Shit.
Flick’s gaze widened over his shoulder, but I shook my head discreetly. No one knew who I was. We could enjoy the party, blend in, and stay under the radar.
At least that was the plan.
Cameron
“Here you go, boys.” Sara, one of the servers at Bell’s passed around our plates of food. Win or lose, it was our post-game ritual to all descend on Bell’s on Saturday night, and when Jase had called me up this morning, I didn’t hesitate to say yes.
When I’d gotten home last night, Mom and Xander were both asleep. Dad had two beers on ice, waiting to toast our first win of the season. We’d stayed up late, watching old game tapes, talking about Pee Wee and JV. But we didn’t talk about the elephant in the room.
And this morning, when I finally dragged myself out of bed, my muscles sore and bones bruised, Mom seemed in good spirits. She’d even made us all breakfast. It was nice. Normal.
It was just like old times.
“You need anything else, you just give me a shout, okay?”
“I could use a good hard—” Mackey started but Sara cut him off. “You come back and see me when you’re twenty-one, hot stuff.” She winked, giving him a little smile before sauntering off, putting extra sass in her step.
Mackey sank back against his chair and groaned. “What I wouldn’t pay to ride that.”
“Sara’s hot but she doesn’t fuck football players,” Asher said, squirting ketchup all over his meal. “Not even QB One, isn’t that right, Jase?”
“She’s got too much of a smart mouth for me. I like my women to talk less and suck more.”
“Yeah,” Mackey added. “But imagine what she can do with those pouty lips.” A goofy expression came over him and Grady leaned over, hitting him upside the head. “Get your mind out of the gutter. We have a game to focus on.”
“Dude, we just kicked Marshall’s ass last night. I think we’re allowed a little downtime.”
“Fucking sophomores,” someone grumbled.
“I heard that.”
“Chill,” Jase said to Mackey as he cut his Bell’s Special Burger in half. The thing was just too damn big to try to eat whole. “We get it, you’re amped, but Kaiden is right, the only thing you need to be focusing on is the next game, and the one after that, right up until week ten. Got it?”
“Got it,” Mackey grumbled. “Doesn’t mean I can’t look though, right?” His eyes slid back to where Sara was serving another table.
Jase and I shared an amused look. We knew how it was: the raging hormones, the buzz of being gods amongst men. In a town like Rixon, making Varsity was a badge of honor that opened doors: to colleges, to girls, to a free pass for screwing up every now and again. But it also came with expectation and pressure. Expectation to be the best; to work hard and give your all. Joel Mackey might not have understood it now, but after a season under Coach Hasson and his team, he would. Those guys broke you down until you were nothing but blood and bone and then pieced you back together until you were hardened, inside and out. Until no team—no matter how big or strong or aggressive—was a threat. Rixon High’s football program built warriors. Molded young men full of heart and grit and determination. As Coach Hasson liked to remind us every chance he got, ‘great men aren’t born, they’re made’.
And Rixon High only made the best.
But there was no denying that sometimes it was a heavy burden to shoulder. And blowing off a little steam now and again was the only way to push through.
“So, Jase,” Grady piped up. “What’s the plan for Rivals Week?”
“That’s for me to know and you to find out.” The wicked glint in my best friend’s eyes had my attention.
“Oh, come on. It’s only two weeks away; you can tell us.”
“My lips are sealed.”
“But it’ll involve a little trip across the river, am I right?”
“We should hit their place, tag some Vikings on their field house,” Kaiden said.
“Or hack their social media accounts and troll the shit out of them.” Mackey grinned, clearly impressed with his own idea.
“Speaking of which, Thatcher is talking smack on Twitter again.” Kaiden held up his cell phone. “Check this crap out.” He handed Jase his cell and the two of us scanned the screen.
@ThatcherQB1: What’s black and blue and broken all over? The Raiders after we get a hold of them #comingforyou #rivalsweek
Jase tensed beside me. “He’s a fucking idiot.”
“If he keeps this up,” Kaiden said, taking back his cell. “Their Coach will have to step in. Snapchat is one thing, but Twitter is a whole other beast.”
“Don’t sweat it. Come two weeks time, the only tweet he’ll be sending is: hashtag it hurts.”
The guys all howled with laughter, but I couldn’t help but wonder what Jason had up his sleeve.
And if I even wanted to know.
An hour later, we’d moved over to the pool table. “Chase, you’re up.” Grady motioned for me to take my shot just as my cell phone vibrated.
“Hang on,” I said, retrieving it from my pocket. “It’s my dad. I’ll be right back.” Going into the hall leading to the restrooms, I hit answer. “Dad?”
“Hey, Son.” He sounded weary, his voice flat and empty. Worlds away from the guy I’d left at home earlier.
My senses went on high alert. “Is everything—”
“It’s your mom, she…” My stomach plummeted as his voice cracked. He cleared his throat, forcing out the words, “I hate to call you when you’re out with the guys, but we could really use you here. Xander is—”
“I’ll be right there, Dad.” Dread flooded me. Dad rarely called. If he did, it was usually because Katie couldn’t watch Xan. So the fact he’d called on a Saturday night when I was with the team… I knew it was bad.
Asher found me staring at my cell phone. “Everything okay?”
“I’m not sure.” I shoved it in my pocket, scrubbing a hand down my face. “He needs me back at the house.”
“Your mom?”
“Yeah, I think so.” My mind was shooting off in a hundred different directions trying to figure out what could have possibly happened.
“Shit, man, I’m sorry. Is there anything you—”
“No, it’s all good. I’m sure it’s fine. Xander probably got upset again.” Asher knew more than most about my mom and her mood swings. It’s why I stayed over at his place sometimes when things got too intense at home.
Four years ago, when Mom found she was pregnant with Xander, things were tough for a while. She and Dad weren’t ready to be parents again. I was fourteen and my life already revolved around football, and they were my biggest supporters, never missing a single game. After my brother was born, Mom struggled. Doctors said she had postpartum depression. Dad took some time off to help around with the house and with my baby brother. With some medication and therapy, things improved and by the time Xander turned one, it looked like Mom was returning to her normal self.