Rival Love

by Natalie Decker

  The more I think about Skylar the more ticked off I get. If she were in front of me I’d wring her neck. She’s screwing up my life.

  Lance runs up beside me and says, “Hey, there’s an after-game party Friday night at Amber’s. You going?”

  “Yeah, count me in.” One good thing came out of this shitty day. The weekend can’t come soon enough. Beer, chicks, and no Skylar.

  I finally finish up the laps and it’s the end of practice. Coach Dillon hands me a bunch of papers stapled together and growls, “New plays. Study up. Be ready tomorrow. We’re going to run a few.”

  I nod and head down to the locker rooms. It’s a little past six forty-five when I get my shower, change, and am in my car. Lance jerks open the passenger-side door and says, “Hey man, Derrick left my ass, can you give me a ride?”

  “Um…I kinda gotta get Liv from work.” His eyes light up, and it makes me instantly regret telling him that.

  “Well, I don’t mind. Besides, I wanna meet the hot chick. Derrick won’t shut the hell up about how he got to meet her first.”

  God, I’m really going to regret this. I nod. “All right but she’s a total bitch. Warning you now.”

  “Most hot chicks are.” He slides into the passenger seat and we take off to Coffee Junky’s Dream.

  It’s way after seven when I pull into the parking lot. I hop out and tell Lance to wait in the car. Stepping inside the small coffee bar, I instantly spot Skylar sitting in the back next to some tall guy. She tips her head back and laughs, and he laughs too. I don’t know what’s so damn funny, but I think it’s the first time I’ve ever seen her laugh with another person. And if Skylar Fletcher could make herself any hotter than she already is, she just accomplished it. My heart speeds up, as I make my way toward her.

  Her eyes meet mine and she instantly stops laughing. The dude she’s sitting with looks at her and then up at me. “What are you doing here?” she asks.

  “I had to pick you up. So, um…are you done working?”

  I glance down at the table and notice she has a few of her schoolbooks open. She’s seriously doing homework in a coffee shop. What a freaking dork. I shake my head as she shoves them into her book bag. “I’m done. See ya tomorrow, Alex. Thanks for the chat.”

  “Anytime, Sky. See you tomorrow. Stay out of trouble.”

  She laughs. “I’ll try.”

  Who’s this Alex guy? Why does she laugh and seem nice around him but when it comes to me, it’s totally different? Like night and day.

  She’s about to walk out the door when I remember Lance is in my car. I grab Skylar by the shoulders and spin her around. “Hey, um…I had to help my friend out so he’s in the car with me. So…uh…could you like wear a hat or something?”

  She raises an eyebrow. “Okay. It’s the least I can do, I guess.” She walks back toward the counter and grabs a black baseball cap with the letters CJD stitched on the front. Placing it on her head, she returns to my side and asks, “How much trouble did you get in with your coach?”

  I shrug. “Ran a lot of laps.”

  She winces. “I’m sorry. Here, have a muffin.” She hands me a bag as we walk out the door and head to my car.

  Looking inside the bag, I ask, “Did you spit on the blueberries or something?”

  “No. I like my food spit-free.” I laugh and open up my door. She ducks behind my seat and slides across the back, keeping her head down.

  Lance looks back at Skylar and says, “Hey…I’m Lance. Nice to meet you.”

  Skylar shakes his hand. “Liv. Nice meeting you.”

  And that starts a whole round of questions Lance rattles off during the drive to his house.

  Chapter 17

  Skylar

  I notice through the rearview mirror Caleb furrows his brows and grimaces each time I answer Lance, who rattles off a string of questions a mile a minute. When we pull up to Lance’s house he shifts in the seat and asks, “So see you Friday night at Amber Ortiz’s party?”

  I feel myself cringing. Not because Lance is annoying me or anything. It’s her name. I force a smile and say, “Yeah sure.”

  Lance fist-bumps Caleb. “See ya tomorrow man, and I’ll see you Friday night.” He winks at me and steps out of the car.

  Caleb glares at me. “You aren’t serious about going to Amber’s are you?”

