by Jordan Ford
“Come on, Maxy,” I whisper.
The pitcher winds up and lets fly…and I hear the most beautiful sound in the world.
Thwack!
Max’s bat connects perfectly, sending the ball flying to the outfield…and beyond.
“Home run!” I scream, lifting my arms and cheering as Max lopes around the bases, giving Zane and Kingston high fives after stepping over home plate.
The Armitage crowd has erupted in the stands. They’re on their feet shouting and applauding.
Velocity has jumped up and they’re all gaping in surprise. The drummer sticks his fingers in his mouth and whistles before ruffling Cairo’s hair and laughing.
By the way the Pitbulls are staring at the stands, they obviously don’t get this kind of support very often.
I stretch my arms wide and pull Max into a hug the second she reaches us. Chloe jumps on my back and we laugh together before being pulled apart by some of the guys, who jostle Max and start talking like she’s one of the team.
“How’d you know to do that?” Zane asks.
Max mumbles, “I told you. Pitchers always have tells. You just need to look for them.”
Luke throws her a confused frown before shoving on his helmet and grabbing a bat.
He strikes out. Chloe hits a pop fly to the left fielder, and Holden grounds out straight to first base.
Coach then puts me and my sisters in to finish out the game. Because Chloe and I are used to working together, we pitch and catch in sync. Thankfully, it redeems my dismal start.
The Pitbulls maintain the lead and we come away with a win. By the way half the guys are talking, we’ve earned our stripes…especially Max.
“All right, all right!” Coach quiets us down after the game. We’re squeezed into the boys’ locker room for his postgame speech. “Welcome to the Pitbulls, Barlows. Good job today.” He’s looking at Max when he’s talking but I still can’t help a spike of pride. “We’re set for a good season. Starting lineup will remain the same for game one, but I’ll be putting the girls into the rotation within the first couple of innings. They’ve earned their place, in spite of the rocky start.”
He shoots me a quick look, which makes me turn to find Holden.
We quietly glare at one another, unable to break the connection.
It’s so tempting to call him out on the bullshit he tried to pull. I can tell by the look in his eye that he’s expecting me to. Biting my lips together, I look to the floor.
“Okay?” Coach claps his hands and the rest of the team shouts, “Yes, Coach!” There’s a touch of pride in his smile as he gazes around the boys. He then glances at us and points to the door. “Right, girls, head to your locker room. Everyone else, shower up! Enjoy your weekend.”
The team splits in different directions, already talking about hanging out later to celebrate. Zane points at us, inviting us along. Max gives some vague, noncommittal answer which leaves our options wide open, but then goes ahead and dishes out her cell phone number. I sidestep the exchange and head for the one person I probably shouldn’t.
He’s standing alone by his locker, pulling off his shirt and damn…he has such a great body.
Hot. Hot. Hot!
I don’t want my insides to be dancing with desire when they should be simmering with rage.
The guy is a jerk.
I want him to be ugly. His arrogance should make him vile, yet my traitorous body is zinging while my eyes betray me and skim his cut torso. He works out—that’s obvious. I can make out a six-pack. And those pecs…
Shit! Stop drooling and just say what you have to say!
I remind myself that I’m still steaming over the way he treated me. I may not have called him out in front of Coach and the Pitbulls, but I’m not leaving today without a few sharp words in his ear. It’s the least he deserves.
Stepping up to Holden, I throw all my energy into the best laser glare I can. “We could have creamed them today. You’re a really good pitcher—a game winner—and you nearly screwed it up for the entire team.”
He pulls back from my telling-off, throwing me a confused frown.
“I don’t know what the hell you were trying to pull by making me look bad, but I’m not going anywhere, so get used to it. And don’t let it happen again,” I snap before stalking out of the boys’ locker room and heading for the girls’ down the hall.
The thought that I probably just came across sounding like a stern mother makes me cringe, but I shrug off the feeling. He needed to hear it. Holden screwed me over today to try and make a point, but I’m not going to let him embarrass me like that again.
