Page 50 of Catch Me

I nod once. I don’t know how much to give away. He’s not looking at me like he was looking at Sasha. He seems kind of resigned, with a flicker of anger here and there. When I don’t say anything, Oscar goes to walk into the locker room, but I reach out for him, grabbing the sleeve of his shirt. “Wait,” I say. He turns toward me. His gaze starting on where my fingers still hold on to his shirt and follow my arm all the way up to my shoulders and then finally my face. I swallow. “Don’t hurt him, Oscar.” My throat feels like it’s about to close in on me, but I let go of him and push my chin slightly into the air. “Don’t hurt Reid.”

Amusement passes over his face, but he looks more annoyed than anything. “You’re scared of me, aren’t you, Page?”

I shake my head no. And in that moment, I’m not lying. Oscar is someone who’s had to do the things he’s done because of where he grew up. Life was hard, so he was harder. His friends were tough, so he was tougher. His enemies were evil, so he plays by the devil’s rules. “I’m not scared of you, Oscar. I’m scared of what that voice inside your head is telling you to do.”

He steps forward, and I take a step back. He does it again with the same reaction. And then again, but this time, I’m up against the building with nowhere else to move, so he’s in front of me, the tips of our shoes almost touching. I can feel his breath on my face. “You see so much,” he says. He runs his hands through his hair, making it spike up. “You’re ten times the woman Sasha will ever be. If only you weren’t afraid of me, Briar.”

“I’m not afraid,” I say again.

The corner of his mouth quirks up, and he steps back. “I can’t promise you I won’t hurt him. I can promise I won’t ever hurt you though. You’re the only thing in Spring Hill I like besides football.” With that, he turns and pulls open the locker room door, disappearing inside.

23

The rest of the week goes by quickly. Reid’s determined to have a huge comeback out on the field, so he’s been preoccupied since making it back as the starter on the team. Oscar and Sasha have both been lying low, though we all notice how Sasha stares our way during lunch. Oscar and Sasha are never around each other anymore though. They don’t parade in front of the school anymore like they’re the “it” couple. In fact, none of us have seen them in the same room with the other since I saw them arguing outside the school after practice.

The morning of the game, Reid sends me a text.The moment you came back to me, I thought anything was possible. Thank you for giving that to me.

My heart practically melts on the floor. No one would know that Reid has a sweet side. He’s a big, burly football player that likes winning and has a tendency to think he’s better than most people. I happen to think he is better than most people, so I’m not going to argue with him there, but all the heartfelt words and caring gestures, they’re only for me.

My nerves are shot by the time I get to the game. Both Jules and I stop by Brady’s memorial before the game starts. We’re silent as we stand outside it. I don’t know what Jules talks to Brady about when we come here, but I usually tell him about everything that’s been going on. Today, though, I’m asking him to take care of Reid. I want him to look out for him, to make sure if he gets tackled that he gets right back up.

On our way to the stands, Jules loops her arm in mine. “He’s going to be fine.”

“He better be.”

“If he isn’t, you’re not leaving again,” she says. I lift my head to look at her. “I mean it, Briar. I will pin your ass down.”

She’s serious as hell, but I laugh anyway. “I’m not leaving again. I promised already.”

There’s a buzz in the stands. It’s almost palpable. Reid’s comeback was on the front page of our small town’s paper, and the stands seem even fuller than they were when Reid was playing before.

Everyone likes a comeback story.

When the team runs out onto the field, they get a standing ovation. The applause seems louder, the excitement builds higher. I can’t help but think that there’s a little extra in there for Reid Parker. I’m sure he’s loving the shit out of this.

He looks into the stands and finds me here. We keep one another’s gaze, not moving, definitely not talking, but we seem to know what the other is thinking and feeling, anyway. Right before he looks away, I smile and so does he.

I track Oscar down next. He’s standing next to a player on the team who hardly ever plays. They both have their uniforms on, but it strikes me that I want Oscar’s looking just as pristine as it does right now by the end of this game. I couldn’t get him to promise not to hurt Reid, but he did promise not to hurt me. He has to know that hurting Reid would hurt me. And whatever kind of person he is, I don’t see him doing that.

My gaze moves away from him and focuses on Sasha. She’s busy cheering with her squad, but everything with her is a facade. She was doing the same thing the day she paid Eli to hurt Reid. She could have the same thing in store for him today while she simultaneously roots for the team through cheers and pom-poms. She’s like a gift that holds a severed heart. It looks good on the outside, but inside, you know exactly what the meaning is.

When I look away from her, I catch Lex. He’s standing next to the bench, re-tying his cleats. He does that before every game. It’s an OCD thing for him. He ties them once in the locker room and then once more while they’re out on the sidelines waiting for the game to start. He meets my stare and nods.

That’s all I needed. He’s got this under control. No one’s getting a hit on Reid tonight. No way.

As if following my train of thought, Jules says, “Lex looks like he’s all business today. I don’t think he’ll be letting anyone by him. He might snap if the ref even gets too close.”

I laugh at that. They’ve always protected each other that way their whole lives. Just because someone got by Lex once, doesn’t mean a thing. Oscar implied Lex did it on purpose. That’s only because that’s what he’s used to in his world. These boys, they would never do that to each other.

As the minutes tick by on the game clock, it’s obvious the game is going to be a complete blowout. Spring Hill’s offense is on point with Reid taking the reins. Every time they get the ball back, they march down the field like there isn’t even a defense in between them and their touchdown. Reid is charged up throughout. He chest bumps his O-line, he slaps their hands, and when the offense runs off the field to make way for the punting team, Coach is in Reid’s face and smacking him on the side of the head in congratulations. I wish Warner’s had sent scouts tonight. He’s playing amazingly. Like he owns this turf and this team.

I can’t help but to find Oscar on the sidelines. The more points we score, the tenser he gets. He claps along with the rest of the team, but he never goes over to Reid to pump him up or tell him how good he’s playing. Oscar just looks like a casual observer. Hell, he could be watching from right next to me in the stands and no one would know the difference. It’s like he’s yesterday’s news.

Right before the last play of the game, I make my way down to the chain-link fence that separates the team from the crowd. The opposing team had one last chance to score, but we stopped them. I’m just starting to smile and clap, relief sweeping through me that Reid made it out just fine, when a body moves into view. I look up to find Oscar moving toward me. I still and watch him warily as he tracks right up to me. Just like I’d wanted, his uniform hasn’t even been scuffed up. Hell, he’s not even sweating. He’s still holding his helmet in his hands. “What are you going to do with the information you found out?” He drifts his eyes toward where the cheerleading squad is completing their last cheer, making it clear he knows who I’m talking about.

I shrug. “Why do you care?”

He leans forward, his face tense. “You forget I’m the reason you found out that information, and right now, I want to take that bitch out so bad I can’t fucking stand it. So, tell me your little bitch ass friends are going to serve her what’s coming to her, or I’m going to have to dish out her punishment.”

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