Page 5 of Shielding Rosie

“Just a little too loud for me,” she answers, and then I remember Jack calling out to her and the whole team staring.

“Jack’s an asshole,” I say dismissively, and she lights up at my honesty.

“Do you like football?” she asks and then shakes her head. “Sorry, that was dumb. Of course you like it. That’s why you play.”

“I don’t love it, but I don’t hate it,” I answer honestly. “For me, it’s a way out. If I want to go to college, this is the only way it’s going to happen.”

I’m not sure I’ve ever said the words out loud before, but something tells me that I can trust Rosemary with my secrets. She picks at her lunch as she thinks it over.

“Makes sense to me. For a long time, I dreamed of coming back and settling down, but now I’m wondering if I should leave.”

“Coming back?”

“Yeah, my grandmother used to live here before she, um, passed away.” She stumbles over the last words, and I wonder if she was close to her grandmother. “I used to spend summers here, but now I’m here for good. Or until I find a way out.”

There’s a noise on the other side of the cafeteria, and we both turn to see Jack doing something stupid with one of the other football players and people cheering them on. Rosemary looks nervous as she watches, so I steal a fry off her tray.

She grins as she catches me. “Are you not hungry?” I ask, trying to get her attention away from Jack.

“Not really?” She says it like a question, and I nod toward the hall.

“Come on, I know where to find the good stuff. We’ve got a few minutes before econ.”

We walk together out of the cafeteria toward the private coffee shop. It’s only for teachers and honor students, but luckily, I’ve got my pass with me. After I get Rosemary a frozen hot chocolate and a muffin, I ask a few more questions.

She opens up a little more when it’s only the two of us, and I like that. A lot. While she talks, I look into her eyes, willing her to tell me everything. I want to know every tiny detail of her entire life, and then I want to know all of her dreams too.

Rosemary Lane is a total stranger, but somehow, it’s like I’ve found a long-lost treasure.

Chapter Five

ROSEMARY

I peek over at Tate, who has taken up the entire seat next to me in economics. It’s almost comical seeing him in the school chair and desk, but he doesn’t seem to mind. I think he’s used to his size and having to sit in things that don’t fit him.

As nice as Steffy was when she gave me a tour of the school, she was a bit overwhelming. She didn’t mince words and got straight to any point that needed to be made. There wasn’t a ton of chit-chat or unnecessary explanations, but I found her intriguing.

She doesn’t come off as rude but direct, which I can respect. It’s why when she left me with Tate, I wasn’t too freaked out. I didn’t think she would leave me with someone she thought would be an asshole. She’d said as much when she whispered in my ear before she got up and left the two of us alone.

Her words were direct and to the point. “He’s a good one.” That was saying a lot because in the few hours I’d known Steffy, I could tell she had a very low tolerance for male bullshit. A few would even hurry out of her way when she was walking down the hallway, and that level of confidence is kind of badass.

Where others rushed to get out of Steffy’s path, everyone else would acknowledge Tate with either a wave or chin nod. They all know who he is, and the school isn’t tiny. It’s not as big as some of my others, but it doesn’t take long to hop over to the city. The town sits on the outskirts, but a lot of people that live here commute.

Going off the decorations in the hallways and the enormous glass trophy display case near the front entrance, football is a big deal here. With Tate’s attention on me, it’s causing others to take notice of me too.

That doesn’t go with my whole blending in idea, but it’s hard to try and escape him when he’s so damn nice. Not only that, he’s hot as hell. I saw a few glares come my way from some of the girls while others seemed more curious than anything. I’m not sure what to make of that, but really, I’m not sure what to make of him. He doesn't fit any typical box you could put someone in when it comes to high school cliques.

“What do you think?” Tate asks, holding up the syllabus Ms. Wondersher handed out.

“Intriguing?” It’s the best word I can come up with.

Economics can be tough because the further you crawl through it, the harder but more interesting it can get. It makes me think about the world around us, and I actually picked the class out of curiosity. I wanted to see how it might be portrayed in a town like Noblesville.

Plus, there weren't a ton of options. I’m showing up senior year, and when my transcripts came over, I only needed a few more credits to graduate. The real task of this year is figuring out my own economics for the next chapter of my life.

“I might need some help. Some of it looks rough,” Tate confesses, and I don’t know if he’s being serious or coming up with a reason for us to study together.

“Don’t tell me those giant football player bodies come with small brains. Are they really that disproportionate?” I tease him.

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