Captains

Prologue

I swear it wasn't my fault. I mean, COME ON. Me? Sterling Emory?Upcoming senior. Captain of the Varsity volleyball team. Straight-A student. I'm not the type of person do anything like this. My friends, Brooklyn and Cali, dared me, and to add to my credentials, I'm also an honorable person who follows through my responsibilities.

I should probably begin the story. Obviously being a high schooler, I was at a party. The only reason parties in this town, Lighthouse Pointe, were good, was the fact that they were on the beach. All the time. Year round.

So. The party was in full swing. 11 o'clock on a Saturday night in early August. Myself, Brooklyn, and Cali were dancing together in a circle, not that we didn't have our choice of guys. We weren't exactly ugly. I'm about five and a half feet tall, with light brown hair that falls naturally in waves down almost to the small of my back. My eye color depends on my shirt color and mood. Tonight, they were almost a sea glass blue, matching my turquoise tee shirt and khaki shorts. Brooklyn Jameson and Cali Panos were definitely petite at just over five feet. They also both had curly blonde hair. Their difference was that Brooklyn's was to her shoulders, while Cali's went about halfway down her back, and Cali's eyes were hazel, while Brooklyn's were blue. All three of us were fit, due to me playing volleyball and them playing softball. Anyway, we were dancing. All the people at this party were student athletes, so we all pretty much knew each other. Eventually, I got dragged into a terrible version of truth or dare, where all the truths were asking who you liked, and the only dare was to go skinny dipping.

While we're playing, in comes captain of the football team, Rider Calloway. He was a Grade-A pain in my ass. Sure. He was insanely attractive, with light brown, short hair, and blue eyes like you've never seen, but he was also a jackass on steroids. He had a girlfriend, but it was all an act, for reputation. Captain of the football team and head cheerleader, perfect match. Not. No one really understood why they stayed together, because they were constantly fighting, but it was none of my business and I didn't care.

Here the game really begins. Someone dares Rider to skinny dip, and obviously he does it. Once he's back from the ocean, he starts scanning, looking for his own victim. And his eyes, to my luck, land on me.

"Little captain, why haven't you gone?" He asks with a smirk.

"Because no one around here knows how do a true dare." I spit back.

He looks around, to all of his friends, and then something in his face clicks, like he just came up with the idea of electricity.

"I've got fireworks in my truck, Sterling. How about we celebrate with a show in the sky?" That damn smirk never leaves his face.

"Hell no, dumbass. I'm not getting arrested because you want to see some pretty colors in the sky." I pronounce each word slowly, like I'm talking to a child.

"Scared of a few little fireworks?"

"You know what? You're on. Let's go get them." The two of us, followed by my friends, and half the football team, made our way over to his truck. I'll admit. It was a beautiful truck. Black Dodge Ram.

Rider pulls out a huge box, full of fire works. Oh, crap. This is not going to be good. He gets two of his linemen to carry the box about halfway between where he is parked and the water, and they set it down on the sand.

"Let's get this party started." Rider says sarcastically.

"Never been more excited in my life." I deadpan.

Rider pulls out the smallest firework first.

"Go for it."

"How many?"

"How about the number on my jersey?"

"8? Deal." That also happens to be the number of my volleyball jersey.

He hands me the Roman Candle, and just to see the look on his face, I light it while it's in my hands.

"Holy shit, Emory! You're going to actually get hurt!" Rider ran at me, trying to grab the candle.

I laughed and took off running, the fireworks going off in every direction. After a few shots of me running around, the candle burned out.

"Now for the big stuff." Rider says breathlessly. He put a huge box in the sand.

"Light it."

"If I don't?"

"I'll throw you in the water."

Dammit. I walk over to the box, and Rider hands me a lighter. I light it quickly and take off running, Rider right next to me.

Then we hear sirens.

Author's note: picture is who I cast as Sterling. (: