Page 125 of I Don't Need Your Love
For updates on future releases, join my Facebook group and/or sign up to my newsletter and/or click on the “follow” button on my Amazon author page here.
Read on for a sneak peek from Quarterbacks Don’t Fall For Invisible Girls, available on Amazon
Chapter One
Brayden Barrington has got to be the most gorgeous quarterback in the history of Edenbury High.
And I’m not just saying that because I have a major crush on him.
Sitting on the bleachers on this beautiful mid-September day, I can’t blink away as he and his teammates sprint around the football field. It’s like there’s a spotlight on him, illuminating everything that is Brayden Barrington. Star quarterback with a killer smile. The sexiest guy in the whole school—no, the universe. Even under all that gear, I can see his muscles bulging out…and my mouth drops open as I imagine touching that hard chest. Sliding my hand up that huge bicep, giving it a gentle squeeze. Heat rushes to my cheeks as my thoughts drift to Brayden sweeping me into those strong arms and whispering sweet words in my ear…
A whistle tosses my thoughts away. Peering around, I spot Coach Papas shouting directions at the team. They swallow up his words, each wanting to improve so they can be on their A game Friday night. I haven’t missed a single game since Brayden became the quarterback last year. My friends would call me obsessed—if I had friends, that is.
As the coach continues to bark at the team, I flip through the papers on my lap. There must be at least ten club signup sheets, and yet I can’t seem to find one for me. Chess? Not skilled enough. Science? Not smart enough. Orchestra? Not talented enough.
Do you see a pattern here?
Dad told me I need to look interesting on college applications, which is why I’m hoping to join an after school activity. But the truth? I just want friends, or at least for people to acknowledge that I exist. I’m a junior and have been invisible at this school since the first day of freshman year.
Sighing, I continue flipping through the pages, then return my gaze to the beautiful quarterback at the center of the field. He’s waving his hands around as he calls out to his teammates. And they drink up his words like Gatorade. One thing Coach Papas loves about Brayden is his sportsmanship. He loves the team like they’re his brothers. He’d take a bullet for them.
Practice is over and the guys rush toward the school building to shower. I gather my papers and make my way down the bleachers. As I step off the field and head for the doors, a brick wall slams into me and I fall splat on my butt.
“Oof!” The wind is knocked out of me and the papers fly out of my hands.
“Sorry, you okay? I didn’t see you there,” a deep voice says from above me amid fluttering papers. Glancing up, I stare into gorgeous sky-blue eyes. Eyes that belong to Brayden Barrington.
Someone giggles loudly a few feet away. “And Invisible Girl strikes again.” Head cheerleader Teagyn Myers barks out in laughter. She and the other pom-pom twirlers are practicing here, too, under Teagyn’s mom’s supervision, Coach Myers. As a former cheerleader herself, she knows a thing or two about the subject. Coach Myers was also my mom’s best friend, but that doesn’t seem to make a difference at all. Her daughter has pretty much treated me like crap since we were in diapers.
Oh, and that whole Invisible Girl thing? Story of my life.
“Did I hurt you? Can you stand?”
I glance up at Brayden holding out his hand to me. I have no idea how long he’s been standing there, and like I’ve lost my brain, I just stare into those beautiful eyes.
“Do you need to go to the hospital?” he presses.
I shake my head quickly and shoot to my feet like a cannon. “I’m okay.” My cheeks heat up even more as it dawns on me that I fell on my butt. Right in front oftheBrayden Barrington. Someone kill me now.
He bends to collect the papers, hands them to me, then advances toward the school building. And I stare after him, taking in each and every part of him, etching him into my memory. Because this is the most I’ll ever see or interact with the star quarterback.
Invisible girls are meant to be invisible after all.
***
“Dad, you home?” I call as I chuck my backpack on the hallway floor and pop into the kitchen. He’s at the stove wearing one of his “Dad” aprons. Today it’s “There’s No Chef like Papa.” Mom would give him one every year on his birthday, and he would sweep her up in his arms and lay a big one on her, telling her over and over how much he loves her. I would watch them with my cheeks burning due to the humongous smile etched into my face. I would imagine what it would be like to have that one day with someone special.
But there haven’t been any new “Dad” aprons or passionate kisses in the last three years. Because my mom’s dead.
Trying not to sigh or let the pain prick my insides, I throw on a smile and walk up to Dad, who is so caught up in the soup he’s mixing that he doesn’t hear me approach. I give him a peck on the cheek before wrapping my arms around him. “Hey, Dad.”
“Pumpkin!” He drops the wooden spoon and returns the hug. “How was school?”
It takes everything I have not to groan out of sheer embarrassment. How was school? I basically lie to him every day so he won’t suspect just how miserable I am—I can’t bear him worrying about me—and after my epic flop in front of Brayden,I want to pretend today hadn’t happened. No, I want to pretend mylifehasn’t happened.
“Kara?” he asks, eyes narrowing in concern. “Is everything okay?”
I paste on a smile. “Of course!” I say too cheerily. “School was great, as always. How was work?”
