Page 80 of The Midseason Fakeout

Next to his wife, Aidan’s coach perks up. His stare skims down the line of us. He seems like a no-nonsense type of guy, but he’s also super nice. He even talked to me earlier, asking me how I’m liking Warner and what my major is. Under his scrutiny, I give him a smile, and he returns it before continuing down the line.

The lady from the ASPCA hands a piece of paper to Coach’s wife. It shouldn’t matter what’s on it, but like Aidan, I like to win. Plus, there’s also the added benefit of a scholarship. A part of me has started to believe that maybe I could stay here even if my parents want me to leave.

And trust me, they want me to leave. A scholarship could help sway them.

Who am I kidding? There is no swaying them, but a scholarship could help sway myself and all the doubts I have about making my own life.

Coach’s wife smiles down at the paper. “West Brooks and Kenna Knowles!”

Next to me, Aidan turns to his friend and shakes his hand, whispering something into West’s ear that makes him laugh. Afterward, Aidan turns to me and places his arm around my shoulders. “We’ll get them next time.”

One of the linemen yells out, “I want a recount.”

Cade laughs. “No one cared about seeing you. Pipe down.”

The whole team jeers.

Aidan squeezes me. “Let’s get out of here.”

Warmth fills my stomach. We’ve had a bumpy twenty-four hours. The highest of highs, and alowlow, but I can’t think of anything better to top it all off than one thing.

“I was thinking,” I start as he takes out his car keys.

“Yeah?”

“Well,” I draw out the word, smiling at him. “Since our ruined date yesterday turned to sexy times, I was wondering what you would think a great date would turn into?”

“As in?”

I shrug. “Skinny dipping?”

The truth is, I want a redo of our cliff-jumping moment. I want to bleed that other image out of my mind with a new, sexier one now that we’re on the same page.

He holds the door open for me. “You found a kink, didn’t you?”

I mock gasp. “Me? It’s only my first day of not being an innocent. Ravaged by the quarterback. Stolen my—”

He kisses me to shut me up. “Ravaged by the quarterback. Sounds like a romance novel.”

“Sounds like a new T-shirt,” I respond, smiling. “I’ll wear it under your jersey to every game.”

“Oh, your parents would love that.”

I grimace. I’ve tried not to think about my mother all day, grasping on tightly to the moments with Aidan. It’s been in the back of my mind, though, like a burrowing animal. My mom doesn’t let things go. I fully expect to get more and more phone calls from her.

Let’s hope I can hold her off.

Aidan helps me into the car and then does some sort of fancy footwork around the front, something I’ve seen the team do during practice. “Limbering up,” he informs me as he opens up his door.

He starts the car, places his hand on my knee, and then exits the parking lot. In five minutes, we’re parked at a different spot near the river. This one is farther out into the woods. Off my side of the car is a trail through some brush and trees where I can see the bank of the river beyond.

“It’s a little chilly,” Aidan notes.

“You’ll keep me warm,” I tell him as I unbuckle my seatbelt and make a break for it.

“Hey!” he calls out. I turn down the trail. My heart is racing, this complete and utter feeling of freedom passing over me.

My mom called and I told her no.

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