I glanced at Brian. He definitely looked like he'd been hit by a truck.
Poor Brian. He wasn't the type of guy to forgive and forget this slight. And he'd see it as one even if Coach Brown was the one who had made the decision. Brian could care less about the team. He just had to shine and be the school hero. He would definitely hold a grudge and figure out some way to get even. Second string, especially in a town like ours, meant never leaving.
“I hear that his family is really rich. He supposedly lives with his grandfather and sister in the old Westmoreland Mansion,” Teddy went on. How he knew all this information was beyond me. Frankly, I was just glad that he did.
I continued acting like I wasn't interested, but I was eating it all up. I immediately drew my own conclusions. He was a handsome, rich, famous football player in North Carolina, and he'd probably find a beautiful cheerleader girlfriend to match him perfectly. They would be the golden couple. The celebrity couple. The couple that would ride off into the sunset as childhood sweethearts and end up marrying each other. I could go on and on and probably would have if Teddy didn't keep talking and interrupting my thoughts.
“But let's face it, at the end of the day he's a jock. He's probably as dumb as they come.” He concluded.
I hope not.
“Yeah, you're probably right,” I mumbled instead.
I looked at Devilyn again. He definitely had a forceful and confident look about him. Very aristocratic. He towered above everyone and commanded nothing but attention. He had a tanned glow, dark hair, and obsidian eyes. The blackest eyes I had ever seen.
Dark, almost.
I decided his name suited him well.
I continued staring at him as the whole team rose and the crowd began disbanding. Many questions continued running through my mind, questions that were continuously interrupted by Teddy.
“Looks like this thing is finally over. It's getting late, and I promised my mom I'd watch Tommy tonight so she can work the late shift,” Teddy said as he gathered his backpack.
Tommy was Teddy's eight-year-old brother. Teddy's parents were divorced, so Teddy took on the role of father, brother, and caretaker. His mom was extremely lucky because Teddy was the most responsible, loving, and caring friend and son. He never nagged when his mother asked for help.
He was her rock and, to be honest, he was mine as well.
“Are you going to hang out?” He asked knowing full well that the answer would be “no.”
“Definitely not. I might as well leave with you. I've got a lot of reading to do for History and that paper we have to write for English,” I replied. My backpack was filled with books and a bit heavy. I carefully walked down the steps of the bleachers. When we got to the bottom, we made our way through the crowd when someone rudely grabbed my arm and jerked me back.
Of course it had to be Natalie Simmons. My editor for the school paper. I tried to cover my annoyance. Her face was flushed, and she looked like she was about to burst in pure pleasure. I was instantly suspicious. If Natalie was happy about something it probably meant she was going to give someone a last minute, late night assignment that would be tedious to do.
Ten seconds later I knew I was right.
“I'm so glad I caught you,” she began, out of breath. “I need you to do an interview for this week's edition of the paper.”
I was, after all, her loyal and obedient reporter.
“This week's edition?” I replied questioningly. “The paper goes to print in the morning, Natalie.”
“I know, I know. I looked for you all day today,” she stammered out.
Lie.
She covered quickly. “Anyway, I need you to do this assignment. Just a quick interview. Basic stuff.”
“When?” I asked. I couldn't keep the agitation from my voice.
“Now. Here. I know that it's late notice, but there is no one else I can trust. Besides, it shouldn't be that hard. It's just a piece on the new quarterback, Devilyn Reilly,” she rushed out.
My heart stopped beating. My hands clammed up.
What?
I screamed on the inside.
Are you kidding me?
“Tonight?” I croaked out. “Why can't we just do a profile on him and put it in next week's paper?”
Please let her say it can wait until later,
I thought frantically to myself. There was no way. Just no way I could walk up and actually
talk
to him. My mind quickly moved through my plans for the upcoming evening. I would run home and have time to think, prepare my questions, and try to relax. By next week, I'd be in perfect control.
