Page 64 of Good at Being Bad (Rock Canyon, Idaho 8)

She rushed out and flipped the deadbolt as the phone rang again.

Ellie grabbed the phone, and when she saw it was Jenny, she slid her hand over the screen. “Hey, where are you?”

“I am just leaving my parents and thought I would swing by to get you for the alumni game.”

“I’m not really in the mood. Besides, after what happened today—”

“Oh, screw Forrest and his bruised ego. You are a part of this town and it is about time you started acting like it. Here in Rock Canyon, we love our traditions, our guns, and our fundraisers. Right now, you’re batting zero and it’s no wonder half the town wants to skin you alive.”

Ellie shivered. “Can you please not say things like that to me?”

“I was kidding. No one wants to skin you. Are you okay?”

No, somebody was threatening her, but she wasn’t going to drag Jenny into her drama.

“Yeah, I just don’t really feel like going, that’s all.”

“Please! I don’t want to show up by myself and have to find someone to sit with. I want to go with my bestie and cheer on my boyfriend.”

Ellie smiled at the way Jenny said boyfriend, as though it was something precious.

“We’ll just go to the game. No bars or bonfires or parties. What do you say?”

Ellie stared out the window into the front yard. Did she stay here alone all night, wondering if her stalker was out there watching her or did she get out of the house for a few hours? She could avoid Forrest and Wayne.

“Fine. How long until you pick me up?”

“Give me twenty, and I’ll bring dinner.”

Mike stared at the old Bruin mascot uniform he’d worn in high school and grimaced. How had he ended up back in high school, in the same locker room where he’d been tormented his freshman year? If it hadn’t been for Travis transferring in their sophomore year and having his back, he probably would have continued to be slammed into lockers.

Every year, the school put on a football game with the current high school varsity team and put them against any alumni who wanted to play. Some of the guys in the locker room were pushing fifty, but still they came out to get their asses handed to them by a bunch of kids. The whole point of the varsity versus alumni game was to raise money for the high school sports programs and it was all supposed to be in good fun.

“Come on, old man, let’s get suited up,” said Ryan Kent. Ryan was a bean pole with braces and freckles,

but he was a good kid. Mike had met him a few times doing computer work for RCHS and he was always in the computer lab—just like Mike used to be.

“Hey, now, squirt, let’s save the trash talk for the field.”

“Squirt? I’m taller than you!”

Before Mike could respond, a roar rose up from the other side of the lockers where the football players were getting dressed.

“Who are we?”

“Bruins!”

Mike rolled his eyes. How many concussions have you had that you still think this is a good way to get fired up?

Snarls and growls echoed through the room. “Let’s kick some ass!”

Green jerseys jumped and whooped past them as the players filed out. When Forrest passed Mike, he glared at him. “You’re lucky you aren’t on the field tonight, Stevens. I’d fuck you up.”

“I don’t need pads and a helmet to take you on,” Mike said.

Forrest lunged, but Travis, who was right behind him, grabbed his jersey and slammed him into the lockers.

“Get your ass on the field, and shut the fuck up,” Travis growled.

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