Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23100 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 92(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23100 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 92(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
People will outright say we’re a thing and she brushes it off. She says they think it’s true because we’re best friends. But what I feel for her is nothing like what I share with Sam. She can call us best friends all she wants, but we’re something else.
“Yeah, but I’m looking for Cami.”
I glance down the hallway to see if she’s coming and I wonder if maybe she went to the bathroom or had to talk to a teacher or something. When I don’t see her I grab my backpack and slide it on. I don’t even want to go to football practice and I don’t know why I let Sam talk me into trying out. Maybe it had something to do with seeing Cami wear one of my jerseys with my name on her back. It sounded good at the time, but what I didn't plan on was all the time it would keep me away from her.
“You’re always looking for Cami.”
“No I’m not,” I say defensively. “Not when she’s with me.” I smile at my stupid joke, making Sam shake his head.
“Maybe I know where she is,” he says, and I stare at him, waiting for him to tell me. Instead he just stares back at me like a dick.
“Why aren't you at practice?” I throw back. He loves playing football and is never late.
“Because I wanted to see this.” He keeps on smiling and I’m just getting more pissed off.
“Sam!” I bark, and he laughs.
“I might have seen her over at cheerleading tryouts.”
Before he can even finish getting the last word out I’m running. I speed down the long hallway and out the double doors that lead to the football field. The bright sun blinds me for a moment, then my eyes adjust and instantly I see her. Somehow I can always spot her no matter how big the crowd is. I swear there’s an invisible thread that ties the two of us together.
As if she feels my stare on her she turns those blue eyes to me. She raises her hand to give me a small wave but then stops and her eyebrows draw together in confusion.
“Cool it, man,” Sam whispers next to me. “You look like a bull about to charge.”
I take a breath, unsure of what came over me. No, that’s bullshit. I know exactly what came over me. The guys on the team have been talking about cheerleading tryouts happening today and I hadn't given it much thought. I didn’t pay it any attention because I didn't care. I thought the one person I wanted cheering for me would be in the stands and not on the field in one of those tiny outfits.
“How does she already have a uniform?” I ask Sam, who seems to know everything before I do today.
“I don’t know but—”
“Don’t,” I cut him off because I know what he’s going to say.
She looks pretty just like she always does. I take another deep breath before clearing the distance between us. I ignore the other girls along the way with my sights set on Cami.
“Reed?” she says with a question in her voice.
“You’re not at the library,” is the first thing I can think to say.
When I have practice she goes to the library for a little while then comes out afterwards and watches us while she reads. I went to our locker to see her, but she didn’t show up to get the books I knew she needed to return.
“No, I’m not at the library,” she repeats in a half laugh, but I see a touch of pink light up the freckles on the bridge of her nose. She got them over the summer because she spent too much time in the sun with me.
“You didn't tell me.” I reach out and take her left hand so I can hold it. I rub my thumb over her ring finger and it’s something I’ve noticed calms me. “We tell each other everything,” I remind her.
She bites her bottom lip and I can tell she wants to say something. I lock her fingers with mine and tug her away from everyone else. Not out of sight but far enough so that no one can hear us.
“Say it,” I push.
“All the other girls were doing it.” She shrugs as she looks away from me.
Normally when she starts fidgeting around and acting like this I’ll let it go. This time I can’t bring myself to do that. My heart is already thumping hard in my chest and I can feel something is about to happen. When she realizes I’m not letting her out of it this time she looks back to me.
“The boys on the football team like the cheerleaders.” Her cheeks turn even pinker and I stand there for a moment letting her words sink in. After a moment my hand tightens around hers a little more.