Tomboys Don't Wear Pink: How To Date A Tomboy Page 14

“No, you’re seriously awesome.” He shoved his acceptance letter in my face. “Look!”

  I quickly skimmed over the letter.

  Thank you for resubmitting your advanced transcript. Your dedication and perseverance to raising your grades hasn’t gone unnoticed. Based on your stellar performance both on and off the field, we are pleased to offer you an athletic scholarship to the Rutgers University upon completion of your high school requirements.

  I couldn’t help but return his eager grin. “Your hard work paid off.”

  “Yeah, thanks to you! I never would’ve gotten my math grade up without your help. And that practice test site you recommended is the bomb! Did you know there are tests for like every subject on there?”

  I laughed. “Pretty cool, huh?”

  Archer howled and picked me up again. “I’m going to Rutgers!”

  I clung to my skirt again, but this time I laughed with him. That is until an icy blast of liquid sobered me. Archer dropped me so fast I barely managed to catch myself. Both of us looked around stunned as we wiped the deluge of brown liquid from our faces. Some had gotten in my mouth and I quickly identified the flavor—diet soda.

  I could already feel the sticky liquid turning to glue in my hair.

  My mind was still trying to figure out how I’d been dowsed in soda when Lexy’s shrill voice filled the air, instantly solving the riddle.

  “You might have stolen my boyfriend,” Lexy hissed, “but you’re crazy if you think I’m going to let you take my crown.”

  “Whoa, Lex,” Archer started. “Beeler’s just my friend. She’s been helping me—”

  Lexy cut him off, her voice laced with venom. “Shut up,” she spat, keeping her livid glare fixed on me. “Do you think I’m stupid? I’ve seen you two sneaking around.”

  “Babe, let me explain,” Archer tried again, but Lexy batted him away, this time turning her fury on him.

  “Save it, Archer! I don’t even care. If you want to date Scarlet Letter over here be my guest, but I’m done!”

  Archer balked like he’d been slapped. “What?”

  “Do I need to spell it out for you? It’s over, Archer!”

  He lowered his voice. “Lexy, are you seriously doing this?”

  “Like you care!” she snarled. “The only thing that matters to you is football, and apparently her,” she said glaring at me again.

  “That’s not true. Casey and I are just friends.” He lowered his voice. “She’s been helping me study.”

  Lexy rolled her eyes. “Likely story.”

  “Will you shut up and listen to him!” I interrupted. “He’s telling the truth! He just got news about college. That’s why we were celebrating.”

  “Like I’m going to believe anything a little harlot like you says.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “How many other people’s boyfriends did you have to flirt with to get yourself voted homecoming queen?”

  “I know you’re not going to believe this, Lexy, but none. I’m a nice person. That’s why people voted for me.”

  “Please! The only reason you even got on the ballot is because of your fifteen minutes of internet fame and everyone knows it. It’ll fade and so will you. Especially if you keep dressing like that.” Her eye roved over the vintage baseball tee I’d paired with a skirt and Converse. “Where do you shop, your mommy’s closet? Oh wait, you don’t have one. No wonder you’re so clueless.”

  Archer stepped forward. “Lexy! That’s enough.”

  “Why are you still here, Archer? I said we’re done,” Lexy sneered, giving him a dismissive wave.

  Archer’s voice lowered to a rumble that gave me chills. “Lexy, I swore I’d never hit a girl and that’s why I’m giving you ten seconds to get out of my sight before I do something I’ll regret.”

  “Are you seriously taking her side?” Lexy screeched.

  Archer didn’t flinch. “Nine . . . Eight . . .”

  I watched Lexy turn on her heels and march away through blurry eyes as tears threatened to humiliate me further. I hated crying, especially in front of other people, but a girl can only take so much.

  Archer turned back to me, concern in his eyes. “I’m so sorry, Casey.”

  The tenderness in his voice was my undoing. Tears flooded down my cheeks and I let him pull me against his soda-stained shirt.

