In My Skin

Ch 6 || At the Lake

My arms folded across my chest. "You're not exactly resting your case right now."

"Tomorrow, let's go out on a date."

Huh?

"I—I don't think that's a good idea."

He leaned forward. "Why not?"

I snorted. "I'm sorry but I'm not going to add myself to the long list of girls you went out with."

His face scrunched. "I've been trying to turn over a new leaf."

Yeah, sure. Wasn't that what all the guys would say?

My fingers dug into my pocket and pulled out my phone. "Good for you. Find someone else to test out your new you on though."

"It has to be you."

I gaped at him. "Why?"

"You're different. And you're not even giving me the time of the day." His hand ran over his face as he regarded me. A smile spreading over his lips, surprisingly genuine. "It's refreshing."

Great. I'd managed to catch the star quarterback's interest. Lucky me.

I remembered to close my mouth. "Did it ever cross your mind that I'm just not into you?"

"Because of Chris?"

I drew back and pressed my lips together.

"He's changed, hasn't he?"

"I—" He did change. I just didn't understand why.

A new emotion shone in his gray eyes. Pity maybe? "Don't let him play you, Tay. It's only a matter of time before he and Jess hook up."

"What? Why would he?"

"You don't get it. He's nice, sure, but he's not on the team. He was always sort of stuck in our shadow. Now he's suddenly getting all the girls' attention. That gets to a guy's head."

My jaw hardened. "You...talk like you're speaking from experience."

He scratched his forehead and pushed some of that brown hair out of his eyes. "That's why I know."

"Didn't you always get the attention?" I asked, confused.

"Not always. Not until recently actually."

"But you're the quarterback. That's like an important position or something. Right?"

He stared at me. "Wow. You really have no clue about football, do you?"

My face grew hot. I gestured around. "Well...it's weird, isn't it? A bunch of guys cuddling in an open field and occasionally someone throws a ball. I don't know."

He burst out laughing. "Wow. I can't believe... Just, wow."

"Are you done laughing?"

His lips pressed together. "I was actually benched until last year—"

A branch snapped behind him and we both jumped.

Chris appeared out of nowhere. Gone was the easy smile. There was a strut to gait that I'd missed before. He faced Jared with his chin held high. "So, that's how it is huh?" His expression twisted into a sneer, and he barked out an ugly laugh. "You can fuck her Thompson, she's not that great anyways."

I felt a kick to my gut. Like a fish out of water, my mouth was opening and closing but somehow no words came out. No. This wasn't him talking. Not really. He was drunk. And he misunderstood... I had to try and explain.

"Let me explain," Jared and I said at the same time and Chris' face darkened.

My eyes snapped to Jared's. "Go. I will talk to him."