Just a Little Complicated: A Highschool Sports Romance (SANCTUARY COVE Book 1)

by REESE COLLINS

  "Hey." Nick appears silently from behind me holding two waffle cones.

  "Dammit, Nick!" I cry out, "You can't keep doing that!"

  "Sorry!" he says but doesn't mean it by the smirk on his face.

  "Peace offering?" He offers me one of the two cones he’s holding. It's double scoop chocolate mint and hazelnut topped with gummy bears and sugar hearts. My all-time favorite and regular order.

  "How did you-?" I stammer accepting the cone.

  Nick shrugs like it's no big deal. "I'm not a dumb jock you know, I pay attention Hails, you should know that by now."

  Right, no big deal. It's just gelato. My favorite, but still it's just gelato.

  We sit in silence for what feels like a lifetime, eating our ice cream and staring at the boats lit up, moored in the harbor. Finally I can’t take it any longer.

  “Did you know?” I whisper fidgeting with the rip in my jeans.

  “Know what?” he asks

  It takes me a few moments to get the words out, it still feels strange to think. “That Hope had been drinking?”

  “Uh, yeah I did. Not at the time.” He quickly corrects, “but after, yes.”

  “Why didn’t you say anything? You knew I blamed you, but you still didn’t say anything?”

  This is something I have wanted to ask him for weeks, but didn’t know how. It’s not like I could just casually walk up to him in the hall at school and say ‘Hey, so did you know Hope drank and drove and that’s why she’s dead?’

  Yeah, no.

  “Honestly?” He hesitates and I nod to give him the go ahead. “She was your best friend, Hails. Everyone including you had her on this pedestal. And now that she’s gone I didn’t want to shatter that for you. I didn’t want the last thing that you remembered about her, was that she was the reason you could have died too.”

  Something changes between us in that moment. I don't really know how to explain it, except that I'm not overcome with the intense need to run away from him like I once was.

  Chapter 10

  "I don't believe it, Hailee Munroe, you've been holding out on me and you've gone soft since I met you."

  Issy stares at me with fake horror as she gets into position beside me on the volleyball court.

  Tell me about it.

  I have gone soft though, especially towards Nick. When school started back, I got so angry even just thinking about him, let alone sitting on the pier eating gelato like the past few months never happened.

  Last period on Monday and our gym teacher is currently preoccupied with showing someone how to serve on the opposite court, so we aren't doing much volleyball playing.

  After Tyler dropped her back at my place Saturday night, I let her do all the talking and gushing about her night. I wasn't exactly holding out, my night just wasn't anything compared to her and Tyler's first kiss.

  "So, what's the backstory with you two?"

  "What do you mean? He was Hope's boyfriend.”

  I look around hoping no one is listening in. That's the last thing I need is for a rumor to start that there's something going on between Nick and I.

  "No." She looks right through me. "There is more to it than that."

  I think about it for a few minutes before answering honestly.

  "Yeah, all right maybe there once was but not anymore."

  "I'm going to need more than that.” To show she is serious she puts her hands to her hips and tilts her head. I try not to laugh because she's just not all that serious or intimidating. Before I can even formulate a response before a ball comes flying towards me and smashes me into the side of my face.

  "Sorry!" A fake innocent voice comes over the net from the other team. "But you should pay more attention, Hailee."

  I'd know that taunt anywhere. Natalie. Anger boils up inside.

  “That was deliberate! What the hell is your problem?”

  “What are you going to do about it, mental Munroe? Attack me too?” she sniggers evilly.

  “Bitch.” Is all I can mutter with the pain now radiating from my nose.

  “Come on.” Issy pulls me off the court. “I’ll take you to the nurse”

  Ten minutes later, and an icepack on my nose, Issy starts her interrogation again.

  "So, what’s the story?"

  Dammit, I hoped she would let it slide.

