“I didn't break up with him because it's a game to me you know; I didn't intend to hurt him and I certainly didn’t want to be the first one to break up with him. He just was sort of boring, so serious all the time.” I heard a little chuckle behind me. I turned and noticed none of the other wrestlers were talking; they were all trying to chime in on our conversation. I said to all of them “Guys are the worst gossips I swear! Mind your own business, besides, I'm sure Declan will give you a full play-by-play in the locker room.” I waved them on to pass us.
As the wrestlers were filtering out of the room, I happened to lock eyes with Jett just for a moment. Declan made sure everyone was out of ear shot and asked me straight out “Did you break up with Cale because of Jett?”
“What do you mean?” I asked “Why would I do that? I don't even know Jett, I've met him once.”
“Well I heard you broke it off with Cale, and I noticed you around Jett so I put two and two together.”
“You noticed me huh. That obvious?”
“Oh yeah, she's crushing on Jett.” Nic said walking toward us.
“Declan, I really don’t want to talk about this with you, I don’t want rumors floating around the locker room. And I didn't just break up with Cale to go after Jett. I know you're going right back in that locker room to tell the guys everything, to give them the scoop.” I felt a tingle at the back of my neck, my senses were perking up.
“I promise I won't tell them anything you tell me about Jett, and I apologize for that too…. but….. I gotta tell them all about Cale, it's just too funny and juicy to keep to myself. I'm asking as a friend, besides I’m friends with Jett. I can put a good word in for ya.... ya know he asked about you.”
“What? What did he say? And what are you apologizing for? Is that how Storm knew....?” I asked slowly and cautiously. ”Huh, Declan!” I put my hand over my mouth, I shouldn't have been shocked but I knew; he was my leak.
“I thought you liked him...”
I just smiled. “Well that doesn't mean you go tell the whole school, and shouldn't you have checked with me first. Maybe find out for a fact that I really liked him before blabbing to people.”
“I apologized for that and from now on, I promise I'll check in with you first, but it wasn't like I planned on telling anyone. Storm and I were just having a conversation and it came up. I promise it won't happen again.” Declan seemed sincere about it.
Nic added “If we can't trust you Declan, we can't tell you anything and you won't get any more of these,” she gave us a group hug. Declan crossed his heart after.
“So do you wanna know what Jett said or what?” Declan said grinning.
“Absolutely!” Nic responded.
My face lit up waiting for Declan to continue.
“He asked if I knew who you were and I told him you were dating Cale but I guess you aren’t now so I could give him an update and I'll tell him anything you want me to tell him.” He said quickly without taking a breath. I saw Nic shaking her head in the background.
Nic said, “That's all he said.... I guess, at least he asked about you.”
“Well... because I don’t want to come off as a little school girl that gossips all the time, kinda like you.” I said as I looked at Declan squinting my eyes smartly. “You can tell Jett and all the guys that I broke it off with Cale because he just wasn't my type. And tell Jett, if he needs to know anything else about me to come right up and ask me himself, I won’t bite.”
Declan laughed and pleaded for juicy gossip one more time, but I didn't want any more rumors flying around than necessary. Even though I would like to tell him the whole low down on Cale, I have enough issues with him already as it is. I may be sarcastic, but I'm not a mean or vindictive person. I would never try to hurt someone on purpose.
Declan pleaded with Nic and she patted him on the shoulder and said “Sorry but that's all you get for now.” As Declan headed for the lockers, Nic said loudly “But you can tell him she's nice...and funny too!” He just waved his hand back at us.
Nic came up to me “You handled that very well. Since our break up with Cale I think we have both matured.” We laughed, locked the supply closet, locked both gym doors and went to wait in the lobby to give the keys back to Coach. He came out promptly.
