by K. A. Linde
“Bryna is friends with Eric Wilkins. Like friends,” she said dramatically.
“Wait, what?”
“We are not anything more than friends.”
“I thought you hated each other,” Trihn said. “How did friends even happen?”
“We ran into each other at Posse and went to get ice cream.”
Stacia gave her a knowing look. “You hung out with a guy and only got ice cream? Give me a break.”
“I’m serious. Nothing happened. We just hung out a couple of times, but he’s not interested in me at all. It’s not a big deal.” Bryna glared at her friends. She hated explaining herself.
“Wait, a couple of times?” Trihn asked.
Shit. “Yeah. We got lunch later that week and then went ice-skating at The Cosmopolitan,” she confessed.
“You’re dating Eric Wilkins,” Trihn said.
“Oh my God!” Stacia screamed. “You’re dating Eric! Mortal enemies now dating. How romantic. How does he kiss?”
Bryna stopped in her tracks. “We are not dating at all. No kissing. Nothing.” She wished she could explain better, but they had no reason to believe her anyway. “I’m still seeing my hot stranger. He was out of town on break.”
“Sure…” Stacia said.
She and Trihn shared a look that said they didn’t believe a word Bryna had said.
“It’s nice to have a guy friend, okay? I’m not worried about him making a move, so we just have fun. That’s all.”
“Fine,” Stacia and Trihn said in unison.
The conversation changed to other topics as they wandered down the beach. Bryna was looking forward to a little bit of surf and tanning tomorrow afternoon, but her mind was still set on the upcoming rumors about her and Eric. She knew they would run rampant. They had with Andrew.
When they circled back to the hotel, Trihn and Neal walked off on their own. Bryna suspected they were going to have sex on the beach. Stacia apparently had plans for a late-night date with a nameless football player, which Bryna figured meant the same thing as what Trihn and Neal would be up to. That would leave Bryna all alone.
On her way back up to her room, she stopped one of the guys in the elevator. “Hey, do you know where Eric is?”
“Uh… in his room?”
She knew she wasn’t helping matters at the moment, but they needed to talk. “Which room?”
“Coaches are on the eleventh floor. Ask someone up there.”
“Thanks.”
She made it up to the eleventh floor without incident, and thankfully, another guy directed her down the hallway even though he suspiciously looked at her. Cheerleaders were staying in different halls than football players and weren’t supposed to be in their rooms. It was like high school all over again. But the players needed to keep their heads in the game. After tonight, there would be no more downtime for them.
She knocked on the door and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Coming!” Eric called from the other side. He answered the door in nothing but a pair of loose-fitting basketball shorts, and he looked like a fucking god.
Fuck. She glared at him harder.
“Hey,” he said. “What’s up?”
She ignored him and pushed him out of the way to get into the room.
“What? So, we’re friends now?” He laughed
“We need to talk.”
“Oh, this sounds serious.” He shut the door behind her and leaned back against it. “You’re pissed about the plane still?”
“No, I’m pissed that my friends think we’re dating. We’re clearly not dating.”
“This is true,” he agreed. “You’re making a good case for it by cloistering yourself in my room.”
“I don’t date.”
“Okay.” He shrugged, unperturbed.
“And I’m fucking other people.”
“Why are you trying to convince me?” he asked. He still looked completely relaxed against the door. He thought this was a joke.
“I’m not. I’m telling you that people are going to spread rumors.”
“Don’t they always?”
She sighed heavily. “Forget it.”
“All right, chill. Ignore them like you usually do.”
“Fine,” she said. “I guess I’m going to go back to my room and shower. I feel like I have sand all over me.”
“Curfew isn’t for another hour,” he pointed out.
“And?”
“Stay, and hang out. What else do you have to do?”
Nothing. She had nothing else to do.
Really, when it came down to it, she didn’t care what people thought about her. And if Eric doesn’t care, then why should I? It would probably help him out in the long run anyway.
In either case, it was nice having someone to hang out with where there was no competition or chance of getting hit on. This must be what other people considered a real friend.
IGNORING THE RUMORS WAS EASY to do with the national championship game on everyone’s mind. LV State was sitting on top, undefeated, with everything to lose.
Bryna stood on the sidelines of the amazing new dome in Arizona. The ceiling had been retracted to let in natural light, and the grass was squishy under her feet. She had never been in a facility this impressive.
But her eyes were locked on the crowed in the packed stadium with the game going on behind her. She went through her sideline cheers with the girls as they all screamed their hearts out in hopes of rallying the already energized crowd.
LV State was down by four, and Louisiana State University had the ball. There was only enough time for one more drive, and things weren’t looking good.
Bryna’s base, Daniel, lifted her into the air. She had her arms up in a V. Her gold poms glittered in the stadium. There was so much noise all around her that everything else was forgotten, except for the game and the possibility of losing everything they had worked toward this year.
Daniel dropped her back down to the ground and then moved to one knee. She sat on his leg and watched the game on pins and needles.
