Off the Field

Chapter Twelve

Kasey whispered something to her friend, who sat next to her, and they both giggled as they looked over at Mal. I glanced at Mal, who leaned her elbows against her desk as she stared straight ahead blankly, red dusting her cheeks slightly.

Just as I started replying to Kasey’s text, the PA beeped on overhead, announcing a lockdown drill. Mrs. Jenkins looked around, a little confused, and said, “I think we sit against the back wall by my desk. Get yourselves situated while I lock the doors.”

“Good,” Ray whispered to me as we got up. “I have no idea who Beowulf even is.”

Grinning, I clapped his shoulder, relieved for some reason, and we both settled down on the floor with our backs against the wall, crushed alongside Jenkins’ desk. Kasey weaved her way through the row of legs to squeeze in next to me, flashing me a blinding smile. My phone buzzed; I glanced at it to see a confused text from Mal and realized that I had sent her what I had meant to say to Kasey.

“Why are you texting her?” asked Kasey as I zipped off an explanation.

“We’re friends?”

Puzzled at her tone, I clicked off my phone and slid it back into my pocket before Jenkins caught me with it. Kasey narrowed her blue eyes slightly as she looked down the row to where Mal sat with her knees squashed up in front of her, tapping at her phone. She looked up and rolled her eyes at me with a smile.

“How exactly did you two –”

Mrs. Jenkins cut Kasey off: “Students, do I have to remind you of the lockdown procedure? There is absolutely no talking!”

I leaned my head back against the wall and stared at the ceiling, already beginning to feel stiff. I hated sitting still, especially when I was crushed up against a dusty school wall. At least I had good company, though, and I turned my head to grin at Kasey as she fluttered her lashes.

“You busy after school today?” she whispered, her blue eyes innocent.

I shrugged. “Soccer.”

She made a pouty face, her perfect lips sticking out as she widened her eyes at me in that way that made me feel trapped. It wasn’t a bad feeling, though. I tried to look apologetic, and she gave a silent but dramatic sigh, shaking her head. She didn’t like how soccer took up all of my free time, but she didn’t understand how important that championship was to me.

I glanced sideways at Ray as he murmured something that I didn’t catch, but Kasey put one of her hands on my knees so that I was sufficiently distracted. That wasn’t too hard, considering how tightly we were packed together against the wall.

“Isn’t this cozy?” she whispered.

She batting those long eyelashes at me again, turning on the full power of her baby blues, and I leaned in towards her, beckoning with one finger. She feigned confusion, and I rolled my eyes and brought me lips even closer to hers. A smile danced across her face as she turned her face upwards to respond.