12
Fiery Aqua Blues
HOLDEN
Being told off by a chick with fiery blue eyes is not supposed to be sexy.
My heart is thundering as she stalks out of the locker room.
She totally called me on my shit, both on the mound and just now.
No one ever does that.
I don’t like it.
The fact that she said I was a game winner whistles through my veins, warming my heart in ways I didn’t think possible. But then she went and iced it out by telling me off.
Don’t let it happen again.
What is she, my mother?
I scoff and shake my head. Not even my mother tells me off anymore.
Throwing my shirt into my locker, I snatch my towel and dump it on the seat before sitting down to unlace my cleats.
“What’d she say to you, man?” Luke appears beside me.
I throw him a sideways glance and mutter, “Nothing.”
“She looked pretty pissed.” Luke’s smirk is annoying me. “You did good out there today.”
“We didn’t make them look bad, though,” I counter.
“Yeah, well, Max is actually better than I thought. She could be an asset to the team. Shit, I mean they’re all better than I thought, but I still love the way you put Maddie in her place. That was a thing of beauty, man.” He slaps me on the shoulder and heads for the shower, whistling like I’m not scum.
I guess in his eyes, I’m not.
I stood up for my friend today. That’s a good thing.
But I also made Maddie look totally incompetent, which was a dick move.
And then she called me on it, which totally sucked.
I’ve been feeling like shit ever since our fight on the mound. I tried to laugh it off, especially when she pushed me and got up in my face like that. But then I was just taken out by all these feelings. I was hot with anger and desire, yet made small by her reprimand.
And after the game, when she could have told on me in front of the entire team, she made it ten times worse by being the bigger person and keeping her mouth shut.
Until that whispered lecture just before she left.
I hate the way I’m feeling right now. I don’t want to be attracted to some girl who’s going to tell me off and order me around.
That’s it.
I don’t like her anymore. Decision made.
Slamming my locker closed, I stalk to the showers, trying to dodge my guilt and attraction, tempering both emotions with a healthy amount of indignation.
By the time I scrub up and get dressed, I’ve convinced myself that Maddie won’t get under my skin again. She’s just some girl with a stick up her ass, and I don’t have time for that shit. I can pitch however the hell I want to.
Grabbing my bag, I decline Luke’s invitation to hang out, instead thinking I’ll cruise past Cresthill and check in on Grandpa.
“I’ll catch up with you later. Maybe we can hang out tonight?”
“All good, man.” He raises his fingers in a quick wave before getting distracted by Zane and some of the other guys.
I’m too fired up and grumpy to have a good time right now. Later, once I’ve calmed down, I’ll give Luke a call and we can party then.
Just as I’m stepping down the corridor, I spot a Barlow. It takes me a second to figure out which one she is, but when she
turns and sees me, a cute smile spreads across her lips.
“Hey, Chloe.” The words ooze out of my mouth before I can stop them.
My beef isn’t with this one. She’s too sweet to cause anybody trouble.
She bites her lower lip and pulls her sweater sleeves down over her hands as she walks over to me.
“Hey.” Tucking the hair behind her ear, she gives me a shy smile. “Nice pitching today.”
“You did pretty good too.” Leaning my shoulder against the wall, I get in close, catching a whiff of vanilla.
“Thanks.” Her big eyes gaze up at me. They’re not fiery hot like her sister’s. They don’t make my blood stir in the same way, but they’re really pretty.
Soft conversation catches my attention and I glance up to see Max and Maddie coming around the corner. I pick Maddie right away, because the second she sees me, her eyes go wide, anger flaring across her face.
Shit, anger is not supposed to be that stunning on a girl.
A slow smile rises on my cheeks and before I even know what I’m doing, I ask Chloe, “Hey, so do you want to go to the homecoming dance with me?”
Maddie stutters to a stop behind her sister, her wide eyes narrowing into a glare.
