whole body trembling on her bed. Samantha wanted me to confirm what she’d already put together in her mind. No matter how right she was and the “out” she was giving me, I couldn’t. I couldn’t tell someone as cool and innocent and pure as Samantha I’d been messing around with Aivery’s boyfriend. She’d never understand. To her, I would be my mother.
I was not my mother.
“I know.” I told her with a straight face and gentle tone.
Samantha hopped off her bed, grabbed her book bag, and headed for the door. “See you later. I may be out a little late today. I’m going to the basketball game.”
My stomach turned over when the door slammed closed.
I didn’t realize how cold I was until mucous ran from my nose. Shit… I wiped it with my sleeve and sniffled deeply. My ankles and knees bounced as I watched every move Ashton made on the mostly empty field under the bright stadium lights. He was practicing his throws with three different people, all adults, receiving the ball. There were about five off the field, taking notes or coaching him some kind of way.
One of them was Coach Green, but he spoke the least. The ball was being given to Ashton, all for him to run backward a few steps, pivot, and throw it to one of the guys running down the field. It was the same technique over and over, with just a little switch up with Ashton’s posture. He wore a baseball cap, sweatshirt, tights, and shorts with his sneakers. It wasn’t Panthers gear, but I could see the sweat covering his neck, and every few minutes, he’d use the hand towel from his waist to wipe his face.
His dedication and patience with the same throw was inspiring. I hated repetition when training. But Ashton… Even though he looked small from where I sat in the bleachers, his sequence was larger than life. His back was wide, strong. Arms were long and lightning fast, his long legs quick and coordinated. His play…this play as a quarterback, seemed built into his powerful physique. The League would never pass on this type of dedication.
Four noiseless leaps back, two to the side, and a long throw.
That was pretty much the play. And I watched under the dark sky until a whistle was blown to quit for the night. I stood and dropped down the steps until I was on the field. I didn’t go out too far, just enough for him to notice me. He did when one of the white guys stopped in his tracks recognizing me. I didn’t know who was more weirded out at discovering the other person: me or him. In these short months, I’d gotten used to seeing only one white face on this campus, and that was Collin. I’d heard there were a handful at BSU, but hadn’t seen them. Tonight, there were four out here in the stadium. So this guy reacting to my presence was a unicorn to me.
Ashton saw me and gave a nod, acknowledging me and motioning to give him time to wrap his business up. I did. Waiting patiently, I watched how they all spoke to Ashton, and he was given time to respond to each. When they were done, Ashton seemed like their equal the way he dapped it up with them to end their time together. This was ‘grown-ass man’ Ashton at play. I could never get used to seeing him in action. The strangers walked off, and Coach Green and a trainer I’d seen around the athletic complex had final words with Ashton. Eventually, they dismissed him, too.
Ashton started his walk toward the tunnel, wiping his head down, eyes tight. But not before he tossed his head, telling me to follow him. I did without hesitation because the football squad never restricted me from their area. I now understood it was because I was a Panther, too. The fact that I was a “tomboy” didn’t hurt either, I was sure. They probably never suspected Ashton would look twice at me sexually, let alone put his dick in me.
Quietly, I followed him down the tunnel with my head hung low, into countless hallways, then eventually into the locker room. I didn’t speak when he grabbed changing clothes, body wash, and deodorant from his locker. He was tired. They’d just played an away game yesterday, flew back to BSU last night, and he’d just had another football obligation. Dude had to be bushed.