The Red Zone (A Big Play Novel Book 2)

by Jordan Ford

  Puffing out my chest, I swagger over with the smile that makes most girls give me their dreamy eyes.

  “Hey.” I stop beside her, gliding my hand into my pocket and trying to figure out why the hell I suddenly feel so nervous.

  She glances up at me, her green eyes like a drug. I stare into them, transfixed. They round for a second before her head snaps back to her locker.

  “Hello.” Her voice is soft and clipped.

  I’m close enough to get a whiff of her shampoo. I glance down at her shiny locks—they have blonde streaks running through the dark cinnamon brown. I have to resist the urge to reach out and run my fingers through the fruity tendrils. They smell so damn good.

  A tendon in her neck strains, her nostrils flaring slightly as she takes in a sharp breath.

  “Can I help with something?” I get a full taste of her kiwi accent and instantly love it.

  A slow smile draws my lips north and I lean against the metal locker beside hers. “I just wanted to say hi and welcome you to the school.”

  “Someone’s already done that.” Her sharp tone throws me off. Most girls would be turning to face me by now, maybe blushing a little or doing that cute little laugh they do when they’re getting their flirt on.

  Ky-ya’s giving me a solid stonewalling. I glance down at the binder in her arms and notice the way her name is spelled at the top—Kaija Bennett.

  My forehead crinkles. “I’m Mack.”

  “Yeah, I heard. Star quarterback, captain of the football team.” She slams her locker shut, gripping the binder to her chest and looking straight at me. “Seriously hot shit.”

  Her slightly mocking tone and the glint in her eyes makes me stand straight. I put on my best smolder and lean a little closer. If I take one more step forward, her mouth will be pressed against my chin. She doesn’t seem flustered by my move; if anything, she knows exactly what I’m trying to do. Her gaze travels down my body with a look of contempt.

  I don’t understand what’s happening right now. This usually works.

  But she’s obviously no ordinary girl—yet another thing to like about her.

  A bemused smile curls my lips as I decide to play her little game. “I don’t know what it’s like down in kiwi-land, but in this country, when someone introduces themselves, the polite thing to do is shake their hand and tell them your name.”

  Her lips twitch with a grin, her right eyebrow peaking as she drills me with those keen eyes. “I’m guessing that you already know my name, oh great captain. I can tell that you expect me to bat my eyelashes, maybe giggle a little bit and be desperately waiting for you to ask me out. I’ll save you some trouble, shall I?” She flicks her dark hair over her shoulder and gives me her cheesiest smile. “My name’s Kaija, and I’m not interested in dating someone who thinks the sun shines out his ass.”

  I blink slowly, because that’s all I can really do at this point. I have never been spoken to like this before in my life. People love me. Chicks want to be with me—I have a phone directory worth of names and numbers I could dial anytime.

  Yet I’m compelled to keep standing here staring at this sassy-mouthed beauty.

  What the hell is wrong with me?

  She gives me another stunning smile that makes it hard to breathe.

  “Good luck at the game tomorrow, superstar. Go the mighty Raiders. I hope you get that victory, because you’re not scoring anything here.” She points to herself with a little smirk, then glides past me like I’m nothing more than a speck of dust.

  “I…” I turn to watch her leave, still trying to wrap my brain around what just went down. A snickering to my right catches my attention and I look over my shoulder to see two of Anderson’s nerdy friends laughing at me. I scan the hall and notice that everyone within a five-foot radius was eavesdropping on the exchange and they’re all giving me open-mouthed stares or giggling behind their hands.

  This has got to be the most abnormal day of my life.

  I stare down the hall again, watching Kaija disappear around the corner. Most guys would take their leave now, accept defeat with a little dignity, and move on to better pastures, so to speak.

  But I’m not most guys, and that little chat I just endured hasn’t done anything to put me off. If I’m honest, her feisty little eyes as she put me in my place were nothing but a red-hot turn-on. If she thinks I’m going to back away, she’s got another thing coming.

  She may not think I’m hot shit right now, but she will. I saw the way she looked at me in the gym this morning, and I’m not ready to believe that something didn’t pass between us.