  I narrow my eyes and shake my head. “God no! The only way I’d show up at Amber’s is with a crate full of goodies to vandalize her place.” Stepping over the middle console, I slide into the passenger seat and look over at Caleb.

  “If you got mud on my seats, I’ll kill you.”

  Taking off my hat and shaking out my hair I laugh. “I hope you don’t say that to all your girlfriends.”

  He re-grips his steering wheel and sighs. “I’m not an asshole.”

  I shrug. I’m sure if I weren’t me, Caleb would be the sweet flirt I witnessed at school today. A small part of me is jealous that other girls like Amber get to see that side of him.

  We remain silent for the rest of the ride to his uncle’s house. Once he pulls his car into the driveway, I get out and head inside. Caleb isn’t on my heels when I enter the foyer, which is a relief.

  “Caleb? Skylar? Dinner is ready if you’re hungry,” Brian calls from the back of the house.

  I stroll into the dining room. My mom scowls, arms folded, and commands me to sit in the chair next to hers. She’s super mad at me, which makes me want to be as far away from her as possible—not closer. I quit approaching the table and hang back near the china cabinet.

  “Skylar Olivia Fletcher, I want you to sit down this instant!”

  I flinch at my mother’s words. Using my full name is pulling out the big guns. She means business and if I sass her right this second, she’ll slap me. I move to my chair slowly and take a seat. “The school called me today.” She glares at me. “Throwing a tantrum and acting like a delinquent will not make me change my mind about leaving. And if I get another phone call about your behavior there will be hell to pay. Am I understood, young lady?”

  I nod.

  My mom smacks her hand off the tabletop and the silverware and plates rattle. It startles me a bit. I fidget in my seat. She rarely gets mad, but she has, and the warning glint in her eyes is telling me not to push her. So I keep my usual protests at bay. She yells, “Am I understood, Skylar?”

  “Yes,” I whisper.

  The chair to my right moves, followed by his voice. “Thanks for dinner, Erin. It looks great.”

  My mother turns her attention to Caleb and smiles. “Thank you. Go ahead and dig in, don’t want things getting cold.” She looks over at me, her lips pursed. She’s so mad at me, but she has no idea how bad this move is for me. I’ve tried to explain but she’s just so blinded by love she’s not listening to me. That’s another reason I didn’t talk back. There’s really no reason to waste any more breath about it. “And Skylar, I’m grounding you from your car.”

  I push my chair back from the table and stand. “I’m not hungry anymore. May I go to my room? I don’t want to annoy Caleb by pretending to eat.” I shoot him a look and then glance back at my mom. She frowns but nods.

  “Hand over your phone too.”

  I slap it on the table. “Here. Hope you find it entertaining.”

  During my stay in the closet, my phone blew up with messages. All of them called me a traitor, and some consisted of things they’d do to my car or face if they ever saw me again. I went on Facebook and everyone had unfriended me. In one day, I went from being Skylar Fletcher, a girl who had it all, to nothing.

  ***

  I’m up in my room poring over books and don’t notice I’m not alone until someone clears their throat. I glance back and see Caleb. His arms are folded over his chest and we just stare at each other in silence.

  “Need something?” I ask.

  “I don’t get you, Fletch.”

  I narrow my eyes a fraction then turn away from him. “And that’s my problem why
?”

  I hear his footsteps closing in on me. Before I shift in my seat to face him, he whips my computer chair around. His gorgeous eyes hold my gaze. “Why didn’t you tell on anyone?”

  “Why do you care? Worried I’m going to tell the school who I live with?”

  He scowls. “You better not.”

  As much as I want to see Caleb lose something from this move too, I can’t. Exposing him means giving up my only safe haven in this whole freaking mess. “If that’s the only reason you’re in here, you’re wasting your time.”

  He sighs and backs away a few inches. “I don’t want to help you, but I feel like I owe you. So…I’ll make a couple calls and find out the work you missed today. From the conversation I overheard earlier between you and Erin I’m assuming you’re going to be here for a little longer.”

  “I don’t want your help!” I turn away from him and glare at the pages in my English book. No one, especially not him, needs to remind me of what my mom said. I hate being here!

