Chapter 19

chapter nineteen

Gavin

Quinn's schedule and mine haven't allowed a single open evening for a date. It's not for lack of trying, either. The week basically slipped away from us, a blur of homework and football, and now I'm finishing up a pre-game interview with Ridge U Insider.

Little do they know, come tomorrow, I won't even take the field.

They pan to Jamal and I slip my phone from my pocket to type out a message underneath the table.

It's your final chance to have a soda. You can only have Pepsi or Coke, what do you choose?

Instantly she responds.

Daisy

What kind of question is that, you psycho? Pepsi.

?? Will you marry me?

Daisy

Seems a little sudden, don't you think?

You dip your toes in the pool before getting in don't you?

Daisy

?? Yeah, but I bet you just pretend to drown so the lifeguards will kiss you.

I must be smiling at my phone because the interviewer notices.

"Texting someone special, Richardson?"

Jamal groans next to me and whispers, "your mom."

I chuckle and shake my head. "No comment."

A few more questions and things get wrapped up pretty quickly, but I don't miss the stare I get from Collins as I walk by. It's like he can sense that I'm talking to Quinn, which in turn makes me wonder if he's talked to her.

I don't like that feeling.

I'm not really into lifeguards. Unless you are a lifeguard, then I'm totally pretending to drown.

Daisy

Not a lifeguard.

Phew dodged a bullet there, I'm a terrible actor. Not sure that the pretend to drown thing would've been believable enough for a kiss.

Daisy

Well, there's always fast food. You know, if the acting thing doesn't work out.

??

"What are you smiling at?" Remi asks, pushing the metal door open to exit the student center.

"Nothing," I lie, unable to hide the smirk on my face. It earns an eye roll from him.

"You can't lie to me, Gav. I know your lying face."

I give him a look, "I do not have a lying face."

"You do, too. You're doing it now."

Twisting my face into a pout, I try to hide my expression. "Shut up."

"Is it Quinn?" He asks, nudging me with his elbow. "She was smiling at her phone exactly like that last night in the library."

Quickly, I think back to our conversation from last night to recall if I said something funny. My mind goes right back to the thought that it might not be me she was smiling at.

"We just get each other, that's all." I defend.

"She's great," Remi says. "It's crazy that you knew her and we all had no idea."

I laugh, "Yeah, I'm glad Levi finally saw her in person this week. He was convinced I was hallucinating."

After everything that happened at the game last weekend, Levi and I haven't spoken much. Just a few words in passing, but nothing monumental. I had breakfast on Sunday morning with mom and dad to try and patch up that situation.

It was like covering a bullet hole with a bandaid.

Same thing that always happens. My mom understands and my dad gives me the "Don't throw your life away, kid" talk. He lectures and she comes behind him with a broom to sweep up any hurtful things he might've said. Sometimes I don't understand how they are still together. From the outside looking in, it's not a good match.

I guess it's true what they say, opposites really do attract.

I pull my phone out and call Levi, I don't like leaving things weird between us. Not after I watched him nearly die right in front of me.

Life is too short to leave my last words to chance.

"Hello," he sighs, answering the phone.

"I'm sorry," I blurt out.

He's silent for a beat, then speaks up. "It's ok, Gav. I shouldn't push you so hard."

I shouldn't bring it up, but it's hard for me not to.

"I know it's hard for you, not being able to play. I know if you were out there you'd take it more seriously than me and never leave the game for a girl. I don't mean to take it for granted, I just… I don't know, bro. I just don't like the pressure sometimes."

He interrupts me, "You're wrong. You. Are. Wrong. Gavin, I would leave the game for a girl. The right girl. I would do anything for her. I just wouldn't leave the game for a summer fling that's my teammate's ex."

His words bother me, which usually doesn't happen with Levi. The reason they bother me confuses me even more. He's right, in a normal circumstance what he's saying is true. I knew Quinn for two days and I was willing to throw away my college football career to say hi to her.

At that moment, I cared less about football and more about losing my second chance. I'd been beating myself up for days about not getting her number and it was like the stars aligned. Right there on the fifty yard line under the stadium lights, I looked up and saw her. My moon, my stars. Everything.

"Levi, I know you aren't going to believe me but I think Quinn is the one."

He laughs, actually laughs into the phone. "Gavin, I swear I'm worried about you."

I roll my eyes like he can see me, "I'm telling you, something is different with her. What is it you used to tell me about Allie? When you know you know?"

I can imagine the look he's giving me as he chastises, "You know damn well it's not the same thing. Allie is special. It's Allie ."

I chuckle, "Yeah, for you she is. To me, she's just the annoying little neighbor girl who wanted to kiss my brother. Quinn feels like that for me. I can't explain it."

He sighs, "What about Collins?"

"What about him?"

"Don't give me that shit, Gav. He obviously still wants her, there's history there. The whole school saw her reject him that night. He's not gonna let it go."

History.

That's exactly what I'm hoping he is, but I remember what she told me on the cruise.

She followed him here. She turned down opportunities for him . She wanted to forgive him .

What if how I feel about what happened on the cruise isn't how she feels? What if I was nothing more than a rebound for her? A way to stick it to her ex and get under someone new.

What if I'm not her moon and stars?