  “Okay yes, we might have had a thing two summers ago. Our lake houses were next to each other, and we became… well close. But that was before he came to Sanctuary Cove and also before he started dating Hope." I qualify.

  "But not before Mason?"

  Damn, she’s good.

  It makes me sound like a truly terrible person to say I had feelings for someone while I was supposed to be in love with Mason.

  "No, technically I was with Mason." I admit not looking at her.

  "Hey, I've said it before and I'll say it again, Hails. You will not get any judgement from me. Unless maybe you commit murder or something equally horrendous but please don't test that theory."

  She gives me a shoulder nudge, causing me to smile in return.

  "Things were great with Mason, we had been together a year and he was already planning our future. At first, it was flattering. I mean this awesome guy already knew he wanted to spend his life with me, but then something in me shifted. I felt claustrophobic, and a little trapped.”

  I take a pause before continuing thinking back on how I felt that summer.

  “I met Nick shortly after and for that summer I was free to be just me with no expectations of who I was or should be. After summer I brushed it off, and things went back to normal. Even when Nick turned up at Sanctuary Cove, I buried it down and I was once again the perfect girlfriend. I mean, it would have been crazy to mess things up with Mason over what? A summer fling with a guy I hardly knew? That's what I told myself, anyway."

  I let out a sigh and wait for her to say something.

  "So, after the summer nothing ever happened again with you and Nick?" She raises a sceptical eyebrow.

  "Nope." I confidently answer. Because nothing did. I leave out the fact that there were many times I wanted something to happen. After which, I would then be so overcome with guilt and self-hatred for even having the thoughts. I vowed to never let myself be alone with him because losing Hope or Mason wasn't worth it.

  Thoughts flit to the last memory of us all together – the awesome foursome Nick used to call us. Junior Prom. Nick and Hope were naturally crowned King and Queen and instead of going to the afterparty we took the limo out to Long Beach just outside of town and had our own bonfire. We usually ended up in our own group at parties anyway, so what was the difference.

  We just hung out and talked and swam in our underwear. Thinking back now, it is the ultimate last memory. It captured us perfectly.

  The memory however is ripped away by the sound of the final bell.

  "I just need to get something from my locker." Issy announces and I follow into the crowd of people already trying to escape the school.

  I gave her a lift today because her car is in the shop getting new tires and there was 'absolutely no way' she was arriving with her aunt, the principal. A folded-up piece of orange paper suddenly floats out of her locker when she opens the door.

  Issy opens it to reveal an A4 flyer for the Halloween dance that's tacked up all over the school. She looks confused for a second before turning it over to reveal a handwritten note.

  Issy

  Will you go to the Halloween dance with me?

  Ty

  And two little hand-drawn boxes with YES and NO beside them for her to check.

  "OH. MY. GOD!" she squeals, and a few people turn to look briefly before continuing past. "How sweet!"

  It is adorable. A little junior high, but cute all the same. And talk about leaving it to the last minute, the dance is Friday.

  "I'm going to see if he's still at his locker." She rushes off not waiting for a reply.

  "Get it, girl!" I yell as she zig zags ar
ound people on her way to find Tyler.

  I can't help smiling at the cuteness of the whole situation. I’m glad Tyler finally asked her to the dance. For once I'm also relieved that I'll be busy on the night and won't have too much time to feel sorry for myself. You know being dateless and all.

  "What are you so happy about?" Nick appears, falling into step beside me and giving my shoulder a nudge with his.

  "Tyler asked Issy to the dance." I beam up at him as we file out the main doors.

  "Finally!" he says and grins back.

  "That kid has got it bad.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Locker room talk?” He looks guilty.

  Ah, boys and their locker room talk. I swear they are worse than girls.

  "Well, he better, otherwise I'll break him if he hurts her." I joke but kind of mean it.

  "I have no doubt," he chuckles.

  "What happened here?" He touches my nose gently causing a spark to travel along my skin.

