His Gold ✓

49| Broken dreams

Ring ring ring

    "Ughhhhh!" I groan, stopping the alarm on my phone from continuing to ring. I blink my eyes open and realize one very important thing about today— soccer season starts!

    I get out of bed quickly and run down the hall for breakfast. I grab some toast, bringing it back with me to my room to get ready. Toast sticking out of my mouth, I pack my backpack. Next, I put my cheer uniform in a garment bag.

    I'm so excited to cheer in front of an audience again!

    Downstairs and outside, I hear a horn honk.

   Bryce!

   Gathering my things and swallowing my breakfast, I bound outside to Bryce's car. He's picking me up for school, like every morning now. I hop in, so ready to meet the day. He smiles at me as he pulls onto the street.

    "Someone is excited." He notices. "Spring fever?" He guesses.

    "It's been two weeks today since I asked you out." I suddenly remember with a smile. More reasons to love today. His eyes seem distracted when I say that.

   "Woah," he whispers.

   I grip my garment bag. "But I'm also excited because it's the start of soccer season today!"

    "Oh? I thought you preferred basketball."

   I shrug. "I'm excited because at halftime, Meghan has given me a cheer solo."

    "She has? You've started back practicing with them?"

    "Yeah." I sigh. Meghan hasn't mentioned Bryce to me at all. She's been distant. I'm not sure if she has heard the news yet. Bryce and I have kept it on the DL.

   "Well I'm excited to watch tonight."

    I touch his shoulder while he drives. "Rumor has it, a college scout is coming."

    Bryce should know all about that from his football season last semester.

    "Really? Then you better put on a damn good performance!"

    "Oh I plan to."

*****

     The cheerleaders' locker room is hustle and bustle when I enter it. Girls are chattering excitedly about the college scouts coming, the boys that will be playing, and the latest episode of some drama show Mandi fangirls over.

     I'm getting ready in my uniform, thinking about my possible night with Bryce, when I feel a hand on my shoulder.

    I turn, eyes meeting Meghan's. She glares down at me with a plastic smile. "Caroline!" She squeals, "can I have a minute with you? Alone?"

     Unease settles in the pit of my stomach. I know what to expect from private convos with Meghan these days. Lately, I've never walked away from one happy.

   I sigh. "Sure, I guess."

    She leads me out of the locker room and into the school hallway. It's silent out here. Her arms cross and she gets to her point.

   "Before you act all innocent, I know about you and Bryce." She glares, "so don't try to take what I'm going to say next, and act like it's some sort of retaliation for that. I don't care that you two are together now."

    I-

   "Okay," my voice is suspicious.

    She looks down at her manicure. "Something else has come up tonight. Something urgent."