Chapter 9

chapter nine

Gavin

Two Weeks Later

"Bro, I'm so glad you are back. The house needs you," Huddy whines.

I can't help but roll my eyes, "You mean it needs cleaned? You guys are nasty. You don't even live here."

That didn't mean they weren't regulars, crashing on the couch more often than not.

"We're not nasty," Remi chimes in, "We're just messy."

Levi picks up what appears to be a thong from the island in the kitchen, "Care to explain this?"

Huddy grabs them from his hand, shoving them in his pocket, "I think those are Brylie's."

"Who the hell is Brylie?" Levi asks.

Remi laughs, grabbing a Gatorade from the fridge. "Oh, that's his new obsession. She won't have sex with him, it's driving him crazy."

Levi's brow raises suspiciously, "Then why are her panties in my kitchen?"

Huddy shrugs, "We've done other things."

I shake my head, "I'm going up early tonight y'all. It was a long ass week."

"How many girls did you hook up with?" Remi asks, leaning against the counter like the cocky ass mother fucker he is.

"I didn't hook up with anyone," I lie. Daisy was definitely a hookup but I won't sit here and talk about her like it didn't mean anything.

Levi snorts, causing them all to look at him.

"What?" he laughs, "you didn't leave that girl from the moment you saw her. I totally get why, though."

Huddy's eyes widen, "Bro, was she hot?"

I feel my jaw tighten. Just the thought of them drooling over her makes me livid. She's not a fucking porn star. She's Daisy. And even though I barely know her, I feel like she gave me a part of herself. She told me things, we talked, like really talked.

Levi must sense the anger radiating off of me, so he speaks up. "Hud, this girl was out of your league, out of Gavin's league too, if I'm honest."

That's better. Talk about her with some respect.

Remi wiggles his eyebrows, "You gonna see her again?"

I shake my head, trying not to let my emotions show. "Probably not. She's from Florida."

"You know," he laughs, "Ridge U isn't that far from Florida."

I rack my brain trying to think of where she said she was going to college, but I was too blinded by the fact she said she was following her ex-boyfriend.

"I don't know where she's going to school," I admit, and that's enough to get them off my back.

I hit the stairs two at a time until I'm in the comfort of my room and lock the door. Glancing around, I'm relieved that it's clean. It's always clean. I don't see how the guys live like that. Clothes all over their floor and cups spread out like a thirteen year old in a weekend long Fortnite battle.

I throw my bag from the cruise in the closet and decide to wash that stuff tomorrow after practice, then lay in my bed.

I scroll through my Instagram followers, but I can't find her. There's no Daisy anywhere and to be honest a ton of girls follow me on here. I'd likely never find her and I never told her my real name so who's to say she found my profile anyway? How could she?

I click around until I find a few profiles that don't follow me back, but none of them are her. After about thirty minutes of investigating, I give up.

It takes longer than usual to fall asleep, but the second my eyes close I see her face.

***

I wake up ridiculously tired. Someone is shuffling around in the hallway, and I glance at the clock. I'm nearly late for practice.

"Shit," I huff, rolling over to grab the sweats I took off last night and slip them on.

I'm never late for anything, ever, and if I don't get out the door right now, I'm not making it to the field on time.

"Gav! What the fuck are you doing up there, let's go!"

Remi's voice echoes loudly from the bottom of the stairs, and I rush out quickly to jump in the car with the guys.

"You look like shit," Huddy says matter-of-factly, and I look at myself. I do kind of look like hell. My feelings match because my mood just isn't it.

I don't know where my head is, but it's not here.

The five minute drive to the field flies by and the next thing I know, I'm standing on the field ready to practice. We run drills and finally line up the first string offense and defense then run some plays.

Coach swaps out two potential starting quarterbacks each play, trying to show that they will have to earn their spot. I doubt he will announce the starter until closer to our first game. They are both good, but our newest freshman recruit is cocky and, for that reason alone, I don't think he will succeed. I don't know much about him other than he is the only other five star freshman recruit on this team besides myself. I don't even know his full name. He can play ball, don't get me wrong, but it takes more than that to be a successful quarterback in a D1 program. You need to be a leader, and your team needs to trust you. Collins isn't a leader.

I watch as Coach grabs him by the shoulder pads, yells something inaudible, and shoves him toward the bench.

"Bro needs a fucking reality check, I'm glad coach doesn't take his shit." Our free safety, Jamal Taylor, says as he lines up for the next play.

I watch the sideline as our quarterback coach and Collins exchange words.

The ball is snapped and Jaylen Warren, our senior QB, scrambles around in the pocket before eventually throwing the ball away. He had no open receivers, none that he trusted could make a catch with myself or Taylor guarding them. I watch as he chews on his mouth piece, very obviously aggravated.

Everyone breaks for water and Coach Baker, our defensive coordinator, comes up and pats my back.

"Good job, two. Keep that up, and with that kind of coverage, it's gonna be hard to score on us."

I wipe my forehead with a towel, "Thank you, sir. I will."

"You always such a suck-up?" I turn toward the voice, and see Collins sprawled out on the bench.

I smile condescendingly, "It's unfortunate that you are such an asshat, maybe we could win games if you gave a shit about the team."

I toss my gatorade bottle back in the carrier with the others and head out on the field. I've dealt with players like him my whole life. This kid doesn't phase me one bit.