Page 161 of Saving the Halfback

That doubt and fear slipped away, and the seed of rage within me began to sprout.

I smacked her, the sound ricocheting around the room. My hand burned as Hadley stared in shock, her cheek bright red, but she wasn’t going to give up easily. She raised her hand and smacked me back before grabbing my hair. I remembered when Ed used to grab my hair, how it would nearly incapacitate me because I would freeze, but that didn’t happen this time. I had nothing to fight for with Ed, but I had everything to fight for now. I refused to let anyone else hurt them.

Reaching up, I grabbed her arm and twisted it. I had wrestled calves heavier than Hadley. I’d flipped full-grown sheep onto their backs, tossed hay bales, dodged pissed-off cattle, all bigger than Hadley.

“You bitch.” I brought her arm around and kicked out her knees, so she fell in front of me. Grabbing her by the hair, I tilted her head back. Something dark slithered within me,power.As I watched her crumble under my hands, I felt powerful, and it was a high I was afraid I enjoyed. “Stay away from them. I put up with the notes. I put up with the stupid pranks and the rumors. I willnottolerate this. You are getting on my bad side, Hadley, and I can promise you, each one of those guys would help dig the grave and give me an alibi if I asked for it.”

“You’re just a jealous cunt,” she hissed.

“Try me. This will be your one andonlywarning.”

“You’ll get kicked off the team for this.”

“Tell the coach, get me kicked off, watch us lose the tournament, and let me tell them it was you who caused it. I’m sureallthe football players will love you then.” I pushed her forward, releasing her arm and forcing her to crawl on her hands and knees. “Spread any rumors, tell any lies, and I will not hold back next time.”

I opened the door to see Ethan’s broad back. I tapped him on the shoulder as I stepped around him and left. “B,” he warned. I went back to the candy aisle and picked a few bags and boxes of random stuff. I found some jalapeno beef jerky, which was gross, but Chase liked it. “She hit you,” Ethan whispered beside me.

“I’m fine.” I looked up over the shelf toward the bathroom.

Hadley was leaving. Her hair was a mess, and the slap mark was very apparent across her cheek, but she waved her friends off. I smiled.

“Want anything?” I asked Ethan, looking up at him for the first time. In his eyes, I saw admiration. “What? I can’t have you guys fighting all the battles.” Ethan skimmed the candy shelf and grabbed a Mike and Ike box, handing it to me. I smiled and picked out a few more goodies.

We paid for the candy and headed back to the bus. Everyone was loading up now, and Hadley sat in the front with a couple of other cheerleaders. She quickly looked away when she saw Ethan. Though it sent a wave of satisfaction through me, a pit sat uneasy in my stomach.

When I got back to the seats, I tossed the bag of candy to Chase and sat down between Lachlan and Nolan. Nolan grabbed my chin right away, looking at my face. “Why are you happy but look like you just got bitch slapped? I can see fingerprints.”

Lachlan twitched, but I stopped him from getting up. “I’m fine. And, yes, I’m happy.” Though I didn’t exactly sound it. I sounded mean, angry still, but there was something about being angry that was freeing. The bus started moving, and we were on our way again. “If either of you guys has an issue with Hadley or her running her mouth, you are to tell me,” I ordered each of them. “Iwill deal with it.”

While Ethan ate his candy, stretching back and looking carefree, Chase narrowed his eyes suspiciously but seemed to relax when he saw Ethan grinning. Even Nolan blinked a couple of times before nodding. “Yes, ma’am,” he said, squeezing my thigh.

Lachlan, though… it was Lachlan’s response that sent a shiver down my spine, that had my toes curling and a coil of pleasure spreading down my belly. Two little words. Lachlan leaned down and whispered in my ear, “Good girl.” The unsure pit in my stomach, the anger, it all churned and morphed into excitement at his voice.

What was I becoming?

59

Bailey

Beth and Wesley moved so they were in the back of the bus with us, and immediately, the trip became infinitely better. I was able to push unwanted thoughts back. Hersey hung out with us too, and the bag of snacks were passed around the back three rows. We all logged on to different games and challenged one another. I stayed nestled between Lachlan and Nolan, Nolan massaging my calves as I beat Chase’s high score yet again, and I did it all while holding a conversation with Beth.

When we finally got to the hotel, it was only midday, but I was exhausted, as most of us were. The coaches shoved us all in a large conference room with pizza, drinks, and salads while they checked us in.

“Just sneak into our room,” Chase said.

“Yeah, because they won’t have any teachers in the hall, expecting cheerleaders and football players mingling in rooms.” Lachlan rolled his eyes at the obviousness of it.

“Maybe we can get a joined room.” Chase shrugged.

Lachlan frowned at me. “What’s wrong?”

I shook my head, coming out of my own thoughts. “Nothing, it’s just, my mom said they’re going to play the live feed of the game in the pub.”

“Baskers?” Ethan asked.

I nodded. Really, it was the only decent pub in town. “Would that mean it’s being played everywhere? Anyone can watch it?”

“Yeah, but all of our games have been live,” Nolan said.

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