Waiting on the Sidelines (Waiting on the Sidelines #1)(31)

My face felt tight from the lack of sleep and I desperately wanted to brush my teeth. I headed into the spare room and grabbed my uniform and toothbrush to run upstairs for a quick shower and some freshening up.

Tatum’s bathroom was large enough to be a master bathroom. She had both a tub and a shower and a large wrap-around mirror. I imagined it was a luxury for someone like Tatum who probably loved to model for herself at all angles. When I flicked the light on in the bathroom, I squinted at first, the harshness a bit much to take on only three hours of sleep.

I dipped my toothbrush under the water and loaded it with toothpaste and began to brush. Looking in the mirror I noticed one of my eyebrows was curled straight up. I must have really slept on that wrong, I thought, reaching in the water with my hand to flatten out the gnarled brow. I knew something was wrong the instant I touched my face, though.





Panic hit me hard. I pushed in close, dropping my brush in the running water. There was a line of hairs missing in my eyebrow. Like they had been plucked. But surely I would have woken up for that. I looked ridiculous, and my stomach was swirling between furious and tortured. I kept rubbing water along the brow to try to bunch the hairs that were left together to cover it up. It was no use, though. No matter what I did, it looked like a mangled mess.

After about 15 minutes, I crawled into the shower and thought about my options. Every nerve in my face wanted to cry, but there was no way I would give Tatum that satisfaction. I wasn’t sure, but my instincts told me that Tatum probably put a drop of hair remover on my brow and slid the hairs off my face as I slept. When I was done showering, I grabbed my makeup bag and colored in the missing spot. It wasn’t perfect. And up close, you could definitely see that something wasn’t right. But with my beanie pulled down far on my forehead and from far away, I was pretty sure I could fool the group of girls downstairs.

I gathered my stuff and headed down. Most of the girls were dressed by this point and had their bags packed, ready for Tatum to drive us in her mom’s van to the school. Smiling at me as we filed out the door, she couldn’t help but gloat.

“Something wrong, Noles? You have a rough night’s sleep?” she asked with her best concerned tone.

“Nope,” I said, clipped. “Slept like a baby.” And then I added a pat on the shoulder as I walked out the door.



When we pulled up to the school, most of the rest of the team had already arrived. I noticed Sean and Reed’s truck and Jeep right away. My stomach was thumping with the beat of my heart from equal parts dread and anger. I wanted to run to Sean for comfort, but I also wanted to rip the band-aid off and end our relationship. Sean was a great friend, but he never really made my heart leap out of my chest the way Reed did. I also wanted to slap Reed and question how he could ever be with a girl like Tatum.

I wasn’t ready to confront them when I rounded the corner of the locker room to drop off my bags and change my shoes.

“Hey, Noles. You guys just get here?” Reed said, Sean coming closer to grab my hand. I jerked it away in a fit of irrational anger. Sean hadn’t done anything wrong, but I didn’t want to be touched. Not by him.

“Yep,” I said, shortly.

“What’s up your ass?” Reed said, looking at Sean to shed some light on my mood.

I turned and without even thinking blurted out, “My ass? Your girlfriend’s a bitch. That’s what’s up my ass.” I left them there, bewildered by my outburst and headed into the locker room. My head was thumping with anger and I was talking to myself. I locked my stuff up and sat on the bench to lace up my shoes, my mouth muttering the words I would say to Tatum’s face. And then there she was.

I fought my urge and stood up, snapping my head to stare at her as I headed for the door, but she caught my arm before I could make it out.

“Do not… touch me!” I yelled, my face close to hers.

She leaned into the door to block my exit. Crossing her arms, I saw her face wash over with superiority. This was the Tatum I had first encountered my freshman year. She was asserting her authority over me, and I was not going to have any of it.

“So,” she said, kicking her foot along the ground and looking down as she thought about her words. “What do you think Reed will think when I tell him about all the times you’ve slept with Sean?”

I was befuddled. I was a virgin, that much I knew. Sean had been very respectful and patient with me and I don’t think the rumor was floating around that we were having sex. “You’re absurd,” I bit back. “And you’re an idiot.” I tried to move her from the door but she wasn’t budging.

“Yeah,” she laughed a little to herself. “Thing is, all I have to do is say it to a few people and then it’s out there. There’s no putting that back. Reed will never look at you again. Untouchable. He wouldn’t want to share you with Sean, and he wouldn’t look at you with those doting innocent eyes that he sees you with now.”

I was speechless. Was she actually threatening to rumor me to death? Could she do that? Would that work?

“Think about it,” she continued. “Are you ready to be a whore? I know you’re not in love with Sean. And I bet you’re going to break up with him soon. I’ll start the rumor about the next guy you’re going to hook up with, too. Don’t think I won’t.” She chewed the inside of her cheek with a finality of confidence.