Love Me | Series Book #1

TWELVE

My opinion of football was a newly discovered hatred, but after the experiences I'd had with the game of pigskin, it wasn't hard to accumulate. It had been the cause of nothing but problems within these last few months so I should have been ready when Monday came back around and threw me for a surprise

"I got the scholarship."

I hadn't even stepped into the car, but I'd noticed that the air seemed lighter. Less oppressive.

Now he sat beaming at me with a smile held up by the corners of his mouth. It took a little more than a moment for his words to take effect.

"Oh."

He was expecting more, but I couldn't bring the words to surface.

"That's great."

The torn open envelope on the console was a mediator between us and the seal of a five-point star inscribed in the corner of the page was scorching a rapid fire through the center of my chest.

"But I-I thought you weren't applying for State."

The words stumbled out of my mouth and I'm sure he could feel the nerves spreading through me. I should have prepared myself better, but I was too hopeful to believe that I wouldn't have to revaluate my future. I had hoped that it would be the one place without him.

"Course I did. You didn't think I'd give you up that easily did you?"

All of a sudden the shaky feeling within my veins vanished. I could feel the coursing fire draining out of my system, extinguishing to a mellow flame.

I wasn't familiar with how to draw a game plan, but I knew enough about strategy. Anticipating moves were to be avoided, a well as anything too far fetched. Predictable, but unpredictable enough to get through one play at a time.

"Of course not," I continued, "I just thought you were set on A and M..."

"Yeah well, State's offer was better," he commented, resting his hand on the edge of my seat. I spent the next few minutes on the road, placing my words.

"Are you gonna take it?"

"Take what?"

I blinked away the condescending thoughts from my mind, and dug deeper into a new layer of patience. At times like these I wondered where his mind went, and how someone so dense could be sad conniving as he was.

"The money. Have you made your decision?"

He swallowed and ran a hand through his hair. Mason hardly ever exhibited indecisive behavior. He was always confident in his choices, many times overly confident. The answer yes or no. Never an in between. Maybes didn't exist to him.

I was more than curious to hear an answer. Almost hopeful.

"You'll know when I have."

Not a direct answer. Which meant he hadn't fully made up his mind yet.

I bit down on my jaw to keep the nagging smile away. There was a chance. Not a very likely one, but a chance nonetheless. That's all I needed.

As we pulled onto campus, I managed to keep myself under control. I kept my wandering thoughts on a tight tether, making a point not to get too carried away with hopeful possibilities. Because that's when he'd always get me.

When I was in the safety of own my mind.

He parked the car by the front and shut off the engine. I suddenly remembered the words of my father when we exited the vehicle.

"By the way my dad has a proposition for you," I commented as we climbed the stairs.

"Yeah?" He responded, half listening.