The LSU quarterback had the ball. It was do or die. He threw it high. Her eyes followed the movement. There was no one nearby. The Gamblers still had one chance to get it back. One of the LSU players veered toward the ball.
They were going to lose. She couldn’t breathe.
She felt as if she were watching the game in slow motion. She held her breath and waited for the LSU player to catch it and run it in for a touchdown. Then, out of nowhere, a Gambler got in front of the ball.
Bryna’s mouth dropped open.
“Oh my God!” she yelled.
He had the ball!
As he streaked down to the end zone, Bryna jumped to her feet, screaming at the top of her lungs, “Go! Go! Go!”
Three excellent blocks brought him into the end zone. He dropped to his knee and put the ball on the ground.
The clock ran out. Game over.
The split second of silence after LV State had scored, beating LSU, was all encompassing. No one seemed to believe what had happened. They had won. Against all odds, they had won.
An undefeated season. This would go down in history.
Then, the dome exploded. The audience fell into an uncivilized riot with cheers from the LV State fans and boos from the LSU fans. People were streaming out of the stands while others pushed past security, jumped fences, and ignored the warnings from the people trying to hold them back from storming the field.
Bryna was swept into the mass of people who raced forward. She couldn’t even care. They had won! They were national champions. The media was everywhere, asking players questions about the game. She could see Coach Galloway getting drenched from head to toe in Gatorade before shaking hands and speaking briefly for a moment with the LSU head coach. Then, the media, too, pulled the coaches away, anxious to hear their opinions about the outcome.
“Bryna,” Eric said from behind her.
She whirled around. An electric smile lit
up her face. “We won!” she screamed, launching herself at him.
He easily caught her and lifted her off the ground. Their hug was fierce and joyous, the rush of the win still fresh in their bodies.
“Two national championships for you!” she squealed in his ear.
“Feels damn good.”
He slowly put her back down on the ground. Her body had been pressed tightly against his. Because of the commotion all around them, she hadn’t noticed quite what it felt like to have his chest against hers. She shouldn’t even be thinking about it now.
Their eyes met, and suddenly, all the noise turned to radio silence. She knew she should stop this. She shouldn’t feel anything. She hated feeling. It freaked her the fuck out. But while staring at Eric, she couldn’t help it. It was irrational. She clearly only wanted the one thing that she couldn’t have. But she didn’t know if it was for that reason or not. This wasn’t supposed to happen to her. He wasn’t interested. She was a cover. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Then, his lips were on top of hers. Unbelievably delicious soft, tender lips.
He was kissing her.
Eric Wilkins was kissing her.
Completely in the heat of the moment. All-consuming joy and passion from the game fueled this one singular perfect kiss.
His fingers threaded into her hair, and her body responded way too eagerly, as if she had never been kissed before. Fucking hell, it felt like it, like the world slowed, and there was nothing else other than this moment.
Then, the world came crashing down back around her.
“Fuck,” she whispered. She took a step away from him. She noticed guys from the team were watching them. Had they been catcalling at them?
Then, it dawned on her. This had all been a cover. Everything. The kiss hadn’t even been real.
She wished her lips didn’t still tingle. Not that she wanted a fucking relationship. She was still digging Hugh. Eric wasn’t even her type. At all.
And…fuck…
“Bri…”
“Can we go somewhere and talk?” she asked.
He nodded his head. “Yeah, let’s go.”
He looked uncertain about everything, and she didn’t blame him. If half as much was going through his head as was going through hers, then he must be going crazy on the inside.
She knew she couldn’t hold this secret in any longer. She had to let him know that she knew. She knew everything.
They veered through the crowd, back to the bustling locker rooms. Eric finally found an empty coach’s room. Once they were inside, he shut and locked the door. He wasn’t as cool, confident, and collected as normal. He actually looked a bit concerned. This wasn’t going to be easy.
“I did not mean for that to happen,” Bryna said.
“Yeah. Kind of got caught up in the moment.”
“I know you’re not interested in me that way. And I’m just getting used to our new friendship or whatever.” She shrugged and glanced away from him. Why is this so awkward?
Ever since they had started hanging out, things hadn’t been awkward. He was so easy to be around. But that kiss had changed something.
Or maybe it was all in her head. It hadn’t really meant anything. All of the emotions had been running high from the game, and bam!
“It’s okay. It was no big deal. We both got carried away,” he said.
“I don’t want this to change anything between us,” she said immediately.
“It shouldn’t have to.”
“It’s actually been nice, having a friend who I don’t have to compete with and who doesn’t want to get in my pants.”
“I think your competitive nature is still intact. You did try to prove that by eating an entire banana split,” he said with a rueful smile.
Bryna laughed, trying to loosen up some. “But not competition like with Stacia and Trihn. It’s always about guys and money…and guys with money. With you, it’s just us hanging out. I don’t feel pressured to do anything or be anyone. You accept the bitch.”
“I accept that you’re not as bitchy as you think you are,” he said.
“I wouldn’t go that far. I’m still the same person.”
“Maybe,” he said, crossing his arms.
He still looked like he wasn’t sure where all of this was headed, and she couldn’t blame him. She had no idea how she was going to bring this up.
