First and Goal (Moving the Chains #1) (37 page)

“I dunno, Evie. After that performance, my money’s on you two for the Homecoming Senior Game. And that’s saying something because Ashton and I are totally prepared.”

I roll my eyes but say nothing, turning around and combing the stands above me for whichever girl seems to be paying the closest attention as the offense takes the field. No matter if she doesn’t like football, Rob’s a total god in full pads, towering over half the other players. She’ll eventually give herself away by drooling. I mean, who can resist him?

“Please, Jeremy and I have that in the bag.” Alyssa winks at her boyfriend.

After I turn back around from my thousandth scan of the night, I find Jeremy studying me with a lopsided grin on his face. “Whatcha lookin’ for, Evie? Or should I say,
whom
?”

“Uh, no one. Nothing.” My cheeks flaming, I turn my gaze back out to the field as Rob throws for another first down. He truly is an amazing quarterback.

“Uh huh,” he replies. “Still trying to figure out who Rob’s girl is, are you?”

I gesture to him to make with the drumming already for first down. I know that he knows who she is. He’s been pissing me off with taunts ever since that day in the diner. I blame him for my neurosis.

Jess finally can’t hold in her curiosity anymore. “Wait. Does this have anything to do with what you told me this morning? About the girl he’s had a crush on since ninth grade?”

A sigh escapes my lips because once again, I know she’ll gnaw on this until I tell her. “Yeah. Jeremy’s actually the one who told me about her.”

“So it really isn’t you? There’s another girl?” Jess looks confusedly between Jeremy and I as if he’ll give her the answer with his back to her while he’s pounding on his quads.

“I told you it wasn’t me.”

“Well, she’s in band though? That’s why you keep looking behind you? Why won’t Rob just tell you who she is? Is that why he hangs out with you so much? Because he wants your help?”

I lean over so that only Alyssa and Jess will be able to hear me. “Rob doesn’t want me to know who she is for some reason. And I did say I would help him, but he doesn’t seem to want me to do that, either. I keep trying because I figure I owe him for totally saving my ass with calc. And he’s honestly a really sweet guy. You guys have to stop pestering me about him being my boyfriend and all that crap. He’s trying his hardest to win her over, and he’s already working against The Bio Effect. I think his nerves just got the better of him today at the pep rally, but all these rumors about he and I being together are going to ruin it for him. Here are the clues Jeremy gave me: she’s in band with us but not guard; she’s in Honor Society; and she’s a senior.”

“That’s it?” Jess whines. “He didn’t give you any clues about what she looks like?”

“Just that she’s pretty.”

A brilliantly devious idea enters my mind. “Alyssa, did Jeremy maybe tell you who she is?”

She thinks about it a minute. “No. He’s never mentioned it, but then again, we don’t really talk about Rob when we’re together.”

She shoots me a sly wink. Gross. TMI.

“Well, maybe you could use that same skill set to get him to spill?” My smile belies my nervousness.

I want to know who she is, but at the same time…I don’t. I know without a doubt that when he hooks up with Dream Girl, our friendship will be over. Our story finished. I’m torn between wanting to help him and not wanting to let him go. Rob now knows more about my life than the two girls sitting next to me. He’s honestly become one of my best friends in just four short weeks. There’s something that’s always drawn me to him, but it’s become so much more. Maybe The Bio Effect is working on me after all.

I straighten up in my seat just as Jeremy turns around to rejoin the conversation. “So you still haven’t figured it out, huh? I’d say I’m surprised, but then again Rob is a total chickenshit. I’m kind of disappointed in you, though, Papageorgiou. I really thought I gave you enough clues.”

We score another touchdown, so I get up to my spot and conduct our fight song. I pause the music to await the kick, resuming after it sails between the goal posts. Since she’s already up, Alyssa saunters over to Jeremy. They conduct their little conference as Jess and I watch in anticipation.

“I’ll bet you a new pair of shoes that it’s you,” Jess whispers, never taking her eyes off the conversation unfolding in front of us.

“You’re on. You know my size.” I can’t believe she would bet me on this. I already know the truth as I’ve repeatedly told her. I almost feel guilty about taking her up on it. Not guilty enough to lose out on a new pair of shoes though.

Alyssa’s head suddenly cocks back in shock, her eyes wide. Jeremy gives her a sly smile. My stomach bottoms out, then twists into knots. She broke him down. And now my goal is in sight.

We intercept the ball. My hopes of Alyssa ending her chat with her boyfriend and spilling her beans to me are put on pause as I get up to conduct again. Our director motions for me to stay. I assume we’re going to kick a field goal since we’re already in good position. But when I turn around to wait for the play, I see that the coach has decided to run the ball and go for another touchdown.

Chelsie wears a small smile as she leans forward in her seat. I briefly wonder if Mike has told her who Dream Girl is since he and Rob are so close. Her grin grows larger as she concentrates on the offense lining up since running plays are where her boyfriend gets to shine. I look back to the field expecting Rob to hand the ball to Mike. Instead he finds a clear route, holds onto it, and takes off. Excitement and pride spread through my veins until I’m a trembling mess, holding my breath until the inevitable touchdown.

Rob is inches from the goal when the opposing safety finally catches up to him. Cheers break out from the away crowd because we’ll obviously score on second down. Rob doesn’t hop up right away when the guy rolls off him like he usually does after a tackle. He’s not flat on his back, and he’s not writhing in pain, but something is definitely not right.

