The need to get Thatcher back burned through me. But I had to be smart about getting payback. Because the team had worked too damn hard to risk everything.
I’d worked too damn hard.
“Thatcher will get what’s coming to him,” I said quietly, feeling vengeance boil my blood.
“That’s what worries me.” Cameron gave me a pointed look before standing up and grabbing his bag. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said before walking away.
There was a day when we did everything together. But now he had Hailee and everything was different.
And fuck me, if it didn’t suck.
I grabbed my shit and headed out. I didn’t expect to run into Asher and Felicity in the parking lot, laughing and joking like old friends.
“We’re thinking of heading to Bell’s, you want to come?” Ash said with an easy smile, as if she was part of our group now. I frowned, my eyes sliding to hers in question. She lowered her face, heat creeping into her cheeks.
“What, are you two now like fuck buddies or something?” Felicity blanched while Asher’s eyes shuttered as he let out a heavy sigh.
“Jase, come on, it isn’t like that—”
“Whatever. It’s none of my business. You do you, but I think I’ll pass.”
“Maybe I should go,” her soft voice drifted over me like a warm current. I was being a dick, but she was everywhere I fucking turned.
“You don’t need to go. I said we’ll hang out and we will.” Asher narrowed his eyes on me, daring me to argue. Then it hit me, that maybe this was all part of some game. His way of trying to get me to admit I liked her.
I didn’t.
She just got under my skin. That was all.
But as I skulked away from them, I wasn’t so sure anymore.
“Let’s go, ladies, onto the buses.” It was Friday evening and the entire team and cheer squad were crammed onto four buses that would take us to Fenn Hill. Our fans following in their cars behind us.
It was a sight to behold; half the town making the forty-minute ride to come out and support the Raiders. But everyone wanted to see us win; to move one step closer to State. And it helped; having a big presence in the crowd at away games. Their constant roar like fuel to the fire.
Our fire.
I watched from the window as Cameron said goodbye to Hailee. Felicity and the new girl lingered on the periphery, pretending not to watch. All week I’d avoided her; and all week my mood had deteriorated.
Fucking girls.
Let them in and chances were they would screw everything up, but keep them at arm’s length... and chances were they would screw everything up. It was a no-win situation.
I’d rationalized that my strange fascination with the girl who made lists and attended book club and owned some downright fucking ugly shirts was nothing more than the fact she’d been a virgin and I hadn’t rocked her world because Hailee walked in on us.
The plan had been to fuck her out of my system with Jenna, but I was starting to wonder if I just needed to fuck her again. I shook the stupid idea out of my head. Going there with Felicity again was a one-way street to a headache I didn’t want or need.
With everyone finally on board, Coach Hasson stood at the front, staring out at us the way he did whenever we had a big game ahead of us—which was every game we ever played.
“Listen up, ladies,” he boomed. “I want your best behavior tonight. We’re playing away from home which means you’re not only representing your team, you’re representing the school, and the town. I expect nothing but professionalism, understood?”
A grumble of ‘Yes, Sir’ echoed around me as Coach’s hard stare bore into me. He was still pissed about the game against Millington and he had every right to be. But he wasn’t the one out there, on the field. Sometimes decisions were taken out of our hands; sometimes the decision was made so quickly you didn’t have time to weigh up the consequences. You were all up in some fucker’s face before you could stop yourself.
“Hey, you okay?” Cameron nudged my shoulder.
I gave him a tight nod. I was more than ready for the game. Eager to get out there and kick some Falcon ass. It was everything else that was sitting heavy on my chest. As if I needed any extra pressure, Grady leaned over the top of my seat and shoved his cell in front of me. “Did you see this?”
“Grady,” Cam warned, but it was too late. My eyes ran over the tweet, jaw clenching at Thatcher’s taunt.
@ThatcherQB1: What’s that I hear? The Raiders crying like little b%&$es #Falconstakenoprisoners #Raidersbetterhide
“He’s just trying to get in your head.” Cameron said, snatching the cell out my hand and shoving it back at Grady, mumbling something to him about ‘stopping that shit’.
“Yeah, well it’s working,” I said coolly.
“You can’t let him in, man. He knows the Eagles are out of the play-offs and now he’s trying to sabotage our shot.”
I concentrated on my fist as it pressed against my thigh, uncurling and curling it. Squeezing until the blood drained from my hand. Thatcher was under my skin, like an annoying itch you couldn’t quite get rid of no matter how hard you scratched.
Asher’s face appeared between the gap in the two seats in front of us. “Maybe we should just go over the river and give him what he wants?” Mischief lit up his face. Asher might have been the joker of the bunch, but he was always down for a rumble.
“Seriously, you think that’s going to solve anything?” Cameron let out a frustrated breath.
“Better than sitting around waiting for him to come at us.” Asher turned back around.
“Don’t listen to him,” my best friend’s tone was serious. “Thatcher will get bored eventually.”
But for as much as I wanted to believe him, I couldn’t. Thatcher would keep coming, keep pushing my buttons, until eventually I snapped.
Because we were more alike than I gave him credit for. I’d hurt his sister... and now he was determined to hurt me. I’d been arrogant enough to think I was untouchable. Believed Thatcher couldn’t hurt me because the list of people I gave a shit about was next to none.
But I cared.
Deep down, I fucking cared. And I hated it.
Because caring made me vulnerable.
It made me weak.
Something I couldn’t afford to be.
Chapter Eleven
Felicity
“Remind me why I agreed to come to this thing again?” Mya grumbled as I dragged her and Hailee to the concession stand for pre-game refreshments.
Fenn Hill had a much smaller stadium than our school, but it didn’t stop the crowds swarming. Our blue and white painted faces and shirts and ball caps barely made a dent in the sea of yellow and green.
“It’s fun,” I yelled over the noise.
“Fun?” Mya arched a brow, glancing at Hailee who threw up her hands.
“Don’t look at me. I’m only here for Cameron.”
“I’m confused,” our new girlfriend said. “I thought you hated the football team and the whole ‘institution of the game’?” She air quoted Hailee’s words from earlier this week.