Page 35 of Saving the Halfback

“We can’t make any plays,” Nolan answered.

“Exactly. Our plays are nothing if we don’t have anyone making proper blocks. Got it?”

“Yes, Coach,” everyone said in unison again, and this time, I joined them.

“All right, that’s it for today. Go get some breakfast.”

I was pulling my shoulder gear off, half watching Ethan get chewed out by the coach. Ethan was emotionless as he took the tongue lashing. Coach even pointed at him and struck his chest pads a few times.

Parents didn’t see; they were all too occupied talking to their kids or walking to the parking lot. Ethan was alone—no one was here for him.

13

Bailey

The shower in the girls’ locker room wasn’t the best, but after practice, it felt magical. After scrubbing myself with the body wash I had thankfully thought to bring, I wrapped the towel around me, stepping out to get dressed, when a voice had me jumping. “Wherever you go, princess, I will be here for you,” Ed said. At least there was no blood this time, but he was showing up more and more.

“Shit.” My heart was hammering at the scare. I grabbed my bag, getting dressed as quickly as I could in the stall.

“You will never be able to leave me. I am made to have you.”

Wet hair hanging down my back, I put my gear away in the locker before leaving.

“Do you hear me? You were made to be mine!” Ed yelled.

I rushed out of the locker room, looking behind me to make sure he wasn’t following me, and ran right into someone. “Sorry!”

Hands grabbed on to my arms, steadying me, and I was looking up, up, up, into dark brown eyes. “Bailey.” Ethan’s glare was murderous. “What happened?” His eyes shot to the locker room door.

“N-nothing,” I stammered, but the echo of Ed’s voice in my head had me leaning into Ethan. My mind was telling me to get a backbone, straighten up and walk on like nothing happened. But my body melted into Ethan, seeking safety. He moved me to the side and walked up to the girls’ locker room, opening the door. “No one is in there. I just…spooked myself.”

That didn’t stop Ethan, though. He pushed through into the locker room, returning a moment later, shaking his head. “See you at breakfast,” he mumbled as he walked past me.

I was quiet through breakfast. So much was going through my mind that I found it difficult to listen to any of the conversations. Ed wasn’t in the locker room when Ethan went in, which obviously made sense, because he was in my head. He followed me around. But that was just it; he didn’t follow me into the hall. In fact, while he’d followed me around the first store last night and into the truck, he didn’t follow me into Lachlan’s store. And he disappeared when Lachlan got into my truck this morning.

The bell rang, jolting me from my thoughts. I quickly shoveled the rest of my eggs into my mouth and stood up.

“See you at art?” Nolan asked.

“Yep. See you then.” I rushed out of the cafeteria, dropping my garbage in the bin as I went by.

Ed never showed up when I was around any of the guys. I would need to put this theory to the test next time he appeared. I didn’t know what caused him to appear, but it would be nice to know there was a way to get rid of him.

I quickly stopped at my locker, exchanging my books. My hair was still wet, so I grabbed my brush and ran it through a couple of times before putting it up into a ponytail to keep it out of my face. I had a mirror hanging in my locker, so I quickly applied a bit of makeup before I grabbed my ball cap and pulledit on, placing it just low enough that I felt secure, but not so low that I couldn’t see.

The halls were packed full of students surging this way and that, like tidal waves, but I had to hurry if I wanted to get to class. I pushed through the crowded hall as best as I could until I felt an elbow slam into my side. A startled squeak escaped me, mostly from shock. But then I found myself being shoved from behind, my head snapping back as I fell forward. My hat came off, falling behind me, before I hit the ground, my hands splayed out as they caught my fall.

Someone stepped on my hand, and this time, I did cry out in pain when they twisted their foot. Seriously, was everyone in such a rush that they would trample a person?

I looked up to see Hadley and quickly snatched my hand up to my chest, cradling it. She didn’t even look down before walking off. Didn’t have the decency to look back, either. Teeth clenched, I whispered to myself that I wouldn’t let her get the best of me and stood, blinking back tears.

The hall was thinning out now, only a few stragglers left behind. I looked around for my hat, and my heart sank when I couldn’t find it. I spun around, searching, but the floor was clear. There was nothing.Hadley.

I stalked forward to my English class and marched right up to Hadley’s table. “Give me my hat,” I growled at her, glad the teacher hadn’t yet arrived.

She laughed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “That ratty old thing? Why would I have it?”

I lunged for her, but someone grabbed me from behind. I was pulled against his chest. “Easy,” Chase said in my ear.

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