Senior Year

Chapter Ten

INVESTIGATION
POV: Apollo

After that night at Haven's I didn't see her at school and for some weird reason I wanted to really bad. I wondered how she was. How her family was. If they were holding up okay. If that look of defeat was back on her face. I even fought the urge to drive to her house and bang out her door to examine her.

It's now Friday Morning and I was so desperate I wanted to probe her friend Addison for any information. At lunch I ditched the jocks and the groupies to find her. I had a little knowledge of what she looked like, but not a lot. All I knew about her was that she was tall, had dirty blonde hair, and an attitude. I also knew that she was friends with Alexa. Alexa was okay, except she made sex jokes to me all the time, deaming her a DTF. Down to fuck.

I spotted Alexa at a table with a bunch of girls. Her black eyes raked over my body and I wanted to turn around and walk the other way. Against my better judgment I walk up to the table. All eyes are on me. Before I met Haven I would have jumped at the chance of getting with all the girls at this table, but now I want nothing to do with them. "Need something handsome?" Alexa asks. Her nails are long like talons and her lips are glossed like she ate a stick of butter.

"Yeah," I say, clearing my throat as all the girls stare at me with hearts in their eyes. Some may say I'm self absorbed just by thinking that, but it was true. I've met a lot of girls to know what their intentions are just by a glance. "Is Addison here?" I ask. A dirty blonde head sticks up from her book.

"I'm right here," the girl says, raising her hand like I'm taking role. "Is there something you need?" She asks as she gets to her feet. Whispers erupt at the table.

"I just need to speak to you about your friend," I tell her. More whispers come out of the girls' mouths.

"Sure, which one?" A puzzled look crosses her face. We walk a couple of feet away from the table to escape eavesdroppers.

"Has Haven spoken to you by any chance?" I ask her. Her face lights up like a lighter.

"Yes, she has. Why?" She wiggles her eyebrows in a suggestive manner. No doubt that she's excited for her friend.

"She hasn't been at school. I was just wondering how she has been," I say, not sure if Haven has told Addison about what has happened. I'm suddenly wondering if asking her friend and causing all the attention was a good idea.

"Yeah, she has been watching her brother and cousins after a family emergency. She's doing fine. Her uncle allowed her to come to the game tonight," Addison says with mischief in her eyes. She's onto me. She knows I can't get Haven out of my mind. My mind whirls.

"We have an assignment together that was due today," I lied.

Addison hums. "Whatever you say lover boy." I glare at her. Lover boy? I am not that. Haven is just a friend.

"Lover boy?" I scowl at her. "I'm no such thing." I struggle to find an insult that isn't too rude to say. The last thing I want is Haven to be mad at me because I hurt her friend's feelings.

"Sure you aren't. Make sure there aren't any skanks around you tonight. That'll put Haven off. She's only had one crush and hasn't had her first heartbreak. I'll be damned if it happens any time soon." Only one crush? Why does that make me feel like I'm competing against this guy? That's almost as bad as her having a crush on every boy she meets.

I immediately begin trying to come up with a plan to keep Sadie away from me. No doubt she'll chase me around the party all night like she did last time. Luckily I escaped her just in time to talk with Haven in the garden. I was still home alone this week. My dirty clothes were piling up from Maria not cleaning up after me. God, I need that woman!

"Noted," I say to Addison.

She nods her head and saults me. "Is that all?" She asks, still pretending to be my soldier. Operation get the girl.

"That's all," I say dismissing her. She returns to her table and questions fly about. What did he want? Who was he asking about? Is there something going on between you two? That last question made my mouth sour like I bit into a lemon. Before I leave I see Alexa watching me like a hawk. My nose hairs curl up in disgust.

After the game the team and I piled into the locker room. Sweat dripped all down my body, but satisfaction still hung in the air, causing me to forget about the stench that swirled around us. After every game it felt like I was on a high. Like I did what I was supposed to. I got the job done. Although I trained for this moment, I still felt relieved after every game. It means I don't have to see the look on my dad's face when he finds out I lost.

Denver hops in the shower next to me as I wash the shampoo out of my hair. "Tonights going to be crazy," he says, wetting his dirty blonde hair under the cold water.

"Yeah, man," I say now, lathering the conditioner in my hair. "I have a question," I say. This seems to have sparked his interest because he focuses all his attention on me. "You know Haven Collins, right?"

He nods his head, "Yes, the girl whose parents died." I wanted to knock him out for saying that. Just because her parents died doesn't mean that's her identity. But then I remembered that Denver is a simple minded fool at times and I don't want him to know I like her by giving him a black eye.

"Have you heard anything about her? Like who she has dated."

"Not sure. I'd ask Luca. He used to date Amber; one of the girls that goes to the same ballet class as her." Denver scrubs his armpits like he's a caveman. "Why are you feeling her?"

"No, I was just asking for Matt." I lied. Matt's name was the only one that came to mind. He's known for having many girlfriends. Not sleeping around. Just dating any girl he finds interesting. He's a hopeless romantic.

After my shower I searched the locker room for Luca. I got side tracked by all the guys wanting to talk to me. I loved this team. It felt like I had brothers. There was something about the comratery here. Everyone wanted to help each other out, support each other, and cheer each other on.

Finally, I found him next to Aiden, drying their hair with their towels. "What's up QB?" Aiden asks, shaking my hand.

"Just came to ask Luca something," I said casually.

"What can I help you with?" Luca asks.

"I just wanted to know something about Haven Collins," I told him.

"What do you want to know? Are you trying to hook up, or something? If so, she's not the type of girl to do that. I'm not even sure she's had a boyfriend." For some reason that eases the stress inside me. Why did I care?

"I just wanted to know who she's had a big crush on. Just trying to tease her about it," I lie again. I wanted to know the guy she's been dreaming about at night. I want to know what kind of guy she likes. If we're similar in any capacity.

"His name is Landon Adams. He's in our mechanic class." Then the realization comes to me. I know that kid. That perfect little prick. His hair is alway immaculate, teachers admire him, even his grades are perfect. I realize him and I are too different for me to be her type.