not I’m coming over is as close as she’ll probably ever come to asking me or admitting that she wants me to come over.
Before I crank up my car, I text her back.
Thanks for coming. Hope Matt and Mandy had fun. I’ll see you tomorrow.
While the guys and I are at Sophie’s, girls come up to me, ones from our school and our rival’s, complimenting me, telling me how great I am, blah, blah, blah. But I don’t want any of them or even care to sit there and listen to their praise. I prefer Maddie’s insults and jabs. In fact, after two beers, I'm ready to leave even though I’ve only been at the party for half an hour.
“Hey, man, I’m heading out,” I tell Blake while a sophomore grinds on his dick, not even trying to dance to the beat of the song thumping through the house. The poor girl is going to
be disappointed in a few minutes when he will no doubt put her on her knees and then send her on her way.
“Where are you going?” Blake asks.
“I'm going to bed. I've got…tutoring in the morning.”
“You have to be fucking kidding?” he chuckles as I shake my head and walk away.
Chapter 23
Maddie
I'm in the middle of hand washing the dirty breakfast dishes when there's a knock on the trailer door.
It’s not even eleven o’clock and Aric is already showing up?
I grab the closest hand towel to dry off my hands and go open the door for him.
“Hey,” he says as his light green eyes drink me in.
“If I had known you were coming so early, I would’ve put on something fancier,” I joke while smoothing my palm over my simple, sleeveless blue cotton dress.
“I like the dress. It shows off all your curves.”
Batting my eyes at him, I say, “But let me guess, you would like it better if it were on the floor?”
“Hey, those are your words, not mine,” he chuckles.
“Get in here,” I tell him when I grab his arm just as a flash of light goes off in the distance up on the hill. That’s where Aric parked his car; but thanks to the glaring rays of sun, I can’t tell if it was the light bouncing off something metal or if I imagined it.
“You okay?” Aric asks, turning his head to look in the same direction as my stare.
“Yeah, there was just a flicker of something up on the hill. Probably just the sun dancing along the bumper of your ridiculously expensive car.”
“Probably,” Aric agrees before he turns back to me and slants his mouth over mine. He kisses me softly at first and then angles his head to attack me from various directions as his tongue strokes along mine until my knees feel weak.
