Girls Can't Play Football

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

A month of two practices a day and I was officially a Dillon High Panther cheerleader. The first day of school arrived and I could not be more grateful. Suddenly only one practice a day seemed like the biggest mercy in the world.

“Morning sunshine!” Sophie called out to me as I crossed the street. I will never understand how she manages to be so happy this early in the morning. She doesn’t even drink coffee! How is it humanly possible? It’s settled then. She’s an alien. That is the only possible explanation.

The school parking lot was already filling up when we got there. Sophie found a spot towards the back and I noticed that most of the upper classmen who drove were hanging out in the lot. It looked like a lot of them were football players and cheerleaders. A big part of me hated the fact that my new friends here were obviously the popular kids (in a Mean Girls movie kind of way), but I also trusted Sophie’s taste in friends, for the most part. “C’mon.” Sophie led me over to them. Many called out a greeting to her and she replied, “Hey y’all. Y’all remember my cousin Charlie, right?”

I waved and smiled politely when someone yelled, “Think fast!” I saw a flash of movement out of the corner of my eye and spun just in time to catch the football before it hit me in the face. Just how I like to be woken up in the morning.

I looked up in time to see the annoying quarterback from tryouts. “Now, I know your aim needs some work, but you should really be more careful. You could hurt somebody.” I said in a sugary tone, but my eyes were staring daggers. He didn’t look too happy either. I threw the ball back to him, but Taylor came out of nowhere and intercepted my pass. He walked up to me holding the ball. “You’re not going to give that back?” I really didn’t care, but I needed to distract myself from his silky long brown hair, chiseled features, and strong hands gripping the ball. I think I am the only female alive to be turned on by the way a guy holds a football. There is something seriously wrong with me.

“Nah, Hodge will get over it.” He steps even closer to me, but I don’t back away. “So you can throw and catch? Are there any other talents I should know about?”

“Hmm,” I pretend to think about it. “There are other talents, but I don’t know if you should get to know about them.” I drop my voice and lick my lips in a sultry way.

 He looks a little dazed and I smirk. I wasn’t expecting my crude flirtation to work so well, but he seems like he was affected. The bell rings and Sophie grabs my hand to tow me to the school before he can respond.

Sophie showed me to the office and helped me find my locker and first couple classes. My third was P.E. and I remembered where the gymnasium was. I put on my athletic clothes before going in and immediately felt arms wrap around my middle. I know its Taylor without even looking. He just won’t stop grabbing me.

I spot Chelsea and wave to her. She motions me over to her and the other girls, but Taylor doesn’t release me. “I’m sorry, is there something you needed?” I look pointedly up at him, secretly marveling at how tall he is. I’m five’ nine and it’s pretty rare to find a guy that has a solid few inches on me. Great, another asinine thing about him that turns me on, as if I needed another.

“We’re playing football today in class.” He said it like an explanation. I quirked an eyebrow at him. “I’m trying to make sure Coach Vincent puts us on the same team. I don’t want to lose.” I laughed and shook my head at him. I pulled out of his grasp and walked to Chelsea. He called after me, “Okay, but if I lose I’m blaming you.”