Infinite Jump

Under Grace, Chapter 1

     “Hey Natalie, you still coming over after practice?”

     The high pitched voice barely caught Natalie Sparks’s attention as she scrolled through the messages on her iPhone, searching for some from her long-time boyfriend, Jasen Saunders. She couldn’t hide the frown that crossed her lips as the only new messages were from her mother and dentist.

     “Earth to Natalie!” The voice yelled, causing her to jump in surprise. “Are you there or is there a good reason for you to ignore me? Maybe... A shoe sale at the mall?”

     Her gaze slid towards Nicole Beckett and she offered a smile to her best friend of six years. Nicole’s brunette hair swished back and forth as she shook her head at Natalie, her gaze playful, but filled with disapproval.

     “Come on, Nat,” she sighed. “We all know Jasen won’t be texting you anytime soon. He failed his Calculus test and the coach will totally kill him! Not to mention what his mom will do when she finds out.”

     Jasen was the star quarterback for the Roman Spartan football team and valued his position more than he valued everything else. He and Natalie had been dating since sophomore year and had just hit their three year mark a few weeks prior.

     As good as Jasen was at football, it wasn’t a secret that his academics were seriously lacking. Natalie couldn’t count the number of times she’d helped him study for a test. But some things just came easier for others. Jasen’s strength had always been on the field and not in the classroom.

     “You’re right,” she replied reluctantly, turning her phone off and picking at the blue, jewel-encrusted case before she stood. “Practice is over today and my car is still broken. You want to go for ice cream?”

     Nicole’s blue eyes widened and sparkled expectantly before she jumped up and down, the skirt of her yellow uniform flapping against her tan thighs as she let out a childish squeal.

    “Can I get mint chocolate chip?!”

    Natalie laughed, brushing back the few strands of blonde hair that had fallen from her ponytail as she shouldered her red and yellow gym bag. Nicole had always been a sucker for sweets—especially ice cream.

     “If you drive, I’ll buy,” Natalie offered. “But you have to drive me home too.”

    “Consider it done,” her best friend yelled, the inner cheerleader in her coming out with the cry. “You are the best captain ever.”

    Natalie nearly fell over as Nicole’s arms wrapped around her shoulders, her thin frame pushing into her as they giggled about the treat. For someone so small, Natalie had to give it to her friend—she could push anyone over with her insane strength.

     “You’re crazy,” she laughed, pushing the brunette off as they made their way to the red Chevy Blazer that sat in the parking lot.

     “But you love me!”

     Natalie rolled her eyes, but laughed as they opened the door and slid in, tossing her bag into the back of the vehicle and buckled her seat belt. It wasn’t long before they were on the way to Dairy Queen.

    “So about you and Josh,” Natalie said casually, propping her elbow on the armrest and resting her jaw in her palm. “I heard things got pretty hot and heavy last—”

     “Not a chance, Sparks,” Nicole growled, her cheeks flushing a brilliant crimson as her grip on the steering wheel tightened. “I am so not into him anymore. It’s Danny. The soccer team’s captain? Now that is one fine hunk of man cake I could sink my teeth in—”