I Hate Football Players

51: Hit Me

"There's my beautiful girl." I blinked out of my thoughts when Josh wrapped his arms around Ava and pulled her into a kiss.

Dressed in her black and maroon cheer tracksuit, she broke off with a pout. "How are you sweaty if you just showered?"

"There's no off switch, Ava." I dragged the back of my hand over my damp forehead.

My laugh dried up when Josh kissed her again. "You like me sweaty, babe."

There's my leave cue. I passed their PDA and groaned. "Goodnight, lovebirds."

"Logan, wait!" Ava tugged on my arm, her eyes glittering in gossip collection mode. "Your Homecoming date! Who -"

"I asked someone already."

"You did!?" She released a squeal high enough to shatter glass. Her loud gasp suggested Josh kept Ellie a secret for now. I didn't have the... persuasion techniques over him that she did. "How did you ask? Was she surprised? What sweet, romantic gesture did you use?"

"Huh?" I shook my head at the stupid-ass efforts Josh went through, a public display in the cafeteria for his girlfriend of two years. He got the marching band to play her favorite song and showed up with a sign asking her. If I hadn't known he'd gotten laid for that effort, I would've-

"So, how did you ask!?" Ava stomped her foot. "Where were you?"

Good question. I rubbed the back of my neck and shifted my weight between my feet. "We were at the beach, and -"

"And? And!? I need details! Day, sunset? Was she excited? Did she cry? And who the fuck is this Mystery Girl!?"

I squeezed the back of my neck. A sunset and crying were involved, and I asked Ellie... Did I ask her? "I said I wanted to take her."

A small hand swatted my chest. Mosquitoes hit harder than Ava, but I pretended to flinch back a wounded man. Her screech though pierced my ear and made me wince. Josh stood still, flipping through his phone and probably deaf by now. "Logan Alexander Hightower! Do you like this girl?"

I wasn't sure where this line of questioning was headed, but it sounded like a trap. "Uhhh... yes?"

Ava's hands met her jutted-out hip, and she glared at me. "I'm beginning to doubt Mystery Girl exists, but if she does, your giant dumb butt needs to ask her properly!"

"Now?" I blinked. Josh's smirk down at his phone was no help. "She's at work, so no."

"Then you ask her tomorrow!" Ava pulled out her phone and set a 'Logan HoCo reminder' on her calendar. "Oh gosh, what if she's worried you don't want to take her? And she says yes to someone else. You could've blown your chance! Right, Josh?"

"Blown shot," he muttered without a lookup. "Travesty."

Ridiculous. None of what Ava said was a possibility. Given Ellie's week, Homecoming was probably the last thing on her mind. She also probably had a line of guys who wanted to kiss her to take her, but not with Jake on bouncer duty. "I got it, Ava." She had a point; the last person I needed to talk to before Ellie was Jake. We'd never be friends, given whatever beef the guy had with me, but I wanted to let him know my intentions with Ellie. Although I doubted he would listen, he deserved to know upfront.

I wasn't going anywhere unless she kicked me out of her life.

Me: Jake, this is Logan Hightower.
Me: I need to talk to you.

Surprisingly, he responded on Friday before lunch. I wasn't surprised at his reaction.

AngerDanger: Fuck off. Looking forward to seeing you lose and cry about it on Friday. If I see you between now and then, you won't have my sister to keep me from smashing your face in. Nothing to say to you, asshole.