Chapter Three

Zach

"Touchdown," the referee calls, throwing his arms up in a U. Mike spikes the ball, throwing his fists in the air as our teammates slap him on the back and cheer as though we've won state. It's a practice game, but I guess this team had a losing record before I joined, so celebrating this small win is probably important to them.

A couple of guys offer me high-fives, only now remembering I was the one who threw the fifty-five-yard pass to Mike. "Zach, you're off," Coach calls, and I stroll off the grass. The cheerleaders smile as I walk past. They're practicing their routine for tomorrow night's bonfire—the same bonfire I finally agreed to attend, and I'm already regretting it.

As the JV team pushes past me for their moment to practice, I pull my helmet off and walk to the showers, because I have a bus to catch. That and watching Jamie attempt to throw a pass while Brett tries to catch it is just too embarrassing for words.

When I finish showering, I'm met with a locker room full of sweaty and muddy players. Damn. I was hoping I'd started early enough that I'd be able to leave without seeing any of them.

"Dude," Brett calls, throwing a towel at Jamie's face. "Did you see Honey today? That skirt looked shorter than usual. I swear I could see her little black lace panties peeking out."

"Whatever, man." Jamie laughs, shaking his head. I don't care if the girl is my ex or not, if someone talked about her like that, he'd get a punch in the face. Jamie doesn't care about Honey, though. Never has. It's obvious from the way he talked about other girls in the locker room and laughed at the crude jokes aimed at her.

"I'm just wondering, though. When's the right time for me to move in? Now that you've finally set her free, I'm looking to get myself some of that Sanderson cash."

"I wouldn't bother if I were you. Your dick's been in every hole in this school, and besides, she's got more class than to sleep with you."

"Says the guy who was right there next to me, waiting in line after I finished with said hole." I look over at Mike, who's reading texts, from Olivia, I assume. Lucky him, he's got someone to distract him while I have to listen to this garbage. "Tell me, why did you decide to go nuclear and publicly fuck another girl? You're usually much more discreet than that. Is it because you didn't want to have the breakup talk with her?"

Jamie jeers but doesn't deny it.

"You know, making out with McKenna would have probably done the trick just as well. You didn't need to dry hump her against a wall and shove her into that bedroom to make your point." Brett's eyes widen. "Do you think Honey's seen the full unedited video?"

Brett pulls his phone out, tossing it in the air as moans and grunts echo through the room. I don't bother looking at it; Jamie always sends out videos of his conquests. This is no different. There are loud, raucous cheers while other players slap Jamie and Brett on the back like they're some hot-ass playboys sharing the phone around.

"She hasn't," Jamie replies with a slight curve to his lip. "But let's be clear, it doesn't matter what I do. Hunniford Sanderson will always come crawling back to me." He boasts with way more confidence than a guy with such a tiny dick should have, and shrugs. "She'll always be wrapped around my little finger." Or little dick. "Her daddy will always bring her back, on her knees and begging me to fuck her no matter what I do."

I glance at Mike, who can't ignore the comments now and looks equally appalled by Jamie's words. He says nothing, though. Being a senator's son, he'll say it's just locker room talk and ignore it. Girls mean nothing in here.

Turning to my locker, I try my best to ignore their conversation so I can leave quickly.

"You know what?" Brett says. "I'm going to test your theory. I'm going to ask Honey out on a date. We've been biology partners for four years now, and I've felt her thighs brush up against mine a time or two. Maybe there's more to it than that."

"A thigh brush will get you nowhere," Jamie retorts.

Brett's lips pinch, and I'm so ready to leave, but I need to get my pants on. "I don't know. There have been times she's given me this look." He pauses. "I think she'd say yes. She's vulnerable and needs someone to listen to her. Besides, she's probably heard about all the ways I've helped other girls get over their nightmare exes." His eyebrows dance, and I want to laugh because I've heard exactly how those girls feel after he latches onto their nipple like an unwanted barnacle.

"Wanna bet?" Jamie asks with a sinister edge. I can't see his face, but I'm certain he's got his wide horse teeth stretched into a maniacal grin that resembles a donkey when they kick their legs up.

"Yeahhh, sounds like fun," Brett drawls, licking his lips. "What's the bet?" Brett tips his chin, smiling.

Jamie takes a minute before he starts. "You have to get Honey to agree to go on a date with you."

"One date?" Jamie nods, and Brett smiles. "You're making it too easy, man. I could get her to agree to that tomorrow."

"If you believe that, then you don't know Honey as well as you think you do. Didn't you see how pink her nose was this morning? Or how puffy her eyes were? She's taking our breakup badly, and I know for a fact she won't go near a guy like you. But you know, I'll be generous. You can have until the end of the football season to get her warmed up to you."

Brett raises his eyebrows and scoffs. "Until the end of the football season?" He purses his lips. "Let's do this. What's the stake? Five thousand? Ten thousand?" He throws his hand out, ready to shake.

Kyle, a defensive lineman the size of a small truck, pushes through their hands and laughs. "Hey, wait a minute. If you're exchanging money, I want in."

I stuff my arms through my jacket and shunt my bag over my shoulder before another player pipes up. "Me too."

"And me." God, these people are pathetic. They already have more money than any teenager needs, and here they are making stupid bets about dating some rich bitch.

Jamie looks between the four players with narrowed eyes. "Fine. Let's make a game of it. Ten grand each. If any of you manage to date her by the end of football season, then you get the full fifty grand pot. If she says no to all of you, then I get to take all of your money."

Kyle raises his eyebrows. "Ten grand each? You're that confident she won't look at anyone else even though you cheated on her sweet little ass?" Jamie nods, holding his hand out. "Fine. I'll take that bet."

They shake on it, and Jamie turns to Brett. "I'm in too." Another handshake. He continues until they're all in.

Zipping up my bag, I roll my eyes at these idiots. Don't they have anything better to do than torture the richest girl in school? I may not like Honey, but I do feel bad she will have to deal with these meatheads slobbering all over her for the next semester.

"May the best man win, which will be me. There's no way her parents will sign off on any of you assholes. They've got a plan which revolves around me. Which means I can take my sweet time, enjoying McKenna's exceptional blow jobs until Honey's dad has her crawling back to my bed in a few months."

Standing up, I mumble a small goodbye to the rest of the team, all of whom are too engrossed in this stupid bet to listen. Whatever makes sneaking out on the rich people easier, I'll take.

"Zach, wait up," Mike calls from behind. "Are you sure you don't want—"

"I'm fine," I say, walking through the parking lot, knowing that he's going to offer me a ride home, and I don't want to use up all my goodwill from him tonight.

"At least let me drive you to the bus stop." I consider it for all of two seconds before I hear the faintest cries from a girl behind Mike. Sure enough, Honey is standing next to that vagina car of hers with Olivia's arm wrapped around her shoulder. Honey frantically wipes at her cheeks and turns away from prying eyes. It's been a few days since she and Jamie "broke up," and even though he cheated on her and humiliated her in front of everyone, she still seems chewed up about it. Where's her fight? Her determination to prove that he made the wrong decision? All I see is a crumbling rich girl crying because she doesn't know who's going to escort her to the next Polo match.

I shake my head because it's ridiculous that she's crying over a guy who just gleefully made a bet on her and offered her up to the whole football team.

Her cheeks are puffy, and it's the first time she's looked anything less than perfect, which is odd because I thought she was upset that her reputation was tarnished. But she looks worse than before, even more upset, which is surprising since I always pegged her for a ball buster. With her perfectly dipped red heels and short flirty skirts, she seemed to take everything in stride. Not this, though.

Tipping my chin, I use it to point over to that mess. "Don't worry about me. You've got other, more important things to deal with."

Mike follows my gaze and sighs. "You know what? I'm beginning to get why you don't date." I want to laugh, but I hold back because I'd rather not go into the intricacies of why I haven't had a social life over the last two years with him in the parking lot. "I never thought my girlfriend's friend's troubles would become mine."

"Are you going to tell her about the bet?"

Mike's brows furrow before he realizes what I'm referring to. "Oh, no. That was all just a joke. Honey's not going to go anywhere near any of those guys. Her parents won't let her. It's just the team's stupid way of passing the time." Interesting. I could have sworn I saw hands shaking, but then again, treating ten grand like it's nothing does sound like stupid shit the South Point Prep football team would do.

