pinky promise - jamie tartt

‟ COME HOME SOON „

˗ˏˋ 'ˎ˗

"Are you sure we're allowed down here?"

Tate waved her sister's concern off, leading them through the labyrinth that was the Richmond clubhouse post-match.

"Don't worry about it." She grinned, already hearing the cheers from the boys in the locker room, even from the hallway. "I'm down here more than the coaches, sometimes."

"And when do you actually do your job?" Chase taunted, and Tate raised her middle finger in his direction while grinning broadly, leading the way into the locker room.

"Tater Tot! There you are," Ted called out, spotting her first. "Thought you forgot about us for a bit. Got a little be worried. A lot worried, actually. Can you send a text next time you're running late, 'cause I don't know about the rest of the team, but I pretty much depend on you to come down here and celebrate and slash or commiserate with us."

"Coach, I'm five minutes later than I usually am." Tate snorted, ignoring the way Beard nodded his agreement with Ted or how Jamie immediately stood to approach Chase so they could do their bro hug. Instead, she turned her attention the remainder of the locker room, who were clearly waiting for her to introduce the three new faces standing behind her. "Anyways, boys, this is my sister, Tommie, my brother, Chase, and his fiancée, Ashley."

Rounds of hellos, the brightest coming from Dani, echoed throughout the room. Tate tried her best to explain to her siblings who each of the players were, but she knew they forgot most of the names the moment they were introduced.

"Tommie, you're coming out with us tonight, right?" Isaac asked, in what Tate knew to be his charming voice.

"Uh," Tommie paused, glancing briefly at Tate, who mouthed the name Isaac while facing away from the player in question so he couldn't see. Tommie's face brightened at receiving the answer she had been silently asked for. "Of course, Isaac. I can't wait."

Isaac seemed absolutely elated by the fact that Tommie remembered his name, and Tate had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from grinning too obviously.

"Mate, come on," Jamie interrupted, clapping a hand on Isaac's shoulder with his face scrunched in displeasure. Isaac's own expression contorted into barely concealed feigned innocence, and Tate couldn't hide her amusement any longer, her grin wide. "That's Tate's sister. Show some respect, man."

"Jamie, you hit on Bumbercatch's mom." Tate reminded the star player, brows raised in disbelief. Bumbercatch made a noise of displeasure at being reminded of the incident, and Tate shot him a grin to make up for it.

"Yeah, back when I was a prick." Jamie amended, as if that made it any better. Tate snorted, hooking an arm around Tommie's to steer her towards Sam, where conversation was more likely to stay away from unnecessary flirting.

"Tate," Tommie whispered, voice low enough so that only she could hear. "Is Isaac off limits, too? Because..."

"Fine," Tate relented with a roll of her eyes. "As long as you don't make things weird."

Half a step behind them, Chase gagged at what he had overheard.

「☺ ☺ ☺ 」

"Unbelievable."

"You are being ridiculous."

"Am not," Jamie countered, face pulled into a pout as he tore his attention away from Tommie and Isaac's close conversation at a table just out of earshot.