Football players are assholes. I know; I'm related to their king. My older, and annoyingly overprotective, brother Jake is the star quarterback at Santa Cruz High School. I love him but hate living in his shadow. Everyone worshiping the air he breat...
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Most aspects of football provided us with an elite level of special treatment - popularity, admiration, and envy from students, teacher favoritism, the principal's blind eye, and pride that brought the Salinas community together on a Friday night.
And then there were pep rallies.
I hated them.
Everyone hated them.
Except the cheerleaders, dance team, and faculty. And our cheerleaders took them way too seriously.
Please let this be over soon. My eyes almost rolled into the back of my skull and I groaned as Ava tugged me through the school gym along a line of cheerleader escorts. "You're captain, so you get the first pick." Her eyes scanned over every girl with more scrutiny than I put into my AP Bio lab this morning.
"Fine," I answered in a flat, bored voice. "You escort Josh."
"Duh!" She yanked me again. "I meant yours."
"Then you escort me," I teased.
She gasped, then shook her head so much that her ponytail whipped the sides of her face. "I think you should walk with Kendall or Harper." Her chin lifted as she studied my face.
That's a no from me. My stomach churned at being seen in any capacity with Kendall. I spent the last four days dodging Harper's giggles more than tackles in practice. Every day, they got louder and shrill. Before school, after, between classes, at lunch, fuck at practice, she was my new shadow. One annoying, giggling shadow.
A sharp elbow poked my ribs. "They're both perfect for your height. Harper's got a crush on you and would be good for you."
Height? A certain brunette who came up to my armpit and hated my existence was a better option. I bet she sat through a similar suffering experience, for her brother's sake.
Fuck, I hated that guy. Our socials spammed with anti-Salesian messages from a hundred bot accounts last night were no random incident. I needed to get in touch with Ellie, who blocked Josh's number. I tried it once to avoid any explanations to the blonde who glared at me with pursed lips. After tomorrow, I'd either be in Ellie's good graces or buried six feet under. The unknown sent a rush through me, but I wasn't sure if it was-
"Logan?" Ava nudged me again. "I've got like eight more guys to pair up here."
I blinked at Harper. How could Ava think that the girl who stared at me as if she hadn't eaten in weeks and I was an all-you-can-eat-buffet was 'good for me'?
"Ava." I groaned. "Is there anyone on the squad who maybe hates me?"
"I'd love to hate you," the girl behind Ava raised her hand, which Ava lowered with a grab of her wrist.
The smile I flashed the girl faded as soon as she released a loud, shrilled, hyena cackle. Ava scanned her clipboard like Coach's starter decision. "Ava, this is ridiculous," I muttered and snatched her board. "I'll walk out alone."