“But I wouldn’t want you to feel pressured around me,” he said. “I’m not that kind of guy.”
“I know,” she said automatically. She felt like she had her in. They were on the same page. “Oh my God, I can’t hold it in any longer. I know your secret.”
He raised his eyebrows. “What secret?”
She pushed her shoulders back and soldiered on. “You know.” Her eyes were wide, silently pleading, Please don’t make me say it.
“I don’t think I do.”
“Come on, Eric,” she groaned.
“What makes you think it’s a secret?”
Bryna fought back an eye roll. Of course it was a secret. “You know, none of the guys know. You’re never seen with other girls. I don’t know. Plus, if it wasn’t a secret, then you wouldn’t be asking me if it was.”
He looked contemplative for a minute. “That’s true, I suppose. I’m not sure how you found out, but I don’t think anyone else knows.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve kept my mouth shut. I didn’t want to out you if you weren’t ready.” She bit her lip.
“I didn’t think you would tell anyone.”
“I wouldn’t Plus, I’ve known for a while. And we weren’t really friends most of last semester, so I wasn’t going to say anything. I think it’s one of the main reasons I’ve been so comfortable around you. I don’t do relationships. Feelings and emotions and love, if it exists at all, are completely overrated. If I’d thought you were into me, then none of this would have happened. I never would have let you get close.”
She didn’t need any more complications with guys in her life. It’d really worked out better for her in the end that Eric was gay. She could be herself around him, and he didn’t judge her.
“You like to keep people at a distance,” he said.
“Well, now, I don’t have to keep you at a distance.” She shrugged. “Since, you know, nothing’s ever going to happen between us. But, um…that’s all I wanted to say. We should probably get back anyway.”
She opened the door before he could say anything else. The room was stifling. She hadn’t expected it to be that difficult. He had seemed cool with her knowing, but a bit like she had put him in shock. It must be so weird for him to have someone else know that he was gay. At least she wouldn’t have to hide that from him anymore.
But she wasn’t sure why, in that moment, it didn’t feel like as much of a relief as she had thought it would. Clearly, she needed to get laid. All this time without it had addled her mind and made her think things that couldn’t possibly exist.
BRYNA RETURNED TO LAS VEGAS on a total high. As she drove up the street toward her condo, she noticed another car in the driveway. A Mercedes SUV. Fuck.
She parked in the garage and entered through the side door. Inside, her condo looked like a land mine had gone off inside. There was stuff everywhere—boxes piled high, clothes strewed on the couch, and junk littered the floor.
“What the fuck is going on?”
A smile lit up Pace’s face. “Hey, sis.”
“What are you doing to my house?” she cried. “It’s a train wreck.”
“Moving in, of course.”
Bryna ground her teeth. She had forgotten for one blissful weekend that her sleazy stepbrother was moving into her place. She had thought that, by forgetting about it, it would go away. But no, Pace was still standing right there in front of her.
“I can’t believe you’re really fucking moving in.”
“I was offered a spot in the sports dorm, but I decided I wanted to be closer to my sister.” He smirked devilishly. “The team under
stands.”
“Ew. That’s so nasty.” She shook her head. “You know, I’m never going to be around anymore, and you’d better get all this shit cleaned up. This whole thing isn’t right.”
Pace shrugged. “You had your opportunity to get me not to come to LV State, but you didn’t take it.”
Bryna glared at him. “Yeah. Even if I had gone through with that stupid shit—which would never, ever happen—you would have still come here to spite me.”
“You caught me. How could I resist coming here after they won the national championship?”
“You’re a vile human being. I can’t believe they even recruited you. You know, you’re not going to get any playing time, right?”
She was sure he had already heard this argument, but she couldn’t help one last-ditch effort to try to get him to change his mind. He could still transfer without any consequences.
“We’ll see about that.”
“With Blaine leaving, they’re going to put Marshall in as QB, and you’ll be sitting on the sidelines for the next three years.”
Pace shrugged, unperturbed. “I’ll believe it when I see it. I think I could take Marshall.”
Bryna laughed. “Yeah, I’ll believe that when I see it.”
“Believe what?”
Bryna’s head snapped around so fast that she got a crick in her neck. “Dad?” she cried in disbelief. Her eyes bugged out. She hadn’t even heard him open the front door over the sound of her argument with Pace.
“Hey, sweetheart.” He pulled her into a big hug.
“What are you doing here?” She hadn’t seen him since Thanksgiving, and that had been tense, to say the least.
“I’m here to help Pace move in. It’s good to see you. We’re glad you made it safely back from Miami. What an exciting end to the game.”
“It was,” she agreed.
“Wish I had been there.”
He could have come. She knew he could have. He was here with Pace, but he couldn’t make time for her. It made no fucking sense.
“I think we got all of Pace’s things moved in. I’d forgotten the size of this place. I think it’s big enough for the both of you. Don’t you?”
“Um, no. I don’t think it is.” Bryna pleaded with her father, “I need my own space. I can’t share this with him.”
