I’m on edge all day Wednesday, waiting for Coach to pop his head into any one of my classes and tell me I need an extra session or whatever before our first game on Friday night at Lawndale High. It’s still a huge issue that the guys don’t wanna listen when I call plays, and while they’re the ones being complete and total fucknuggets, I’m the one who’s gonna suffer if we can’t work shit out.

I let my gaze travel around my English class, drifting over Bro of All Bros Chase Hamill, overachiever to the stars Aisha Bates, and uber-preppy Austin Barrett, who is, as usual, pretending to listen while sneaking glances at Cheer Girl’s legs every three seconds.

In fairness, they are extremely good legs. Strong legs. Strong legs that can do a split on command.

Strong legs that probably still want to kick my ass for being such a prick to her the other day.

It shouldn’t bother me. She was just being fake and cheery because it’s literally her job. But I didn’t realize it would be my one and only experience here with anyone being friendly. Even if she was faking it, that’s still more than anyone else has done. Maybe I should apologize. Hell, it certainly wouldn’t hurt for anyone to see me getting along with a cheerleader.

And then it hits me. What if she were willing to broker a little peace? Anyone that hot has definitely got at least one guy on the team willing to do anything she wants, and maybe, just maybe, I can talk her into getting that guy to see how much I have to offer. Maybe he talks to the other guys on the team about that. Maybe we stop wasting so much fucking time and finally get somewhere.

Of course, there’s no reason she’d be willing to help me, but I’m desperate, and I’m already late to the season; I don’t have any more time to let my skills earn my respect for me. I’m gonna have to kiss some miniskirted ass, and not in a fun way.

Whatever it takes, I tell myself as I let my gaze drift over to Amber again, (mostly) ignoring her legs in favor of scrutinizing what would be the best way to get her on my side. Whatever it takes.