Tame the Beast

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Clara lay on her lofted bed and replayed the events of last night. She could not believe how ridiculous she had acted. She was a smart girl, smart enough to have a full ride to Beaumont, but a few smiles from an attractive guy and she was giggling like an obnoxious, hormone-crazed girl. She blamed his eyes. They were a memorizing shade between blue and gray, like storm clouds rolling in, and they poured over her with an unspoken promise.

"Wake up, sleepy head!" Rose sang as she entered the room. "I brought you a bagel and orange juice. Now, get up!"

Clara chuckled and inched her way off the bed. Her head was still pounding from last night's drinks. "Thanks," she managed to utter as she took Rose's offering.

"Here, this is for the headache," she said, handing Clara two small pills. "I need you in top condition for the football game this afternoon."

"But I don't want to go to a football game this afternoon."

"Oh, come on! You have to. It's the first of the season. Everyone goes! Our team might not be the best, but I hear the games are always fun. Please, Clara. Adam might be there."

"So?" Clara tried to come off as disinterested, but her roommate was not convinced. Perhaps it was the rising blush warming Clara's cheeks.

"Oh, please. I saw the way you two couldn't take your eyes off each other. Just be careful. He's cool to hang out with, but he has a huge reputation as a player. I don't want to see you get hurt."

Clara beamed at Rose's concern. "Don't worry. I figured he was. He looks the type."

Rose nodded as she rummaged through Clara's side of the closet. Holding up a pair of Rose-approved jeans, she pouted. "Please, Clara. You would look super cute in these and the shirt I borrowed from Luke."

"What?"

"Well, I knew you didn't have any school gear in your closet, so Luke said you can borrow one of his."

Clara held up the over-sized jersey Rose tossed at her. "You couldn't borrow from someone who wasn't three feet taller than me?"

"He's not that tall."

"Still!"

Rose replied with the very definition of a puppy dog pout. Clara's brown eyes rolled towards the ceiling, but she couldn't suppress a smile. Rose was so much like Harper. It was no wonder why they became fast friends. Rose and her sister had both achieved the perfect pout to get what they wanted. Between the two, Clara was doomed. Heaven forbid the two ever team up.

"Fine," she replied with a groan.

The pout prevailed.

* * *

"My shirt looks good on you," Luke teased as he nudged Clara's shoulder, almost knocking her into another group of students walking along the path leading to the stadium at the far end of campus.

"Yeah, maybe if it fit me properly," she replied, opening her arms to show off the edge of the shirt floating around her thighs. "But thanks for letting me borrow it. I'll have to go to the spirit shop and get my own if we're going to make a habit of coming to these games."

"Of course we are!" Rose answered. She was dressed head to toe in Mustang gear. "There's nothing like being right in the middle of it all. Fans cheering. Your heart starts racing as you wait for your team to make the perfect play!"

"Well, someone's a fan," Luke said. From the amused look on his thin face, Clara had a sneaky feeling he was interested.

Rose blushed. "My Aunt Daph has always been a big football fan."