  Crap, I had completely forgotten about it in all the excitement. Suddenly self-conscious I attempt to hide it.

  "Oh, nothing, just a rogue ball in gym.”

  He seems like he wants to say something else but then stops himself. We end up walking in a somewhat comfortable silence towards the student carpark.

  "Well, looks like you're up next.” He suddenly announces.

  “Huh?” I look at him with a frown and he gives me a knowing look tilting his head. I look over, and Mason is leaning against the front of my car, clearly waiting for me.

  Oh, man! Nothing good ever comes from someone waiting at my car lately.

  “He's not, is he?"

  "Do you know what you will say?" Nick quizzes.

  "No."

  Nick raises a high brow, waiting for me to elaborate, but when I don't, he veers off to his car without another word.

  "Hey, Hails!" Mason greets me enthusiastically.

  "How was your day?"

  "Hey, Mason." I give him a friendly smile. "Great, if you don't count three AP classes and a ball to the face." I lamely joke, and he laughs appropriately.

  "Well, you're still beautiful even with a Rudolph nose.” He beams his sweet smile back at me causing the guilt to course through me.

  Like what do I even say to that? I remain silent, hoping it's about something, anything but the Halloween dance.

  "So, I was wondering..." He continues when I don't reply. "If you'd, maybe want to go to the dance with me?”

  Somehow, even with my lack of warning, I manage to formulate what I hope is an easy let down.

  "That's nice of you to ask Mason, it's just, well I wasn't planning on going with anyone. You know, with being the head of the committee. I'll be so busy with all that stuff I wouldn't be a good date, anyway. You should ask someone else you’d have more fun with.”

  "Oh yeah, sure that makes sense. Well, see you later.” He mumbles, walking away, head down, clearly dejected. Seeing him like this tugs at me and I hate myself for being the cause.

  "Save me a dance though!" I call out. A big smile crosses his face,

  "Yeah, definitely!" Enthusiastic Mason is back, and he bounces away to his car with a new spring in his step.

  Dammit, Hailee, why would you say that! I smack myself on the forehead.

  Issy comes bounding over just as I get in my car, still wondering what the hell is wrong with me. Why can't my brain and mouth just stay in sync?

  "Did you find him?"

  "Yep!"

  There's no controlling the look of pure happiness on her face right now.

  "Shall we document this moment?" I offer, holding my phone up to take a picture of us.

  "No!" she shrieks a little too loudly and puts her hand over her face. "I don't do pictures!"

  I whip my head around to face her.

  "You. Don’t. Do. Pictures?" I repeat back slowly with a confused and bewildered expression.

  She hesitates, “Uh yeah, my Dad is super strict with it. That's why I don't have anything. He knows colleges look at that sort of thing now. Once it's on the internet, it's permanent, he says."

  "Whoa, that's rough," I shake my head in disbelief.

  "Yeah, I accepted it a long time ago, so I'm not bothered anymore." she shrugs.

  Fair enough, not my place to have an opinion, but I honestly doubt Issy would have anything too incriminating on her accounts that colleges would care about.

  Chapter 11

  Halloween is finally here. Everything for the dance is organized and in place. With the obvious exception of decorations, which we can’t do until this afternoon. One perk of council president is that I get out of my last three classes in the name of dance prep.

  Issy has been giddy with excitement about the dance all week, and I must admit it is kind of rubbing off on me. Even dateless me. I know I'll be busy but, if there was someone I liked that asked me, I would have said yes. Probably. Maybe.

  Thankfully, things with Mason aren't awkward and he's acting the same as always, which is somewhat comforting. I don't have a real lot of close friends left, so I probably shouldn't push anymore away. When tragedy strikes, people get weird and don't know how to act. So, by default, they do nothing. My loner loser ways also didn't help.

  Once lunch rolls around I’m free. The committee is meeting after lunch to start the prep, and then anyone who signed up for decorations can skip the last two periods to help. I have a list of those people and I'm supposed to tell if any of them don't show up but I'm no narc, so automatically they are already checked off as there.

