My stomach twists and I lift my hand to it in the hope it stops it. “I know. But what if he hates me?”
“He’ll hate you more for lying to him.”
“Touché.”
“I can’t imagine how scary it must be. But you need him. Both of you,” she says, glancing down to my stomach.
I blow out a breath.
“I know. I know. Things have just been so… incredible. I don’t want to ruin it.”
“Who says it will ruin it? Yeah, it’s gonna be a shock, but things might be okay.”
I like her positive thinking, but I’m a little more realistic about the whole thing.
By the time it gets to the end of the day, I’m just about ready to go home and have a nap while Shane is at practice.
I’m standing at my locker, grabbing the books I need for tonight when a shadow falls over me.
A shiver runs down my spine as I slam my locker and turn on whoever it is that’s brave enough to approach me. I might have been the hot topic around school today but at least everyone has kept their distance.
My eyes widen when I find Victoria, Tasha, and Aria standing before me.
“Shouldn’t you be at practice?” I ask, pushing away from the lockers and moving for the exit.
“That’s what we need to talk to you about.”
I pause with my back to them. “Why?” I ask over my shoulder.
“Um… things aren’t going so well.”
I turn around and look at the three of them. They look nervous and it piques my interest.
“And that’s my issue because…? I’ve been kicked out, remember?”
“Yeah but… we need you.”
Something that I can only describe as hope blooms within me.
“You… need me? For what exactly.”
“Ugh, cut the bullshit,” Aria says, stepping forward. “Shelly was a shit captain. She can’t organize shit. Kelly, well fuck knows where Kelly is, she’s not turned up to practice since Wednesday and everything’s falling apart.”
I open my mouth to respond but no words come out.
“Please,” Victoria adds. “Come back. We know things are… awkward, but Shelly was the one who didn’t want you. We all know that we need you if we’re going to stand a chance at regionals. Please, Chels.”
“Wow, okay,” I mutter in surprise.
“So what do you say?”
The thought of following them and doing what I love most fills me with joy, but then my reality slams into me. I can hardly climb onto a pyramid and be thrown around like I used to.
“I can’t cheer,” I admit. “After the accident last week, it’s not a good idea for me to…” I trail off before I say too much and can be caught lying.
“But you can captain, you can lead us, right? One of the JV girls can take your place. Harley is really good.”
“Um…” A smile twitches at my lips. “I’d love to.” I try to contain my excitement, but it breaks across my face as they squeal in delight and run at me.
“Shelly is going to be really pissed when she gets back to school,” I say as I walk in the opposite direction from where I expected to be going.
“Shelly can fuck off,” Victoria mutters. “She doesn’t have what it takes to be captain. Her head’s gotten so big I’m surprised she can fit in the fucking gym.”
I allow the three of them to go ahead of me as I pull my cell out to shoot Shane a message to tell him that I’m not heading straight home. He’d given me his keys so I could drive his car, telling me that he’d get a lift from one of the guys but it seems we’re going to get to travel together after all.
The girls are all gathered in the center of the mats when I walk in.
“She said yes,” Victoria squeals as they all turn my way.
Delight lights up their faces as I walk toward them and the final piece of my puzzle slots into place. This gym is my home. I belong here, and it’s not until right now that I really accept just how much I’d missed it. I might not be able to cheer like before, but that’s not an issue. I’m with my squad.
Dropping my purse and books to the side of the gym, I take my place at the front of the girls.
“You guys ready to fucking kill regionals?” I shout, a wide smile on my face as they all start jumping up and down and cheering.
27
Shane
Chelsea: I’m in the gym with the squad. Meet me when you’re done xx
I stare at my message with wide eyes and fear filling my veins. I know that Shelly is still suspended, but nothing good can come of her being with those girls. They pushed her down the fucking stairs for Christ’s sake. She can tell me all she likes that Shelly didn’t touch her but if it weren’t for her, then Chelsea never would have ended up in the hospital like she did.
I dress as quickly as I can after showering off the session’s mud and sweat. Our usual practice might be over along with the season but Coach isn’t letting up with our conditioning. I’m glad, I need it. Although less so now I’ve got Chelsea to keep me active.
“You on a fucking promise or something?” Zayn asks as he watches me hop around trying to dress at the speed of light.
“Something like that.”
“I hate to say this, but you two are seriously fucking cute together.”
“Aw, Zayn. You jealous?”
“Of regular pussy? Hell yeah,” he states as I roll my eyes.
“You might meet someone who’ll put up with your brand of asshole one day.”
“Someone? Nah, I want at least two regulars. One could never keep up with me.”
“You’re a fucking dog. This is why you have zero regular girls. They’re worried they’ll catch something.”
“You’re moody when you need to get laid.”
“I don’t need…” I trail off, and he laughs. “Whatever. I’m outta here. Not coming to Aces?”
“I’ll see if Chelsea wants to.”
As I leave, he makes whipping noises behind me. All I do is smile. I fucking love it.
