Because he hasn’t.
Not since he made that promise to me, the night he took me for a ride in his Mustang for the first time.
I haven’t seen him with a girl in the hallways. I haven’t seen him flirting or taking any interest in them. In fact, the other day I overheard a few girls talking in the restroom during lunch. About how Reed has seemed distant and distracted over the past few weeks.
See?
He can be a good guy, if he wants to be.
Only he doesn’t want to be.
Not right now at least.
Not as I watch him on the soccer field, practicing with the team.
Well, there’s no practice going on right now because the two star players are currently facing off against each other.
It’s the same scene from that game weeks ago, the one that started everything.
Ledger is all angry and bunched up and Reed is cool and relaxed.
I know I should move on and not get involved. I never have before.
I was actually on my way to my own practice at the auditorium.
Tomorrow is my show that I’ve been practicing for for months and we’re doing a full dress rehearsal.
Actually, tomorrow’s also the day of the championship soccer game for Bardstown High and I’m still trying to figure out how I can both watch the game and make it to my own show.
But anyway, right now my plan was to just watch him play for a few minutes, hidden away behind the bleachers, and then leave to get to my own rehearsal.
But now I’m walking toward them, toward the crowd, the two camps, the Mustang and the Thorn.
Conrad and his assistant coaches are trying to settle everyone down. But when Con glares at Reed, snaps something at him and points to the bench, I know that it’s only going to exacerbate the problem.
Reed glares back at Con and I grimace, thinking that he’s going to say something to my brother and his coach, something disrespectful. But thankfully all he does is spit on the ground and wipe his mouth with the back of his hand and leave.
Or is about to, when something happens and it’s Ledger.
Just as Reed is about to turn away, Ledger taunts, “Hey, Jackson! Can’t wait to beat you tomorrow. Once and for all.You’re going to regret not taking your dad’s advice and quitting the team. You pollute everything you touch anyway.”
Oh crap. Ledger!
He was leaving,leavingand my brother had to go and ruin it.
Reed’s dad is a touchy subject.
I know that.
So apparently, his dad, the famous builder who owns everything in this town, hates the fact that Reed plays soccer. According to him, it’s a huge waste of Reed’s time because he wants his son to take over the business.
“My dad is an asshole,” Tempest told me one day. “Like, a complete asshole. A negligent father. Bad, cheater of a husband. I’m glad I live far away from him. Though I miss my brother. I hate that he has to deal with our dad alone. And mom’s no help. She lives in her own la-la land. But honestly though, Reed wouldn’t let me deal with him anyway. He likes to protect me from stuff.”
So I know there’s tension between Reed and his dad.
I don’t know the extent of it because Tempest was right, Reeddoesn’tlike to talk about it, and I’ve tried to get him to only for him to shut down and grow angry.
Even right now, after Ledger’s unnecessary taunt, he’s done the same.
