Page 13 of Jockstraps & Newspapers
Excitement and disbelief prickled her skin as she flipped to a new page.“Absolutely, hit me with it.”
“I hate pineapple and I don’t think it belongs on pizza.”He flashed her a knowing smile.
Cass tossed her notebook and pen into her lap.“I know teenagers who can stir up better controversy.”
Elliot tossed his arms out to the side before working up to his feet.He offered her a hand that she took, letting him hoist her off the grass.When her boots hit the field, she put her hands to her hips, staring at him in disbelief.Was Elliot Bonesaw just too perfect?That’s so infuriating.She huffed, shaking her head.
“What?”He rumbled with chuckles, shoulders shaking.
“Nothing,” she rolled her eyes, snatching up her notebook and pen from the ground.“You just infuriate me sometimes.”
Elliot loomed over her, his head blocking out the sun.She raked her eyes up from the notebook in her hands, across the broad expanse of his chest, to his face leaning over her.He grinned, shaking his sweaty, fluffy head at her and getting a few droplets on her cheeks.Her fingers curled around her notebook, left eye twitching.He wiggled his fluffy brows suggestively.“It’s cause I’m fun.”
Cassiopeia tossed her notebook to the ground, jabbing her forefinger to his chest.“I don’t hate fun.”
“Then, I don’t infuriate you.”
“You do!”she squawked, ready to list him everything…when he brushed his hair back between his horns, smiling down at her.Her heart skipped a beat, swallowing over her tongue.When had her stomach turned to a swirling vortex?Butterflies beating against her chest, she blurted out, “You’re childish.”
“And you’re professional.”He wheeled on his hooves.“Alright!Everyone!Time for lunges!”
Every person on the team groaned.Cass took up her water bottle and chugged the green liquid with abandon.As she fanned herself, she turned from the team lining up in teams of five players, going down the field in lunges.Who are you?Getting flustered by a pretty smile?She dried her mouth on her shirt and worked to get herself under control.
It’s the sun.It’s the heat.It’s the…it’s him.Because Elliot Bonesaw was perfect and everyone was in love with him.
Cassiopeia knew immediately she was in trouble because her greatest weakness was someone giving her the time of day.The back and forth, the banter, the playfulness, his full attention had been on her, and she was in trouble.
Cass couldn’t afford to like Elliot Bonesaw.Not if she was going to write about him.
Chapter seven
A morning to remember
Elliot
Ittookallhisphysical strength to climb the steps to his townhouse.He was dragging his hooves and tail across the threshold.Slumping onto his couch, he flopped and flailed till he was on the floor, stretched out.He put a pillow under his big head and let out a groan to rattle the chandeliers.He didn’t have any, but if he did, they would shake.
He was in trouble.Cassiopeia was looking into him officially, and he would have to tread carefully.She broke down how she wanted to do his deep dive piece.It rattled him to his core so hard that he stumbled and nearly bulldozed the asphalt next to the field.She wanted to start at his humble beginnings, or something like that, and show the progression to super star, to coach.How he got started and how he got the job.It wasn’t his career he was worried about…it was the beginnings.
Elliot’s childhood wasn’t a pretty subject.From the outside, it was a rags to riches.Dad was a mechanic, worked in shop after shop; mom did her best to work out of the home while raising three rambunctious boys.Things weren’t easy.He’d barely made it through school.And Dad’s car business drastically changed when Rex, Elliot’s youngest brother, got sick.Dad took over a shop and took over a family business they’d never been in.Money wasn’t tight anymore, but none of it was taxed.
If Cassiopeia researched him…would she find out?Bad choices, right reasons?Should he just rip the bandage off now?‘Hey, when you dig into my childhood, you’re gonna find some suspicious information.It’s fine, my dad isn’t a bad guy, he’s just… you know, running a completely underground chop shop that isn’t above board.’
Dread hit him hard in the stomach.Maybe she won’t look that hard… maybe all her childhood research will be asking him questions?He couldn’t help but deflate against the hardwood floor.His heart was in his hooves.Elliot had done all in his power to stay out of that world.He would never blame his father or judge him for doing what he had to do.It saved Rex’s life.And the regular shop was doing nice.All his family worked there, and it looked above board now.While his father had expanded his business and taken over a few others, Elliot never wanted a part of it…he’d seen what it did to his father.The nights he came home bruised and bloody, but holding some other guy’s teeth.
Elliot didn’t want to live a violent life.He didn’t enjoy rage or hurting anyone.
So, when his dad asked him at sixteen to join the business, Elliot decided to deliver pizzas instead.He went the exact opposite way.Which is how he came across SportsBall.There was a beer league in the community arena late one night.They’d ordered pizza after a scrimmage.As he delivered, they asked if he wanted to join.The very next week, he was elbow to elbow with an Orc named Sam trying to get a wiggly dwarf named Rick Pearson into a goal.
He’d never found a more fun sport full of people who just wanted a good time.From goofing off and playing as a joke to trying out for the official team the next summer, he’d left his father’s life completely behind.He was still proud of his father for doing what he had to do.He loved his family.But he did not approve of their business practices.
And if Cassiopeia dug too hard…she was too smart not to find out.Cassie was such a firewhip, she would find the truth.He just knew it.
Elliot bemoaned his crash and burn when the grand populace found out about his family.Would this ruin their business?Could he work with her to stop her from doing that?Did he even have a chance?
His stomach grumbling got him out of his head.There wasn’t a thing he could do about it now.Instead, he clambered to his hooves and dragged his body into the kitchen.The smart thing would be to make something good for his body, nothing that would slug him down before bed.Yet, he pulled out a hunk of steak and the fattest potato he could find in his kitchen.Rolling his potato in tinfoil with a little bit of moisture, he tossed it into the oven.He got his cast iron ripping hot and slapped his steak in.The kitchen filled with glorious butter and garlic with herbs.
Half an hour later, he had a fully loaded potato and buttery steak medium-rare.Elliot normally would use a fork and knife for the steak, but as he leaned over his kitchen counter…he couldn’t find the strength to use cutlery.Steak in one hand, spoon he used for sour cream in the potato, he shoveled food into his open maw.Munching and crunching, he moaned with delight as he filled his stomach.He’d be sluggish in the morning but it’d be worth it.
