01: Behind My Reputation

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Today is the last practice of the week before Friday's game and Coach has been working us harder than ever. Different demands shoot from his lungs as if they were his only source of breath, his hands making signals at the same time.

The shrill sound of Coach's whistle rings through the field. He yells at the Quarterback, Rodney Reid, to keep it together, and I can hear him grunt from a few feet away. Rodney is playing perfectly, and we all know it.

Coach, on the other hand, doesn't seem to think so.

"Keep on your feet, Reid!" He yelled over the commotion.

Rodney and I are on the same training team for this practice round, and we both know it was my fumble that messed up the play, but Coach has an opposite opinion.

Everybody can hear Coach groan before saying: "Start over. Run it again!"

"I want to see him run it," Rodney mumbles bitterly once we are back in position on the scrimmage line.

I chuckle at his annoyance, fighting back my snarky comment.

Another blast of the whistle signals for us to begin. Rodney readies himself behind the Center, Cole Atless, our toughest Lineman. Since I was a Wide Receiver, I am on the outside of the lineup, readying myself to make a run for it. As a Receiver, along with Rodney's cousin Bradley Stuart, it is our job to catch a pass and then run like hell.

I can barely hear the QB's call as he makes them, but I perk my ears the best I can. Avoiding the tackles from many opponents who are usually on my team, I sprint to the best of my ability.

Rodney's spiral is clear in the cloudy sky, no sun is blazing in my line of site as the pass goes right to me. A sudden pressure collides with my chest as I catch the ball with no trouble. I continue to run, but I don't get more than ten yards down the field before bodies start colliding against me.

The two guys who tackled me, Brett and Carson, get off of me. I stand up and shake off the slight ache running through my bones, but I don't mind. Adrenaline is the only thing that is flowing through my veins right now.

"Griffin!" I sigh as Coach calls me by my last name. When I run up to him, he actually greets me with a small smile. "Not bad, Austin."

"What do you mean?" I groan. "You saw that play, I barely made it ten yards."

"Don't cut yourself short." Coach nods over to Brett and Carson. "You all made quite the effort there. Just be sure not to make the same mistake tomorrow night."

"Yes, Coach."

"Now, run it again!" He says, blowing his whistle once again.

By the end of practice, I was ready to rip that whistle off Coach's neck and throw it in a blender. My head aches from the number of times that noise ran through my ears. Luckily, I won't have to hear it for another twenty-four hours.

Cold water runs down my body and I sigh in relief. I was close to overheating when I finally got off that field, so the chills that rack my body now are more than welcome. After turning off the water, I grab my towel off the hanger and wrap it around my waist.

"Yeah, a scout is coming to check me out tomorrow." I overhear Rodney brag when I'm out of the shower area. He looks over to me when I reach my locker. "Try not to steal my spotlight, okay Griffin?"

"Can't make any promises." I grin, but he only scowls at me in return. "What scout is coming to see you play?"

"Yale."

Cole chokes on the water coming from his water bottle. Bradley laughs and pats him on the back.

"Nuh-uh!" Brett is as shocked as the rest of us. "You're joking."

Now Rodney's ego seems to take a rocket ship to the highest point in the world. I didn't realise he could think any higher of himself that he already did, but the look on his face proves me wrong.

"Nope!" He pops the 'p' as his grin widens.

"You lucky son of a bitch," Brett yells as he stretches out his arm to Rodney. He takes his hand around the inside of his arm a little above the wrist. "Come here!"

Brett pulls him into a hug and then starts to rant about how he'd been dreaming of going to Yale since he found out football existed. It is a good school, but I never thought of them as highly as Stanford.

I finish drying myself off and get dressed, concealing the scar on my side in the process. I spray some deo under my arms before grabbing my hair gel and walking to the mirror. After getting it in the style I want, I close the lid and put it away in my locker.

"Prettying yourself up for Sabrina?" Rodney raises a brow at me.

Bradley wraps his arm around his cousin and smiles. "Have you seen him get all dolled up for anyone else lately?"

"No, not lately," Rodney says, peeling Bradley's arm off of him. "You're getting soft, dude. What happened to the guy who said, and I quote 'You can never date too many girls at once?'"

"That guy," I glare at him, "stopped being a dick."

"Guys, I think it's great that Austin has a girl," Cole admits. "He probably keeps her around for a reason."