  "I'm here!" Issy squeals running into the gym.

  She volunteered to help, even before I had to convince her. Which really says a lot about her and the friend she has become.

  "Where do you want me?"

  "The photo booth, if that's ok?" I say pointing to the booth we had the woodwork class make just for tonight.

  "That's a photo booth? That's so cool, nice work girl!" She gives me an approving high five.

  It does look good. It’s twice the size of a standard photo booth and looks like a mini haunted house from the outside. The inside is painted black to give an eerie feel and has a bench seat.

  “Here’s some props. If you could please arrange them on the table next to it, that would be good. Also, maybe decorate the inside with some cobwebs, spiders, etc., whatever you can find that would work. I trust you."

  "You got it, boss!” She salutes before skipping over to the booth and getting to work.

  Awesome, that is one more thing to check off. Once it's set up and decorated, I don't need to worry about it as the photography club will be manning it for the night.

  I'm just about to ask Noah, a junior if he and some others could go get the drinks from the cafeteria when the whole football team walks in with their arms full of said drink cartons.

  Nick walks straight up to me, arms overloaded, but he doesn't look to be struggling from the weight in the slightest.

  "Where would you like these, Madam President?" He playfully grins.

  "Behind each of those two tables, please.” I say, pointing out the refreshment tables.

  "You heard the boss.” he calls back to the team who are patiently awaiting his instruction. "Divide them evenly between the two tables, boys.”

  "Thank you!" I call out.

  Noticing Mason just behind him, I return his smile before walking over to the other table where Nick and half of the team are already stacking the cartons neatly.

  "What's all this?" I gesture to the entire football team.

  "I thought you might need some muscle."

  "We did thank you, but how did you know to get the drinks?"

  Nick shrugs, digging his hands into his jean pockets. "I remembered you saying last dance how it took forever to bring the drinks in from the cafeteria."

  "You remembered?" I raise my eyebrows surprised.

  "Not just a dumb jock remember?" He smiles reminding me of our pier conversation.

  "
I'm still not convinced?" I tease.

  "Well, at least my voice doesn't go all nasal and high pitched when I whine.” He bursts out laughing.

  "It does not!" I cry out and then join him, laughing when I realize it does sound a little nasal. How have I never noticed, but he has?

  "You're in a good mood today." I observe. "Must have a hot date lined up for tonight, huh?”

  I have no idea what possesses me to say that. It even comes out forced and fake. Such a loser, Hailee. I pretend to straighten up the table feeling my face turning red.

  "Maybe.” I hear him laugh but I still don't look at him because as he says it an unfamiliar pang courses through me.

  Two hours later and it's all coming together right on schedule, maybe even a little ahead thanks to the extra hands from the football team.

  The decorations look amazing, even I'm impressed. The committee got a good budget this year because most of the decorations were super old and falling apart. Which means just about everything tonight is new. A big plus because I really wanted to make my first event as senior president one to remember.

  There is a fake cemetery complete with the grim reaper and an arch covered in vines that you walk through as you enter, then to the left is the photo booth haunted house. On opposite sides of the gym against the wall, we have the two drink tables. They are probably my least favorite. I just couldn't work out what to do with them. In the end we got some large tubs and painted them black to look like witches' cauldrons.

  Spread out along the walls are large round tables decorated with black cloths and jack-o-lanterns. We also have a few skeletons climbing things, a large and very scary looking Annabelle doll hanging above the doorway to the bathrooms and some creepy Chucky dolls placed around.

  Then positioned right in the middle of the gym is my absolute favorite part. My pièce de résistance, you could call it – the dancefloor. We rented a large rectangle dancefloor and above the whole floor, is a netting of fairy lights to give the illusion of a night sky. It was easily the hardest to plan and get right, but I couldn't be more pleased with the result. The DJ booth is just off to the right.