  “Me too,” I said as I choked back tears.

  Archer pulled away to look down at me. “Why are you sorry?”

  “Because your girlfriend’s a psycho.”

  He chuckled softly. “I don’t think she’s my girlfriend anymore.”

  I tried to smile through my tears. “If it’s any consolation, you deserve better.”

  “Thanks,” he said pulling me back to his chest.

  I sniffled against him and felt him rumble with laughter. I looked up wondering what in the world could be funny right now. He grinned down at me. “Ya know, I think I’m gonna have to start carrying spare shirts to school, Beeler. This is the second one you’ve ruined,” he teased.

  “Hey! The soda wasn’t my fault,” I replied smiling despite his taunt.

  “Yeah, but I’m pretty sure the snot and lipstick are.”

  I laughed, grateful Archer was choosing to find humor in the situation because I didn’t know what to do. I could still feel the stiletto-sized hole Lexy’s words had left in my heart.

  Maybe laughing was the only way through it.

  Chapter Forty

  Lucas

  I blinked begging my eyes to be wrong. Maybe it was all an illusion. A figment of my imagination. I did have a tendency to let my fears run away with me.

  But no matter how many times I told myself I was seeing things, the image didn’t change.

  Casey stood in the cafeteria nestled against Archer’s chest, his massive arms encircling her intimately—the way mine used to.

  The bouquet of flowers in my hands suddenly felt ridiculous. As did the even more useless homecoming tickets.

  My heart was in a blender, but I finally had my answer. It wasn’t the one I’d hoped for, but I guess not all love stories have happy endings.

  Casey

  Regaining what was left of my dignity, I dried my eyes, this time on my own t-shirt as I pulled free of Archer’s comforting arms.

  “You alright?” he asked.

  “I will be,” I answered, forcing a smile, but as I moved out of Archer’s shadow, I saw something that cut deeper than even Lexy’s cruel words.

  Standing a few feet away, was Lucas—a bouquet of flowers dangling from his hand.

  Our eyes met and a thousand regrets passed between us, making my heart sink, because the hurt I saw in his eyes told me there was nothing I could say to make up for the pain this misunderstanding had caused him.

  His name was out of my mouth before I could stop myself.

  “Don’t,” he yelled, holding up a hand to stop my explanation. His face twisted into a bitter smile and he huffed a laugh. “I can’t believe I was actually coming here to ask for another chance. I must be crazy.”

  “You’re not,” I whispered taking a step toward him.

  “You’re right. I’m not crazy. Thanks for proving that I was right all along. Here,” Lucas said shoving a pair of homecoming tickets into my hand. “You don’t have to lie anymore. Now you can go with Archer.”

  “I don’t want to go with Archer,” I sobbed. “I want to go with you!”

  But Lucas didn’t hear me, or he didn’t care. He was already storming out of the cafeteria, tossing the flowers in the trash on his way.

  A sob escaped me and I let the tickets fall from my shaking hands, because I knew we were truly over.

  There would be no extra innings for us.

  That had been our last chance.

  Chapter Forty-One

  Alex

  “It’s too late,” Casey sniffled. “He wants nothing to do with me now.”

  “I’m sorry, Case,” I said softly for what felt like the millionth ti
me in the past twenty minutes. But I didn’t know what else to say to my best friend.

  She was sitting next to me on a bench in the locker room. We’d been hiding out here since lunch and I couldn’t blame her.

  I’d made her shower and change into her softball clothes, but I could tell even though she’d scrubbed all the sticky soda off, she still hadn’t been able to wash away the sting of heartbreak.

  “I should’ve told you Lucas was going to ask you to homecoming today,” I muttered.

  “That wouldn’t have mattered.”

  “It might have. I still think if you just talk to him—”

  “Alex, I know you’re trying to help but Lucas isn’t going to talk to me after what he thinks he saw me and Archer doing in the cafeteria.”

