“Wow.” I let out a dry laugh. “Aggressive? Really? Because I stood up for myself and told her to fuck off?”
Stephen shrugs and tips my chin. “For what it’s worth, even if you had hit her, it would have been badass of you.”
I smile, only because the thought of giving Melanie one swift punch to the gut does sound delightful. Too bad I’m not the violent type. A girl can dream though.
“Well, it’s not the rumors,” I say. “I couldn’t care less about what Melanie is telling people at this point. I’m just…tired, I guess. Still getting used to college. I think maybe I’m homesick.”
Stephen wraps an arm around my shoulders. “Ahh, homesickness. Doesn’t do a college student good, does it?”
I want to shrug him off me, but I don’t. I let him lead the way up the stairs to get out of the auditorium.
“Let me take you out to this great soul food place. They have the best fried chicken and baked mac and cheese. Maybe that’ll cheer you up.”
Soul food? Seriously? Does every white person think black people only want fried chicken and baked mac and cheese when they need comfort? I wonder if he even realizes that he’s stereotyping me.
I shrug him off as we step outside of the room. “I can’t tonight. I have practice and then I have to study for the genetics test.”
“Okay. Well, maybe we can study together at my place after practice. Dinner is on me. Whatever you want.”
I smile as I step backwards, still facing him. “I’ll let you know.”
“Don’t raincheck me,” he calls out as I turn my back to him.
I fight a smile, but I don’t look back.
I’m an idiot. No, truly. I am. What kind of girl lowers her standards and continues flirting with a guy who blatantly played her in her face? Who lied to her? It’s ridiculous, but I don’t care at this point.
Practice is on a wet track and the football players are preparing for their first home game tomorrow. Stephen has jogged my way several times, begging me to come to the game. I’m certain he’s begged every girl he flirts with to come to his game.
Every time he goes back for another drill, he kisses my cheek and smiles that perfect smile every girl on campus loves and I always blush like an idiot. I can’t help it. Stephen is a jerk, but he has this way of making a girl feel special.
While our team takes a break, I notice Torres prowling about and as I stretch, I feel him glaring at me. I ignore him as much as I can. I’m sure he’s seen me talking to Stephen—seen as I let him kiss and flirt with me.
I may not be rebelling with practice anymore, but this feels like a fair shot. Hook back up with a guy who he pretty much said was just like him when he was younger. If this doesn’t get under his skin, then he truly doesn’t give a shit about anyone but himself.
When practice is over for the track team, Torres doesn’t bother waiting around. He dismisses us and heads off, but not without giving me a hard, cold stare. He goes straight to the tunnel to get to his office, and when he’s gone, I sigh.
Yes, this is stupid, but I’m in college.
I’m allowed to make stupid mistakes every once in a while…right?
TWENTY-SIX
It eventually becomes easier to not think about Amber so much as the holidays approach. The kids have tests, which means practices are less frequent, and since it’s off-season, the track team is allowed to go back home for Thanksgiving if they want to.
I always have Thanksgiving with my mother and one of her neighbors, Mrs. Calloway. Mamá doesn’t believe in Thanksgiving, since she isn’t from the states, but she loves any excuse to buy food and cook, so she enjoys it.
Mrs. Calloway is a widow with two dogs and four cats. She gets lonely and she loves Mamá’s cooking, so she often comes over to eat and chat with her. It’s just me and two older women. Wouldn’t be so bad if my papa was still around to share a beer with and even it out.
Winter break approaches and that means I’ll be around the team even less. It’s too cold to practice outside, so we train on the indoor track or hit the weights.
It’s much harder to avoid Amber inside. There isn’t as much space in here as there is on the outdoor track so when I see her, I feel like I can smell her cherry scent too well. I often catch her looking at me and when our eyes connect, she always snatches her gaze away.
The good thing about training inside during winter is that I don’t have to see her with that idiot quarterback. Seriously, what kind of shit is that? She was so devastated when she saw him with another girl at the carnival, now she’s back in his arms and hooking up with him again?