  My chair swings around again. I clench my jaw. “Caleb, go away.”

  “After you get this.” He hands over his phone and I glance down at the screen. All my homework assignments from each class were displayed before me. I look up at him and then scowl. Why is he being nice to me?

  “I don’t have all my books.” I hand back his phone, but he doesn’t take it.

  He holds up a finger. “Actually…you do. Brian fetched them for you. Be right back.”

  Before I can respond, he’s out of my room, and returns in what feels like a second with a stack of books in his arms. He drops them on my bed and says, “So…we’re even, right?”

  “Even?”

  He smirks at me. “Yeah. Even. For the whole wearing baseball caps around my friends, and not telling the school you’re living at my uncle’s.”

  I nod. “Sure. Why not?” I copy the list off his phone and say, “I still hate you.”

  “Wouldn’t have it any other way, Fletch.”

  “Good…” His phone buzzes in my hand, and my eyes flick to the screen. Amber. My skin chills over, while my stomach knots. Seriously, what does he see in her? I toss the phone back to him with a sneer and return my attention to my homework.

  Chapter 18

  Caleb

  It’s Friday. I’ve been waiting for this day all week. Why? Besides it being the start of the weekend, it’s the start of my football season. Tonight, we play Wells. My leg can’t stop bouncing as I sit in my classes waiting for the final bell.

  I don’t think anything can bring down my excitement, until I spot Skylar at lunch. Her hair is hanging down like a dark curtain while she looms over a book in front of her. I’m about to look away, but she lifts her head slightly, revealing a fresh bruise near her eye and a busted lip. “Damn.”

  “What?” Lance asks. “Oh, yeah, the girls gave the Bulldog a welcome gift. I was in the office when Principal Keegan was asking her who did that to her.”

  “Did she say?” I don’t know why I ask. It’s not like I care about who mangled Skylar’s face, but I know Uncle Brian and Erin will want answers.

  He shakes his head. “Nope. She claims she slipped on some water and she caught herself on the door.”

  Why did she lie? Anyone who has seen Skylar play softball will know the girl isn’t klutzy. For someone who doesn’t want to be here, she’s not doing a very good job of getting herself out. The more I wonder about Skylar, the more I question what her agenda is.

  Lance nudges my side. “You know what’s twisted, besides her being hot? She dates that douchebag quarterback Kevin. If she’s half as knowledgeable in sports as the papers claim her to be, she’d be one hell of an ally.” He leans back in his chair and smiles. “But judging from that black eye, I’m thinking her days are done here. There’s no way her parents would let her come back here once she goes home sporting that.”

  “Yeah…no way…” I’ve gotta keep Skylar away from Erin and Brian, but how? I can’t believe I didn’t see this before. She’s my golden ticket to beating Harris Academy this year. Turning my attention back to Skylar, I watch her mull over a book.

  Derrick takes a seat across from me, cutting off my view of Skylar. I almost growl at him to move, but thank God, I have enough sense to stop myself. It would look really bad if anyone knew I was staring at Skylar.

  “So…any chance Liv’s coming to our game tonight?” Derrick asks with a mouthful of half-chewed pizza.

  I grimace at the thought of Sky coming to the football game. The first person to recognize her and we’d both be toast. I’m lucky I haven’t been caught driving her to school. “I don’t know.”

  “She works at that coffee place, right?” Lance asks.

  I shrug. “Yeah. Why?”

  “I went in there the other day and asked when Liv usually works. The girl at the counter said they didn’t have a Liv working there.”

  Damn! I should have dropped him off instead of letting him tag along to pick up Sky. “Oh…she must’ve quit and not told anyone yet.”

  Derrick asks, “Did she decide to go to Henderson High?” I wish she went to that reject public school. “I thought she was going here?”

  I shrug. My secret is about to surface. They’re going to put two and two together and figure out Skylar is Liv, and she’s the one living with me. I rise from my seat. “I forgot my uncle needed me to do something for him. See you guys after school.” I fist-bump Lance and then Derrick, before fleeing the lunchroom.

