Chapter 32

chapter thirty-two

Quinn

The stadium is packed full of black and gold. The game is sold out, so there isn't an empty seat in the stadium when the Eagles take the field. Getting into the stadium was also a nightmare with the Eagle walk and parade.

It's a night game, and the second the band splits on the field for the players to run through, golden fireworks light up the sky. The entire crowd is on their feet and swirling black and gold poms in the air. I'll admit, the atmosphere is a top notch college football vibe. The Eagle fan base is passionate, and loyal. Very loyal.

The past four years, the program hasn't had the best track record, but that didn't matter, because these fans are here, every weekend. So when news broke that some of the top recruits in the country had agreed to come to Ridge U, everyone lost their fucking minds.

Now that the Eagles are winning games, this place is packed. Even the road games have the stands filled with black and gold. Student tickets went fast and I waited until the last second to decide that I was coming, so my seat is courtesy of Gavin's family tickets.

His parents couldn't come this weekend, so I'm using the other seat for Ava. Surprisingly, they are actually better than the student section. Not surrounded by a bunch of drunk kids. I'd pick this section every time.

Gavin is on the sideline in his uniform and when he makes eye contact with me, I swear his grin makes my panties wet.

"I love the way he looks at you," Ava laughs. "It's like you are the only person in this entire stadium."

When Gavin turns his attention back to the field, I notice that Grayson is also looking at me. Well, his is definitely more of a glare.

"Are you Quinn?" A girl in black and gold checkered overalls asks, standing next to me in the aisle.

"Yeah, that' me."

She trusts a bottle of Pepsi and a cup of ice at me, "Gavin wanted me to deliver this to you. I work in the concessions, but we only have Coke. He said to make sure that you got this."

Ava's eyes are wide and her jaw is on the ground. "What the fuck! This boy is doing the absolute mostest."

I grab the Pepsi from her and pour it into the cup. "He really is." I am sure I have the biggest smile on my face.

Ava flips her hair, "You told the guy you like Pepsi and he made sure you had it in a stadium that only sells Coke. Tell me where I can find my Gavin."

I giggle, nudging her with my elbow. "I found mine by accident, so maybe just out in the wild. Stop looking."

She rolls her eyes, and turns to the field. We both cheer every time the team does something good, and the first time Gavin finds the endzone, he drops the ball and does the heart hands. Right into the camera, and then turns them at me.

Ava squeals, "Oh my God!! You have to lock that boy down!!!"

Even though it seems fast, she's absolutely right. There's nothing I want more than to be with Gavin Richardson. Regardless of who it hurts, I'm just as obsessed with him.

Finally the game ends, and the Eagles take the win by three touchdowns. After the stadium clears out, there's just a few people hanging around waiting for the team to come out. In fact, most of the team is gone. Gavin had to talk with multiple reporters on the field before he could go to the locker room, so he's one of the last guys to exit.

"Hey, pretty girl." He whispers, pecking a gentle kiss on my forehead. "Thanks for coming."

I smile, "Yeah, you really showed out tonight."

"Had to…" he grins. "My girl was here."

I look up into his dark eyes, "Your girl?"

"Yep, my girl."

The sound of the locker room door opening causes both of our heads to turn in that direction and Grayson struts out. I expect him to stop and say something hateful to Gavin or even me, but he doesn't stop. He doesn't even look at me.

I notice the look on Gavin's face, and it's one that's hard to read.

"Is everything okay there?" I ask.

He kisses me again, then looks into my eyes, "Nothing you need to worry about."

"Okay," I whisper as he intertwines his fingers with mine.

"You wanna go to Huddy and Remi's, they are having a party? We don't have to stay long if you don't want to."

"Okay," I nod. "Let's go."

Thirty minutes later, we walk into a rager. I mean keg stands in the front yard, red solo cups on every inch of this place, and even a few half naked people in the pool.

"It's so fucking cold, I can't believe they are in the pool." I say to Gavin, looking at the girls with their tits uncovered.

"They're so drunk they don't even care," he laughs.

"How do they afford this place? It's ridiculous?"

Gavin twists his brow, "Hudson Blake is the son of Jackson Blake, shortstop for the Nashville Stars. I thought you knew that?"

I shrug, "Nope, just assumed his parents were rich."

"They are. His dad just retired from baseball a few years back. I went home with Huddy over the summer for a weekend, and you think this house is ridiculous? You should see their house in Nashville."

"Wow," I gasp. "That explains so much. Especially the amount of girls that just throw themselves at him."

"Oh yeah, it wasn't that bad at first but it's been a few months on campus. Everyone knows at this point."

"Is that why Remi has become a permanent fixture on your couch?" I laugh.

"Yeah, this place looks like this 99.9% of the time. Let's find Remi. He loves to tell Hudson's party stories."

We walk through a sea of people and finally spot Remi, glaring over the rim of his solo cup looking across the bonfire at Ava.

"What are you doing?" Gavin asks, looking over his shoulder at Ava. "You're hard core staring, you're kinda giving off serial killer vibes."

He scoffs, "Yeah? Well, she's a hardcore flirt."

I watch as Ava laughs at whatever some guy is saying to her, and Remi's gaze gets darker the second he lays a finger on her.

"Fuck this," He growls, dumping the entirety of his drink on the flame. "I'm going to bed."

He's about to walk away but I stop him, "Or you could just go talk to her."

"There's nothing to say." He shrugs my hand off his arm and walks inside. I watch Ava through the smoke as she distances herself from the guy she's talking to the second Remi walks away.

"What's going on there?" Gavin questions, tucking me under his arm to move through the thick crowd back inside.

"I think Ava is trying to make him jealous."

Gavin chuckles, "Well, it's working."

Finally, we spot Levi and Huddy sitting on the couch in the den area. Hudson has a girl in his lap with her tongue down his throat, and Levi is typing furiously into his phone.

"Hey man, what's wrong?" Gavin grabs Levi's shoulder forcing him to look up from the phone in his hand.

"Nothing," he mumbles. "Thinking about driving home tomorrow and skipping on Monday."

I can tell by the look on Gavin's face he's worried. "You want me to come with you? It's like four hours?"

"No," he quips. "You have practice on Monday."

Gavin doesn't argue with him, knowing damn well it wouldn't do any good. Levi isn't going to let him skip practice.

"Well, I think we're heading out. This place is a shit show."

Levi nods again, but this time he doesn't look up from his phone.

When we make it back to Gavin's truck, he opens the door for me and I slide inside.

"I want to take you somewhere," he smiles. "You hungry?"

I smile, "Depends on what you are trying to feed me."

His boyish grin that I love so much returns, and I want to melt into a puddle on this floorboard next to him.

Grayson would have never arranged a special drink for me at a game, or left an after party early. It just solidifies everything I already know. I'm making the right choice by putting myself out there and seeing where things go with Gavin.