Chasing Ella (Love Ever After 1)

Lost in my head, I don’t even notice someone tap me on the shoulder until I hear Coach Davenport’s deep voice in my ear. His guttural tone shakes through my body. “Finch, get your head out of the clouds and your ass in that uniform.”

I look over my shoulder at him, just enough that I can see his face turn red. “Sorry, Coach.”

“Get dressed and meet me in my office,” he growls and then walks away.

Like Hunter, Coach is a man of few words, and when he speaks, it’s always with a purpose. Although not uncommon to meet in his office, I’m a little nervous after being off my game for the past week. My grades have slipped even more than normal, and I played like shit last night. I deserve whatever lashing I am about to get from Coach.

After I get dressed and head to the back office, Coach is still bright red when I step inside, except he’s a deeper shade than before. He points to the chair across from him. I sink into the plastic chair and wait for him to begin, the silence between us maddening.

Coach leans forward and rests his elbows on the desk, his eyes locked onto me. “You have two weeks until the end of your last season with the Senators, and you decide to screw around again while we’re in the playoffs?”

Can you be more specific? I’ve done too much screwing around lately to keep track of anything in particular, so I keep my mouth shut.

He slides a piece of paper across the desk to me. “These are your grades and the semester has barely even begun. If you don’t get your act together, son, I will have no choice but to bench you for the remaining games. You don’t want that, do you?”

“No, Coach. I want to finish out the season.”

“Then, you had better get your grades in order.” He raises his voice just enough to startle me, and then lowers it back to normal. “I spoke with the tutoring center about helping you pull up these worthless grades. The tutor you worked with last year is already with someone else, but I was able to find you a replacement for the rest of the school year.”

“Thanks, Coach,” I mutter, trying not to say too much until he finishes.

“I’m sure you know your way around the library by now. You are to report there after practice today to meet your tutor. I expect you to show up on time, or you will not play. Do you understand?”

“I’ll be there, Coach. Don’t worry. My grades will be back to normal in no time.”

He flashes a semblance of a smile. “Good, that’s good to hear. Now, get your ass on the field.”

When Coach gives an order, you follow it. So, I do as he says, keeping Hunter’s advice in mind as I head outside. I’m not going to stop looking for my mystery girl. But I need to get my head straight.

Ella

It’s hard to believe that only one week has passed since I left Finch standing in the hallway at his fraternity house.

Every day since that night, I have thought of Finch in ways I know I shouldn’t. Only one kiss, I had told myself. One moment of passion with the man that has occupied my thoughts from the moment I’d seen him on campus over three years ago.

But that kiss had turned into so much more. I can still feel Finch on my lips and sense his touch on my skin. It was everything I had ever wanted. Finch was everything I thought he would be. Too bad things could never work out between us.

He would never be interested in a girl like me. I’m no longer rich or popular, not accepted into the elite inner circles that Finch belongs. He’s one of them, and well, I’m just a nerdy girl who tutors jocks to earn extra money for school.

With a few minutes to spare, Tori Reynolds strolls into class with a wide grin on her face. I was supposed to meet her at the party

. Instead, I became the masked girl who kissed Finch and the talk of the campus. He’s been looking for me. Tori keeps me informed of the latest news about Finch. She can never know that I hid this from her, not when she’s the only friend I have.

Ever since Tori got back together with Sebastian Prince last semester, she’s been all smiles. I don’t blame her. A guy like Bash would put a silly grin on my face, too. But I’d much rather have Finch. He was sweet when it counted and bad when I’d needed him to be.

I loved the bad side to him. If we weren’t in that hallway, who knows what would have happened between us. It was obvious he was dying to get me out of that dress, but I had practically stuffed myself into it. Lord knows he tried to strip away the fabric that had gotten between us. I’d wanted him to rip it apart, piece-by-piece, but it wasn’t mine to destroy.

Tori drops her messenger bag onto the floor between our desks and slides into her chair. “Hey!” She flashes a smile that lights up her face. “You will not believe what I just heard from Bash.”

My hands tremble every time she tells me something about Finch. Then, my stomach clenches and a wave of nerves rushes through me. I wasn’t nervous that night, but that was before I knew Finch intimately. Now, every rumor about him makes me equal parts giddy and anxious.

“What happened now?” I do my best to play it cool around Tori and act uninterested when I am on the edge of my seat.

She twists a blonde lock around her finger and moves her desk closer. “You will not believe what crazy things Finch is up to now.”

“Crazy?” I raise my eyebrows at her. “Is he still chasing after that girl?”

“He’s progressed to hardcore stalker mode.” She chuckles, as she settles into her seat, crossing one leg over the other. “Finch is wearing some charm this girl dropped around his neck.”