  “Yeah . . . about that . . .” I was treading lightly because Casey had been through the wringer today, but I was curious as to what was actually going on between her and Northwood’s football hero.

  She sighed deeply. “Well, I guess there’s no use in keeping it a secret now.”

  “Keeping what a secret?”

  “I’ve been tutoring him.”

  I sat there waiting for her to add something shocking to the rest of that sentence. When she didn’t, I frowned. “And?”

  “And that’s it,” Casey answered. “Archer got a college acceptance letter today and came to tell me our studying paid off.”

  I blinked. “Casey, everyone knows you’re super brainy and Archer’s . . . well . . . not. You admitting you’ve been tutoring him isn’t really a shocker.”

  “I know, but he didn’t want anyone to know.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know. Pride?” She shrugged. “Or maybe he was just embarrassed to be seen with me.”

  “Definitely not. You’re gonna be homecoming queen,” I said bumping her shoulder with mine.

  “I’m not going to homecoming,” Casey grumped.

  “I really think if you just tell Lucas the truth—”

  “Alex, I’ve tried!” Casey snapped. “It’s too late, okay? Can we drop it?”

  “Okay,” I said affronted.

  “I’m sorry,” Casey replied. “I didn’t mean to yell. Today has just been the worst.”

  “I know,” I said, slinging my arm over her shoulder, easily forgiving her uncharacteristic outburst. I knew she was just hurting right now. If yelling helped, I would let her.

  She sighed and leaned her head against my shoulder. “I just need to accept that things aren’t going to work out with Lucas or homecoming.”

  “I know you’re probably too upset to hear this right now, but I wouldn’t give up just yet, Case.”

  Her dark eyes met mine. “I’m not as tough as you, Alex. I can’t do this anymore. I know I’m letting you and the team down but I’m going to call the office and withdraw my name from the homecoming court.”

  “Hey,” I said placing my hand on her slim shoulders. “You could never let me down. I just want you to be happy. And the same goes for the team. Just promise me one thing.”

  “What?”

  “Sleep on it. Don’t make any decisions while you’re upset.”

  “Fine,” she muttered. “I just want to go home and forget today ever happened.”

  “Here,” I said handing Casey my car keys. “I’ll get a ride home from Grant. And don’t worry about the team. I can lead practice today. Go home and get some rest.” I pulled my best friend to her feet and gave her a hug. “Everything will look better tomorrow, I promise.”

  “Thanks,” Casey murmured.

  My resolve strengthened as I watched her disappear from the locker room. There was a way to fix this. There had to be. I just needed to figure out what it was.

  With any luck I’d be leading more than practice in a few hours. Though I wanted to lead a witch hunt on Lexy Bale for humiliating my best friend, that would have to wait. It was much more important to find a way to lead Casey and Lucas down a path to happiness.

  I pulled my phone from my pocket and sent a message to Grant.

  If we put our heads together, I knew we’d be able to figure out how to help our best friends get together. They hadn’t given up on us when a million obstacles tried to keep us apart last year. We owed them the same.

  * * *

  “This could work,” Grant said with a grin.

  “Of course it will work! We came up with it and we’re awesome,” I said planting a kiss on his adorable lips.

  “Well, it better because I don’t think I can take one more minute of Lucas moping around. He looked like a kicked puppy at practice today!”

  “Imagine if you’d seen me in some hot guy’s arms when we were still figuring things out.”

  Grant’s mouth twitched into a crooked grin. “So, you think Archer’s hot?”

  “Shut up, everyone thinks Archer’s hot.”

  Grant laughed. “Yeah, even I can admit the guy definitely bathed in the good end of the gene pool when it comes to looks. Apparently not brains though.”

  I gave his arm a playful shove. “Be nice.”

  “I still can’t believe secret study sessions are to blame for keeping Lucas and Casey apart. Why didn’t she just tell Lucas that’s why she was with Archer?”

  “She promised she wouldn’t.”