"Sure." Mike doesn't notice my sarcasm because he's already jogging toward Olivia and Honey, waving goodbye to me. That's when I turn my phone's flashlight on, ready to make my way to the bus stop on my own.

As I breeze through the front door, I hear the shrill cries of Ella and smile at the sight in front of me. Tiffany holds the little girl in her arms, bouncing her as she sings a soft, sweet lullaby. It doesn't matter that Ella's wailing louder than the song; Tiffany perseveres, hoping it will eventually calm her down.

I walk up behind her and whisper, "Hey, Tiff." Spinning on her heels, her shoulders relax and relief washes over her face when our eyes connect.

Guilt fills my stomach, knowing she's been here all day doing this while I've been acting like a normal teenager and playing football.

Ella smiles brightly when she sees me, and the apples of her chubby cheeks become bigger. "Za Za!" she squeals, reaching her thick little fingers out.

I can't say no to her, so I take her in my arms, place a small kiss on her cheek, and push the blonde hair that isn't being held up by her ponytail out of her face. "Hello, beautiful." Tickling her tummy, I wait patiently to hear her unabashed giggle, and when it finally echoes through the room, my heart bursts with happiness. How can a little six-month-old give me so much joy and make me forget about everything instantly?

"Where are my parents?" I ask Tiffany as she walks into the kitchen, adjusting the blonde ponytail that matches her daughter's.

"Your mom took an extra shift tonight, and your dad said he'd pick up some diapers for Ella after work." By the time Tiffany is back in the room, she's placed a glass of water on the table for me and gives me a small smile. Purple and blue marks mar her eyes, making her look older than her eighteen years. It pains me that she's in this situation. That we're in this situation, but Ella is the best thing that ever happened to this family. Even if teething sucks. "How was practice?"

I frown, feeling shitty that she drew the short straw between us. Staying at home trying to get your GED while looking after a baby can't be easy, especially when she knows I'm out at some fancy-ass prep school playing football all day. "Good. We've got an easier team on Friday, so I think we've got a great chance of winning. What about you? How were your online classes?"

She grins and brings her knees to her chest as she sits down. Something about the move makes my stomach drop. She looks so young and innocent herself, and here she is raising a baby.

"Did as much as I could." There's an air of sadness in her voice, and I know why. Tiffany was never someone who chased popularity. All she wanted was to go to college and better herself. Now she's lucky if she'll finish high school.

I swallow back the tension in the back of my throat because I hate seeing her like this. Before everything happened, she was always so carefree and happy. But now, her parents have disowned her and she has no friends. Just me. And she takes care of a baby the whole day, in a new town where no one knows her. "I was planning on finishing it once Ella was down for the night."

"Gotta keep your grades up. You'll need them if you want to join me at St. Michael's next year."

She scrapes a hand across her face, chuckling. She looks exhausted, and I feel like an ass for encouraging her when she's spent the whole day watching over a child. "You and I both know that's not going to happen. Even if I manage to get my grades up, my dad disowned me after everything. I've got no way to pay for it."

"You focus on your grades. I'll focus on how we're paying for it." Her sad, sleepy smile tells me everything I need to know. She doesn't believe I'll be able to do this. If that's the case, she's not been paying attention, because I will do anything to make it happen. With the potential scholarship and sponsorship money, I should be able to afford something for the three of us; it's just getting to the point where I have those two things that I need to ensure. Bouncing Ella on my knee, I say, "Why don't you get some rest? I'll put bubba to bed."

The tiniest bit of lightness fills her face at the mere thought of getting a break. "But don't you have homework to do?"

I shrug, unbothered. "I did it during lunch. Plus, I've missed my time with Princess Ella." As I say her name, Ella grabs my neck, forcing my attention onto her.

"Za Za." She points to her toys on the floor and guides me to kneel next to her as she shows me her doll. Tiffany watches us for a few minutes before she's confident enough to leave. I keep smiling at Ella, my heart breaking a little at Tiff's soft footsteps padding down the hall. Since having Ella, getting her to relax has been nearly impossible, no matter how much I try. Guess it doesn't help that her family isn't speaking to her and she's stuck living with mine.

Later that night, as Ella's eyes flutter closed, I drop a gentle kiss on her forehead, thankful I didn't wake her when I put her in the crib. Quietly, I shuffle out of the room, hoping she'll stay down for a few hours so Tiff can relax a little. As I grab the baby monitor and click the door shut, my dad walks into the house with a full pack of diapers.