  #6:

  New Game—New Rules

  Kaija

  My heart was going for it when I walked away from Mack and his sexy little smirk yesterday. How I didn’t give in to that cocky charm, I’ll never know. I acted like a world-class bitch, which is why my heart is once again racing. Because he’s standing on that field in his football uniform, commanding an army of players. He’s in full control and it’s a total turn-on. This is bad. I mean, this is really bad.

  My last boyfriend could lead a crowd, but not like this.

  Mack’s players protect him like he’s their king. I know that’s got something to do with the actual game and his position, but still. There’s a reverence there, and I can’t help admiring it.

  Dammit!

  I cannot let a guy like him under my skin.

  That’s why I was so rude to him. I wanted to put him off as quickly as I could. But the way his face lit up when he saw me sitting in the stands today totally gave away the fact that my ice queen routine has only ignited him.

  He’s used to getting what he wants. But I’m here to play things differently, not fall back into old traps.

  Guys like that are bad for me.

  I know this.

  So, why am I feeling this way?

  Why does Mack have to be so…? Well, he’s not perfect, but he’s soooooo my type.

  I should just go, but I don’t really know where I am in Nelson and finding my way back to the Fosters’ house seems too hard to handle, even with the GPS on my phone. From the look on Dana’s face, I doubt I can talk her into leaving. And Anderson is doing some intense study thing at the library today, so I don’t really want to disturb him.

  Glancing at my watch, I realize I’ve only been here for thirty minutes. This is going to be the longest day of my life. From the little I do know of football, the games are really long because they stop the clock all the time. Squirming in my freezing-cold seat, I tuck my gloved hands under my thighs and force a smile at my host sister. Dana Foster is in the ninth grade and wants to be cool more than anything. The problem is, she tries too hard. When we first arrived, she practically skipped over to the cheer squad to say hi. They all looked at her like she was a piece of chewed-up gum. A couple smiled politely before turning their backs. She seemed unfazed, because she then went on to wave and scream at the Raiders team when they ran out of the tunnel. That’s how Mack spotted me.

  So, Dana has a lot to learn. I could teach her everything she needs to know, but I’m not going to. I don’t want her becoming what I was.

  I turn my gaze back to the field and try to figure out what’s really going on. Dana is too busy swooning and drooling to give me any kind of rundown. Rather than telling me about the actual rules of football, she spends the whole time going, “See number 28? So freaking hot. His name’s Tyler Schumann, and he’s around at the Carmichaels’ quite a bit because he’s friends with Sammy. I think he’s got the hots for Roxanne and is using Sammy as an excuse to spend time there.”

  I nod, going for unimpressed. It’s not that hard. From the glimpses I’ve caught of Tyler, he’s a raving sex fiend who’s after Roxy for only one thing. I curl my lip and turn away from his blue and orange helmet.

  A flustered girl with wild curls plunks down next to me. “Oh my gosh, I am so late! I’m never late.” She looks at me and keeps talking like we’re friends or something. “My mom’s ca
r, which is like a hundred years old, broke down and I had to run.” She tugs on her orange scarf. “So, what have I missed?” Her eyes dart to the scoreboard and then back to the field, her face lighting with a smile.

  That’s right. She’s the girl who was sitting near me in the cafeteria yesterday. I can’t remember her name.

  “Oh, and number 27.” Dana nudges me. “He’s like the playmaker and super sexy.”

  “And my boyfriend,” the girl beside me mumbles.

  Dana suddenly notices her and lets out a choking gasp before ducking behind my shoulder.

  I glance at the new girl beside me and she winks. Her smile is broad and sparkling as she sticks out her hand. “I’m Tori.”

  “Hi, I’m Kaija.” I shake her hand and smile.

  “Yeah, I know. Amy was telling me about you. Exchange student, right? We kind of sat near each other in the cafeteria yesterday.”

  “I remember. Amy… She’s Anderson’s study partner, right?”

