Between The Tackles: A Bad Boy Sports Romance (Pass To Win Book 3)

by Roxy Sinclaire

  “Yeah, we know bro.”

  They acted like they have heard it all before. We decided to walk around the room, just to see what was going on. As we walked, we saw James Jones. I knew we were all excited to meet him, but we just tried to hide it under a strong masculine appearance. He greeted us and welcomed us to the team. We thanked him and began to talk about sports and stats. He even gave us some pointers for getting along with the managers and staff.

  “Oh, if you ever get on Mr. Richards’ bad side, you should just buy him chocolate cake. For some strange reason, the man loves cake. Make sure it’s German chocolate. The coach tends to like it if you know your stats and facts. So know the game inside and out and you should be okay.”

  We thanked him and he told us that it was no problem. He then went with the other players. I really wanted to take a picture with him, but I didn’t want to seem like a groupie. Maybe another time. I really wished I could tell her that I met him, but I could always tell her later. I really just wanted to have fun tonight.

  We stopped at a beer keg and the guys in the group began to act like frat boys.

  “Yo… I could chug this whole thing in under 15 minutes,” one of them said.

  “I’d like to see you try,” said another.

  “Game on.”

  He asked them to hold him upside down while he promised to chug the entire thing. Two guys from the group turned him upside down and put the tubing from the keg into his mouth. The rest of us were cheering.

  “Chug! Chug! Chug!”

  He wasn’t doing badly. In fact, I was beginning to think he had done this before. He finished the entire keg and then he burped.

  “Yeah!”

  Everyone began to chant “Brando!”, “Brando!”

  It took Brando a bit of time to walk in a straight line again. Then he put his hands up and we applauded. He had a strong liver. I’ll give him that.

  “So what about you, Nick?”

  “Oh, I guess one drink won’t hurt.”

  “It won’t. Let’s get another keg!”

  “Yeah!”

  We all proceeded over to the bar and asked for another keg. We then began to drink from it. Brando was still trying to recover from the beer stunt and passed up on drinking, which I believed was a smart choice. It started with one, like it always did. I then was handed another and another, until I lost count. I should have had more control over myself, but I really wanted to fit in with the group. Suddenly, I went a bit wobbly. Maybe I should have stopped myself after the fourth one. It had been a while since I drank. I was more concerned with my fitness and so as much as I had the occasional drink, I tried to stay away from alcohol. Now I wished I had kept that promise and remained sober.

  The room began to spin. I was getting worried. My new teammates were concerned about me.

  “He looks funny,” one of the said.

  “Bro, are you okay?” asked another.

  I tried to answer but my words came out as slurs. They then carried me to a chair. I tried to make sense of what was going on, but I couldn’t. Someone brought me water, but it wasn’t enough since I still felt like the room was spinning. Although it didn’t fully connect with me, I hated myself for acting like such a frat boy at this event. I knew something was wrong. I finally finished the glass of water.

  I begin to black out and passed out on the chair. I had no idea what was going on after. I could partially hear the music in the background and hear some people talking. I then felt a weight on my lap and heard some giggling. I saw a flashing light and that was it. That was all I can remember of the party.

  Apparently, one of the cheerleaders thought I was pretty cute and wanted a picture with me. She sat on my lap and planted a kiss on me. One of her friends decided to take a picture since she thought we looked so cute together. She then uploaded it to social media, without my consent. I was unaware of all of this as I was unconscious. I only became aware of it much later on and there wasn’t anything I could do to stop it once I found out.

  19

  April

  Although I missed Nick, I had to stay focused. My studies were important and so was my future career. I wanted to be an excellent lawyer and I wanted to move away. I also wanted that internship at a law firm in New York, so that I can hone my legal prowess, but also be closer to Nick. I turned the pages and wondered if Nick was okay. I hoped he wasn’t having too much fun. I knew it was just for a few days but I missed him a lot. It was hard not to think about it, but I know he was living his dreams and so I had to focus on mine. As I turned the pages in my textbook, I was finding it easier and easier to process what had been written. I never thought I would see the day when I understood what was going on. I then decided to consult my notes on the topic which I had written up several weeks before. I couldn’t seem to find them anywhere. I began to panic. I searched my entire room and my bag for the notes. Nothing! Great! After spending three weeks of tirelessly reading about Contracts, I had nothing to show for it.

  Mark then messaged me and asked me if everything was okay. I wanted to lie but ended up caving in and told him everything. He then offered to lend me his notes for Contracts.

  “Oh thank you so much, Mark!”

  Mark was really a life saver. He told me he would be over in a few minutes with the notes. I was relieved. Finally, I can master this subject area! I then got a message saying that he was outside. I went downstairs and let him in. He handed me some of the study notes and I was just so thankful that I jumped and hugged him.

  “You’re such a life saver!” I told him.

  “Yeah, I do my best,” he responded.

  “Well, I guess I should head back upstairs and go study.”

  “Wait! April there is something that I need to show you.”

  “What is it?”

  I was nervous at first to find out what it was that he had to show me. It couldn’t be good news. I know Mark very well and that tone was the one he would use when he was about to say something bad.

  “I found something online and you are not going to like it,” he said.

  “What did you find online?”

  “Uh, I found Nick kissing another girl.”

  I began to laugh. I thought Mark was just jealous and that studies and a lack of sleep had gotten to him. When he wasn’t laughing, I realized it wasn’t a joke.

  “Where did you find this?”

  He then pulled out his phone and clicked on the social site. He scrolled through his newsfeed until I saw the picture for myself. I was surprised! I couldn’t believe he could do this to me! There he was getting kissed by another girl.

  “I can’t believe this….”

  I was so hurt and disappointed. I couldn’t believe that the moment he left for New York, he immediately forgot that he had me back home.

  I just sat on the couch in a state of shock. I was so shocked that I didn’t even see that his eyes were closed and he was completely out of it. I just sat there and wished that Mark had never shown me the picture.

  “I trusted him…. After everything,” I stuttered.

  Mark, who was still there, sat next to me. He looked disappointed that he had to be the one to break the news to me.

  “I know,” he commiserated.

  “I can’t believe he would do something like this to me,” I despaired

  Mark was still there staring at me,

  “I know.”

  I then began to cry. I couldn’t stop. I just felt so betrayed. Mark looked at me with a sorrowful look. I just sat there and cried. I didn’t know what else to do.

  Mark just didn’t know what to do.

  “Should I leave you...?”

  “Yes…”

  He was about to leave when I changed my mind.

  “Actually, no. Please stay.”

  He sat back down and sighed.

  “Can you…can you hold me please?”

  He then wrapped an arm over me. I started to cry. In a moment of weakness, I began to think about being with
Mark. Mark was my best friend and would never do this to me. He would be there for me, just like he has always been. He would have never hurt, nor would he have lied to me. I wouldn’t have to ever worry about him.

  I sniffled while I was still in his arms. He then brushed some hair off from my face. I just sighed and looked at him. I leaned in and kissed him. When I pulled away, I was in a state of shock! What had I done? Or what was I doing?

  He was about to kiss me again, when I stopped him.

  “I don’t think this is a good idea. Look, Mark I am really sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I think I just had a moment of weakness because of all of this. I…I think you should leave.”

  Mark was also stunned. He was also trying to process the kiss. I was glad I stopped myself before anything else could happen. As much as it was wrong for Nick to kiss that girl, it was also wrong for me to stoop to that level. I really needed time to process all of this.

  “Look, Mark I am really sorry. Thanks for the notes. I really needed them. Also thanks for letting me know about the incident. I am just really sorry for the kiss. It shouldn’t have happened and I didn’t want to lead you on. But right now, I think I just need to be alone for a while.”

  “It’s okay. I understand. Take all the time you need.”

  “Okay, thanks for understanding.”

  I then saw him leave and I sat on the couch and sighed. I felt guilty now. I shouldn’t have kissed him. Here I was being a hypocrite. I judged Nick for doing something that I had just done. I couldn’t even study for the rest of the night. I was completely racked with guilt. I eventually went upstairs and just lay in bed. I didn’t even want to sleep. I wanted to pretend like I never kissed my best friend.

  Except I did.

  I groaned. I just longed for some sleep. I got up and tried to study. I couldn’t do it. I just stared at the textbook. It was then and there that I had decided that I would tell him as soon as he got back from his trip. If I wanted an honest relationship, then I would have to be honest too. No matter if it may cost me the actual relationship.

  20

  Nick

  It felt so good to be back home. It felt like I had been away for too long. It was one of the best trips I had ever gone on. I got to meet my new teammates and meet a few of my heroes. But now there was only one face that I really wanted to see. I headed back to the apartment, where I was asked a lot of questions about my stay and if I met anyone

  “It was amazing and I met James.”

  Mitch’s eyes got wider.

  “You mean James Jones?”

  “Yup the one and only,” I nodded.

  Mitch seemed a bit jealous, but was happy for me.

  “Wow, that’s cool.”

  “Yeah, he even gave us some pointers as to how to survive as members of the team.”

  Cindy then walked in and looked at the expression on Mitch’s face.

  “Hey, don’t look like that. Also, did you tell Nick the good news?”

  “What news?”

  She then nudged him and he remembered.

  “Oh, yeah. The Broncos want to sign me,” he declared.

  “Wow! That’s so good! Broncos was your first choice,” I congratulated him.

  “Yeah, I’m so excited.”

  But from his tone of voice, he didn’t seem excited.

  So I asked him, “Why don’t you sound happy?”

  “It’s just…I don’t want to leave my mom all alone. She isn’t feeling too well,” he explained.

  Wow, that was heavy, I thought.

  “Well, that’s tough,” I said sympathetically.

  “Yeah,”

  “Maybe you can play with some of the local teams?” I suggested.

  “Yeah, I was considering that. Just…it’s hard to give up on a dream.”

  “Yeah, I hope it all works out man,” I held out my hand to him.

  “Yeah, me too” he replied as he shook my hand.

  “Anyways, I’m off to see April. If you want to talk when I get back, let me know.”

  “Will do.”