“I need it to go in tomorrow's paper, Caroline. He's a new student, and everyone is dying to get to know him. You've got to write it tonight and email it to me.” She was talking a mile a minute. “You know that I am always the last to know about everything, especially the new students. We have to write something about the famous new quarterback! Don't you agree?”
She always ended every sentence with a
“don't you agree
?” especially when she knew she was wrong.
I hated her. “Yeah, I guess.”
“I knew you would after you heard my logic.”
Her logic defied all reason. I shook my head in annoyance. I couldn't believe how the evening had transpired. I was speechless. What was going on?
My stomach sunk in dread as I nervously scanned the crowd looking for
him.
He was easy enough to find. Tall enough to stand out in the crowd. Gorgeous enough to demand attention. And of course he was surrounded by a small crowd of adoring female fans. Just like a celebrity.
And they were female fans that came in the form of cheerleader. A different breed of women. They looked immaculate at all times in short skirts, and had, for some reason, swam out of the genetic pool of
Playboy
models. These were the kind of girls that would always remain hot, never lacking for anything because they'd inevitably find some rich husband to marry them, and would breed children to look and act just like them.
And now I had to enter their lair?
Jordana Kroll, a name that funnily enough rhymed with troll, was the blonde bombshell and squad leader. She was practically drooling. No doubt assessing her prey. To think that I was going to have to walk over there and get his attention was nauseating. Absolutely sickening. What had I ever done to deserve this?
I looked to Teddy for assistance. He shook his head. “Don't look at me. I'm already late; my mother is going to lay into me if I don't leave right now.
“Butâ¦Ted,” I begged.
“You'll be fine. I've gotta go. You'll be fine.”
Another lie.
It was as if he sensed my hysteria. He knew me too well. He knew that the last thing in the world I wanted to do was walk over to the snakepit and conduct this interview.
“Caroline, who cares about this guy anyway? He's a football player.” He was right of course. This guy was a jock. What did I have to be afraid of? Unfortunately, I could not control the frantic beating of my heart.
For some reason, I was suddenly obsessed with him, and I couldn't figure out why.
“You're right,” I said instead. I looked over at Natalie, “I'll do it.”
“Great,” she happily replied as she gave me my marching orders. “Just ask him the basics: background, family, girlfriends, etcetera.”
She turned around and started walking away from me as she spoke. “Remember to email it to me tonight. Okay?” She called out.
“Good luck,” Teddy said as he too started to walk away. “Can't wait to hear all the details. I'll be up late, so call me. I want to hear about how smart he is.” He added sarcastically.
I tried to smile, but it's hard to smile when you know you're doomed.
I saw her approaching me from the corner of my eye. I was busy entertaining a cheerleader, Jordana something or other. She was pretty enough. Blonde, blue-eyed, long legs. I could see why the former quarterback of the team was seething and shooting death looks at me.
But the incessant chatter. It was never-ending. It could drive any immortal, or mortal for that matter, crazy.
Teenagers and their ability to talk a mile a minuteâit would be fascinating, if it wasn't so frustrating. Studies should be conducted on the phenomenon. No matter where they were from or what school they went to, they all possessed this attribute.
Everything in the world was awesome to them. Unfortunately, not so awesome for me.
I've been around way too long to be affected.
I played the dutiful gentleman and continued to feign interest as she rubbed my arm. But my concentration was fully on the girl slowly making her way toward me from behind. I could hear her hesitant footsteps. Her sigh. Was she nervous?
I sensed she was right behind me, minutes before she tapped my shoulder. She took her time before she tried to get my attention.
I wondered if she'd turn around and run for her life.
If she knew the future that was in store for her if she stayed, she probably would
, I grimly thought to myself.
She sighed again, sounding annoyed, then got the nerve to tap my shoulder. My muscles immediately tensed at her gentle touch. I did not want to know it at all. To ever become familiar with it.
