AGH. I wrote this chapte in like, 3 and 1/2 hours and I feel pretty accomplished . I mean, by the time I post this it'll have been a week or so since I wrote it but still; I hope you enjoy
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As we walked side-by-side the conversation didn't slow. We chattered about pretty much everything. He told me that his father job had moved them down here his sophomore years ago. He had picked ODP back up after the head coach had secured him a spot on the Louisiana division. He also told me that his older sister beth had been accepted to Jocelyne's in New York and was currently pursuing her dreams of becoming a professional ballet dancer.
"So, how's your old man?" he asked.
"He's good. Keeping busy with the college teams and all." He nodded.
"That's good to hear." We continue to walk until we hit a huge street, filled with modern two-story houses. I let out a low whistle at the imposing sizing. Granted my house was huge with vast lawns and huge rooms but these houses just looked so...so imposing.
"Huge, huh? I was surprised when I found out coach lived here to. who knew his teachers salary paid so much." I laugh at that because I had to agree.
"I think you'll get picked as captain." He says suddenly, turning to face me, a stern look on his handsome.
"I don't think so. Most of the guys dislike me because i'm even on the team. Could you imagine if I got the captain spot? There'd be hell to pay." but this small fact doesn't seem to deter him.
"Who cares? Some of the boys may act like assholes but they aren't stupid. They know an amazing player when they see one and they're going to pick the strongest player, no matter if they like the person or not." I look down at my shoes. I guess he was right. I mean, that's how I pick captains. For their strength and willingness to lead. Sure I had been captain on my fair share of teams but it didn'tmean I wanted to be captain of a team that hardly accepted me as it was. Chance tilted my chin up to face him and looked me square in the eyes;
"Trust me Sammy. I know these boys an I know you. You're probably the strongest player and person I know and I'd be shocked if you weren't picked as captain. You can whip those boys back into shape and lead the team to victory. Granted you won't beat Northridge but you'll still beat the other teams." He grinned cheekily at me and I grabbed his wrist, pinching the skin there. He yelped a bit but still grinned.
"It's so like you to say something so nice then be an ass good job Chance." I rolled my eyes at his still grinning face.
"Stop smiling idiot" I nudged his arm but he just winked at me:
"Oh Sammy baby, you haven't changed a bit." I elbowed him in the ribs, blushing at his choice of vocabulary.
"Please. Harvey might get pissed if you call me 'baby' again." I said sarcastically. What did I care about Harvey?
"Jesus fuck Harveys already gotten to you to? I honestly thought you were smarter than that Sammy baby." I scowled at him and he just smirked
"Nah. Harvey is the ring leader of the boys that don't like me; I think he has some unresolved mummy issues that he's taking out on me." Chance chuckled.
"He does. His mom's a huge feminist and ran off to live with her yoga instructor a several years ago because she was tired of 'fulfilling her husbands marital fantasies of her being the perfect stay at home trophy wife'. She was a pretty cool women." I laughed at this.
"She sounds badarse. Although I still don't really feel bad about spraining his nose." Chances jaw dropped wide."
"You hit him?"
"Three times actually. Now close your mouth or you'll catch flies." I pushed his jaw closed with my pointer finger and he just shook his head in what I assumed was incredulity.
"Damn. So let me get this straight, you hit HARVEY RIVER? And like, actually injured him?" He put extra emphasis on Harveys name, trying to get his point across.
"Correction. I hit him three times. And it's not like he didn't deserve it each time." Chance just shakes his head again and I pout.
"You can't just to hit the bastard when he does something to hurt you mentally, physically sure, hit him and hit him hard but as I remember you're quite clever and witty and you should just sassy your way out of it instead of hitting him. I'd hate for you to get suspended or kicked off the team." As much as I hated to admit it, he's right; I couldn't afford to get kicked off them team my senior year.
"Yeah...You're right. I've never been kicked off a team before and I can't start now." I car pulled out of a driveway to our right and Chance grabbed onto my waist, pulling me out of the street and onto the sidewalk.
"One of these you're going to get him by a car if you don't learn to stand on the sidewalk and not in the middle of the road." He smirked lightly. Releasing my waist he points to the house in front of us.