He smiles wearily, dropping the diapers beside the door. "Hey, Z. Where's Tiff?"

I place the monitor on the coffee table and sit on the couch, clasping my hands. "She's doing some homework. I'm on Ella duty for the rest of the night."

Dad purses his lips but says nothing because he knows it's a losing battle. We both know his feelings about my investment in Ella; he doesn't have to say it. With football and my South Point Scholarship, I sometimes forget to breathe, yet here I am stretching myself, trying to stay up late to look after a six-month-old. If I'm not careful, I could ruin my potential career and any money that would come along with it. Money we so desperately need since adding an extra two mouths to our household.

I know I'm putting it all on the line, but when I look at Ella, all I see is hope, love, and adoration. I will make this work for all of us, no matter how hard it is.

"Do you want some dinner? I was going to stick some leftovers in the oven." I ask, walking toward our modest kitchen before turning to him with a raised brow.

He places his jacket on the couch and checks his watch. "Can't tonight, kiddo. I've got my shift in an hour." I suck in my lips and bite down. My parents work two jobs each to keep us in this neighborhood, and it feels like we have had no time together over the last year because of it. "Your mom will be back in a couple of hours, though."

I nod. "Okay, I'll make sure to heat some up for her."

My dad walks out of the room, then pauses. "When is your next game?" he asks, and I already hear the disappointment in his voice.

"Friday, but it's not a big deal. We'll win against this team easily." I wave my hand because I know he has to work, and I don't want to make him feel guilty about missing another game. My dad's jaw tenses, and he nods.

"I know you'll win. I'm just sorry we haven't been able to be there for you." He sighs, glancing at Ella's room. "It's just these mouths have added an extra strain on our family."

"I understand." I would take those two extra mouths over money any day.

As my dad heads to his room to change, Ella's shrill cry pierces my ears, and I head into her room to calm her down.

Rocking Ella back to sleep, I smile while watching her lids slowly fall and reopen. It's funny how quickly life changed for us. If anyone had told me this is where I'd be in eighteen months, I would have laughed in their face. Raising a baby while trying to get a scholarship to the country's most prestigious college football program sounds ridiculous, but it's my life and I wouldn't have it any other way. Because when I look at Ella, my heart beats with joy.

When all I hear are Ella's deep breaths, I gently place her in her crib and grasp at the wooden railing, watching her. I can't leave her and Tiffany behind when I go to St. Michael's. I can't leave the burden of caring for them in my parents' hands while I live it up at school in a different state. I have to be there for them all.

Gripping the side of the crib, I let my anger and frustration ebb away as I think about how I can make this work. Waiting for sponsorship money in college could take years, and that's only if I remain good enough. If I want to help my family, I need to do something now. Something that could help take the burden off my parents and give Tiff a break.

I shake my head, laughing, because what more can I do? I don't have time for another job, and I need to keep my grades up to make sure my GPA is good enough for St. Michael's. If only I had ten grand to throw around on stupid bets like my obnoxiously rich classmates do.

Fifty grand for the person who dates Honey Sanderson.

It's ridiculous and such a waste of good money.

Money we could use.

My mind races with all the things I'd be able to do with fifty grand. If Tiffany could keep her grades up, she might qualify for a scholarship, which means the money I have could go to supporting her and Ella. They'd be able to come with me, and my parents could quit their extra jobs.

Walking out of the room, I gently shut the door and lean against it with my eyes closed. I roll my head to the side, seeing Tiff's bedroom door open and her sleeping form in the center of her bed with textbooks surrounding her. I tiptoe into the room, take the books away, and carefully drag a fluffy blanket over her.

Standing in the hallway, I close my eyes to regain my thoughts. Money, Ella, and school are all that race through my mind. I need to do something, but what?

My eyes nearly bug out of my head when an idea comes to mind.

It can't be that easy, can it?

A sinister smile forms on my face as I think about all the ways this might work. An idea that wouldn't just get me the money I need to help my family, but one that will piss off all my rich teammates in the process.

Yeah, this could work.

That fifty grand is all mine, because I will date Hunniford Sanderson… All I have to do is get her to agree to it. How hard could it be?