  I hopped into my car and headed to her house. I called her and told her I was outside. She didn’t seem that excited on the phone when I called. I found that to be quite strange. Maybe it was the stress of school and studying getting to her.

  She came downstairs and looked as lovely as ever. She seemed a bit nervous. I had never seen her like that before.

  “Hey,” I said as I kissed her, “is everything okay?”

  “Yeah, everything is okay,” she replied

  I then told her about my trip. I told her how I met James and that training went well and that I had signed the contract and now I was an official member of the team.

  “That’s…great,” she said hesitantly.

  I asked her again, “Okay, April. What’s wrong?”

  “You kissed another girl. Mark showed me a picture of it,” she answered.

  I thought to myself, Picture? What picture?

  “April, you wouldn’t happen to have a copy of the picture, do you?”

  “I can get it.”

  She scrolled through the newsfeed and there I was sitting there, unconscious with a girl on top of me.

  “I don’t remember this happening. In fact, I don’t remember that much from that night. I had too much to drink and I passed out. I was the first one to pass out, which was kind of embarrassing. So much for a stellar first impression, huh? So this girl came up to me and sat on my lap and kissed me. I didn’t even know she did that. She is on the cheerleading team for the squad. Apparently I was so out of it, that they took prank photos of me while I was drunk.”

  I then went through the team’s social feed and showed her all of the photos. Although she seemed relieved, I could still tell that something was wrong.

  I could tell that she had something to say. It couldn’t be good news if she was taking so long for her to speak her mind.

  “I believe you and I forgive you.”

  I knew something was up. This would normally be the part where she tore me a new one. Instead, she was offering her forgiveness.

  “April, what’s really going on?”

  “After I saw the picture, I started crying. I couldn’t believe that you kissed another girl. Then Mark stayed back and comforted me and then…. we kissed.”

  I couldn’t believe what I just heard. I was in a state of shock. How could she do this to me?

  “Look, I am really sorry Nick. I didn’t mean for it to happen.”

  She put her hand on my shoulder and I brushed it off.

  “Nick, I am so sorry. Please let me explain.”

  It really hurt me that she kissed someone else. And him of all people! I couldn’t stand Mark from the first time I met him and now, this! That’s probably why he showed her the picture of me anyways! He was just such a jerk! I don’t know why those two are friends.

  April was trying to get me to stay so that we could talk things over, but I didn’t want to talk. I just wanted to be alone. I got into my car and sped off leaving a very guilty April in the distance.

  I headed back to the apartment. Cindy and Mitch knew something was wrong.

  “Nick, what happened?” Cindy asked me worriedly.

  “I don’t want to talk about it,” I bit off.

  As much as they wished I would talk about it, they decided to give me space.

  “Also, I’m moving out,” I told them tersely

  “Really? You got an apartment?” Mitch asked me. He was a bit puzzled since he knew I was leaving for New York soon enough.

  “Yeah, I got a temporary apartment as a result of the contract I had just signed. So I’m going to head there in a few minutes.”

  “Wow, okay good luck bro. Was nice having you as a roommate,” he commented.

  “Yeah and I do hope you figure things out with your mom and football,” I offered in return.

  “Yeah, I will.”

  “Wow,” Cindy exclaimed, “Things didn’t go so well with April?
”

  “I really don’t want to talk about it,” I repeated what I said earlier

  “Okay, be safe and don’t drive when you are tired. Stop off somewhere and get some rest if you have to,” she cautioned.

  “I will. Thanks for having me as a guest,” I was so grateful to them both.

  “No problem.”

  I then went upstairs and packed my things. As soon as I had everything packed, I hopped into my car and started driving. It was a long drive. I had to make a few pit stops and stop at the gas station a few times before I made my way to the new apartment. I just wanted a fresh start. It bothered me that April did what she did. I had all these plans for us and I just didn’t know what to do.

  I grabbed the keys out of my pocket and opened the door. It was small but an amazing apartment. It was fully furbished and had basic amenities like water and electricity and even Wi-Fi.

  I got all of my things from the car and just sat on the couch. I was still in shock. I couldn’t believe that she would kiss him! She did seem like she was sorry and I know April is a good girl. It’s just that I wouldn’t expect her to do something like that. I didn’t have to go back, but I did just for her. I know she didn’t mean to kiss him. I just hope that after her exams, we can figure things out.

  I sat there all alone in the apartment and tried to make sense of everything. Maybe it was karma for the way I had treated the other girls in my past. It bothered me too much. I couldn’t even enjoy being in a new city. I stared at the phone. I just wanted to hear her voice again. I wished I hadn’t left like that, but I had to. I just didn’t know what to say. As I lay on the couch, I hoped we could put this behind us and figure thing out.

  21

  April

  Seeing Nick just walk away from me, made me feel so empty. I wished I hadn’t kissed Mark. I wished I could take back everything. I sat there trying to study. I hoped I could make everything right. I stared at the pages. I just wanted to fix the mess I had made with Nick. I hoped he could forgive me and that we can move past what had happened. I would be hurt too if I saw him kiss someone else. I understood how he felt. I was also upset when I saw that picture. I had needed someone to talk to.