Off the Field

Chapter One

“You’re gross, you know that?”

Harley thumped her tail against the ground, panting, and I patted her head as I got up and headed towards the shower.

 ~*~

“You know, I think you’re the only person in this whole family who doesn’t freak out when I get behind the wheel of a car,” I told my brother Caleb as we pulled out of the driveway, waving good-bye to my mom. “I don’t remember Mom being this nervous for Jack, do you?”

She was peering nervously through the front window; even though I’d had my license for five months, she still thought I wasn’t ready.

“If Jack can drive, you can drive,” he replied, shrugging, and I grinned. Caleb was also the only person in the whole family who didn’t worship the ground Jack walked on.

I cranked up the radio once out of sight of my house, tapping my fingers against the wheel as I drove through the tree-lined streets. Some leaves were beginning to change color, signifying the start of school in a week, but I ignored that. It was summer, and pulling up to Caleb’s school to drop him off for practice felt weird. School didn’t belong with summer.

“Have a good time, kid,” I said, ready to take off, but he didn’t get out right away.

“Hey, Danny, can I ask you something?”

I glanced at his serious blue eyes. “If this is about asking a girl out, I’m only giving you so much advice. I had to figure this stuff out on my own, so you should, too.”

“It’s not a girl.” He rolled his eyes with thirteen-year-old sass. “I just wanted to ask you – well – I really want to play a lot this season, so I was wondering if you could – could show me some stuff after dinner or something?”

He eyed me nervously.

“Sure thing,” I said easily. “Don’t stress, okay? You’re better than any of those guys out there – you’re a Cooper, remember? Soccer’s in our blood, bro.”

Caleb shrugged, muttering something I didn’t catch, and then he hopped out of the car, slamming the door behind him and jogging towards the soccer field. I watched as a group of guys hailed him, clapping him on the back, and wondered what on earth Caleb was so nervous about. When your oldest brother helps the school win championships, people tend to like you.

I would know, I thought, stepping on the gas again. It felt weird to be driving to practice without Jack. We’d both been on varsity since freshman year, so I hadn’t played without him in years. I only hoped that we could find as strong a goalie for this year.

Driving into the lot behind my school was even stranger. The place was deserted except for the football players on their field and a group of volleyball girls congregated outside the gym doors. I scanned their heads casually for a blonde ponytail, my stomach flipping as I spotted Kasey chatting with some other girls.