  “Or his biggest competition.” Tori giggles. “I think the only reason they study together is to keep an eye on what the other’s doing. They’re both vying for valedictorian.” Tori shakes her head with a grin. “She’s my bestie, but she’s not here today because she’s really not a football fan, plus she works all the time. She’s saving for Harvard. She’s not sure if she’ll get a scholarship or not, and she’s freaking out a little bit. I mean, her parents can probably afford it, but they’re all about earning your own way and stuff. There’s no way they’re going to let her miss out on Harvard, though.”

  Tori talks so fast it’s almost hard to keep up. A wide smile spreads across my face as I listen to her. She’s watching the field the whole time she’s talking, tensing and moving with the ball as each play is made.

  “Crap,” she mutters.

  I follow her frown and see Mack running off the field, slapping hands with the new guys coming on.

  “Why are they changing?” I didn’t mean to say it out loud. I know I’m a newbie, but I don’t want to come across like a complete ignorant.

  “Oh, the defensive team. So, the Bears. Grrr, the Bears. We hate the Bears.” The venom in her voice tells me there’s more to that story. “They just got a turnover, so now our defensive team is running on to make sure they stay away from our end zone.”

  I watch her pointing finger and figure the end zone is kind of like the try line in rugby.

  “So, what team is your boyfriend on?”

  “He’s a running back, so he’s part of the offensive team. They’re on the field for all the attacking plays and then defense comes out for…well, you know, defensive plays.”

  “Okay.” I nod, enjoying her explanation. I don’t want to disrupt the game for her too much, but I’m finding it kind of interesting. Coming from a sports-obsessed family, I’m keen to know more. “So, when you say play, is that like one set of the ‘hut, hut’ thing?”

  Tori giggles and nods at me. “Pretty much. They set each time, then the ball gets snapped to the quarterback, and then play begins. The whole point is to try and make a down, which is 10 yards. So you get four chances to make a down. If you do, you get another four, and if you don’t, the ball gets turned over to the other team.”

  “Oh, so a little like rugby league, then. In that you get six tackles to score a try and if you don’t make it then the ball gets turned over.”

  Tori nods, but it’s obvious that she has no idea what I’m talking about.

  “You’ve heard of rugby, right?”

  “Colt has. He says you guys do a warrior dance before the games or something.”

  I grin. “The haka. Yeah, I guess it is kind of like a warrior dance, but it’s more of a challenge. Our native race, the Maoris, used to do these challenges before battles to try and scare off the enemy.” I can’t help snickering at Tori’s wide-eyed expression. They must think I come from the weirdest country in the world. I shrug. “I like it.”

  “Believe me, so does my boyfriend. He showed me a YouTube clip last night. He thinks it’s way fierce.”

  I grin, appreciating her attempt to make me feel just a little less alien.

  I turn back to the game, suddenly grateful she sat down next to me. There’s something about Tori that’s so open and sweet. She reminds me a little of Eloise—a girl I used to play with in primary school. We were best friends.

  A deep sadness seeps into me as I quietly grieve. If only she hadn’t had to leave, maybe I would have turned out more like Tori. I wouldn’t have been caught up with the wrong crowd and turned into the world’s worst human being. And I wouldn’t have ended up hurting sweet little Eloise when she came back to New Zealand.

  Clenching my jaw, I focus back on the game, my eyes honing in on number 31—the quarterback. I wish I’d stop doing that. I don’t want to watch him. I don’t want to like the way his defined muscles move—the pull of his thigh as he pivots back, the strain of his arm as he throws a beautiful spiral down the field. Number 28 races down the line, covered by a bunch of guys in blue and orange. They crunch into the red and black players, downing their foes so Tyler can catch the ball and jump across the line. He drops the ball down in the end zone while a raucous cheer erupts around me. Tori is on her feet already, screaming like a banshee.

  Dana jumps up on the other side. “Woohoo! Go Raiders!”

  The cheerleaders are going crazy, their pompoms dancing while they kick their feet in the air and jump up and down. This is insane.

  I kind of like it.

