Page 65 of Go Deep (A Bad Boy Sports Romance)
27
Cassidy
At least Istill had cheerleading, good old underestimated cheerleading. It had the physical challenge to take me away from all the drama and repetitive routine to temporarily restore order to my life. This was the last practice. The end of football season, and that meant we practiced harder today. The SEC Championship was in one day. I had something to look forward to.
Today we practiced at the indoor facility, rigorously going through each routine for tomorrow. It was exhausting, but exactly what I needed. The coach gave us one break in between practice. I went over to my bag for my second bottle of water when the side doors closest to the practice field opened and I heard my name.
Slade.
I groaned and rolled my eyes. Of all the times to be on the floor and not in the middle of a routine. “What do you want?” I asked, opening the water bottle and taking a drink.
“Listen, I don’t have much time, but will you just let me apologize so we can get past this?”
“I’m in the middle of practice. I’ve got shit to do, and like you said, you don’t have time for this,” I explained.
“Just hear me out.”
“Not gonna happen. You crossed the line with that bet.” My voice raised right then, and a few girls started snickering around me. I didn’t mean to make a scene, but I didn’t invite Slade in here either.
“You don’t have to take it this far,” he growled.
“Oh, so you’re embarrassed now, are you? Just be glad I didn’t get on a bullhorn and tell everyone what kinds of jackasses are on this football team.”
“I can’t believe you won’t even give me a minute to explain.” He turned around to walk away.
It hurt to feel I had to be that way with him, but nothing else was getting the point across. Dammit, we were done. I shook my head and went back to the distraction, holding my head up high and pretending that nothing ever happened.
Slade still made a point of trying to catch me after practice. I rushed off with Miranda and left, but it seemed like he wasn’t going to just let me go this easily. A few minutes later I got a text from him.
‘Don’t be surprised to see me at your dorm tonight. We’re not done.’
I made sure to send a reply long before Miranda and I got to the dorm.
‘We’re through. Don’t show up unless you want me to call campus security.’
This was the night before SECs. He couldn’t risk getting into anything right now. The team had worked too hard for him to go screw it up by knocking out some wannabe rent-a-cop tonight. That was where a confrontation would take him, and I was sure he knew it too. Taking a breath, I walked inside with Miranda, climbed the stairs and headed to our room.
* * *
‘I’m sorry. Please call me.’
‘Can I come see you?’
‘I still have feelings for you.’
‘I’ve never felt this way about anyone else.’
‘Hey, Cassidy, it’s Slade. Please give me a call. I’m really sorry about how things went down, and I’d like to make it up to you if you would just give me the chance. Again, I’m sorry. Call me.’
Over a twenty-four hour period, Slade had left me countless voicemail messages and text messages saying essentially the same thing. He was heartbroken and wanted me back. I found it somewhat entertaining that all of a sudden he could call and text me when he hadn’t been able to before.
I stopped checking them after the first couple of hours. It was like old times, back before the semester started, except now he came at me on the phone as well, instead of just in the hallway between classes.
There was nothing to hold me back here in Baton Rouge after graduation. I could finally get out and see the world. I’d held on to our investor’s business card, and planned that over the Christmas break, I would send along my resume and see if I could parlay that opportunity into something tangible. In a few short months, after walking across the stage to get my degree, I could be stepping off a plane and into a real life career, getting me out of Backwater Parish, Louisiana.
It was all for the best, really, and in no time at all, I would be past it. I’d made a bet with myself that I would be over Slade by Christmas Break. Or else I didn’t know what I’d do. He’d already ruined my fall semester. I couldn’t let him ruin spring, too. The worst part of it all was losing my best friend because I was too blind to see what was happening.
I’d texted Shawn a few more times, but with no reply.
