Page 31 of Weak Side

Me: Was the package delivered?

Lena: This sounds like a drug deal. Yes, little brother. The pair of women's underwear, size small, was delivered by Maggie. They’re on your windshield. Now are you going to explain? Or do I even want to know?

Aasher snorted, and I spun around to see Ford standing on the locker room bench, peering down to look over my shoulder.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I clicked my phone off and glared up at him.

“Women's underwear? What are you up to, Wolf?” Ford’s face split in two, and I wanted to punch the smile right off of it.

Aasher pulled his hood up on his head and leaned against the lockers, glancing up to see who was lingering around in the locker room. “I know what this is about. It’s about Bryant.”

I rolled my eyes and packed my things up, knowing I would have to explain before Ford started to run his mouth and told the team I liked to wear women’s underwear the night before a game or some shit. Not that anyone would believe a word that came from Ford’s mouth, but I’d like to avoid it altogether if I could.

“Oooh, your roomie? Please, do tell.”

Although the other guys in the locker room weren’t looking in our direction, they were like a bunch of gossiping girls. I shot Aasher a look, and he smirked, waiting for my explanation.

“You buying your girl underwear now?”

There was a knock in my chest at the thought of someone callinganyonemy girl.“One,” I started, “I don’t have a girl.” All eyes were on me now, and I knew my team was eager to learn more about Claire, if their longing gazes in her direction every time we were at The Bex said anything about it. Or if they caught a glimpse of her walking into our room for the evening wearing her tight leotard, as if she didn’t have pants she could put on over it. To her benefit, though, the girl was perpetually running late. “And two…I accidentally gave one of the puck bunnies a pair of her panties, and she was pissed, so I told her I would buy her a new pair.”

Silence filled the locker room until Coach’s laughter echoed around us. His bright-red cheeks rounded with laughter at my explanation that he was apparently listening to, and it wasn’t until he shut the door that the locker room filled with silence again.

It only took two seconds before the rest of the team began chuckling. Ford’s mouth hung open as he shook his head. “I’ve gotta see this.”

“See what?” I asked.

“I gotta see her face when you give her these panties. What color are they?”

I groaned. “You guys are so fucking relentless.”

I left the team in the locker room as they tried guessing the color of Claire’s panties and strode to the parking lot with Aasher and Ford tailing me. I stopped a few feet from my car and spun around, glaring at them both. “What are you two doing?”

“Following you so we can watch you get your ass handed to you by Bryant.”

My eye twitched when Ford used the nickname I’d given her.

Aasher chuckled. “Honestly, I kinda wanna see what she says too. I can’t see this going over well, and I’m in the mood for entertainment.”

I grabbed the bag that was sitting on my windshield, crumpling up the note that was left by my older sister’s best friend with her number scribbled on it beside a drawn heart. I peeked inside and saw the black pair of “cheeky” underwear—whatever the fuck that meant—and threw it inside my car before climbing inside. My passenger door opened a moment later, and my resolve fell. “Seriously?” I asked, staring blank-faced at Ford.

His crooked smile was well-known around campus, and most girls fell for his Southern accent and golden-boy looks. They made me want to punch him most of the time, though. “I’ve gotta see this.”

“Same.” Aasher’s head popped in between us, and I pulled back.

“When the fuck did you get back there? I asked, hearing his seatbelt click. “We have a game tomorrow. Why don’t you two go back to your apartments and get ready?”

“Oh, come on, Dad. Let us watch you get your ass handed to you.”

My car came to life, and I shook my head. “I’m not going to get my ass handed to me. I told her I was buying them.”

“She wasn’t mad that you gave hers away?”

“Of course she was,” I scoffed, hiding my grin as I remembered the way her mouth formed a scowl. “That’s why I promised I’d buy her new ones.”

“Was that before or after you told her you’d get hers back from the puck bunny?”

I eyed Aasher from the rearview. “Remind me to never confide in you again.”

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