“Really?” Chloe’s reaction is super cute, her cheeks blooming with color as she bobs her head. “Okay. Thank you. I’d love to.”
“Awesome.” I lightly pat her shoulder and can’t help but look right at Maddie.
She wants to kill me right now.
I combat her waves of anger with a cheerful grin. “Catch you girls later.”
Before they can say anything more, I strut out to the parking lot.
It’s not until I reach the sunlight that it actually hits me what I’ve done.
In an attempt to get Maddie back for calling me out… in an attempt to see her stunning features heat with anger, I went and asked her sweet little sister to the dance.
By the time I reach my car, I’m having to battle the true impact of my decision.
I have to take Chloe to homecoming, which isn’t a bad thing. I mean, she’s sweet and everything, and we’ll have a good time. But I probably shouldn’t have asked her considering I was doing it for all the wrong reasons.
“Shit.” I slump into the driver’s seat, gripping the wheel and tipping my head back.
These Barlow sisters are going to do my head in.
Leaning forward with a huff, I start the ignition. As the engine roars to life, Maddie’s fiery aqua blues flash through my mind again, and in spite of my decision to not like her, a small smile twitches my lips.
13
A Control Freak Irate Mother
MADDIE
Chloe spins around and gives me a dreamy smile.
“Did you just hear that?” She jumps with a little squeal and does a twirl. “Holden Carter asked me to homecoming!”
Yeah, only to piss me off.
I saw that look on his face. He’s not asking Chloe because he particularly likes her; he’s just trying to get me back for calling him out on his bullshit.
I can’t hide my disgust. It comes out in this kind of groan that has Chloe jerking to a stop.
“What?” She frowns at me.
I seriously do not want to disappoint her, but this cannot happen. If Holden legit liked her, then yeah, I could maybe find it in me to ignore this. But that isn’t what’s happening.
“He’s such a jerk. I can’t believe you said yes.”
“Of course I’m going to say yes. He’s gorgeous.”
“Yeah, and that’s about it. There’s more to a guy than the way he looks, Chloe. Why are you being so shallow?”
Her scowl is sharp as she crosses her arms. “And why are you being so pissy? It’s not like he asked you.”
“Thank God!” For some weird reason, my cheeks feel hot. I don’t get why. It’s probably just anger, still fresh and raw, bubbling beneath the surface.
Chloe’s eyes narrow and she tips her pretty little head. “You’re not jealous, are you, Mads?”
“As if!” I throw my arms wide. “What do you even see in that douchebag? How could you agree to go with him?”
“He’s hot, he’s sexy, and he asked me.” She counts off on her fingers and holds them up to my face. “Three perfectly good reasons.”
“Three perfectly lame ones,” I mutter.
“Oh, you are so jealous.” Chloe starts laughing at me.
I give her a pitiful frown. “I am seriously not jealous. I’m worried. I don’t want you getting caught up with someone like that. He’s arrogant, he’s cocky… He’s just so…irritating!”
“Well, I don’t care what you think. I’m going to homecoming with the hottest guy in school. So you can stick it.” She pokes out her tongue, looking adorable in spite of her insult.
Max snorts and cracks up as Chloe spins and practically skips towards the parking lot.
I throw my sister a warning glare, but she just swings her arm around my shoulders. “Don’t worry. We’ll keep an eye on her. You know Little Miss Stubborn. You’re not going to bend her will by acting like an irate mother.”
My shoulders sag, my anger being replaced by an ugly feeling I don’t like. “I hate this. I want to go back to Columbus.”
Max’s lips twitch as she squeezes me against her. “I know. You hate not being in control.”
I shrug her off me. “Great, so now I’m a control freak, irate mother. Thanks.”
“Don’t get your panties in a twist. This is hard for all of us.”
“You seem to be doing okay.” I give her a glum smile that quickly fills with gratitude. “You saved the game for us. You basically found us a spot on the team.”
“Yeah, well, I wasn’t about to let Holden ‘Asshat’ Carter make the Barlows look bad.”
