Off Sides (Off #1)(13)

Mike is pulling me backward and tells me to calm down. I shake him off of me viciously. "Get the f*ck off me, Mike. I'm fine."

He pulls his arms back and holds them up in surrender. He looks at me apprehensively.

I turn my back on him and stalk over to my locker. Coach comes up to me and gives me a dressing down. He tells me to get my ass in gear or else I can kiss my Captaincy goodbye. My only consolation is that Malone needs five stitches in his head.

***

By the time Mike and I make it to the dining hall, I've calmed somewhat but my stomach is in knots. I was beyond furious when Malone called Danny a whore. I try to imagine what she would have felt like if she had heard that. And now I'm afraid that Danny will be facing an endless stream of spitefulness from my crowd just because of her lot in life.

I grab a tray of food, not really paying attention to what I'm choosing. Mike and I find an empty table and sit down.

"You okay, man?" Mike's eyes are filled with concern.

"Sure."

"What’s up with Malone? It's like his attitude is getting worse. I don't understand why Coach doesn't kick him off the team."

I shake my head. I don't get it either. But if Malone is going to tear our team apart, we can kiss any chance of a winning season goodbye. I eat in silence, mulling everything over.

"Hey, Ryan. You know what Malone said about Danny is just words, right? They shouldn't mean anything to you."

He's trying to comfort and reassure me, and I get that. But a dark feeling is taking root in my mind. I'm not sure I'm ready for this. I don't know if I can handle the inevitable fallout that is going to come by forging a relationship with Danny.

"This is a bad idea...to get involved with her, isn't it?"

Mike shrugs his shoulders. "Maybe not."

"You said it yourself. My parents will never accept her because she looks different and isn’t in our social haven. Our crowd has their heads so far up their asses, they believe because she works in a diner that she's a whore. Tell me how this can work?"

I feel like I'm almost pleading with him to give me the right answer.

Mike puts down his sandwich and leans forward. "Tell me, Ryan...do you care what she looks like?"

"No, although I think she's freakin' gorgeous."

"So, her purple hair and nose ring and...whatever that is in her eyebrow...that doesn't bother you?"

"Not at all."

"And the fact she works in a diner? Does that change how you feel?"

"No! I admire the fact she's working...two jobs...going to school and doing volunteer work. She's amazing."

"Then I don't see what the problem is, dude. All that matters is what you think."

I sigh. I know that. And I don't care what anyone else thinks about me for being with Danny. But I do care if Danny gets hurt because of the nastiness I'm surrounded by.

Danny and I have been out one time. We've spent less than three hours together, and yet I find myself wanting to protect her more than any other person I've ever known. The strength of these feelings scares the shit out of me. I just don't know what to do.





CHAPTER 6


Danny



It's 6:00 a.m. and my alarm is shrieking from across the room. I put it over there so I have to get up and get out of bed to turn it off. Otherwise, I'm always in danger of just falling back asleep. I put my pillow over my head and try to ignore it. When that doesn't work, I throw my pillow at it and it makes a direct hit, knocking the clock to the floor. Except, it's still shrieking at me. I simply take my other pillow and cover my head with it.

It's been five days since my date with Ryan and he hasn't called me. I'm depressed and I know it, and I hate myself that I feel this way. I should have more fortitude than I’m showing right now.

I spent the day after our date replaying everything over in my mind. I spent a lot of time thinking of our last kiss. I couldn't help but imagine what comes after a kiss like that. In theory, I know what happens after a kiss like that. In reality, well...let's just say I have to rely on my imagination.

When I had not heard from Ryan the day after our date, I was a little worried and slightly annoyed. I sent him a quick text the following morning:

Hi. R U ok?

He texted back fairly quickly.

Yup. Something came up. Call u later.

I immediately felt better after getting his text and went about spending another day waiting for him to call. Except, rather than walking on clouds and day-dreaming about our phenomenal kiss, I obsessed about why he had not called. I had a nagging feeling that something wasn't quite right. Thinking of every possible reason why he wouldn’t call, I was convinced by the end of that second day I would not hear from him.

And I didn't.

No calls, no texts. Nothing.

I didn't bother to text him again. A stalker I was not.

By the end of the third day with no word from him, I deleted his contact information from my phone.

The alarm is still shrieking and Paula's bedroom door opens. "What the fu-u—udge, Danny? Turn that damn thing off."

I ignore her and the alarm. Lying here in bed and ignoring everything is what's on the agenda today. I have a blessedly rare day to myself with no work obligations, no school and I plan on having a date with my pillow.