Girls Can't Play Football

Chapter 4

This chapter is dedicated to katiedoodle2001 for being my first vote, comment, and being so incredibly encouraging! Thank you!

I'm sorry this chapter is pretty short and kind of a filler, but I promise I will update again soon!

Vote, comment, fan! Please, just let me know what you guys think and where you want this story to go! I'm dying of curiosity, How 'bout you? ;)

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Chapter 4

I froze. Every person within a hundred yards stopped what they were doing and turned to stare at Taylor and I. Taylor did not ask girls out. And everyone just heard him ask me out. What is this? A sign of the apocalypse? A mean practical joke? Lucky me, I didn’t have time to consider all the options because dear old dad overheard him too. “Riggins! Get your ass over here.”  Taylor must have death wish to ask me in front of my dad. I don’t think I’ve ever heard my father so angry. “What in the hell do you think you’re doing, boy?”

“Asking out a beautiful girl, coach.” Taylor answered with a grin as he backed away from me.

“To hell you are. You’re running ten laps. Get going.” Dad growled.

“Oh my God!” Sophie yelled in my ear on our way home. I flinched away from her painful screech. “I cannot believe that just happened!”

I snort. “Oh, you mean the incredibly embarrassing scene that just happened?”

“Embarrassing? Are you high? That was awesome!” Sophie is almost rattling with energy and excitement. I open my mouth, ready with another sarcastic comment, but she cuts me off. “Seriously! Every girl in the school is insanely jealous of you. Like -want to rip your skin off and wear it- kind of jealous!”

I look at her like she’s crazy because she seriously must be. “You say that like it’s a good thing! I’m about to get Hannibal-Lectored and your happy as a clam.”

Sophie giggled and shoved my shoulder while keeping one hand on the wheel, but continued on like I hadn’t said anything. “And all the guys wish they had the balls to ask you out first.”

“Okay, sure. Now I have to ask. Are you high?”

“You’re joking, right?” I raise an eyebrow at her to silently tell her that I was, in fact, not joking. Her eyes dart from the road to me before she huffs in exasperation. “Fine, let me spell this out for you. You’re a model-”

“Catalogue model” I mutter.

“You know I looked it up and that only means that you’re not all bony and flat as a board, which, last time I checked, guys like. So anyway, you’re a catalogue model, hot as hell, you’re from New York City, which to these Texas hicks is cool and exotic, and you throw better than the first string quarterback. Believe me, there is nothing sexier than a girl that can throw a football around here.” Sophie nodded her head to reaffirm her statement as she pulled her truck into her driveway.

I shook my head as I climbed out of the cab. “Soph, maybe some of that was true, but I know for a fact that guys do not like girls that play football better than they do.” I had a brief flashback to my first boyfriend. Boy, was that a short-lived relationship. I shook my head to clear the thought. I didn’t feel like dwelling on ancient history right now.

“Well, Taylor certainly seems to.” She reminded me.

“Taylor is a cocky asshole. There’s no way he actually thinks I play better than him. He may have joked about it once in P.E., but he didn’t mean it.” I roll my eyes at the mere thought. “Besides, I bet the only reason he asked me out was to piss off my dad.” My arms fold across my chest without my consent as I follow Sophie into her living room. It’s my tell, gives me away every time. When I cross my arms you know I’m upset or uncomfortable, but too damn stubborn to say anything. I plop down on the couch next to her.

She eyes my crossed arms. “I really don’t think that’s true.”

“You sure? Cause he certainly seems like the type.”

Sophie rolls her eyes at me this time. “Oh, please. You can’t know-”

“Did he give his last coach a hard time?” I interrupt her scolding.

“Yes, but-”

“Does he get in trouble at school a lot?”

“Yeah, but-” Sophie stops herself this time. She purses her lips like she just tasted something unpleasant. Her breath puffs out suddenly. “Okay, you may have a point.” She grins sheepishly, but her eyes twinkle deviously. “But I still think Taylor likes you!” I groan in frustration. “No, seriously! I have known him a long time and I’ve never seen him act this way with a girl.”

“What way? Annoying? Incessant? Rude and/or crude? No wonder he’s so popular with the girls.” I cross my arms again and Sophie eyes them pointedly. I sigh and drop them. “Well, whatever. It’s not going to happen.” I look down at the worn leather of the couch so she doesn’t see the tiniest bit of disappointment in my eyes.

“Why not?” Sophie actually sounds surprised.

“Uh, did you not hear Dad today? He’d never let it happen. And I’m not even entirely sure I want to go out with Taylor.” I let my head fall back against the sofa and curl my legs underneath me.

“Don’t worry about Uncle Eric. I’ll take care of him. And I think I have an idea of how you can find out if you want to go out with Taylor.” Sophie grins and bounces in her seat with excitement.

I lift my head and bite back a grin. “And what’s that?” I ask dryly.

“This weekend we’ll get a group together and hit the honky-tonk bar in the next town over. It’ll be so much fun! You haven’t been line dancing before, have you?”

If I’d had a drink in my mouth I would have spit it out, but I just had to settle for staring at her with my mouth agape. “Line dancing?!”