My hands cover my mouth as I wait. Alex is already at Rob’s side. When he has to help him to his feet, tears prick the back of my eyes.

What’s wrong? What’s wrong?

Then Trevor is on his other side, and Rob limps back to the sidelines, not putting down his left foot at all. Oh God, no. My hands still over my mouth, I check the stands to see if any recruiters are here tonight even though it’s an away game. They're always easy to spot. He played a great game, and this play was no exception, but an injury report might not look so good on his file, and oh my God, it’s only the second game of the season. What if he can’t play the rest of the season?

Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe I’m overreacting. When I look back to the field, Rob’s already on the bench, the trainers poring over him. Coach sends in our backup. Rob’s not going back out anytime soon.

I scan through the faces of the girls that I think might look as upset, if not more so, than I feel. None of them stick out. Does that stupid bitch not even care if he’s hurt? Even if she’s playing hard to get, surely after everything he’s done for her she should care about him being injured. She really doesn't deserve him. My eyes turn back to the field, but I’m no longer paying attention to the game.

Rob’s mother has made her way to the fence behind the team, and he turns around to communicate with her. I can’t make out what he’s saying. Her back is to me, so I can’t gauge her reaction. I stand here, dumbly waiting for something, anything, with my fingers pressed tightly against my lips. Pretty sure it’s the only thing holding back the tears that threaten to fall.

Stupid period. I’ve never nearly cried over a little player injury before.

We finally score the touchdown, and I tear my gaze away from Rob to do my job. As soon as I cut off, I’m back down in my seat and staring at the bench. Rob quickly turns around and makes a “calm down” gesture with his hand. He mouths, “I’m ok” before turning around to watch the last two minutes of the game.

I wipe a stray tear off my cheek with the back of my hand, knowing he’s talking to Dream Girl somewhere above me. Wretched wench hadn’t even reacted to him being injured, but he’s still trying to reassure her. When I finally manage to pull myself together, there are three sets of eyes trained on me.

“What?” I bark. I really just want to be in my bed right now with the blankets over my head.

Alyssa nudges me with her shoulder.

“You want to know who she is?” she whispers when Jeremy turns back around to play a short cadence.

“You know what? No.”

Jess leans over to look at me with an appalled expression. “What? Why not?”

“Because not one girl up there looked very bent out of shape when he came limping off the field. If you tell me who she is, I’m just gonna kick her sorry ass as soon as we leave the stadium.”

I crash into my bed around midnight, exhausted, crampy, and nauseated. Everyone else is probably at the diner by now, being rowdy and having a good time, but I just couldn’t muster up the energy to endure more Dream Girl taunts.

My eyelids are just beginning to grow heavy when my phone lights up the otherwise dark room. The sound of a new text message startles me. Groaning, I roll over and pull the blankets over my head. If my friends are going to start harassing me about this shit even when I’m not around, I’m going to break something. Probably my phone.

A second text sounds. I roll over to grab the phone from my nightstand with the intent of shutting it off, so I can get some much needed sleep. Instead of more crap from my tormentors, the messages are from Rob.

Superjock: Not sure what I did to make you so mad tonight but sorry.

Guess it’s a good thing I couldn’t make it to the diner after all.

Superjock: Still waiting in the ER for Dr. to read x-ray.

I didn’t want to bail on you.

I growl to myself, alone in my room in the dark. I’d ignored him for the rest of the game and post-game out of frustration. Why does he have the uncanny ability to make me feel like such a selfish asshole? He should be grateful that I was leaving him to woo his crush with sweet gestures from the field.

Eva: Not mad at you. Didn’t go to diner.

At home in bed. Don’t feel good.

Eva: Apologize to Dream Girl.

I’m sure she was waiting for you there.

Eva: It was sweet the way you let her know you were ok.

I sigh and try to hold back the building sob that is growing by the moment along with my guilt. Maybe Dream Girl was upset that he was hurt tonight. Maybe she’s just better at hiding her emotions than I pretend to be. Maybe he knows that. Maybe that’s why he was still reassuring her even though I never noticed her reaction. And maybe, just maybe, if he’d have been at the diner tonight and I hadn’t, she would have paid more attention to him after his injury. And they’d get together without me in the way.

Superjock: Hope you feel better tomorrow. Working?

Eva: Yes.

Superjock: Can I come by?

Eva: No.

Superjock: What did I do?

Eva: Nothing.

Superjock: Why are you so mad at me?

Eva: I’m not.

Superjock: I’m coming to annoy you tomorrow.

Eva: I’m calling off.

Superjock: No you’re not.

Eva: I’ll go to work if you bring Dream Girl

so I can meet her.

Superjock: How about I bring you chocolate instead?

Eva: You irritate the shit out of me.

Superjock: ;)

Eva: Hope you get good news on the x-ray.

Superjock: Me too. Hurts like a bitch.

Eva: Falling asleep. Sorry. Good night Rob.

Good luck.

I wait for a while but no new text comes through. That’s just as well. I still feel like I need a good cry to get things out of my system. But right now, I just need sleep. As I reach over to my nightstand to set the phone down, it dings again.

Superjock: Sweet dreams my girl. Feel better.

XO

He is such an idiot. Yawning, I set the phone on the nightstand and roll around, trying to get comfortable with my insides attempting to pull themselves apart. I finally settle on my stomach, but the minor relief this position provides pales in comparison to Rob’s magic hands. That is the last thought that runs through my mind as I drift to sleep.