"That's coachs house. Here, I'll walk you to the door." The clock on my phone said that it was 8:50 and there were about 10 cars of all different makes in the long drive. I spotted Marcuses pick up and sighed with relief. At Least someone I could count on was here.
"Nervous?" Asked Chance, cocking an eyebrow.
"A bit." I look down and see Chance squeeze my hand tightly.
"It'll be fine. Coach will be there with you for a while, in and out supervising but otherwise he won't be there. But if you stick around Marcus, the twins and Olly; they're there for you." Surprised I look at him.
"How did you know that I hang around them?" He grins.
"Please, I know these boys better than I know myself. If anyone were to make friends with you, it'd be those boys. They're great guys so stick with them. They'll have your back." I return his smile, more at ease then I was before about coming here tonight.
"They are pretty great, even IF they talk about my... body parts in front of me." He chuckled, eyes sparkling in the porch light.
"Give them a break, they are teenage boys after all. And who could blame them for talking about a pretty women?" I feel the familiar heat of a blush crawling up my neck and onto my cheeks for the millionth time that night. Damn red hair. Chance rings the doorbell twice fast and after a few moments the door is thrown open by coach Mathers.
"Samantha. We're all waiting on you, what took you so-" He abruptly stops when he notices Chance at my flank.
"Ah, so you were fraternizing with the enemy I see. Hello Chance." Mathers and Chance shake hands, smiling at coaches joke.
"Nice to see you to coach." replied Chance.
"Chance, i'm waiting on the pizza delivery guy so I can't take Samantha down stairs. I was thinking that you could take her down there for me?" Mathers looks at Chance hopefully but Chance looks hesitant.
"I don't know if that's such a good idea..." He trailed off.
"Come on boy, just this once?"
"Fine, fine, i'll do it." Coach looks at him thankfully and Chance heads of towards the kitchen and into an elaborate mudroom. He holds open the door for me to go through, trailing behind me as I make my way downstairs to where the rest of the team is.
We both hit the landing of the finished basement. Carpeted floors with dark blue walls. Two flat screens mounted to the far wall, a bar with a full-sized fridge and five huge couches and two reclines, most of which were occupied with now silent boys; not even my boys were talking. They were all staring at Chance.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Harvey snarled at Chance.
"Cool off man. I just walked Sammy here to make sure she got her safe. Calm down." Chance held his hands out in front of him in mock surrender. Jack broke the silence.
"It's good to see you Chance."
"You to Jack. You too. Hi Finn, Marcus, Olly." Chance shoves a hand in one of his pockets, keeping the other out to wave at them. Marcus and Olly bro nod-chin whatever it's called at him and Finn replys with a cheery 'HI!'. A few of the other guys waves and call out 'hello' and 'sup' but Harvey and Zack remain quiet, not even to othering give him the time of day. Chance bends down to my ear and starts to whisper:
"Don't worry about it dear. Harvey never liked me. I'm going to go now so if you need anything you have my number. Please don't hesitate to call me if someone tries to pull something; especially Harvey or his friends."
"Ok. Seeyah." He playfully pinched my ass before jogging up the stairs. The familiar heat rising to my cheeks once again.
"So Sammy slut. Are you fucking our beloved Chance?" Asks Harvey sarcastically.
"Hell no. He's just a friend and you're just a dick." I plop down in between marcus and Finn on one of the leather couches, adjusting my skirt so I didn't accidentally flash someone.
"Well you know what they say" Marcus winks at me before turning to Harvey, "You are what you suck." Everyone started laughing except for Harvey who had to be held back by Zack and Phil. The conversation picked back up quickly.
"So you just HAPPENED to walk past Chance on the street and he just HAPPENED to offer to walk you here?" Ask Finn.
"Sort of. I was walking into town and I literally bumped into him. We talked for a bit and I didn't know where Mathers lived anymore so I asked him for help getting here. End of story." the boys just nodded in approval and Coach walked down the stairs with 5 pizza boxes.
"Diggin and let's pick our next captain." we all grab pizza. I grab 2 slices and the rest of the boys each gra at least 3 a piece. We all settle in eating while coach pulls out a big mobile white board. Empty but for a few spots of dried up black smudges.
"Ok team, lets get to work."