Something Different

Chapter 5

Braelin's POV

A week had passed from my first day at the horrid place I called my new school and it was safe to say it was just as bad as I had expected. The stares I was getting hadn't stopped and anytime I walked passed a student they seemed to clutch their bags a little tighter. I surely felt welcome! But thankfully classes was over with and we were all outside on the football field and by we I mean— Cameron, Stacey (Unfortunately), Chad, Myself, Dylan, Matthew, and Selena.

"I need a job," I blurted randomly causing all eyes to be on me. "What?"

"Why would you want a job?" Stacey asked disgusted and I rolled my eyes.

"Excuse the trust fund baby whose never had to work for anything in her life. What kind of job are you looking for?" Selena asked genuinely interested and as I opened my mouth to reply, Stacey started with another racist comment.

"I have a house you can clean."

"No thanks and I'm not sure yet. I mean I'm not picky so I'll take whatever I can get."

"Well my uncle owns a franchise of restaurants and Cameron and I work there on weekends sometimes. I could set something up," she offered and I nodded eagerly causing everyone to laugh except Stacey of course.

"All this talk about work is making me tired, let's play some football!" Dylan announced hopping off the bleachers and onto the field.

"We're two players short idiot," Chad said throwing the football in a perfect spiral towards Dylan who caught it effortlessly.

"I'll play," I offered and Dylan grinned.

"You play football?" Cameron asked shocked.

"Yeah, my dad taught me," I said grinning at the memory.

"Aw, how sweet! Was that before or after he left?" Stacey asked smirking and I shook my head not even bothering to correct her.

"Anyways as for the last player— Selena?"

"Sure I'll play, sounds like fun," she said excitedly and we both high fives each other before Chad started to laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"You girls trying to play a man's sport besides aren't you suited better for say... Basketball?" He asked with a smirk on his face and I felt myself starting to get upset but I bit my lip. Calm down Braelin, if you go off you'll just prove his racist ass right.

"Chad, to man, what the hell!" Cameron said shoving him back— Not too hard to hurt him but enough to get his point across.

"Look I'm just saying—"

"Don't. Selena and Braelin you guys can be on my team, Cameron and Matthew can be on yours since you have such a problem with women. First to score a point wins," Dylan said to Chad and I realized this was the first time I had ever seen Dylan any less than happy or flirtatious. Chad muttered a 'whatever' before heading onto the field not bothering wait for his other teammates.

"Is he always like that?" I asked Selena and she shook her head 'No'. Sighing, we headed onto the field before huddling in a group with Dylan as he made a game plan. His strategy was pretty smart and I smiled as he broke down each play he wanted us to do. First we would do the hook— He would play the quarterback and snap the ball to Selena and Selena would be the receiver who catches the ball. Then she would pass it to me who will run down to the halfway line before making a sharp turn right and throwing it to Selena who would be waiting in the end zone. Easy enough? We were about to see.

Getting into position to snap the ball, Dylan called out a few numbers.

"69,54,9,21!" The ball flew up in the air and Selena caught it effortlessly while I ran down the field bypassing Matthew and Chad leaving me with only Cameron to worry about. I watched the ball come closer and closer to me until it landed squarely in my hands causing me to sprint as fast as I could. I could feel Cameron getting closer and closer to me and right as he was going to tackle me, I did a sharp hook making him tumble and fall while I threw it to Selena in the end zone.

"We won! We won!" Selena said cheering before pulling me into a hug. "You were amazing out there Braelin."

"It wasn't just me it was all of us. We make one hell of a team," I said as I watched Stacey stormed onto the field.

"She cheated!"

"How Stacey?" I asked waiting for her answer. This was going to be good. 

"You... You traveled!" I bit my lip to keep from laughing and I saw Selena trying to do the same.

"I think you have football and basketball mixed up hun."

"Whatever! He let you win."

"Stacey, relax," Cameron said dusting himself off before sending me a smile. "She won fair and square. Your really good Braelin you should play with us more often."

"She wasn't that good," Chad said and I shook my head.

"I should probably head home now before my mom gets's worried."

"Give me a second and I'll drop you," Cameron offered and I couldn't help but smile.

"Thanks."

***

I was in the middle of studying more about psychology when my phone started ringing. 

So gimme all of you in exchange for me
Just give me all of you in exchange for me, for me

Sliding to the other side of the bed I quickly answered my phone.

"Darnell?"

"Yeah baby it's me," he replied in his cute deep voice and I started smiling immediately.

"I've missed you."

"I've missed you too baby girl."

"Let's facetime then, I need to see you," I said taking a peek in the mirror to make sure I looked good.

"Uh... I'm a little busy right now, can we facetime later?" He asked sounding nervous and I sighed slightly disappointed.

"Yeah, sure."

"So how is it at that boushy ass high school?"

"Stressful; everyone there is acting all stuck up and I'm the only black girl-- Hell black student."

"Mhm," he said into the phone and I pulled the phone away from my ear and looked at it curiously. Was he even listening? 

"And then I went and robbed a bank."

"Sounds like a lot of fun babe, I wish I was there," he said instantly.

"I'm married."

"I miss you too."

"Goodbye Darnell," I said hanging up before throwing my phone at the other side of the room in frustration. Nothing was making sense. Normally I would've been cursing Darnell's ass out and he would've apologized, giving me some bullshit excuse about ball practise and everything would be fine but now it just didn't seem like enough. Clearly, I needed sleep because the longer I stayed up the longer I was starting to think that I needed a man less like Darnell who happened to have sea blue eyes...