Intercept My Heart

Chapter 3

I've played football since I was 6 years old. 15 years later and my body still hates 6am practice and workouts. I was never a morning person so running around shouting, sweating, and tackling other sweaty body's, didn't make mornings any better.

My best friend, Austin, is covering me. He swears he's the only person in college football that can cover me without getting called for an offensive pass interference.

I'm not taking it easy on him though, I'm playing as if we're in a real game.

We both run our routes waiting for the perfectly thrown football to fall from the sky. I do a spin move which causes Austin to slip and fall as I successfully intercept the football.

"And that is why I'm the best cornerback in college." I wink teasingly at him as I extend my hand to help him up.

"It's too early for this shit, man." Austin grumbles, moving his curly hair from his forehead.

Before I can taunt him any further I'm interrupted by the coaches booming voice. "If you tried as hard as you've been practicing today, maybe you would be passing calculus!"

My teammates erupt in laughter and I roll my eyes. I understood calculus just fine. I just never did my homework and I never went to class, and I just so happened had professors that counted attendance as part of the final grade.

My mom is willing to pay a tutor directly, a shit load of unnecessary money to help me pass calculus. That way I could graduate at the top of my class, as an athlete, and the number 1 draft pick.

That was her ultimate goal, more for her to go around and brag about.

Back to this anonymous tutor, I'm hoping I can just talk my way into just letting them do all of my homework and assignments, I just show up to class and leave after attendance. There was no way I was going to sit through a boring ass math class all year.

I wipe the sweat from my forehead as I head to the locker room to shower. The guys are all talking about some back to school party at the frat house.

Lots of liquor. Lots of people. And Lots of cleat chasers. Freshman year me would be all over this, but Senior year me, not so much.

"We're going to this party bro. It's our last year here before the draft, to attend a back to school party." Austin says wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

"I'm over that scenery bro. I rather spend my night in my room, drinking a beer, and eating a large pizza from Blaze."

Blaze has the best pizza in town. You can build your own pizza and I always have a shit load of toppings, large sized, to myself.

"What are you? 30?" Austin scoffs in disbelief, "You're going to go number 1 in the draft and you just want to sit in your room?"

"Yeah?" I say removing his arm from my shoulders.

"There's going to be hot females everywhere bro." Austin states but it's still not intriguing. Girls will be offering me blow jobs or wearing the smallest shirts to show me their breast, not that I mind the view, I'm just over it.

None of them will be genuine they just want to be able to say they hooked up with me. They should've caught me a year ago.

"He only has eyes for Alana." Jett, our quarterback shouts causing me to roll my eyes once more.

Alana and I have been hooking up occasionally since sophomore year. Now we're both seniors and although this has been going on for two years, I don't see a future with her. Never have.  I probably never will.

"Can I shower?" I say pushing past them and ignoring their teasing.

My grey Nike spandex shorts hug my thighs as my run comes to an end. When I finally get my breathing under control I chug down my water.

It's a little after 8 and the August heat is getting hotter and hotter by the minute. The light breeze barely helping cool me down. My stomach is growling aggressively. I only got to eat half of a banana this morning before my run.

I head towards the cafe hoping that i'm early enough to not run into people. Or more so a certain someone from the football team. If I could eat my bagel in peace, that would be perfect.

I push the doors open and i'm immediately consumed in the aroma of coffee and breakfast foods.

"Good-morning, gorgeous!" Zed exclaims as I walk up to the counter to order. His hair is pink today and although we didn't know each other personally, he has seen me at my worst the last couple of years. No matter how bad I looked, how baggy my clothes were, how tangled my hair looked, or how much weight I had gained, he always greeted me calling me gorgeous. "Cream cheese bagel and an orange juice?"

"Make it a water instead." I say smiling brightly at him.

"Coming right up." He says winking at me as he grabs a small paper bag to place my bagel into.

"Make that two cream cheese bagels and a water." A deep voice calls from behind me causing me to jump. That voice.. so thick and rich.

I turn around and glare right into Cade's eyes. Which probably isn't the best idea because a shiver immediately crawls down my spine.

"You don't even look like you eat bagels." I say crossing my arms across my chest.

"It's my usual." He says with a smirk as he grabs the water and bagel from Zed.

"No it's not." Zed laughs.

"Yeah, it's not. I hope you have a good taste in breakfast, gorgeous." Cade teases as he strolls out of the cafe. He walks around like he owns the damn campus.

I stand their in disbelief with my cheeks warming up. He's fucking unbearable. Ruining another great morning with his perfect face.

I turn around to Zed and give him a tight lipped smile as I grab my bagel and water before storming out of the cafe and towards my car.