“As in you’re going back to school and you haven’t discussed what it means?”
“Like I said, it’s none of your business. We’re just happy to be talking again.”
“Or something,” he fires back.
“Don’t make this all sexual.”
“I don’t have to. You already did.”
“You know what I mean. Things are getting back to normal with Chase and me.”
“Actually, no. They aren’t. Normal would mean you were BFFs. Sure, when you were BFFs, you flirted some, but this weekend, the sexual energy rolling off the two of you could not be missed. We all noticed. Trust me. And while, on one hand, it makes me happy, on the other hand, I feel like we’re all cruising along on the Titanic, waiting to hit the iceberg.”
I throw my hands up in the air. “What do you want me to do about it, Damon? I don’t have an answer.”
“Which is clearly the problem. I want you to march back over there, figure out what you are, what your relationship is going to be between now and the next time you come home. When will that be, by the way?”
“October. For Homecoming. I have to pass the crown off.”
Damon dramatically rolls his eyes and tosses his head back. “That’s just fantastic. You’re sleeping with Chase, and you will probably be crowning the other girl he’s sleeping with? Nah. Doesn’t sound like a recipe for disaster at all. Hope you can swim in ice-cold water, sis.”
“First off, the former queen crowns the new king. The former king crowns the new queen. It’s how it’s always been.”
“Regardless, you’ll all be onstage together.”
I take a moment to think about that. “I suppose you’re right though. It might be a bit awkward.”
“Especially if you haven’t talked about it beforehand. Go.”
“I’m going to say goodbye to him before I leave. But I already know the answer. Chase and I will talk at night. Stay caught up on each other’s lives. I’ll see you all at the football games. And I’ll come home as often as I can. Christmas break will be here before we know it.”
“You won’t last that long in the water,” he says, turning around and leaving my room.
Just talk to me.
Chase
I make my way down to the dock, looking forward to seeing Dani in a bikini and hoping to go up to her room to help her pack before she leaves. Although the thought of having sex in her room, under her dad’s roof, freaks me out a little, I think I’ll be able to manage.
When she comes out to the backyard though, she’s wearing jean shorts and carrying a bag over her shoulder.
“Are you leaving?”
“Yeah, my dad wants me to get back to school before dark since I’m driving, and I have a sorority thing tonight that I almost forgot about.”
“Oh,” I say, disappointment probably written all over my face.
“Damon also told me that I need to talk to you about us before I leave. Do you have any expectations of me? For us? With everything that happened between us this weekend?”
“I was thinking about that after you left. And no. You’re right. I’m here. You’re there. Just talk to me sometimes, okay? At night, like we used to?”
“Okay,” she says.
“I’m going to let you call me. I’d happily call you every night, but I know you’re busy. And I don’t want—”
“You don’t want what?”
“For you to have to explain to your friends why you’re talking to some high school guy.”
“I’ll call you. I promise. And you’re coming up for the game next weekend. So, you can come see my dorm and the sorority house and all that fun stuff.”
Her dad waves at me as he comes out of the back door, tackle box in hand.
“Why don’t I walk you to your car? I’m pretty sure the kind of goodbye kiss I want to give you shouldn’t be witnessed by your dad just yet.”
Monday, September 9th
Razzle-dazzle.
Chase
Most everyone has already left the locker room, but Damon, myself, and Pace—our star running back—stayed late to work on a few new plays.
I say goodbye to them and then stop in Coach’s office.
“Liked what I was seeing out there, Mackenzie. You boys want to try that razzle-dazzle play during a game?”
“If a situation arises when you think it would work, sure.”
“You know we haven’t talked about your recruitment since the season started. There’s sure lot of interest in you.”
“I know. Damon and I are having dinner tonight with our parents to discuss which colleges we’ll do official visits at. But I’m guessing it will be Oklahoma, Auburn, Ohio State, Georgia, and of course, Nebraska. In fact, we’re going up to Lincoln this weekend. We’ve already had an unofficial visit, but since we’ll be there for the game anyway, we’ll consider it official from a recruitment standpoint.”
“Stanford is really interested in you. You considered it at all? You’d be getting a hell of an education there.”
“They already have a standout receiver, so it doesn’t really work for us.”
“Chase, I know that your and Damon’s friendship is special, but you can go to different colleges and stay friends. You need to think of yourself. Which colleges produce top quarterbacks consistently.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, Coach. I’d better get home.”
I head out to the parking lot, finding Lacey sitting on the tailgate of my truck, her car parked next to it.
“Hey, what’s up?” I ask her.
I heard all about her cheer competition over lunch, and we’re not supposed to get together tonight, so I’m not sure why she’s here. Maybe cheer practice went late or something.
She smiles at me, pulls out her phone, and holds it up to my face. On it, there’s a photo of Dani and me kissing at the country club before dinner on Saturday night. “This is what’s up.”
“Dani was wishing me a happy birthday.”
“With her tongue?” she says, and I realize she’s pissed. “And just what other parts did she use to do so?”
“I don’t know what to say to you, Lacey. We’re not in a relationship for a reason.”
“And is she that reason?”
I don’t reply, but I don’t have to because she hops off the tailgate and starts pacing in front of me.
“I’ve never been able to figure it out. Why you date me but are never with other girls from our school even though you could be. I mean, I know you and Damon go out and hang out with girls. I’m sure you’ve made out with some of them, but I never got the impression you were sleeping with them. Have you been? Have I just been blind to it? Am I the only girl you’re sleeping with, Chase? Or not?”
I swallow hard and try to control my temper, but it’s hard to do when it’s anything to do with Dani. “I don’t sleep around, Lacey. And I’m always the wingman.”
“You didn’t answer my question. Am. I. The. Only. Girl. You have slept with in the past week?”