  Getting to my feet, I clap along with the frenzied fans, laughing as a few guys careen into Tyler, slapping his helmet and jumping onto his back.

  Number 27 looks up into the stands. For a second, I think he’s staring at me, but then I hear a kissing noise beside me and notice Tori blowing them his way.

  “She’s so lucky.” Dana simmers beside me.

  I give her a strange look but don’t have time to analyze it, because the field is already reset and play is about to resume. Taking a seat beside Tori, I lean in as she starts explaining different types of plays to me, and how they all have these funny names. I get absorbed in the lesson, enjoying the game more and more as the time ticks by.

  #7:

  It’s Time To Play

  Mack

  This game is going to kill me. I hate playing the Bears. Their code of conduct is seriously flawed. They play dirty and seem to get off on it. I know they’re out to prove themselves and win the division title this year, but like hell we’re going to give it to them.

  I round up my offense, pulling them into the huddle before setting up for the play. Will is out with a bleeding face thanks to a brutal tackle from my asshole stepbrother. It took everything in me not to go after him, but my mother nearly disowned me last time I did that. She thinks the sun shines out Derek’s butt because he’s the son of her precious sweetheart, Martin.

  Glancing into the stands, I spot her in the third row, her fingers clasped together as she endures the last twenty seconds of play. Martin is beside her, looking just as edgy. They want both teams to win, but that’s not the way it works. There can only be one victor, and it’s going to be the Nelson High Raiders.

  We’re three points down with only 20 seconds left on the clock. We have to win this thing. A sweet little touchdown ought to do it. Then we’ll be division champions for the second year running.

  I can’t help thinking of my dad as we form an offensive huddle. Coach wants me to play it safe and run the ball. It’s a good move, and Colt’s probably fast enough to pull it off. But defense has been on him the entire game and with only twenty seconds of play, I don’t know if we can make the forty yards we need.

  Resting my hands on my knees, I clench my jaw, then make a snap decision. “Okay, guys, we’re running a flea flicker.”

  Tyler hisses. “Risky play, dude. Did coach really call that?”

  I give him a hard glare. “Don’t chicken out on me now, man. I need you to catch the damn ball. We’re not losing
to these assholes.” I turn to Colt. “You take first handoff, then pass it back to me. They’re going to be on you like white on rice, but wait until the last second before flicking it back to me. Ty, I’ll be looking for you in the left corner.”

  “You got it.” Colt and Tyler both nod. Although Tyler questioned my call, he never fights me once the decision’s been made. The calm determination in his gaze is all the confidence I need. We can do this.

  “Finn, your boys set?”

  “We’ve got your back, Mack-Attack.” He grins.

  “Let’s win this title!” I shout, then clap my hands. “Break!”

  We jog into position. Derek’s sneering gaze is on me. Man, I hate that guy.

  “Alright, set!” I call down the line. “Green 16! Green 16! Hut! Hut!”

  Finn snaps the ball. It powers into my hands and I grip the skin and spin, passing it off to Colt who is, as always, running the perfect line. As predicted, the Bears’ defense charges after him. Jogging back, I position myself for the pass. It pops into the air and I jump to catch it, landing on solid feet before angling my body and throwing back my arm. The ball fires out of my hand and flies towards the left corner of the field. Tyler is already running for it, his arms extended for the catch. My heart’s stuck in my throat as I watch the ball arc and descend…straight into Tyler’s hands.

  “Yes!” I roar, running after the wide receiver as he fends off one player and springs over another. His body spins in the air and he crunches into the end zone. “Yeah!” I’m jumping like a maniac, laughing and cheering as Colt grabs my shirt and bolts down the field with me.

  We pile on top of Tyler like he’s just won a gold medal. I can’t believe we pulled it off.

  But then I can.

  ‘Cause we’re the Nelson High Raiders.

  The cheers are near deafening as we untangle ourselves and stand to survey the crowd. A goofy grin pulls my cheeks so wide my face starts to hurt. Raising my arms in the air, I release a loud whoop and the crowd erupts all over again. In true Tyler style, he jumps on my back with a loud “Yee-hah!”