Playing the Game

Chapter 32: Away Game

"Forgot it?" I teased, opening up my arms as she pressed her body against mine.

I had to lean up slightly but she pressed her lips to mine in a quick, heavy kiss.

"Missed you." Elizabeth giggled, stepping back from me. "Those pants don't leave much to the imagination, bud." She added with a laugh, walking over to the couch.

"Neither do those." I pointed out, her leggings nearly making me take her right there.

Elizabeth shrugged, pushing her hair off her shoulder.

"I should get home, though, mom and dad are upset I came home so late last night. And then skipped school..." Elizabeth winced, walking towards the door. "I'll see you later, though."

"Yeah I uh, don't take it personally but I usually sit alone on the bus and listen to music. It's nothing against you, I just need to get in my own head space to play." I sighed, hoping she wouldn't get upset.

"No worries." Elizabeth shrugged. "It'll give me time to get to know Reggie and Garret better. Did you uh, tell them?"

"Not yet." I shook my head. "I think we should keep this uh, relationship on the DL for this weekend. Otherwise Coach Turner will have us on lock down and I fully intend to be in your bed." I winked.

"Scandalous." Elizabeth giggled. "See you later, quarterback."

~*~*~

"Why is Elizabeth dressed?" I said to Coach Turner, my heart pounding in my chest. "That's not okay. She hasn't practiced in two weeks she shouldn't be-"

"Take a look at your other kicker, McKinley." Coach Turner sighed, pointing over my shoulder.

I turned around to see Kurt talking to the trainer. He had ice wrapped around his ankle and a painful look on his face.

"What happened?" I asked quietly, running a hand through my hair.

"Where the hell has your head been, McKinley? The idiot wiped out when he got off the bus. Tried warming up on it and it didn't work out. Go back to your drills, we have seven minutes left of warm up." Coach Turner sighed, slapping my back as I put my helmet back on.

"Coach." I shook my head, turning back to him. "You just can't play Elizabeth. She just had surgery two weeks ago, she's not even supposed to be dressed tonight, you can't-"

"You want to go out there and kick the extra point? Get a field goal when we're at a fourth down?" Coach Turner snapped, looking angry. "Don't tell me how to run my team, got it? Get your ass out there."

I took a deep breath and jogged away, my stomach twisting.

If something bad happened to Elizabeth tonight...

~*~*~

"I swear to God, if she gets hurt." I whispered, standing in between Reggie and Garret while we watched Elizabeth jog out to kick a field goal that would be pushing her limits.

The other team had no idea what was happening.

How could someone kick a field goal from this far out?

Let alone a girl?

"She'll be alright. Her stomach hasn't been bothering her today." Reggie told me.

"Yeah she said she's been dying to get out there anyways." Garret agreed.

"Since when do you two know this?"

"We sat with her on the bus, she's pretty cool." Reggie replied with a laugh. "Bet you wish you didn't let that one get away."

"Yeah shut up." I muttered, taking a deep breath as the play started.

I instinctively grabbed Garret's arm as Elizabeth took the kick but quickly let go when it was fair.

"Oh thank you." I whispered, closing my eyes for a minute as she jogged off the field with no problem.

"You see that?" She asked, jogging up to me and the guys.

"Hell yeah we did." Garret grinned, giving her a high five.

"Come on, let's get water." Reggie laughed, pulling his brother with him.

I don't know if they meant to or not but they left me alone with Elizabeth, who was still grinning like mad.

"You can breathe." She laughed. "I didn't get hurt."

I gave her a look. "Don't mock the fact that I care about you." I shook my head as I crossed my arms.

Elizabeth scrunched up her nose and stuck her tongue out at me.

I rolled my eyes with a laugh, shaking my head again.

"You're a piece of work, Ms. Von Batton." I whispered.

"Vonnie." Hank said, coming up behind us.

I'd forgotten that he was here and jumped as if we'd been caught doing something bad.

Hank started giving her pointers and advice so I quietly disappeared, not particularly feeling like listening to a Coach that I had no loyalty to.

It wasn't cool that he was coming in here to coach us, Coach Turner did a fine job. He didn't need his brother showing up to mess things up.

I just had to focus on the game.

It was an easy win but the perfect way to improve our skill. I had to be on my game so the rest of the team would follow suit.