That Friday I started feeling on edge and a little tense. Today is our homecoming game, but that's not why. This is the first year for it, but our school decided to sell roses as a fund raising event, I can't help wonder if Cale and Topher didn't help get this started. Guys or girls can buy a rose for a dollar and have it messengered to any student in any class. Each color rose means something different, red meant love, yellow friends, pink sweethearts and white means you have a secret admirer. Nic received a pink one from Topher which I thought was sweet, since the two of them still talked from time to time. I thought they should date but they obviously didn't think so. I received one red rose in every single class, too bad they were from Cale. I have no idea what he's up to but he's making me feel uneasy.
After school, I showed Nic all eight of my red roses before I deposited them into the garbage. “You know I had a dream I got a bunch of red roses once.”
“Oh yeah,” Nic replied as we headed for the buses. What a good friend she was for helping me through all this, I would definitely have to return the favor.
Nic and I were holding up the fence near the end zone, as usual, during our last home football game of the season. We were finalizing our plans for the homecoming dance tomorrow; we were going with a group of friends. The field was pretty crowded, everyone we knew from school was at the game. Storm and Shelby stopped to chat with us when Cale and an older girl walked up to us; Cale asked if he could talk to me. I looked at him and shrugged a shoulder.
He led me toward the guest side, it was a little more secluded. I hoped this wasn't going to take long, of all places for Cale to show up – he never comes to the games.
The weather was nice, I had a t-shirt on and a sweatshirt tied around my waist. I noticed Cale was in long sleeves and now that I think about it he always wore long sleeves. He was still dressed cool – wearing the same type of clothes he did in school, so he looked good, unlike the grandpa I dated. His hair was getting darker, no doubt from lack of sun and his eyes were very blue today with a darkness encircling them. I never noticed his eyes being blue before, just soft tones of grey.
I crossed my arms and looked down at my feet. There was a bit of a pause and he finally started speaking, “I think we should still go out.”
I looked up at him in surprise. “Really why?”
“Because I really care for you and we're good together.”
I was shocked. “We're good together? Cale you and I both know there is no chemistry between us, and sure, we're good as friends, but that's it.”
“Why didn't you break up with me? Why did you have Nic do it?” I looked him right in the eyes they seemed a little wild tonight.
I dropped my eyes and said with no emotion, trying to keep the peace. “I tried breaking it off with you a couple of times and Nic was upset with me that I hadn't followed through so she said she'd help. Plus, I'm not a real fan of hurting people's feelings.”
“I had no idea you felt this way.” His face tightened, his jaw flexed. “I want you to come with me, I need to show you.”
“Show me what?”
He stepped closer to me and went to kiss me on the lips and I turned my cheek. With a little more enthusiasm I said “You'll show me what? That you do everything better than me? Forget it Cale, we're done.”
Under his breath, “No one's ever broken it off with me before!” He was hurt you could tell and he was getting agitated. He was upset I broke up with him sure, but only because I broke it off? Whatever!
Me and my mouth had to keep going “Oh, so sorry I was the first girl to ever break up with you Cale, but that's why you’re mad and want me back!” I was almost yelling at him now. “I felt nothing from you, we have nothing in common, there
is nothing between us Cale.” I said pointing back and forth between the two of us. Trying to calm down with each word.
Well technically, I didn't break up with him, Nic did, but it was by my hand, my idea, I wanted it. Technically, maybe he needed to hear it from me, so maybe tonight would be it. “Cale we're done. I don't want to see you anymore. I'm sorry, now please leave. I know you hate coming to the football games anyway.” I said shaking my head looking down at the ground again.
I didn't see him coming toward me right away. He grabbed my arm and said he wanted to talk to me alone, pulling me toward the gate. I pulled my arm loose and he tried grabbing both arms, but as he went to grab me I pulled away again. When he finally got hold of me, with his face so close to mine, he said under his breath, “You're coming with me!” He was gritting his teeth, his eyes full of rage and excitement. I pushed my hands together, up toward the sky and then outward breaking his hold on me. Without thinking about it I moved both arms back and with a huge sweeping movement forward, stepping into it at the same time, I shoved him right in the abdomen with such precision and fluidity you would have thought I had training. I had no idea what I was doing, it was purely an automatic reflex and adrenaline. I didn't think I pushed him that hard but he went flying back a few feet and landed on his ass. His friend lunged toward me but I stepped back and sideways, gave a little shove, and she stumbled into the fence.
I yelled at him, looking him right in the eyes, getting closer with each word. “Tell me why you still want me! Tell me why you were so distant when we dated! Tell me what's different now!”
Cale, as he pulled himself up said “I'm glad to see Logan didn't break you, you still have a lot of fight left in you. And in the eyes of death, even as a human, you were fearless.”
I swallowed hard and looked at him in confusion. “What?” came out of my mouth, weak and exasperated, I was confused.
“I didn't push you,” Cale said “I was going slowly for you, but I see I was wrong. You're stronger than I thought. Even though your brother saved you, I wonder if you really needed the help. I was going to step in but Kit saved the day.”
“What? What are you saying? You were there?” I asked, shaken by the possibility that he knew all along, or that he witnessed it.
“I have feelings for you now, I need you for more than just love.” Cale said tapping his heart with his hand.
I turned around, people were starting to gather so I wiped my tears and backed up. I felt Nic put her hand on my shoulder. I looked back at Cale, and out of the corner of his mouth glimpsed a look of sheer devious pleasure, it sent a cold, revolting feeling down my spine. I took Nic's hand and she weaved us in and out of the crowd as quickly as possible until we were almost to the other side of the field, yet still with a crowd of people to surround us.
Nic said “What did you do?” She sounded upset and froze for a minute and said “You knocked him down and now he’ll be maaaad…” She started to cry, no, wait a minute, she was laughing. “You knocked Cale Winters on his ass!” She laughed some more and it was contagious! As upset as I was, I couldn't help but let loose with a chuckle.
And my laugh then turned into tears. “Did you hear what he said? Did you tell anyone? I never told anyone about...”
“No Addie! I never told a soul, I never told anyone. Logan may have told people he was in love with you but I highly doubt he told anyone that he sexually assaulted you.” There was silence between us. “What I do know is that Cale is one messed up crazy person and he is obsessed with you for some reason.” Nic explained.
I put my trembling hands to my face and wiped away my tears. “That night there was someone on the front lawn, do you think....” was all I said. This has turned into such a nightmare.
I leaned on the fence trying to spot Cale and his girlfriend, or whoever she was, but I didn't see them. So I scanned the parking lot hoping they were leaving and straight across from us, behind the guest side bleachers, I saw them and they were kissing! He backed her off right away, but I swear I saw her kiss him. They got in a truck that I knew, that I’d seen before, it looked very familiar. It was dark, black or navy blue, and old, with big nubby tires and it was all dented up.
Nic touched my shoulder and I just about jumped out of my skin. She scooted up next to me and I nodded toward the parking lot, pointing. “That's Cale and that girl, I think she's his girlfriend, I saw them kiss.”
Nic covered her mouth “The truck from your dreams…” I nodded, she's very smart and catches on quickly “If that's his girlfriend then why did he feel the need to come looking for you, I mean why would he need you as a girlfriend? “
I looked at her and said “Exactly!”
“Maybe that girl wants to be his girlfriend and he has no interest in her, but then again I didn't get that feeling.”
“Weird, very weird.” I murmured.
They hadn't pulled out yet, they seemed to be arguing. He grabbed something from behind his seat and put it on his head, it looked like a dark colored cap. I got that eerie feeling I get when a dream I've had was about to come true. It was so intense it knocked me back a few steps and my knees went weak. “I know that hat.” I don't remember thinking of saying that or how the words passed my lips, but it was true; something about that hat was familiar.
Halftime was about to start and I wanted to see the guys come off the field, so Nic and I headed back to the end of the field where the field house and concession stands were located. The gates opened to let the players off the field. Although, I didn’t expect him to acknowledge me, I knew he would put me in a good mood just seeing Jett.
The whole team started jogging toward the gates, he didn’t notice us and I barely caught a glimpse of him, he was in the middle of the swarm of football players. I was trying to play it cool, you know, not eyeballing the team directly, but looking at the stands and concession stand and then looking at the team and trying not to stare a hole through anyone. We went to get a soda from the snack bar and it took a while, I was glad for any distraction.
We ventured back over to the opening in the fence. I turned to Nic and asked if she cared if we held up the fence for a while. She knew why we were here; the good thing about best friends is you don't have to explain everything to them because they get you. She replied “Of course not, that's what friends do and you'll obviously have to return the favor someday.” I said “Absolutely!” We stood there in silence for a bit when we were joined by Shelby. The three of us didn't move the entire half-time, we watched the hand-made floats the seniors made go by, the marching band and finally our cheerleaders who made the crowd go crazy.
As the team was walking back to the gate to enter the field I spotted Jett, his hair all disheveled just like the day I saw him in the school lobby. And it made me smile. Storm walked up behind us, put his hand on our shoulders and said half laughing “Good job Addie, way to end it with Cale!” As quickly as he said it he was gone. He had his brother's red leather coat on, and it reminded me of the first time I saw Jett. Storm had some room to grow into it. Nic had to explain the Cale thing to Shelby.
As the players were going through the gate Declan came up to us, studied me, his lips drawn into a thin line which grew into a smile, “Nice job with Cale, I heard you knocked him down.”
“How did you hear that already?” Nic asked.
“You're the story of the night!”
“Nice!” Nic said in an upbeat tone. Then we gave him a quick version of what happened.
“Well, if you run into trouble you come get me or any of the wrestlers. You know your kind of our girls now and any one of us would help you out.” He walked out onto the field, and stood behind the team. Yeah you know he was reporting back to them on what happened. I wonder if my parents were getting wind of this, as they were at the game tonight.
We found my parents in the stands, wondering what they would say about all this, and my dad started laughing. He said “I heard you're beating up boys again.”
“What!” I
retorted.
“Kit told me you hit a boy in the gut and he went flying.” He was still laughing and holding his gut.
“Oh that...” I said “I think I just caught him off guard.”
On that note, Nic and I went to walk over toward the entrance, “You were being a bit modest weren't you?” Nic asked. I just shrugged my shoulders.
Two Richfield police cars pulled up to the gate, one marked and one unmarked, no lights though. Four guys got out, two plain clothed and two in uniform to match their cars. They went to the gate and chatted up Nurse Melinda who was manning the booth at the entrance. We walked a little closer; Nurse Melinda came out and pointed to Nic and me. I wondered if they had questions for us or any ‘ole students in general.
“I didn't think they'd come here.” Nic said.
“Who, the police? You know why they're here?” I looked at Nic “Oh No! What did you do?”
“I told you at practice the other day, you know, after the hallway thing, that I was going to give the police all the info we could on Cale. I told you I'd do it the next day, you said okay, so I did. And I didn't mention it to you afterward because they looked at me like I was crazy. Plus, I thought you had enough on your mind – sooo – I didn't report back to you.”
“What did you tell them?” I said out of the corner of my mouth as I watched them walk directly toward us.
“Just the clues, not that you dreamt it.” She said in a panic.
“I didn't agree to this.”
“Well, that's not what you said before!” She exclaimed.
I thought I would have been more nervous but found myself checking out the cop in jeans, cowboy boots, a black leather jacket and brown wavy hair. He was a big guy, tall, looked ruggedly handsome with green eyes, he looked familiar but I couldn’t place him. It looked like he hadn't shaved in a couple of days but it definitely looked good on him. “Oh lordy is he hot.” I'm not sure if those words passed my lips or Nic's, but he was hot.
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