I didn't immediately turn around. I waited a few seconds just to give myself more of an advantage. Lord knew that I wanted our first encounter to be on my terms, not hers.
I continued staring at Jordana, who noticed her as well. She gave her biggest, most condescending fake smile.
“Hi Caroline,” she practically sneered. I couldn't understand why Jordana was so openly irritated by her. Jordana was clearly beautiful. Obviously in a league of her own.
“Hey, Jordana.” The poor girl mumbled.
I turned around then, slowly, and came face-to-face with her. Ready to meet my plain Jane.
I sucked in a deep breath.
Up close, her looks weren't as plain as I had originally thought. No, this close she was not plain at all. Her hair was pulled too tightly from her face, and her tomboyish and casual clothes seemed to overpower her slight frame. But everything else about her features was beautiful.
Her eyes were her most spectacular asset. A man could get lost in those eyes, especially when she stared so deeply at you.
Into you
. As if she knew something about you, something hidden, something that you'd kept within your soul, a secret so deep that you would never share.
“Can I help you?” I asked trying my hardest to sound calm and disinterested.
“Um, yeah. Hi, I'm Caroline Ellis,” she barely made out. “I'm with the school newspaper, and umâ¦we're doing a feature story on the new quarterback,” she continued. “Well, on you.”
“Really?” I asked, deliberately sounding bored, put out by her attention.
”Do you have time for a few questions?” she croaked out staring at me intently again.
I stared right back and looked her up and down, intentionally trying to make her insecure. Making sure she would never like me. Trying to make her loathe me. It would be too easy to do.
I could see the curiosity in her eyes. She wanted to know me. But then again, they all did. To the humans, the Fae were the most powerful and seductive creatures on the earth, and she would be no different in her desire to get closer, even if she was different from her weaker counterparts.
Regardless, I was going to stop that dead in its tracks. Before I had the chance to respond, Jordana spoke up.
“Here? Caroline, are you serious?” She laughed. “He just got here, and he's busy. You can do it later.”
“We're trying to get the story in tomorrow's edition of the paper,” she responded, staring straight at Jordana. Her shoulders were squared back, and her chin was up in defense.
She was so small compared to me.
So fragile.
So delicate.
Soâ¦innocent.
What was I thinking?
I came back to earth and responded as coolly as I could.
“Let me save you some time. I don't do interviews,” I said with finality. “Not now, not ever.”
She turned her gaze to mine, and we stared at each other on the field.
Grey eyes meeting black ones.
I could tell she was speechless, shocked even, so I continued on sounding as cool and as insensitive as I possibly could.
“You'll have to go and find someone else to bother with this nonsense.” I was probably going to get the jerk of the year award from her, but I didn't stop. It was the best way. The safest way for her and for me.
Jordana and her friends, who had now circled us like lions eyeing their prey, even chuckled from behind.
She was beyond silenced. I could see the emotions running through her flushed face. Humiliation. Pain. Anger.
Seconds passed, though it felt like hours.
But then she got her gumption back and if possible lifted her chin even higher as she continued to stare at me. “That's quite alright. I'm sure the interview wouldn't have been that interesting anyway.”
I almost smiled. She was like an angry tigress. I could see it in her eyes. It made me want to laugh. Did she have any idea just how powerful I was? With a flick of my hand I could make her disappear forever. And then whisper into the ears of the mortals to make sure that no one would ever remember that she even existed. Such was the power I possessed.
“Well then. Sorry to have bugged you all,” she said politely. She pulled her backpack up tightly against her shoulders. It looked like it must have weighed a ton. I silently resisted the urge to reach out and help her with the weight.
“Bye Caroline,” Jordana said as she ran her arm through mine.
She didn't respond as she continued to stare at me. I stared right back looking as cool as possible. Jordana grabbed my arm and pulled me away. I let the young girl drag me through the crowd and turned around only once to watch Caroline walk slowly away.