Looping my arm through hers, we walk in step out to the parking lot. “You’ve just been biding your time, haven’t you? Waiting for that perfect dramatic moment to let your true colors shine.”
Max snickers and looks to the ground. “Maybe something like that.”
I watch her face carefully, waiting for that mischievous wink, but it never comes. She keeps her gaze on the concrete. It’s so unlike her and I’m about to ask what’s going on, but I’m interrupted by my thundering father.
“Hurry up, you two!” He’s standing by our family car with his arms crossed.
Oh, shit. Here we go.
We shuffle towards his marked frown and it’s not until we get closer that I feel the full impact of it. His laser eyes are drilling holes straight through my forehead.
“What the hell was that today, Madelyn?”
My mouth opens to reply but I don’t have a chance.
“Fumbling the ball the first chance you get to show the team what you’re made of? And then arguing with the pitcher in front of everybody. What was going on?”
In spite of the fact that I want to, I still can’t bring myself to tell on Holden. It seems so immature and second grade. Biting my lips together, I shake my head and shrug.
“How am I supposed to be an authority figure in this town when it’s obvious my daughter can’t even control herself? You need to pull it together. I expect more from you.”
Okay, ouch! Like in a big way. And so monumentally unfair! It’s not my fault Holden was acting like a first-class jerk.
I wish I could say that, but Dad will just see it as some lame excuse.
“If it wasn’t for your sister, you’d be benched for the rest of the season. I fought hard to get you girls on that team.”
“The rest of the game was good,” I mumble, but Dad doesn’t hear me.
His anger has already disappeared and he’s grinning at Max. “Great job today, kid. You made us all proud.”
Max gives him a weak smile, which looks dim beneath the solar beam he’s throwing her. She’s always been his favorite, which usually doesn’t bother me until moments like this when I come across looking like the big letdown.
Stupid Hol
den Carter with his smug smirk and electric blue eyes.
I cringe, hating that I can’t seem to insult the guy without throwing in a compliment at the same time.
Huffing around to the back seat, I climb in and am met with a sympathetic smile from Chloe. She mouths, “Sorry.” I know what she means. She hates being told off by Dad as much as I do.
Reaching for my hand, she gives it a little squeeze and I’m melted by her kindness.
She seriously is the nicest person I know, which means I can’t let Holden hurt her. I’m just going to have to find him and ask him to come up with some really plausible excuse not to take her to homecoming. We can think up something that won’t make her feel bad and then maybe put together a group of people to go. She and Rahn are hanging out a lot. Maybe I can arrange something there.
My mind shifts into planning mode as I dodge thoughts of Holden’s smug grin.
I won’t have him stringing Chloe along. She has a soft, romantic heart. She’ll fall in love with him, when all he’s trying to do is get me back for telling him the truth.
14
Spiky Rhetoric
HOLDEN
After a relatively quiet weekend hanging out with Grandpa, and spending Saturday night chilling with the guys, I headed back to school feeling upbeat and in control.
I’ve convinced myself that asking Chloe out isn’t a bad thing.
Luke laughed when I told him, then congratulated me on my brilliant plan to pull the sisters apart from the inside. I cringed when he said it and admitted that wasn’t really my plan.
“You like messing with her, don’t you? Maddie Barlow makes you hot.”
I hissed and tried to shake my head. “She’s gorgeous, but she’s a…bitch.” I basically squeak the word because my brain hates me saying bitch and thinking of Maddie at the same time.
Luke whooped and slapped me on the shoulder. “Look, whatever, man. Just as long as they don’t humiliate us out there, I don’t give a shit who you have a hard-on for.”
I bit my lips together and didn’t respond. We were sitting on the water tower, neither of us ready to go home. Luke’s mom didn’t have a night shift so he was taking advantage of the zero babysitting duty. Since his dad left, Luke’s had to step up and help take care of his little sister, Lexy… a lot. But not on Saturday. We stayed out until the early hours of the morning. Until our butts couldn’t take the cold anymore.
