The Soccer Players Made Me Do It

5. Create a Profile on Tinder

The gummy surface of the linoleum floor in the Caf sticks to the bottom of my shoes. I lift the heel of my left foot up off the floor. Slowly I peel the foot up and put it back down. Up and down. Up and down. I find a weird form of comfort in the familiar sensation. The repetitive motion calms the nervous energy that races throughout my body. I can feel five sets of eyes trained on my face.

My eyes are trained downward, intently focused on my phone and the app that lay open on it. All it takes is a few taps of my finger and I am registered into the dating app. Why am I so nervous? It's just an app. It seems like everyone my age has used it at least once. All I have to do is swipe left or right. Not too difficult... Right?

Whose idea was it to create a profile on this dating app in front of these four very attractive males? Sadly, it was all my idea.

When Tony called me at too-early-in-the-morning-o-clock, I was still halfway in my own happy little dreamscape and was not particularly ecstatic with the person who was keeping me from it. I would have done anything to get his overly energetic voice off the phone and said whatever it took to get him to go away.

I am not a morning person and him waking me up so early made me want to reach through the phone and punch him in his perky face. Since I couldn't do that, I settled for the only thing that would get him off the phone. So, when he kept bugging me about when we were going to get started on the list, I grumpily told him to meet me in the Caf at noon.

Will leans back in his chair, his arms crossed, looking bored and a little pissed off. But then again, from the first time I saw him yesterday, he has always had that look of being angry at something or other. He is sporting a pretty impressive shiner on his right eye.

Tony on the other hand, has a big goofy grin on his face despite the growing bruise on his cheek. He is so excited to corrupt my "good-girl aura" as he puts it. Apparently, I'm too boring. He thinks I need to "live a little." Whatever that means.

"I can't believe you've never been on Tinder. How has she never been on tinder?" Trevor asks the group.

"Come on. She is way too goody-goody to have been on Tinder." This, from Will. He quirks his brow and directs his gaze at me as if in a challenge.

I blush with a combination of anger and embarrassment. He's right; I am a goody-goody. It doesn't mean I want to be one all the time. His comment pushes me to new determination. I set up my pictures and start swiping.

After a while I find myself starting to have my own commentary. I never knew I was so capable of objectification.

"Nope"

"Ooh hello!"

"Sorry honey, but no."

"Sweetie you are too young for me."

"I like yooouu"

"Yum"

I totally forget the guys are there as I have fun swiping left and right. They are chatting idly to each other about something that had happened at practice this morning. The only time I am reminded of their presence is the occasional chuckle from them when they hear my commentary.

"Oh, he's adorable! Look Sarah!" I turn the phone to her to show a guy with ice-blue eyes, sandy brown hair and a square jawline. His smile is amazingly brilliant and can melt your heart. His bio says he is 25 and a mechanical engineer. He is tall and skinny and looks totally dorky. He is just my type.

I swipe my finger to say I am interested.

"Adorable? No guy wants to be called adorable. That is the antithesis of manly," Ollie scoffs and leans his elbows on the table.

"So what? He is adorable and I am not changing my mind on the word I chose." I quip back.

"Adorable is used for a puppy or a stuffed animal. Not about a man." Will seems to be put off by the idea that a girl would call anyone of the male species "adorable".

"Whatever. So I was looking at Kedyl's list and have any of you seen the website for the zombie run? It looks so cool! Why haven't you told me about this before, Kendyl? We could have done this last year!" Sarah squeals.

"Um because you haven't worked out a day in your life? Come on. It takes an effort to convince you to walk up the stairs instead of taking the elevator every day," I retort.

The guys chuckle as Sarah scowls at me. I smirk right back at her. Though, I am not really one to talk. I don't exercise either. I would rather be reading a book than running around in circles.

"Aaanywaaay, it's next month on the 21st. Do you think we could train enough to run in it by then?"

"How long is it?" asks Trevor.

"It's a 5k" I say quietly, still intently swiping my finger on the phone. I see now why so many people use this. It is so much fun!

Left. Left. Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Left.

Ha ha ha! I feel so powerful!

"A 5k? That's easy! We do that practically every day at practice. I thought you were going to say something more challenging."

"Oh yes. It is sooo easy. We run marathons every day and pull bunnies out of our butts," I mock Will's cavalier attitude. Not everyone sees running 5 kilometers as a walk in the park. Some people see running 1 kilometer as a daunting feat; specifically, me.

"Alright, Miss. Smarty Pants this was your idea. Are you ready to get started? Or should we call it quits? