Making a Play

by Abbi Glines

  Nova sighed, rolling her shoulders back to make sure her chest was at its best viewing advantage. I knew that move. I’d seen many girls do it. “I’m not going to keep wasting my time with you, Ryker. If you’re interested, you make the next move.” She then spun around and walked away with a swish in her hips I barely glanced at. Nova was drama, but at least this meant the game she was accusing me of playing was over.

  Glancing away from Nova, my eyes instantly met Aurora’s. She was standing at a locker with her hand on it as if she were closing it. Her focus, though, was completely on me. Had she been there all along? I replayed the scene with Nova, and although Aurora couldn’t hear what was being said, I wondered if she had read my lips. Nova’s back had been to her, so she couldn’t have read her lips. I didn’t waste time thinking more about it. My standing here and looking at her wasn’t helping.

  I made my way through the crowded hallway to get to her. I hadn’t looked for Hunter, but as I approached Aurora, I realized he had to be near. And I wasn’t sure if he knew we’d spoken or texted yesterday. Since I had heard nothing from her today.

  She smiled as I finally reached her.

  “Hey,” I said, staring into those eyes again, realizing my memory hadn’t exaggerated how incredible they were.

  Hello, she said silently. I liked watching her lips. The soft pink gloss on them made me think of other things I’d like to do to her lips. I felt a little guilty when the thought of biting her bottom lip came to mind.

  “What class do you have first?” I asked, slower than normal.

  “She’s got Lit. Why?” Hunter asked as his hand wrapped around her upper arm. Aurora tensed up, and I saw her inhale sharply and shoot her brother a warning glare. It was too damn cute to be intimidating.

  “I wanted to walk her there,” I told him in the nicest tone I had. Normally I’d respond differently to a guy talking to me like he had, but this was real damn important.

  “I can handle it. I’m going there too. You aren’t.” He said the last bit with such protective emphasis I realized this was going to be harder than I’d thought. I also didn’t think Aurora had mentioned our texting to him.

  “No, I’m not going in that direction,” I agreed, and turned my focus back to Aurora. “I just wanted a chance to talk to her before the day started.”

  Her eyes smiled before her lips did. She was good at reading my lips. I liked that.

  “She can’t talk to you.” Hunter said that as if she was broken. I didn’t like it. I suddenly didn’t give a fuck if he was her brother. I swung my now-annoyed gaze to him.

  “She communicates just fine with me.” I made sure to keep my mouth in clear view of Aurora so she would know what I was saying.

  She was between us now. Her back to me as she looked up at Hunter. She began signing, and I hadn’t seen her do it before. But watching her hands, I noticed they were dainty, with light pink polish on her nails. She wore a small sapphire ring on her right middle finger. Hands had never been something I’d noticed before, but damn if hers weren’t perfect. Like the rest of her. I wished like hell I could sign. She communicated that way so easily. She didn’t have to struggle to talk or read lips. I wanted her to feel that comfortable talking to me.

  “I’m not dealing with this now. We’re going to be late. Come on,” Hunter said, and he took her arm again, which was starting to really piss me the hell off. She wasn’t a child he had to drag around. She stumbled as she went with him and turned her head to gaze back at me.

  She didn’t have to say anything. The embarrassment and apology in her eyes made my stomach twist. I didn’t like knowing she was upset and I had had something to do with it. When she finally got her footing, I saw her jerk her arm free from Hunter, pull her blue-and-white book bag up on her shoulder, and storm away from him, walking faster and putting distance between them.

  That bit of attitude made me grin. I was glad to see she wasn’t letting him control her. She had spunk.

  “What are you doing?” Nash’s tone was a mixture of disbelief and annoyance. “Dude, we are about to be in the playoffs. Messing with the quarterback’s head is a fucking terrible idea. I can’t play anymore, so I can’t get out there and save your ass on the field.”

  I watched until Aurora turned to go into her room, and, like I had hoped, she paused and glanced back at me. I hadn’t moved. She saw it, and she smiled. Damn.

  “Shit,” Nash muttered. He had seen it too. That made me smile even wider.

  “She’s different,” I said finally, looking at my cousin.

  “Yeah. She’s innocent. She’s sheltered. She’s the quarterback’s sister, and she’s deaf.” He said the last thing softer, as if saying it was something he regretted.

  “She’s smart. Really smart. Quick witted. She’s thoughtful and honest. Even when it might be something you don’t want to hear. She loves pizza with extra sausage. She enjoys reading the classics, The Great Gatsby is her favorite, but she also reads mysteries and paranormal. Almond milk makes her gag, and she loves the color pink but won’t wear it anywhere but on her nails because of her hair. And she’s beautiful.” Those were the things I meant when I said she was different.

  Nash groaned. “Why? Why does this have to happen now?”

  “What?”

  Nash looked at me and shook his head in frustration. “You pulling your head out of your ass and seeing a girl for more than a body and a fun time.”

  “I’ve never met a girl like her.”

  Nash studied me a moment, then hung his head. He rubbed his temples before sighing in defeat. “We’re fucked. I have been working with Kip, but the kid is not ready to take over in the playoffs if Hunter’s head isn’t in the game. There goes the championship.”

  You Were Warned about My Reputation

  CHAPTER 10

  AURORA

  I didn’t mean to upset Hunter.

  I glanced down at the text from Ryker after sitting in Literature class fuming for well over twenty minutes. Hunter had stepped way out of line. As soon as this class ended, I was going to get him alone and put down some boundaries. I had gotten so upset I’d gone to full-on signing in the hallway. Something I hadn’t ever planned on doing.

  Right now that was the least of my concerns, though. Hunter had humiliated me in front of Ryker. He had no right to act the way he did. Ryker had been nice and friendly. I was surprised when I’d glanced back to see him in the hallway where I had been forced to leave him. He was watching me. The look in his eyes hadn’t been angry, annoyed, or withdrawn. Which were all things I had feared I’d see. Instead he’d seemed sad. Almost worried. He also looked like he . . . missed me. Which was odd and sweet at the same time.

  I waited until the teacher had taken a seat and everyone was busy reading before hiding the phone in my lap and replying.

  Hunter was a jerk. He needs to apologize. I’m sorry he acted that way.

  I hit send and glanced back at my brother, who was watching me. I glared at him, making sure he knew I was still furious, then turned back to the book in front of me we were supposed to be reading. I couldn’t focus on the words in the book. It was pointless to try and read. The scene in the hall kept replaying in my head. I’d seen Ryker talking to the girl, and she’d been upset with him. I could see her body language enough to tell that. He hadn’t been real concerned about it, and he’d seemed a bit confused. Too many people had blocked my view, and I hadn’t seen his mouth clear enough to know what he was saying. Not that it was my business.

  I don’t have the best reputation. I should’ve warned you and I should’ve expected his reaction. But I’m going to talk to him. I know you have a boyfriend but I’d like to get the chance to know you. To be your friend.

  Although that was sweet, it made my heart sink. He wanted to be my friend. It was silly for that to feel like such a letdown. I had told him about Denver. He could just be respecting that. Or he could simply want to be my friend.

  The gorgeous girl who he’d had a con
versation with in the hall, she’d been confident, turned heads, and seemed to have some kind of relationship with him. The way he’d responded to her and the way she was so worked up said they’d had something before or maybe now. I wondered if she was one of the reasons for his bad reputation. The idea didn’t feel good. I pushed all that aside and replied.

  I had already heard some of your reputation. Hunter doesn’t get to make my decisions for me or determine my friends.

  I wanted to add and I’d like to get to know you, too. But I wasn’t sure if that would make me vulnerable. I didn’t know much about Ryker. There seemed to be a lot I should know. A lot that people wanted me to know. But I enjoyed getting to know him organically. Without prior knowledge of him. Or others’ opinions. Besides, everything they could tell me would be secondhand information, and I had never cared for or participated in gossip.

  It wasn’t fair to him. Friends was the best idea. We had only just met yesterday. If we became friends, then I could learn more about him. See if this reputation of his was an issue or not. Wanting more than friendship from him so soon was silly anyway.

  You were warned about my reputation? I’m not surprised. But I am a little surprised you gave me a chance so far. I’d think a girl like you wouldn’t give someone with my past a chance at . . . friendship.

  I smiled at that. Even if I was wrong and that hadn’t been meant to sound flirty, it did. I liked it. Much better than the friendship talk. There was a possibility I was naive and I could regret this, but I didn’t think I would. He was so nice. Last night I felt like I really got to know him. And he had flirted then, too. I knew flirting. I wasn’t imagining that. I wanted him to flirt. Acting like I didn’t was just pointless. The truth was the truth.

  I like to make my own decisions and form my own opinions.

  That was simple. I sent it, then glanced back at the teacher to make sure I wasn’t being watched. He was busy on his laptop. I tried to focus on the words I’d already read this year, but my gaze kept going to my phone. Waiting on Ryker’s response to my text.

  I never got this excited over text messages from Denver, who hadn’t texted me at all yesterday. The last time we had talked had been Sunday. It hadn’t been very long, either. He’d mostly been checking to see if I had settled in. Asked about my brother and if I was ready to face regular public school. Nothing fun or thrilling.

  I realized Denver was comfortable for me. All I knew. I tried to remember if there had been a time when Denver had excited me or given me flutters in my stomach. I didn’t think there had been. We had just been good friends who spent a lot of time together. Kissing had been nice but not done very often. We mostly talked about common interests, school, friends we shared, et cetera.

  I’ve not met many people who can say that but you . . . I believe.

  I was still smiling down at his response when I saw everyone jump up out of their seats like the place was on fire. Which meant the bell had rung, and they were ready to bolt so they got as much time in the hallways to socialize as possible. That had not been important to me yesterday. However, today I found myself rushing to get my stuff in my bag and out the door like the others.

  Hunter stepped in front of me to block my escape, and I sighed as I met his gaze.

  “Was that Ryker you were texting during class?”

  I gave him a sharp nod and raised my eyebrows to challenge him.

  “What about Denver?” he asked, throwing out his own challenge.

  I shrugged.

  “Are you still with Denver?” he pushed.

  I nodded. Then added, Ryker is a friend. Or could be. He wants to be. My words were silent, but I knew he read my lips.

  He rolled his eyes. “You’re being naive.”

  “Then let me be,” I begged.

  I jerked my book bag up and stepped around him to get out the door. He’d already wasted enough of my time. I hadn’t seen Ryker in the halls much at all yesterday. I doubted today would be different, but I had hopes.

  Tallulah and Naz were coming toward me in the hallway when I walked out alone, not checking to see if Hunter was hot on my trail with his overbearing self. Tallulah smiled, and my annoyance faded. It felt nice to know someone and feel as if you had somewhere to fit in. This wasn’t how I’d expected it to all happen. I’d thought it would be harder. Painful even. I had imagined tears in my bedroom at night, missing my friends, my security, even my mom.

  The reality was much better.

  “Good morning. Is today easier?” Tallulah signed.

  I glanced back over my shoulder to see Hunter coming up behind me and sighed. Then, turning back to her, I replied, “He’s being stubborn.” Using hands as well. People seeing me do this didn’t seem to bother me so much today. Ryker’s attention had made me feel more confident.

  Tallulah frowned, then her eyes went to Hunter, and I could tell by her expression he was speaking.

  I spun around quickly to catch what he was telling her. All I saw was him say “Ryker.” He finished, then purposely didn’t meet my eyes. Whatever. I was not arguing with him in the hallway.

  I gave him my back and groaned with frustration. Tallulah gave me a sympathetic smile. “Why don’t you go with me?” she said slow enough that I could read her lips, not looking at my brother for approval, and I appreciated that more than she could know. She nodded her head for us to go, and I went with her as we walked away from them and toward my next period class.

  That’s Not a Battle You’re Gonna Win

  CHAPTER 11

  RYKER

  I’d been expecting him. At some point today, I knew Hunter would find me. Had this been last year, I doubted he would have been so bold. But this year he was the quarterback, and with that came a sense of power.

  When he called out my name as Nash and I were walking to the cafeteria, Nash paused, and I felt him tense beside me. He had been expecting it too. We hadn’t talked about it much, but Nash didn’t approve, and I knew it.

  “Careful,” Nash whispered to me as I turned around to face Hunter. I didn’t expect him to throw a punch. He wasn’t a physical guy, nor had I seen a temper on the field. Brady Higgins had always been the quarterback I played for until this year. He’d been a much different QB. His temper wasn’t something he led with, but we had always known it was there. If this had been him I was dealing with, I would have turned, ready to block a hit.

  “Yeah,” I replied when I saw the tight line of Hunter’s mouth and scowl between his brow. I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen Hunter angry, come to think of it. This look was a new one. He should use it on the field.

  He stopped a few feet in front of me. If I hadn’t been studying him so hard, I would have missed the slight uneasiness in his eyes. His angry expression didn’t mask the fact he wasn’t as confident as he wanted to be.

  “Aurora has a boyfriend” was how he decided to address this. “She’s not available.”

  I gave a small nod. “I know. She told me about Denver,” I replied, not missing the way my knowing the boyfriend’s name threw him off a little. He was surprised and even more hesitant. But he wasn’t going to let this stop him from getting his point across.

  “She’s sensitive. And she’s never met anyone like you before. She trusts too easily. She doesn’t understand . . . how you casually do relationships.”

  Nash was rigid at my side. Not for a second did I think he was about to pounce on Hunter, but he was preparing to stop me if Hunter said the wrong thing. I shot my cousin an amused look and turned my gaze back to Hunter. “I like Aurora. I know she’s not available, but if she was, I would never pursue her as a casual fling. She’s different.”

  Hunter’s hands balled into fists at his sides, and his eyes flared as he took a step toward me. His face was bloodred. Nash’s hand was on my shoulder immediately. He was protecting Hunter. He didn’t have to. I was fairly certain that if I hit her brother, then my chances with Aurora were over. Nash didn’t understand that, though. He was thinking I might tak
e out the quarterback and get suspended. Did he not listen to anything I had said about Aurora this morning? Or did he just think I was full of BS?

  “Don’t fucking ever call her different again!” Hunter’s tone was laced with threat, fury, and pain. He’d been protecting her for years. I should have chosen my words more carefully. I realized my mistake, and I respected Hunter for the way he immediately went into protective mode. Not caring that I was bigger than him. That Nash was bigger than him.

  “She’s kind, smart, funny, honest, and real. When I called her different, it was a compliment. I’ve not met a girl like her before. She makes me smile.”

  Hunter swallowed hard then. His throat constricted. The way his body was tensed eased some. But he didn’t seem to relax completely. He stood there in silence, studying me this time. I was sincere, and I hoped he could see that.

  “All she can ever be is your friend and even then . . .” He didn’t complete that sentence but turned and walked away. Nothing more. I watched him go, wanting to call out to him and ask him to finish that sentence. For Aurora’s sake, I didn’t.

  Nash let out a long sigh, and his hand left my shoulder. I watched Hunter go, wondering what he had decided not to say. I liked Hunter. But I wasn’t sure I would have liked what he had been about to say, and getting him to say it would cause problems.

  “You need to let this go,” Nash finally said. I looked at my cousin. His frown was one I understood. He was thinking the same thing I had.

  “I like her.”

  Nash nodded. “I know. But . . .” He glanced at the retreating Hunter. “That’s not a battle you’re gonna win.”

  “She likes me, too. I make her smile.”

  Nash ran a hand over his head and groaned. “Why? Why did it have to be her that made you go from player to good guy? Could you not have found someone . . . else? You just met her yesterday. You have texted with her. Talked to her briefly at school. You don’t really know her.”