  ***

  Just before reaching my uncle’s classroom, I notice I’m not the only one ditching the rest of lunch. Skylar rounds the corner and for some reason I can’t help but follow. She eventually stops by Mrs. Walker’s room and enters. This sparks my curiosity. Skylar doesn’t have any classes with Mrs. Walker, so what the hell is she doing in her room?

  Sneaking up to the door, I crouch down by the line of lockers near Mrs. Walker’s room. “Skylar, why didn’t you report whoever assaulted you?”

  “Because, you know why. In the end it won’t matter. It’s one person and thousands more where they came from. This isn’t why I came to see you. I need your help with something. Not about this. Something else.”

  “Okay. What would you like my help with?”

  Skylar pauses. Without looking into the room, I picture her pacing, with her eyebrows scrunching together while she thinks of the right words to phrase her request for Mrs. Walker. She makes that face a lot at the dinner table when she talks to my uncle and Erin. “I’ve been calculating my options, and as much as I don’t want to be here, my mother is dead set on us staying here.” She sighs; it’s clearly laced with frustration. “Anyway, I’ve known since eighth grade if I play sports and get straight A’s while taking all AP courses, I can get most of my college paid for. Leaving me with as little debt as possible when I graduate. And since I plan on being a doctor, this is the perfect plan. For the past three years, this plan has been working out. Then my mom moved us here, and as you can clearly see I’m not fitting in.” She sighs again. “Sorry, I’m rambling. Erm…so…the point…is there a way I can swim, without swimming for this school?”

  My eyes widen. Skylar wanted nothing to do with the pool when I gave her the tour. “Skylar, I don’t think that’s possible. It seems like a long shot, but you should try talking to Coach Grim. I’m sure she’d be happy to have you…”

  “No!” Skylar shouts, cutting off Mrs. Walker. “Look, I know you won’t really get this but for three years, I put my sweat, tears, and blood into Harris Academy. My friends are there. My first love, dance, award…it’s all there. I can’t turn my back on my school and be a part of this one. Especially not this one. These people hate me. Literally hate me. And I’m okay with that. The only way to reach my goal and not offend anyone is to find some way to swim without being a part of this school’s team.”

  “That’s not going to be possible, though. Not unless you swim for the local YMCA.”

  “That’s not going to wor
k. Most of the girls from here are on that team.”

  As I listen to Skylar, a pain settles inside me. I never really thought about how bad this actually sucks for her. If someone took away my sports, I’d go mad. Footsteps echoing off the walls near the stairwell pull me away from my thoughts. I hurry down the hall to my next class.

  For the remaining part of the day I try to forget about Skylar. I try to think about my football game instead, but every time I do, my thoughts revert right back to her words. The true hollowness in her voice makes my heart twinge. Damn her. Why? Why in God’s name did she have to affect me so much?

  The voice of Ms. Dawson, my precalculus/trigonometry teacher, carries over my thoughts. “Caleb, would you care to step up here and solve this problem for us?”

  I blink and focus on her slender hand stretching a black dry-erase marker to me. She waves her hand a little and offers me a smile. I snatch it from her and approach the white erase board. Looking at the problem, I curse under my breath. The problem in front of me looks like straight Japanese and there’s no way I’m going to be able to solve this correctly. Of all the times in the world to not pay attention in class, here it is.

  As I’m staring at the board, feeling like a completely stupid jackass, the classroom door opens and relief washes over me. Everyone seems to turn their attention away from the problem I’m supposed to be solving and over to the person entering the classroom. My jaw almost unhinges when I notice it’s Skylar.

  “Ms. Fletcher, how may I help you?”

  Skylar fidgets with a stack of papers and suddenly hands them to Ms. Dawson. “I don’t think your Calculus 2 class is…well…challenging enough. Mr. Ferrill said I needed to have a talk with you about this. He also said I needed your signature on these forms.”

  Unbelievable! Here I am, working my ass off to get a good grade in this stupid math class and she’s not being challenged enough.

  “Come over to my desk. I will see what we can work out for you.” Ms. Dawson turns her attention back to me and says, “Caleb go ahead and solve the problem on the board while I take care of Skylar here.”