Page 26 of Heart of Gold
“I know what we should do tonight,” she proclaims, plopping into the seat. “Let’s go to Voltage.”
Ugh. Voltage is a bar in the middle of town where everyone goes because they will serve you alcohol even if you’re underage. I haven’t been since we got here and I didn’t have any plans to go. Ever. I haven’t heard a single good thing about it.
“Why?” I ask, “People say it’s gross.”
She smiles, glancing across the room to a guy, and waving shyly. She turns back to me, “He invited me, and I can’t go alone, Quinn, please. You are my roommate, so isn’t there like some unspoken rule where you have to go with me?”
Her rambling is cute, and no I don’t want to go, but I do need friends. Ava seems like a good potential friend. So, as much as I want to say no, that I’d rather peel paint off the wall than dodge drunk idiots, I agree.
“Okay, I’ll go.”
She all but squeals, hugging me. “See, we are gonna be best friends!”
I want that, especially because the only person I really know here is Grayson, and right now, I’m wishing I didn’t know him at all.
chapter eleven
Gavin
“She totally friend-zoned you, bro. I saw it.” Huddy laughs at Remi as we walk into the fieldhouse. “I gotta give it to you, man. She’s hot and so different from all the other girls around here. At least you tried.”
Remi scowls at him, hanging his bag in his metal locker. “She used to date Collins. She’s gotta be crazy, probably dodged a bullet with that one.”
“Who are y'all even talking about?” I ask.
Huddy smiles, “Some hot blonde from History class this morning.”
I shake my head, “You guys need to focus on football. Our first game is in four days.”
Huddy laughs, “Yeah, Coach will have our asses if we get distracted. Plus, it’s gonna take a miracle to run an offense with Collins.”
Facts, but luckily I was on the other side of the ball because I don’t know how anyone can put up with him.
Levi is holding a clipboard in his hand, walking up and down the sidelines like a boss, and it makes me smile. The coachesrecruited Levi before me and were devastated when he couldn’t play anymore. They gave him a full sideline pass, and while he won’t admit it, I know that our offensive coordinator is using his help. It’s almost like he can read minds. He walks around constantly looking up statistics and shit on that Ipad they gave him.
I like that he’s on the field with me, even though he can’t play. There’s something comforting about it. Feels like home, even though it’s not.
I don’t typically go for change, and the fact that I’ve settled so well into this routine with the guys is actually quite impressive.
“You just gonna stand there all practice, zoned out into la la land?”
The words jerk me from my thoughts and I see Collins standing in front of me. That same smug ass look on his face that he always has, and I shove my helmet on then take the field.
The ball is snapped and I’m in the air intercepting the ball.
“What the fuck was that?” Collins yells as he throws his hands up. “That was pass interference!”
Coach shakes his head at him and joins me on the field.
It’s excuse after excuse with him, and the truth is the team doesn’t trust him. Sure, he’s got a few guys that are falling in line like he wants, but overall, the team doesn’t like his attitude.
“Gavin, can you jump on the other side of the ball?”
My brow instantly shoots up, “What?”
Coach offers me a pointed look that saysdon’t argue, “Just run the route that Trey just did.”
I glance to the sideline, where Levi stands with a smirk on his face, spinning a pen between his fingers. This is him, this is his idea.