All I do is smirk and their eyes light up like Christmas. Rodney howls and pats me on the back. "Well, there you have it, Gentlemen."

Them not knowing that I haven't popped her cherry is for the best. If they knew that Sabrina is still a virgin, they'd constantly bug me about it. The fact that I haven't been able to get her in bed yet is embarrassing and definitely not something they need to know.

When I exit the locker room, Sabrina is waiting for me. She leans against the fence at the entrance of the stadium and flashed her jaw dropping smile. My legs feel like jelly as I smile back. Wrapping my arms around her waist, I pull her to me by the belt loops of her jeans.

She is no longer in her cheer uniform, but wears jeans and a grey T-shirt. Still, even in something so simple, she takes my breath away.

Her lips meet mine and I'm lost to them until I hear hoots coming from behind me. I turn away from Sabrina to see my team watching us, making 'get a room' remarks.

"Will you guys get out of here?" I groan, but can't help the chuckle that escapes me due to their immaturity.

Sabrina turns my head away from them and drapes her arms around my shoulders. "Just ignore them," she says against my lips, and I happily comply.

After I pull away, I notice for the first time that Sabrina's vermin of a friend is hovering around.

"Awe, Austin, you're not happy to see me?" Amber fake pouts when she sees the scowl I send in her direction.

"I'd be happy if I didn't see you at all, actually." I pull off the fakest smile I can muster, and she rolls her eyes in return.

Amber Reid is Rodney's step-sister. A couple of years ago, her dad married his mom and they've been living with each other ever since. I used to think she was cool, but when I started dating her best friend, she started going crazy on me.

We've been enemies ever since, shooting sly remarks at each other every chance we get.

I'll never understand how Rodney can stand living with her. Of course, they were screwing before their parents decided to tie the knot, but ever since last year, they've been fighting. Obviously the fact that they're step-siblings and share a history eventually made things awkward.

"Amber had to come to school with Rodney today. Do you have to go home, or can you give me a ride?" Sabrina asks.

I can't even think about home right now. In fact, that is last on my list for destinations this evening.

"Of course."

A loud honk comes from the direction of the stadium entrance.

"I know, I'm coming!" Amber yells in response to Rodney's honking.

He's seated impatiently in the parking lot right outside of the stadium entrance. Sometimes I feel sorry for how Rodney treats Amber, but after what she did to him, I couldn't blame him.

When Rodney told me about the lie she cooked up, I lost all remaining respect for her. Rodney claims that Amber lied to their parents about Rodney trying to force her into doing stuff with him. She conveniently left out the parts where they had consensual sex, but he knew it was a lost cause to argue after what she told them. Their parents still both hold it against him.

It surprises me that a civil war doesn't break out whenever they get in the car together.

When Amber leaves, Sabrina and I walk to my car.

"So, are you doing anything fun tonight?" She asks as she gets in the passenger seat.

I wait to answer until I get in the car myself. "The team's having a guy's night out before the game tomorrow night." We buckle and I start the car. Brett honks at me from behind as he drives by. I wave and continue to back out of the parking space.

"Oh, that sounds like fun," she says. "None of the cheerleaders are getting together tonight. Usually we all go to Courtney's house and watch a movie in her basement, but she's got a huge Calc test in the morning and has to cram."

"Courtney's head cheerleader this year, isn't she?" I wonder aloud.

"Yes," Sabrina confirms. "Don't get any ideas."

I laugh. "Ideas about what? I'm not the Quarterback, Rodney can have her."

She sighs, seemingly content with my answer.

The ride to her house doesn't take long. I walk her to her doorstep after parking the car in her driveway.

"Are you sure you can't come inside for a little?" She gives me her best puppy dog eyes, but today isn't possible. Plus, I'd rather not have another run in with her dad. He doesn't like me very much.

"I'm sorry, Rina. You're going to have to be a little more creative than that to persuade me." My husky tone takes over my voice.

Her eyes widen and she slaps my arm.

"Ouch, why do you hit me all the time?"

"Why do you make comments like that all the time?" She retorts.

"Because, you're just so sexy," I whine and pull her close to me.

"Mhmm." She looks at me like she's scolding a five year old and I can't help but chuckle.

"Okay, I really gotta go." I kiss her forehead and wink before getting in the car. "Later gorgeous."


***

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