Page 12 of When Wrecked Meets Ruined
I ran my laps with Walker, a linebacker and my closest friend in Cypress Springs, and Troy, the team’s quarterback. It wasn’t a race, so I took it easy. But just the same, I stayed out in front, leading the pack. Mostly because I wanted to get the laps out of the way to take care of some business.
“How about we practice some route running this weekend,” Troy said, catching up to me.
I side-eyed him. “Do you have a crush on me?”
“Fuck you,” he said with a laugh, but he checked over his shoulder to make sure we hadn’t been overheard.
It was a dick thing to say because I was ninety-nine percent certain Troy Wilkinson was gay, although he was still trying to keep up the pretense of being straight. No idea why. But I guess some guys could be assholes. Like me. I was an asshole.
Wilkinson was a good guy, and I didn’t want him to think he was dealing with another Dalton Smith. I’d taken care of him the other day when he was hassling Evie. Now he sported a black eye and a split lip. Totally worth getting my ass chewed out by Principal Bradley.
“I’m free on Saturday,” I said. “Does that work for you?”
“Yeah. Sounds good. And don’t worry. You’re not my type.”
I scoffed. “I’m everyone’s type.”
He laughed.
As we were rounding the track on our third lap, I saw Brody talking to Coach, their eyes on me and sure enough, Austin summoned me in the way that all coaches did. Lips pressed in a firm line, all four fingers curling toward his chest. Just once, not to overdo it. They must teach that at coach training camp.
I jogged over to them, my gaze darting from Austin to Brody, who wore a scowl and his usual ensemble: T-shirt, faded denim, and dusty work boots.
“What’s up?” I shoved my hand through my sweaty hair and the longer pieces fell back into my face. I’d been cutting my own hair for longer than I could remember. Which meant I hardly cut it at all.
Brody crossed his arms over his chest. “Any idea why your English teacher wants to meet me after school today?”
“No idea,” I lied. “But hey, you might get lucky tonight. My teacher’s hot. In that sexy librarian way. Young. Blonde. Probably your type. Second thought. Maybe not. She looks nothing like Lila,” I said with a smirk.
Lila. Our cousin Jude’s wife and the mother of his son.
“Jesus Christ,” Austin muttered.
Brody smacked me upside the head. “Watch your mouth,” he growled.
I held up my hands in surrender.
“If you want to be on this team, you sure as hell better pass all your classes,” Austin said, widening his stance and crossing his arms over his chest. He wore a blue and gold Mavericks cap, a whistle around his neck, and a gray T-shirt declaring that he was the FOOTBALL COACH.
Now that my teacher knew I hadn’t written my own essays, passing English would be a long shot. I needed a Plan B and a subject change. “From what I’ve seen, this team needs me. You want that state championship next year? The only way Wilkinson can lead this team to the finals is if he has me. I can make it happen for you.” A bold claim, but I knew I could deliver.
“Not if you flunk out of school, you can’t. And we don’t need a prima donna on this team. There are eleven men on the field, not one. Hit the weight room.”
I gave him a two-finger salute and aYes, sir. He gave me a scowl.
“I’ll see you later, little brother,” Brody said with an exasperated sigh.
There was nothinglittleabout me, but I’d forever be the little brother, given the age difference. “Can’t wait.”
I skipped my lifting session, showered, and headed to the opposite side of the building. It was still early, so the halls were quiet. Just a few eager freshmen and some overachievers milling around.
The plan was to sweet talk my way into Ms. Whitman’s good graces, thereby getting myself out of trouble and off her shit list.
Until this year, I’d skated through school without doing my own homework and saw no reason to change that now. My system worked. Why fix it?
In grade school and middle school, I sought out the smartest kids, the biggest nerds, and wielded my power over them. Everyone got something out of the deal. I got my homework done, and they got protection from the kids who tried to bully them.
Quid pro quo.