Jogging toward the gym, I pray that I’m not about to walk into some kind of cheer torture scene. But to my surprise, what I find is very much the opposite. Thank fuck.
Music booms around the gym and Chelsea is front and center counting and barking orders at the girls who are somersaulting, cartwheeling, and flying through the air.
She’s got the biggest smile on her face and I can’t help but share her joy. I have no idea what’s happened to get her here again, the one place she wanted to be more than anything but she looks right at home.
“Lock your arms, Aria. If Ruby drops, it’s your fault,” she barks as the JV wobbles on top of the pyramid looking terrified. “That’s it. Better.”
I stand and watch them all for long minutes before one of the girls spots me and causes Chelsea to also look my way.
“Hey,” she says, bounding over to me and throwing her arms around my shoulders. Her eyes sparkle in delight.
“I wasn’t expecting to find this,” I say into the top of her hair.
“I know. Isn’t it incredible? Let me just finish up with these guys and we can get out of here.”
I release her from my hold and watch her lead her squad in a cool down before dismissing them to the locker rooms.
Pride oozes from my chest as I watch her taking back the role that was always meant to be hers.
“Okay, let’s get the fuck out of here,” she says, walking to me and swiping her purse from the floor.
“Don’t you wanna…” I gesture to the locker rooms where the others disappeared.
“I’m sure they can shower without me.” She laughs, reaching up and brushing a wet lock of my hair from my face. That’s not exactly what I meant, but I’m not going to complain that she’s not about to leave me waiting for her.
“The guys wanted to know if you wanted to go to Aces.”
“They want me there?” she asks, and I hate that she even has to question it.
“Well, they invited me,
I told them that we come as a package.”
She smiles up at me. “You don’t have to do that, you know. You shouldn’t be punished for my mistakes.”
“I’m not. I just don’t want to go without you. You belong there more than I do.”
She looks back to the now empty and quiet gym and lets out a sigh.
“What happened here exactly?”
“I’ll tell you on the way. I could really use a burger and milkshake.”
The team looks a little hesitant as we walk toward our usual table, that is everyone apart from Ethan who immediately makes sure there’s enough space for us to join.
Chelsea gets a few looks that I’m not all that impressed by, but on the whole, the team are on their best behavior, which is unusual. They’re too busy planning for winter formal and the party that follows.
It’s not until we’re joined by the squad and they engage with Chelsea like everything is normal that I start to relax.
Pulling her tighter into my side, I kiss the top of her head and she looks up at me and smiles. My chest aches and three little words that I know she’s nowhere ready to hear almost fall from my lips.
My cell vibrating in my pocket thankfully stops any more crazy thoughts.
Mom: Dad’s back and wants you here for dinner.
I groan and Chelsea doesn’t miss it.
“Everything okay?” she asks, looking up at me with those huge eyes of hers.
I show her my cell.
“Want me to come too?”
My lips curl at her offer but the thought of having her there to hear Dad and I argue about my future isn’t exactly my idea of fun.
“I really appreciate that, but I think it’s probably best if I do it alone.”
“Okay,” she says snuggling into my side.
“Do you want a lift home or are you going to hang out with the squad?”
She looks up at them. “I think I’ll stay for a bit. Call me later though, yeah?”
“Try and stop me.”
Tilting her head back, I sweep my tongue into her mouth, not giving two fucks about our audience.
Hoots and hollers sound out around us but I barely hear any of them. As always, I’m too lost in her.
The last thing I want to do is leave her here, especially to go and spend time with my dad, but I don’t really have much of a choice. If I don’t go now, then it’ll only make it worse.
With one final kiss, I leave her behind. She has a huge smile on her face, so I don’t doubt that she’s exactly where she wants to be. Ethan winks at me as I look back over my shoulder telling me that he’ll keep an eye on her. I never thought I’d happily rely on him for anything, but it’s weird how things change.
Dread fills me as I make the short drive home. The closer I get, the more I wish I took Chelsea up on her offer to come with me. She would have made this a little more bearable.
Both Mom and Dad are already in the dining room when I get there, waiting for me.
“What time do you call this?” Dad barks the second I step into the room.
“I got Mom’s message twenty minutes ago. I came as fast as I could.”
Dad tuts while Mom mutters that it’s okay as she rushes from the room, I guess to get the dinner.
“You look like shit.”
“Wow, thanks, Dad. It’s nice to see you too.”
“You need to take better care of yourself if you’re—”
“Don’t,” I warn.
“Oh, you wouldn’t believe who I ran into yesterday.”
I roll my eyes but keep my attention on my empty plate.
“I did a speech at Penn. Do you know who their new coach is going to be next season?”
“I’ve got no idea, but I’m assuming you’re about to tell me,” I mutter.
Thankfully before he can launch into his story, Mom reappears with armfuls of food. Jumping up from the table, I help her lay it all out in the center.
“Kit Anderson,” Dad continues as if Mom isn’t currently acting like a servant and loading his plate with food. “Can you believe that?”
I shrug, helping myself to some chicken. I’m not hungry after the burger I had at Aces but I know better than to sit here and refuse food.
