Page 83 of Chess Not Checkers
I nod, and I believe him, but we still have to go through theupsetstage before we get to theover itstage. Spending time with my family last night felt a lot like cleaning out a closet. My conversations with Grayson and Dahlia helped me throw away some things I didn’t need, but now I’m sitting surrounded by all thisstuff, not quite sure where it goes yet. I do still want to make my family proud, and it’s hard not to feel like I owe Bash when he’s done so much for me. Especially since he’s taken on a fatherly role in some ways in my life. If he thought this was best, it’s going to be difficult to challenge that.
Shepherd pulls me closer. I soak up the newfound familiarity of his touch. It grounds me and helps me have courage for what’s to come. Tomorrow we’ll have to face what happened, but tonight I get to be the girl whose boyfriend defended her in front of all their friends. Heat pools in my stomach as I think of how powerful Shepherd looked when he made that hit. Okay, maybe I’m joining the pro-fight side of things with the rest of my friends. There are certainly some very attractive silver linings to be found.
“All this fighting has made me crave ice cream,” Marigold yells over the music.
Saylor’s eyes light up. “Ice cream sounds amazing!” She looks up at Graham, who hasn’t left her side.
He shrugs. “If you’re there, I’m there.”
I’m starting to like him, though I don’t know how to feel about him acting like a boyfriend but notbeingSaylor’s boyfriend. But maybe I just don’t understand their friendship.
“Ice cream sounds good to me,” I say, looking up at Shepherd. He nods.
All eyes are on Aurora. She shrugs. “I’m down.”
We head outside. I shiver as the night air chills my skin. Ice cream sounded good inside the house where all the body heat made it suffocatingly hot, but by the time we get to our destination, I might want hot cocoa more. The ice cream shop on campus is open late, though, whereas the cafe that serves hot cocoa is not.
Ten minutes into our walk and at least thirty since the altercation, my phone buzzes against my skin where I’ve tucked it into the waistband of my cheer skirt. I pull it out. It keeps buzzing in my palm. Texts are coming in so fast, I can’t read one before another appears. All of them are from various members of my family.
I click on Dahlia’s name. Our text thread explodes.
Dahlia: SHEPHERD IS THE BONBON GUY?!? WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME?
Dahlia: Also, I deserve props for trying to set you two up. I’d be a great matchmaker. All those romance novels paid off.
Dahlia: Levi says he approves based on the fact that Shepherd punched a guy for you. But he is going to threaten him based on principle. In Dad’s honor.
Dahlia: I know you’re probably busy kissing your face off, but could you at least send me an emoji so I know you didn’t get arrested by proxy?
Dahlia: Levi has just informed me that’s not how it works. But still. Proof of life???
I tilt my screen to show Shepherd as we walk down fraternity row. We laugh together at each one. I send Dahlia a few emojis so she doesn’t worry, then tuck my phone back in.
“I guess it’s nice to know they approve?” he says.
I nod. “That’s two people on our side. I bet we could band the whole family together if Bash acts stubborn.”
“I hope it doesn’t come to that, but it’s good to know that’s an option,” he says as he drapes an arm around my shoulders.
“I hope so too,” I say, leaning into him.
We walk and laugh with my friends, but the entire time, I can’t help the anxious feeling building inside of me. I want to focus on the positives, but the fear of disappointment has me waiting for all of this to come crashing down.
Chapter forty-one
The Confrontation
Shepherd Kingsley
The entire walk to Coach’s office I’m chased after by a storm cloud of dread. As much as I reassured both my teammates and Jasmine last night, I’m not certain how this is going to go. I woke up this morning—after tossing and turning for hours—to an email from Bash telling me to meet him in his office this morning. Not a text or a call, anemail. And not meeting at his house or even him coming by my dorm. He wants to meet in his office on a Sunday, when everyone in the athletics department is likely at home. Those details don’t bode well.
On another day, I might enjoy the crisp bite to the air or the leaves crunching under my shoes. But today, all I can focus on is how every step brings me closer to facing my doom.
When I finally make it to the athletics building, my stomach is in knots. The pumpkin muffin I ate this morning suddenly feels as though Jasmine formed it out of concrete. I pull open the glass door to the building, and I’m greeted by large high-definition photographs of players past. The best of the best inall sports, but since the Thrashers football program was the greatest in the nation, most of the photos featured them. One of which is my brother.
I pause at Jason’s photo. It’s a snapshot from a game I was glued to the TV for. A rivalry week game where he threw a touchdown to win in the last minute. I remember wondering how he kept such a level head. Not once did he look worried. It was as if he knew the entire time that they were going to win. I’ve never felt that confident when we were down points. Maybe that’s why we lost.
My eyes drop to the gold plaque beneath the photo.
