Page 9 of Chasing After You
I muster a pathetic smile in Stacey’s direction. “I don’t think we’ve met, but I’ve seen you around.”
“Likewise.” She smiles politely back, but all I can think is how long this season is going to be with her following me around.
And Mirabelle, a little voice in the back of my head reminds me.Fuck.
~
I take a drink of my beer, glancing at the baseball game Wilson put on the television in my living room. After the ass-kicking I got in that room today, I’m not sure when I’ll be ready to go anywhere in public for a while.
Wilson and Quinn think it’s hilarious I’m required to have ashadowthis season. I thought Wilson was going to start crying from laughing so hard when I explained they brought out that stupid gossip magazine as evidence I can’t be trusted without a babysitter. He knows nothing happened that night, and the photo was taken out of context, but I’m still the idiot in the photo.
I’ve decided that unless Stacey is talking to me, I’m going to ignore that she’s there. Mirabelle on the other hand, I can’t ignore unless I want the wrath of my family and hers for being a dick, but I’m trying to not think about her following me around.
“Man, I just can’t believe they’re actually having you followed by PR and an intern all season because of that cover photo,” Wilson says, shaking his head. “That’s messed up, even if the intern is Mirabelle Walker.”
“I can’t believe Coach is going along with it. You seem like the last person on the team who needs a babysitter,” says Quinn before he resumes snacking on a bowl of chips, tossing them up in the air to catch them in his mouth. I’m tempted to tell him to knock it off, but Wilson beats me to it.
“You’re dropping more of those on the ground than you’re catching. Unless you plan on vacuuming before you leave, eat them like a normal person.”
I chuckle quietly, but I do appreciate it. This house is mine, but Wilson’s place is being remodeled so I told him he could crash here. That was a year ago, and there’s been very little progress made on the remodel since, but I don’t mind the company and I have the space.
Kaitlyn usually stays with me for a weekend or two a month so I have a bedroom set aside for her, but I’m guessing that her trips will drop off now that the Walkers moved to Wilmington full-time where my family lives.
“Coach pushed back as much as he could today, but maybe if I’m on my best behavior and we’re winning, they’ll decide I don’t need shadows.” It’s wishful thinking that even if all that happens, Greg will get rid of my shadows, but I can have hope.
Wilson looks at me, shrugging. “Honestly, I think I’d switch places with you. I know it’s weird and all since Mirabelle is Sebastian’s daughter, and we played with him, but she’s hot—in a non-creepy way. That was an internal thought that I probably shouldn’t have said, but I’m not going to repeat it,” he adds, probably due to the look on my face.
I remember Sebastian telling me what a prick his daughter was dating last winter, and how he was only putting up with the guy because Mirabelle seemed to like him. He was so relieved when they broke up, but I’m not sure there’s anyone Sebastian thinks is good enough for Mirabelle.
“Super flexible too,” Quinn chimes in, and I redirect my glare to him. We’re not anywhere near close enough for him to say shit like that. I’ve spent enough time with him over the last few weeks I’d call him a friend, but I’d also have no problem decking him.
“What the hell is wrong with you, Quinn? She’s a kid.” I scoff, and he puts his hands up in defense.
“You’re the one whose mind went straight to sex. I was just thinking she could show me some killer stretches to keep me limber on the field. My mom is a huge fan of hers. And for the record, she’s twenty, which is only three years younger than me.”
Wilson shoots him a look too.
I like Quinn, but the dude is a womanizer. He thinks with his dick, which is fine, but I don’t want him anywhere near Mirabelle. Bash and Owen would kill me if I brought him near her. Hell, my dad would kill me. The only person more protective of Mirabelle than her father and uncle is my dad.
Thalia is his best friend, and Dad’s always had a soft spot for Mirabelle, saying she reminds him a lot of Thalia at her age.
I still have to think of Mirabelle as a kid because the alternative has never been an option.
I happen to choose life, so Quinn will go nowhere near Mirabelle if I have anything to say about it.
Quinn smiles as he turns to look at me, the bowl of chips now balancing on his chest. “You know her pretty well, don’t you? Can you introduce me?”
“No,” I answer, confused on what part of this he doesn’t get.
Wilson nods slowly in agreement. “Q, you gotta forget about it. She’s Coach’s niece.”
I take a long drink, refocusing my attention on the game because if I keep talking about Mirabelle with my friends, my head might explode. My phone rings and it’s my little sister. I answer it, pulling my ass off the couch to go out on the back deck.
“Hey, Kait,” I greet, shutting the door behind me.
“Henry, I made the cheerleading team,” she yells, nearly bursting my eardrum in the process. The pure happiness in her voice does make me smile.
“That’s great. I knew you would.” I was confused when she first asked what I thought about her trying out for the cheer team, but she wanted something new her senior year of high school. I’m glad she made it.
