What Dreams Are Made Of

11.

*Calvin's POV*

Today just clearly isn't my day.

I'm walking out of the school parking lot, and once again, my name is being yelled.

By once again Cory McCracken.

He pulled up right beside me, jeep all full. "Didn't you hear me calling for you?"

"Sorry." I scrunched my face.

"It's cool. Get in, we'll give you a ride." He waved me in as the guy in the front seat slipped in to the back.

"No, I'm fine walking." I nodded.

"I wasn't asking." He shook his head. "Get in."

I took a deep breath, walked over, and got in his jeep.

It's a nice jeep.

Lifted. Top and doors off. Bright red.

"Where you headed?" He looked over at me as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"I was just going home."

"No Friday night plans Truitt." Allen reached up from the back seat and slapped my shoulder.

Cory rolled his eyes. "Calvin, I'm not sure if you know them, but this is Toby, Allen, and Blake."

"I know who they are." I nodded.

"What time should we pick you up?" He raised his eyebrows.

"What?" I scrunched my face.

"We're all going to Sullivans tonight. Come with us."

"I uh. Can't. My dads girlfriend and her daughter are visiting this weekend."

"Your dad is dating? Isn't he like, the chief of police." Toby laughed.

Cory turned around and smacked him. "Dude, shut up." He shook his head.

"Uhm. Yeah. He met someone over the summer. She's pretty great." I nodded.

"How are you doing with all that by the way? Your mom passing last year, coping?" Cory glanced over at me.

"Oh, shit. Sorry Truitt." Toby sighed.

"It's alright." I pursed my lips. "I'm just getting through it. Everything's fine."

"You know you don't have to do that, right?" Cory turned toward me.

"Do what?"

"Pretend." He nodded. "If I lost my mom, I wouldn't be standing." He shook his head. "And somehow, you've stayed standing for a year. It says a lot about you."

I sighed. "Look, I've had a really long, confusing day. Can you just tell me what you want with me please?"

He raised his eyebrows. "You know what I want with you Calvin. I want you on that field Monday, and I'll do what I need to make that happen."

"Why?" I shook my head. "I'm fucking freshman."

"Yeah. With a lot of leadership qualities, and I leave at the end of the year. And you, are going to take my place leading the team. You're good. And you play with heart. You leave everything on that field, and it's because you have a lot of pain to leave."

"So do Lane Newman and Steve Prince. They'd be better for it than me."

"They are good. But they're not you. That Prince kid plays for ego. And thanks to your friend, Newman's out but even if he wasn't, I know what he did over the weekend, and I know what you did to try to make that right. All of my guys are done at the end of this season, and we've worked too hard to get this school to where it is. You're going to make sure it stays there."