**Completed** Colby Byers and Wyatt Matheson shared an enviable love-at least, until that fateful day. Torn apart by tragedy, the stubborn ex-lovers struggle to come to terms with their desire for one another, while reconciling their feelings with t...
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Wyatt
"Nashawn Porter," Ms. Aguayo calls, glancing around the room.
"Present, ma'am. And please, call me Nash," he adds, turning up the charm.
"Ah, yes," she says. "I remember you from last year...and the year before as well." She smiles then, shaking her head and continuing down the roster.
Ms. Aguayo has had plenty of time to get to know Nash and me. This is our third year in Spanish one, and we're completely surrounded by freshmen.
I guess languages just ain't my thing.
"Hola, Wyatt Matheson," says a doe-eyed girl seated to my left. She smiles, twirling her hair around her finger. She licks her lips in a manner I can only assume she means to be seductive, though to me it looks more like she's trying to clean up the remains of Kool-Aid from around her mouth.
To my right, an amused Nash snickers quietly. When my eyes flash to him, he loses his composure completely. The girl is oblivious though, leaning toward me and eyeing me up and down. I feel like a piece of man-meat.
"Vamos a salir para el almuerzo, Wyatt," she purrs. What in the hell is she doing in Spanish one with a vocabulary like that?
"Uhh..." I hesitate. "No hablo espanish." I smile awkwardly as she gives me a puzzled look. I can't handle this shit today. "Hall pass, por favor!" I say, my hand darting into the air.
"Mr. Matheson," Ms. Aguayo sighs. She scribbles my name on the notepad before her and rips it loose from the binding. I move to the front of the classroom to retrieve it, hoping she won't notice I've cleared my desk and wear my backpack. I'm not coming back.
"Are you going to pass this year?" she asks with a weary smile.
"Third time's the charm, ma'am," I say, snatching the pass and booking it outta there.
One more year.
That's the refrain running through my mind as I make my way down the hall to my locker to dump all of my belongings.
It's only the first day of school and I'm already ditching out. I know better, sure, but I just can't get my mind straight. When I saw Colby with Cole this morning, I lost my focus.
That sounds stupid, even to me.
She isn't mine. She hasn't been mine for a long time. I thought I'd accepted that, and in a lot of ways I have. Still, she's everywhere. I see her at school, both during and after when I'm at football practice, while she's at cheer. I see her in the early mornings when she makes me get up at the crack of dawn to saddle Mindy for her morning ride. I see her house from my bedroom window, and I always wonder what she's up to.
Damn, I sound like a stalker.
But the truth is, she damaged me. I guess it takes time to be fully repaired. And if she really wants that asswipe Cole, we definitely aren't right for each other. I've gotta move on.
A hand on my back jolts me out of my brooding.
"What the— Nash? What're you doing out of class? I thought it was one at a time."
He heaves a Big Gulp up in front of my face. "Told Ms. Aguayo it couldn't wait. I've got a hell of an earnest face," he says, smirking. "Didn't wanna be there either, and I knew you weren't coming back. We can just head to practice a little early."
"I guess," I say, tossing my books into my locker. "Hey, what's up with you and Mari?" I had almost forgotten about their rendezvous this morning.
"Oh, well... I dunno," Nash says, averting his eyes and scuffing his sneaker against the tile.
I laugh. "Ari's gonna be hella pissed, Nash. Is it worth it?"
"Yes," he says without hesitation.
"Come again?" I'm astonished by his candor.
"Yes," he says again, grinning from ear to ear this time. "I like her."
"Wow," I say, blowing out a hefty breath. "Well, okay then." I smile, clapping him on the shoulder. "Ari'll be reasonable."
He chuckles darkly. "Tell my mama I love her when he's done with me."
...
"Alright boys, stop screwing around and get your asses on the field!" Coach Castillo shouts, poking his head into the locker room.
"You gonna hit your targets today?" Ari asks Cole, launching a piece of garbage at his chest. "See, I can hit mine."
"You gonna hold on to the ball today, butterfingers?" Cole retorts. He high fives his minions, who laugh at his witless attempt at humor. The four of them saunter out of the locker room, leaving me alone with Ari and Nash.
"Are you dating my sister?" Ari asks turning to Nash, wasting no time. His eyes bore into Nash.
Nash calmly finishes tying his shoes before glancing up to meet Ari's death glare. "I'd like to, if that's what she wants."
Ari's stern demeanor cracks, giving way to a genuine smile. "Never thought I'd live to see the day that someone would actually want to spend time with Mar." He crosses the short distance between them, extending his hand. "I'd tell you that I'm comin' for you if you mess with her, but I think she's gonna eat you alive. Good luck, bro," he says grinning, shaking Nash's hand. "Shall I tell Pops the good news?"
Pops just so happens to be Coach Castillo. I wince on Nash's behalf.
"Don't be an asshole, Ari," I say. "He's got his plate full enough dating your sister."
"Just kidding, geez," Ari relents. "Let's go before Pops realizes we're late again."
We reach the field in the blistering Texas heat. I'm sweating buckets, and we haven't even started practice. Coach gets us started with some sprints and tire drills.
Nash is flying high. I know this 'cause he hasn't complained once. He's usually good for some whining at this point in practice. I'd swear he's faster, too.
Aw... Young love.
Barf.
I jog to the sideline for a quick drink. We've got passing drills next, and I don't want Cole besting me this time. Our detour into Nash's new love affair was a decent distraction from all of my earlier self-loathing. I feel refocused, ready to move forward.
When I reach the bleachers, I find a small group of junior varsity footballers staring at something I can't see from where I'm standing.
"What's going on?" I ask the freshman nearest me.
"Cheerleaders," he answers like a whipped puppy, stepping aside. "They weren't out here during all of our summer practices."
I follow his gaze, only to spy varsity cheer about fifty yards away. Stretching.
My eyes immediately land on Colby, and I find myself wishing that the girls practiced in frumpy tracksuits. Instead, her burgundy tank clings to her curves in all the right places, her toned arms angled above her head. Her navy shorts are...short, showing off every inch of her long, tan legs. She's like a damn filly.
She flips her wavy blonde ponytail over her shoulder, and I know that all those songs about pretty country girls are true. She reaches down to help one of her teammates to her feet, and I know that Colby's eyes are smiling along with her lips.
The end of a football spirals into my back, nailing me between my shoulder blades, and I know I've lost my focus.
