ELEVEN
When I slam my locker closed and prepare for our warm-up, I notice Tuck standing on the other side of the locker room.
I'm still not sure what happened last night. But when I came back downstairs after my call with Kaylee, neither Jace nor Tuck were anywhere to be found. Yes, I had a text from Jace saying he went home to Missy, but I don't know... Maybe he and Tuck finally picked up whatever they were planning at that party. Jacedidn't show up this morning for our usual jog, so I can only imagine...
It shouldn't bother me this much, but it does, and that makes me even more agitated, which is stupid. He can do whatever and whomever he wants.
Trying to keep my mind off of anything Jace-related, because I really have to stop with that nonsense, I grab my helmet and head to the field. I greet our coaches with a wave and take my position next to Lamar, as we already discussed today's practice before I changed.
This afternoon, we're doing a scrimmage, our offense against our defense, but mixing the lines up with some of our freshmen to see where they’re at. That means I’m not participating much, or would be in a different position than I'm used to because we need our backup quarterbacks to get some time in. Coach wants me to take it easy today since tomorrow we have a big away game coming up, facing the number one team in our district. That means we have to leave pretty early and stay in a hotel for the night.
But when I'm subbing as a tackle and am in front of Tuck, who is on our defensive line, and he gives me a challenging grin just as the play begins, I'm off.
And before I know it, I have Tuck lying beneath me, not a ball in sight, his face a grimace of pain.
A shrill whistle sounds, and it doesn't take Coach long to stand in front of me, calling foul play and shouting in my face as I take my helmet off.
“What the hell was that, King?”he demands, pointing a beefy finger in my face while Lamar helps Tuck back on his feet. “Do youwanthim to get injured before the game tomorrow? Doyouwant to get injured? Because if you pull shit like that again, Iwillkick your ass!”
“Good luck in trying that, bossman,”Lamar happily supplies, coming up to us with his helmet beneath his arm. “I know our boy King here is nowhere near as big and awesome as I am, but I actually bitch-slapped him last week, and my hand is still hurting. Stone face, I swear.”
That shuts Coach up, to me at least. “What the hell are you bitch-slapping our star quarterback for?!”
Lamar balks at that, while I try my hardest not to grin, not too much anyway. “Oh no, it wasn’t a veryhardslap really. He just betted me that I couldn’t flip a knife up in the air so it would be stuck in the ceiling. But after the third try it totally worked, so I could slap him. It was my prize.”
“My two captains are throwing knives at each other?!”he bellows. “What the hell do you think would happen if the knife in question landed on your head?”
If I weren't so sure that Coach is a total health freak, I would be afraid that he would get an aneurysm, given how red he's getting. Of course, the rest of the team has sidled up just to eavesdrop.
Lamar holds his two massive paws up. “Sorry coach, it was the alcohol, really.”
Guess that was the wrong thing for Lamar to say because Coach nearly explodes, ordering us 'and every other half-witted retard of an imbecile on this damn team!' to drop down and do eighty burpees. He leaves with a 'you can thank your two donkeys of co-captains for that one,' making the half of the roster that's on the field glare at us.
Ignoring their cursing, I drop down next to Lamar in the grass and start my burpees in silence. Well, partly in silence because when I'm halfway through and everything starts to burn, I can't help but grunt every time I have to get up. With the sun beating down on us, it’s no easy task.
“So,”Lamar starts when we're finally done and fall to our butts, sweat dripping down his dark face. “Care to elaborate on what that was all about with Tuck?”He takes off the buff that’s wrapped around his very short-cropped hair and uses it to wipe his face.
I grind my molars, not really knowing what or how to answer that particular question. Hell, if I know what the hell that was.
“Because he already had a bad day, you know?” He continues when I don’t answer. He thanks one of our teammates who throws us some water bottles; we’re still the captains after all, and proceeds to drink it down in one gulp, eyeing me while he does it.
I roll my eyes and sigh. “No, please tell me, why did he have a bad day?”
Lamar grins like the gossip he is. “I heard him talking with Miles that he broke things off with Jace yesterday. Not that they were dating as far as I know, but he was sad anyway, I guess. We all know he was pining for him big time, right?”
And fuck me if my heart doesn’t beat quicker at that.
Which is fucking hypocritical because I have a girlfriend.
Which is also fucking hypocritical, because I’m not even gay to begin with.
Which I've been having serious doubts about lately, but I'm still ignoring that, thank you.
“So…”
“So what?” I take a few swallows of water.
“You gonna comfort Jace?” He’s grinning that stupid big grin.
