Page 53 of Trick Play
I swat her hand away, rolling my eyes. “I’m fine. Stop it. I can’t talk to my sister?”
She leans into Simon, who adjusts her casually, her eyes narrowed as they bore into me. “You never have before.”
I scoff. “I’ve talked to you plenty of times.”
“Not in front of your friends you haven’t. Not even at the other parties and things I’ve been to with Simon and you. You’ll talk to him. You’ll talk to other people in front of me. But you still never acknowledge me. So you’ll have to excuse me if I’m a little surprised.”
I think over the few weeks since she and Simon told me about their relationship and got back together. I mean, I know I didn’t really talk to her at parties before that. Or when I did, it was to try to make her leave, which I readily admit was a dick move. I thought I was trying to keep her safe, out of the way of asshole frat dudes and my teammates who can sometimes be just as bad. But Simon’s right. She’s safer here with us where we can keep an eye on her. It helps that she’s dating one of the biggest guys on the team. And while he’s not naturally violent, dude knows how to grapple and take someone down if need be. That’s literally his job on the football field.
Shaking my head, I pat her foot. She’s taken her shoes off and just has her rainbow striped socks on. “Sorry, El. I feel like that’s almost all I say to you these days. I’m trying to be less of an asshole. I swear.”
She grins, nudging me with her toes. “You are. It’s a work in progress, though. I get it.” She follows my gaze to where Piper’s sitting and talking to someone else. “Sooo …” Ellie says, trying to sound sly.
I look at her out of the corner of my eye. “Sooo … what?”
Chuckling, she shakes her head. “You and Piper. How’s that going? I thought you guys were becoming a thing, but now you’re over here and she’s over there, but neither of you can keep your eyes off each other. What’s up?”
It’s my turn to chuckle and shake my head. “It’s fine, Ellie. Don’t worry about it.”
I should know better than to think that would deter my little sister, though. Her eyes dart between Piper and me a few more times. When Piper stands, Ellie pushes herself off Simon’s lap. “I’m parched,” she announces more loudly than necessary. “I’m going to go get a drink. Anyone want anything? No?” And without waiting for an answer she heads for the kitchen. While I’m sure she’ll get herself a drink, I’m equally sure she’s going to corner Piper, and even if I tried, I don’t think I could do more than delay the inevitable, so I just watch my sister go after my … whatever Piper is to me.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Piper
I’m not really sure what’s going on between Cal and Gray when I push Cal off me. I just know that I feel like some kind of object in their game, and I’m not okay with that. But when I push Cal away and tell him to stop, the flash of hurt in his eyes is unmistakable. Sure, maybe he is trying to prove a point to my brother, but my rejection of his attention makes him unhappy on its own, separate from whatever their deal is.
I know they’re not friends. That much was clear when Gray warned me away from him the first time. But I think that’s more to do with the fact that Gray’s the starting quarterback and Cal clearly wants that position. And who can blame him? I imagine Gray would feel the same if the situation were reversed. That doesn’t make Cal a bad guy, though. And he’s been nothing but generous and charming with me. Even when I thought he was a little over the top at that first party where he tried to pick me up, I never thought he was an asshole.
All of his gestures, from the hot chocolate between classes to cooking me dinner at his place last night, have been sweet and romantic, despite his protestations to the contrary. I can’t really blame him for wanting to make sure the other guys know I’m taken. I wouldn’t feel great if there were a bunch of single women here trying to get his attention. Not that there are a bunch of guys trying to get my attention, but Cal quashed that possibility before it even had a chance to start. He couldn’t have been more clear if he’d pissed a circle all around me.
I feel Cal’s eyes on me frequently, especially after our text exchange.You’ll have to make it up to me later, he’d said, and I can’t help a little shiver of anticipation about what exactly that might mean. It won’t be unpleasant, I know that for sure, not with the heated stare he gave me while mouthing,Tonight.
And ever since, I’ve been wanting this Friendsgiving to hurry up and be over. Not that I’m not having fun. I am. It’s just … a lot.
I spend most of my time holed up in my room or the library doing homework, with the exception of football games and practices and the rare party Dani convinces me to come to with her. And all of them are football parties because she’s best friends with Eli Foster, the tight end. Sometimes I wonder if there’s more to their relationship than the platonic friendship she insists is all they have, but so far I haven’t seen anything concrete to prove my theory that they both secretly like each other.
Needing a break from sitting on the floor, I stand and stretch, making my way through the kitchen to the guest bathroom in the hallway. It’s occupied at the moment, so I pull out my phone and check my email while I wait, debating whether or not to send another text to Cal while I have a second. Maybe I can get him to divulge how he’d like me to make things up to him later. And maybe I can convince him to duck out early with me, though I’m not sure how to make that happen exactly since I came with Gray. Maybe he drove? Did his roommate drive separately? Hmm.
“Oh. Hi. There’s a line?”
I look up to see Ellie entering the hallway, not at all fooled by the faux surprise in her voice.
Grinning at her, I tuck my phone in my pocket. “There is. But I feel like you followed me back here to talk, not because you need to pee.”
She shrugs, returning my smile, no trace of remorse in her face. “Can’t it be both?”
Laughing, I tuck my hands behind me and lean against the wall. “What can I do for you?”
Not bothering to hide her assessment of me, she looks me up and down. “What’s going on with you and my brother?”
My eyebrows fly up. “Not beating around the bush at all, are we?”
Another shrug. “What would be the point of that?” She points to the bathroom door. “I’m not going to stop you from peeing when they’re done as some kind of interrogation technique, so that means I only have a few minutes.” Eyeing me again, she rolls her hand in aget on with itmotion. “So? Answer the question please.”
I look away, tucking my hair behind my ear and crossing my arms, not really sure what the answer is to that question. “We’re …” I shrug and level a look at her, raising one eyebrow. “You really want to hear that I’m banging your brother in our mutual spare time?”
Her cheeks turn pink, but she doesn’t flinch. “I mean, I don’t need details or anything. But it seems like there might be more than just that. Am I wrong?”