“He gave me some great insight into who’s tipped for the top next year. I’ve reevaluated our options and I think…” He pauses as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a list.
“Do we need to do this now?” Mom asks softly.
“It’s important, Maddie. Shane’s choice now will determine his future career. I have to make the right decision.”
And that statement right there just about says it all.
“I know you just want the best for him, but don’t you think it should be Shane’s decision to make, not yours?”
Dad cuts her a seething look and she pales slightly. Dad’s a force to be reckoned with, I think she learned years ago that trying to persuade him in a different direction is pointless.
“He doesn’t have all the information. I do.”
“He is also sitting right here,” I mutter. “You can give me all the information you like, but I’m the one filling out the applications, and I’ll apply wherever I see fit.” Pushing my chair out behind me, I stand. “I’m sorry, Mom. I’m sure this is delicious, but I’m not sitting here and putting up with his bullshit.”
“Shane, get back in here right this second,” he barks from behind me as I race from the room and up the stairs.
I pace back and forth in my bedroom as the sound of my parents arguing downstairs filters up to me.
I can’t fucking wait to get out of here and start my own life.
Sitting down at my desk, I pull open my bottom drawer and wrap my fingers around the college applications I’ve been working on. A couple are the same as the ones Dad wants me to apply to, but he’s not the reason.
I flick through the brochures for the millionth time, hoping that something will jump out at me and tell me that it’s the one. Nothing does.
Part of me wants to get as far away from here as possible, as far away from him as possible. But the other part wants to stay. I could apply to Maddison or Florida U and be close for Mom.
With a sigh, I rest back in my chair. I wonder where Chelsea is planning to go. We might have spent quite a bit of time together over the past few days, but talk about our futures hasn’t really come up.
Even thinking about this is crazy. It’s only been a few days and here I am allowing thoughts of her future to influence mine.
Unable to resist, I grab my cell from the side and shoot her a message.
It’s fucking crazy, but I miss her.
If I thought I had some weird obsession before when she barely spoke to me or looked my way, then I know I do now. She’s given me a taste, shown me what she hides beneath the mask she wears, and fuck, I never want to let her go.
28
Chelsea
I hated seeing the dejected look on his face as he walked out of Aces, but I knew he was right. He needed to deal with his family alone. It’s not my place to turn up and play peacekeeper between him and his dad.
My lips curl in disgust as I think about how his dad treats him and what he expects from him. Shane doesn’t talk about it much, he doesn’t need to. I’ve seen it with my own eyes over the years, heard his crazy unrealistic expectations. Shane’s avoidance when it comes to talking about the future and what college he wants to go to is understandable.
His dad wants him to be the NFL’s next big star, but anyone who knows Shane even a little bit can tell that’s not who he is. Hell, I knew that even before anything happened between us.
Pushing thoughts of Shane from my mind for now, I focus on my squad as they sit and gossip around me.
The last thing I was expecting was to end the day back in my beloved role as captain, I thought that ship had long sailed but it turned out that I just had to be patient.
“Shelly is back tomorrow,” Aria says. “She’s not going to be happy
about this.”
A shiver of dread runs down my spine at the thought. I can’t imagine she was too thrilled to be suspended when she didn’t so much as touch me last week but it seemed that she was already on Hartmann’s shit list and that it was the exact excuse he needed to give her some time out.
I can’t really complain. It’s been nice without her. I can’t help but wonder though if my easy return to the squad is going to be very short-lived. She’s going to come back gunning for me, that’s for sure.
Our afternoon in Aces is just like old times, only now, I feel like I might actually belong. The squad wants me, whereas before I was sure they just put up with me because they had to, and I now know that I’ve got someone who’s going to stand beside me no matter what tomorrow and Shelly bring.
Nerves flutter in my belly and remind me that those aren’t the only differences. In a few weeks, I know I’m not going to be able to hide this secret anymore. I’ve been lucky this far with keeping it to myself but I know I’m on borrowed time, especially with Shane.
I need to tell him before someone else beats me to it.
“Hey, Chels. You want a lift home?” Ethan asks, dragging me from my thoughts.
Looking up, I find him standing with his arm around Rae. He’s not looking at her yet he’s got this smile playing on his lips that I don’t think existed until she turned up in his life.
“Yeah, that would be great,” I say.
After saying goodbye to the squad, I follow Ethan and Rae from the diner.
I’m too busy chatting to them to pay much attention to the parking lot and I jump into the back of Ethan’s truck without much thought.
That is until we pull out and I spot that truck again, idling by the exit.
“Hey,” I say, poking my head between the two front seats. “You have any idea who drives that truck?”
I know it’s a long shot, but I figure it’s worth asking because I don’t have a fucking clue. I’ve racked my brain to come up with the answer but other than one possibility that I don’t even want to consider, I’ve got no idea who it could be. They seem pretty interested in me, mind you.
FIERCE: A High School Enemies to Lovers Romance (Rosewood High Book 4) Page 22
