Page 87 of Second Down Darling

That whispered confession does something to my chest. Fuck Coach’s suggestion to take a break. Because Charlotte Darling is mine, and there’s no way I’m letting hergo.

Not even for a littlewhile.

33

CHARLOTTE

“Don’tyou look like the cat who got the cream,” Roxy teases as she joins me in the computerlab.

Oh, yeah. I gotcreamed.

But I don’t say anything, just smilewider.

Jake loves me!I’m fighting the urge to twirl around theroom.

His confession last Friday night has had me walking on air for the last several days. I’ve been hopped up on adrenaline eversince.

“I have a good pic of you from Saturday’s game. Hang on.” I scroll through the shots from last weekend until I find the one I’m lookingfor.

Roxy’s flying high, doing the splits, over her spotter. The muscles in her arms and legs are taut as she extends, and she has this amazing smile. It was worth the Charley horse I got for crouching on the ground and nearly getting kicked in the face when one of the other cheerleaders went tumblingpast.

“Holy shit.” Roxy’s mouth drops open. “That’s the best action photo anyone has ever taken ofme.”

“If you can hang out a few minutes, I’ll print it for you.” I send it to our giant colorprinter.

As we’re waiting for the image, she gets a text. When she reads it, she growls. “Thatasshole.”

Let me guess. “Ezra?”

“Why do I put up with his bullshit? He’s so hot and cold. This is totally confidential, but he’s thinking about entering the draft this year as a junior. One minute he begs me to change my plans and promise I’ll follow him if he’s drafted, and the next he leaves me on read the entire weekend. He literally never calls me when he goes home. It’s like I don’t existthen.”

The guys aren’t allowed to have their phones out at practice, but the minute it’s over, Jake always responds if I’ve messaged him. As I think back on our relationship, the only time he ever got cagey was our senior year of high school when he got mixed up withDakota.

Roxy angrily punches the letters on her cell to respond. “He never used to be this way. When I first met him, before he made QB1, he was always polite and sweet. I think success has gone to hishead.”

“Sorry, Rox. That sucks.” I debate how much advice I should dole out, but I always want honesty from my friends, so that’s what I serve up. “Have you talked to him about how he makes you feel when he goesMIA?”

“He acts like I’m crazy. Like I’m making it all up in myhead.”

“So he gaslights you? Ugh. That’s the worst.” Sounds like he’s taking notes from my sister’s playbook. “Then why bother? You’re one of the most beautiful girls on campus. You could have anyone. Why are you putting up with hiscrap?”

Her shoulders droop as she lets out a sigh. “I ask myself this all the time. We started as friends with benefits, which I’d never done before. I figured I’d try it out. Except seeing him with other girls made me want to rip out their extensions, so I tried to break things off with him, but he didn’t want to. He promised we’d be exclusive. Only he said he couldn’t ‘one hundred percent commit to anything long term.’ So we’re not exactly dating. I guess it’s more of asituationship.”

“You don’t sound like you’re convinced he’s beingfaithful.”

“I’m so tempted to check his phone, but I don’t want to be that girl, the one who’s so jealous she has to check up on her boyfriend all the time. Except he’s not my boyfriend. Andthisis why the whole thing makes me mental. Ultimately, I never know where I stand withhim.”

I’m quiet for a moment. “Your dad would lose it if he found out one of his players was treating you likethat.”

“Ezra must have a death wish. He’s so lucky I haven’t told Coachanything.”

It’s so cute that she calls her dad Coachsometimes.

As I grab the shot of her out of the printer, I ask the question I’ve been wondering for a while. “What about Billy? I know he used to joke about wanting to date me, but he obviously has a thing foryou.”

“As beautiful as that boy is with all his sexy tattoos and as much as I like him as a friend, my dad would kill me if I dated him. Everyone knows he and Cam used to tag-team their dates. Not that anyone complained. Those girls bragged about it like they’d just won the lottery. I don’t think Cam and Billy do that anymore, but it was bandied about on that gossip blog last fall, and my dad read it. Plus, Billy is really cavalier at practice, almost disrespectful sometimes, and my dadhatesthat.”

“I’m sorry, Rox. I actually think you and Billy would make a great couple. You’d be a good influence on him, but I know how much your dad’s opinion matters toyou.”

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