  “She’s a better friend than me. I would’ve caved and told you everything.”

  “Grant, I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not. If you tell someone you’re going to keep a secret, then you should.”

  “Trust me, babe, it’s a good thing. I learned a long time ago that you come first.”

  How could I fault him for that? I kissed him again. “Okay, now stop flirting with me so we can get our best friends back on track.”

  Grant winked. “We got this, babe. You take care of Casey. I’ll handle everything else.”

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Lucas

  “Grant, for the last time. I’m not going. I’m all out of school spirit.”

  “Negative, Ghost Rider. You’re going. It’s our last homecoming game. We’ve gone together every year since we were kids. I’m not letting you stand me up because you’re bummed out over a girl.”

  “Can’t you just go with your girlfriend?” I argued.

  “No can do. She’s getting all dolled up for the dance.”

  I instantly pictured Casey helping Alex get ready and my freshly wounded heart ached painfully.

  “Lucas, we’re going,” Grant ordered, forcefully shoving a baseball hat on my head. “Get in the truck.”

  * * *

  By halftime our team was up by two touchdowns, but I was growing more miserable by the second thanks to having to watch the parade of convertibles driving the homecoming court around the field. When the junior class court was announced without Casey’s name in the running, I felt about two inches tall.

  I knew she’d withdrawn her nomination because of our very public feud and now I had to live with the guilt that it was my fault she was going to miss the dance. I wish I could take back everything I said. Especially since it appeared I might’ve been wrong since Archer Montgomery stood dateless with the rest of the nominees.

  “Wanna grab a snack?” Grant asked, once the homecoming announcements were over.

  “Whatever,” I muttered.

  “Come on. A hotdog will make you feel better.”

  I doubted it, but I didn’t have the energy to argue with Grant’s enthusiasm. I followed him down the bleachers to the busy concession stands where everyone around me was merrily sipping hot chocolates or coffees chatting about the game and the upcoming dance. It was like my own personal hell.

  I should be one of them. Commemorating with my classmates, celebrating our win at the dance with Casey in my arms.

  How had I let things get so screwed up?

  A tap on my shoulder pulled me from my wallowing. I turned around to see Archer looking down at me. I was tall, but in football pads and cleats, Archer Montgomery looked every b
it the six foot five inches he was.

  So, it seemed today could get worse.

  There could only be one reason Archer was standing here. Honestly, I welcomed it. I deserved whatever pounding he was about to give me. It still wouldn’t come close to the pain I’d caused myself over Casey.

  “Hey man, can we talk?” Archer asked.

  “Look, Archer. I get it. She likes you, not me. I don’t think I need to hear anything else you have to say,” I muttered.

  “Uh, actually you do,” he said pulling me back when I tried to turn away.

  Grant was suddenly by my side.

  Finally! At least I had some backup against this Neanderthal.

  But Grant merely nodded to Archer and then put a hand on my shoulder. “Just listen to him, Lucas.”

  * * *

  “So that was the big secret?” I asked, my mind reeling. “She was helping you study?”

  Archer nodded. “I’m sorry, man. I had no idea asking her not to tell anyone would cause this much trouble.”

  “I don’t understand. Why didn’t you want anyone to know?”

  “I already have three tutors. Having to get a fourth one, was sorta humiliating.”

  I rubbed at the pressure forming behind my eyes. “You’re telling me you guys have never been anything but friends this whole time?”

  “That’s the absolute truth, man,” Archer answered.

  Panic began to slither its way into my stomach as I replayed all the things I thought I’d seen. Casey and Archer in the parking lot, at her house, in the cafeteria. He’d explained the innocence of each and every one of the scenes. It had been my own insecurity that had misconstrued everything. “I’m such an idiot.”

  Archer laughed. “Yeah, you kinda are, man. Beeler’s a catch. Smart, feisty, funny, into sports, and more importantly into you. She ripped me a new one for showing up at her house that day.”

  I rubbed my forehead. How could I have been so stupid?