Chalk It Up To Fate

Chapter 9: Reece

I walked around school with my head held high. Nothing could bring me down because today is the day that Amanda and I talk things out.

I wanted to get Amanda alone as soon as possible. Fuck school. Fuck practice. She was the most important thing on my mind.

But, as luck would have it, Amanda was continually surrounded with her gaggling friends or Jackass himself.

I finally got my chance before lunch; until Jackass put his arm around her as they started walking to the cafeteria.

I absolutely hated Karson. As soon as I get Amanda back, I'm punching him in the face.

Throughout lunch I sit next to Easton and a couple of the other guys on the team. They were talking about our game on Friday, but all I could see was Amanda. She was talking animatedly to the new girl. Amanda's hands were a whirlwind around her as she was explaining something excitedly. This made me grin, remembering the times that she talked like that to me.

I got up and started to head out of the cafeteria. Amanda looked done with her lunch, so I waited outside the doors to try to catch her on her way out.

Unfortunately, it was someone else I caught.

"My god woman! Are you making this a daily thing? What? Are you trying to find different ways to injure me?" I held onto the new girl's shoulders while trying to get air back in my lungs.

"You knocked the wind out of me," I wheezed, "Do you lift weights or something?"

She shoved out of my grasp and folded her arms over her bright pink dress.

I took that opportunity to look her over. Her hair was a mix of light brown and dirty blonde, her eyes, currently looking at me angrily, was a normal blue, with her mascara making them a bit brighter. Her bright dress was ugly with the neon making me want to squint, but somehow, she pulled it off.

My eyes dragged lower, really taking her in this time. I almost chuckled at the converse she wore to tie her whole outfit together.

She was cute.

"Are you implying that I should? I get it, it's fun picking on the new girl," She rolls her eyes irritated.

I was taken aback. This isn't the same hyper apologetic girl I met yesterday.

"No, I was saying you hit harder than half the guys on the football team," I said with a chuckle rubbing my chest.

"Great. Now you're calling me a guy, I'm sure your girlfriend and her pack of hyenas would love to hear that." She points back to the table of people Amanda was sitting with.

Is she crazy or something?

She swats my shoulder. I jumped back. "Ow!"

"I'm not crazy!"

Whoops, must have said that out loud.

"What do you expect me to think!" I throw my hands out, "Ever since I've met you, you've been beating me up or yelling at me! Combined with that dress and the deranged look in your eye, I have a feeling your future includes a psych ward," I finish; amused with the feisty blonde standing in front of me.

Her features darken in anger. She points a finger in my face.

"You know...." She pauses clenching her teeth, stepping closer to get in my face. She contemplates a retort, but doesn't come up with one. "Aghhh!" She steps back, clenching her fists to her sides, turns away from me, then starts to leave. I laugh, a genuine laugh, before going after her.

"Wait! Wait! I'm sorry ok!" I grab her elbow, getting her attention again.

"I'm Reece." I hold out my hand.

She looks at it, then back up to me.

"Do you not have a name...or?" I say with a chuckle.

She narrows her eyes at me.

"Just trying to figure out if I will get a disease if I touch you."

I huff, then pull my hand back.

"You're right. Knowing your mental stability, there is a high chance you might bite my hand off and give me rabies. It wouldn't be the first time you've tried to hurt me."

Her mouth twitched, as if she was trying not to smile.

The bell rings and I curse. Knowing I probably missed my opportunity with Amanda yet again. Marshall looks up at the ceiling and turns to leave again.

"Wait! I didn't get your name!" I yell to her retreating back.

I don't know why I wanted to know so much.

She turns her head, not stopping, and finally responds, before turning the corner, out of view.

"Marshall."

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At practice, I am playing catch with one of the freshmen to warm up my arm when I hear Amanda's voice. I instantly turn toward her. She is talking to Coach. I watch as Coach throws his head back and laughs at something she says. I look at her with wonder. In my three years on varsity, countless practices, and team outings, not once have I seen Coach even crack a smile outside of conference wins. The fact that Amanda was able to do it after knowing him for five minutes made me love her even more.

"Watch out!"

I didn't have time to register his voice before the ball hit me in the face. I jerk back, touching my nose to check for blood. Thankfully, the only thing hurt was my ego.

I bend to grab the football and throw it back to the freshman. I hear a feminine laugh to my right and noticed it was coming from Marshall. Somehow while I was studying Amanda, I missed the fact that Marshall was right next to her; also talking to Coach.

Are Marshall and Amanda...friends?

Not that Marshall and Amanda Can't be friends, it just seemed to be an odd pairing.

Amanda is usually surrounded by girls that feel the need to feed into Amanda's ego. The type of girls that focus on being popular and well liked. Girls who do not have a hair out of place, and never leave the house without a speck of makeup. Amanda's friends with followers.

Marshall seems like the type of girl that would kick your ass if you looked at her the wrong way.

Amanda would rather ignore a problem before facing them, something I think Marshall has no issues confronting with.

I set the football down and went over to join Easton and the rest of the offensive line to go over new plays. My attention was split between Easton and the girls on the sideline; who have now moved on to talk to our new offensive assistant coach. As Amanda smiled and talked to him, Marshall wrote notes in a notebook. Amanda's smile and congeniality lit up her face, but it was Marshall's scrunched eyebrows and obvious confusion that made me giggle.

"Reece! Did you hear me?" Easton looked at me with irritation. "Come on man, get your head out of your ass and focus!" I was about to deny it, but the assistant coach's voice cut me off.

"Easton!" the whole huddle looked over to the assistant coach, Amanda, and Marshall. He waved him over to them.

"Shit." Easton grumbled.

If I thought I loved football, I don't even compare to Easton's love for the sport. He is the one that got me into the sport. Without much of a parental push or support, Easton was the one that called everyday to play catch. Easton's dad took us out to all of the clinics and games as little boys. When it was time to start playing the sport, it was Easton who worked it out with his parents to pay for my gear and take me to and from practices. Easton loved football with everything he is, so it was no wonder the team chose him for the captain position. Even as a junior; Easton is a force to be reckoned with.

Easton sighed and started toward the girls, "I'll be back. Study the playbook or I am going to kick your ass!"

I watch as Easton waves a hand to Amanda and greets her with a smile, and then shakes hands with Marshall. Marshall takes his hand with a smile of her own.

I huff, shaking my head and turning back to practice.

I didn't know Marshall could be civil.