Page 47 of Heart of Gold
The next day at practice, Coach is extra hard on me and Collins. We run until we both vomit and we are benched the next game. It’s a tough decision for him because I know how much backlash he will get for not playing us, but I respect it. You can’t have your own teammates fighting. Let alone in front of the entire school and fan base.
No matter how much I hate him, Collins and I are going to have to put our differences aside for the sake of the team. I don’t have to like him, and I don’t, but I do need to be civil.
“We need to call a truce,” I pant as we run yet another set of goat trails. “This season is going to be hell for both of us if we don’t.”
He doesn’t immediately speak, but stops running, staring at me a beat before scoffing. “I don’t like you. You don’t like me. Just stay out of my way and stay away from my girl.”
There it is.
Quinn.
“She’s not your girl. She made that clear in front of the entire school.”
He doesn’t like my reminiscing of him standing there rejected in the bleachers mid-game.
He steps closer to me, “You don’t know shit about her. No one here does.”
Wanna bet?
“She’s not like most girls,” he states. “She’s not Trinity.”
I stare at him, that was a low blow. Of course she’s not like Trinity, but how does he know about Trinity?
“You think I didn’t know about that,” He scoffs, laughing. “She’s told everyone, Richardson. She was your plaything all summer, I’ll be damned if you try and use Quinn as your little toy.”
I want to hit him. “Like you did? Like you used her?”
He shakes his head, “Is that what she told you? Geez, you are dumber than I thought. I didn’t cheat on Quinn, she made that shit up in her head. She never had any proof and still doesn’t. The only thing I’m guilty of is protecting her.”
I don’t really know what to make of any of this. I don’t want to say anything that Quinn told me in confidence because it doesn’t feel right to exploit her, especially to win an argument with this jackass.
“Whatever you say, Collins. Let’s just make it through this season. I’ll stay out of your way and you stay out of mine.”
He turns to run again and mumbles, “Fine.”
When practice ends, most of the offense stays to watch film and go over what we need to correct for next week, but when we make it to the end of the third quarter and Collins and I are out… It all goes downhill.
It’s embarrassing.
I pull out my phone and dial my dad. Levi was right, he’s probably disappointed in me. Hell, I’m disappointed in myself.
I don’t fight on the field. I don’t fight at all.
It’s just not me.
Collins lives for a reaction, and the best way to piss him off is to stop giving him one.
chapter nineteen
Gavin
Quinn’s schedule and mine haven’t allowed a single open evening for a date. It’s not for lack of trying, either. The week basically slipped away from us, a blur of homework and football, and now I’m finishing up a pre-game interview with Ridge U Insider.
Little do they know, come tomorrow, I won’t even take the field.
They pan to Jamal and I slip my phone from my pocket to type out a message underneath the table.
It’s your final chance to have a soda. You can only have Pepsi or Coke, what do you choose?
