This new school was a little smaller than our old one, but they had the AP classes and extracurriculars to help with getting into Harvard, Dad’s alma mater. That was the goal. The only goal. Getting wrapped up in some dumbfuck country boy and losing focus was the opposite of the goal.
Ten months, Jack.
Hold it in and keep everyone out for ten months.
“Youassholesruinedourkits,” Blaine growled behind me.
So much for ten fucking months.
The low chuckles of football players ended with one of them saying, “No idea what you’re talking about, bruh.”
“The fuck you don’t.”
I shook my head as I exchanged books in my locker. I couldn’t fault Blaine for getting hot about the football team fucking up our soccer kits, but what good would it do? Not like it’d repair the damage.
Ty sighed beside me and slammed his locker closed. “There a problem here, gentlemen?” he asked as he turned, inserting himself where I wouldn’t. Was I pissed this last prank destroyed our uniforms? Sure. Our season was months off, and though we didn’t buy them, it was a step too far, a step proving how ridiculous this feud had become.
Soccer versus football? What even was that?
The drama hadn’t started with us. Rumor had it the students of Hickory Bend High had been a powder keg ready to blowbefore we’d moved to town, and they’d readily taken sides as our two teams drew a line in the sand. For me, it was a lot simpler and a fuck ton more complicated than this latest dick-measuring contest. I didn’t hate the football team. I didn’t care about the bullshit going on in the hallway or the pranks they kept pulling since classes started.
I closed my locker and leaned against it. I wouldn’t throw my weight into this match as long as it remained barking, but I’d be ready in case Ty needed me. Well, okay, fine. If Blaine was getting his ass beat, Imighthelp. He was one of the few with us in our competitive league. We kind of needed him.
“Aren’t you fuckin’ pissed, bro?” Blaine asked Ty as several other soccer players moved into position behind him. Though our season wasn’t until spring, I was surprised by how close everyone on the team had become during camp and had remained so.
Ty shuffled forward, and everyone parted for him on cue. He grabbed the back of Blaine’s neck and shook him. “Hell yeah, but you really think it’s a good idea to brawl before second period?”
Blaine slapped Ty’s hand away. He liked us probably about as much as he liked the football team right now, but same as me, Blaine would back a teammate first and foremost.
“Fuck off, Ty. This shit needs to end. Our fuckin’ kits?” Blaine glared at the football team, who had formed an arc across from the soccer players. “That’s too far.”
Ty shook his head and blanked his expression. “I’m confused,bro. Fuck off? You want me to be pissed or not?”
A few students, who weren’t athletes but were getting a front-row seat to the performance, laughed. Ty ate up the attention. He cocked his head and grinned at Blaine, who took a deep breath as his cheeks grew darker.
“You should want to be pissed,Captain,” Blaine added. It hadn’t been our doing, but Coach had named Ty and me co-captains after it became clear we’d bring a lot to the team this year. A spot that had been Blaine’s before.
“That’s co-captain to you. Don’t forget about Jack,” Ty said and glanced at me.
“Don’t pull me into this,” I said, keeping myself unconcerned—for now.
“You should be in it already.” Ty angled his head toward Blaine. “So says Blaine.”
Blaine shoved Ty, and a cold shiver streaked across my shoulders. Ty laughed, but so did the football players, which made Ty refocus and growl in their direction.
“NowI’mconfused,” one of them said. I didn’t know his name, not that I’d taken the time to learn too many of them anyway.
“Yeah, you girls need a moment to kiss and make up?” another football player said.
Ty clamped a hand on Blaine’s shoulder—who slapped it off again—and said to the football players, “Be with you fuckheads in a moment.”
As he turned to say more to Blaine, one of the footballers shoved his shoulder. “The fuck you say?”
“Ty.” There was an unspoken apprehension in my one word. Ty heard it loud and clear.
“I got this.” Ty straightened to his full height, flipping from casual fun to intimidating.
The students not involved in this backed up.
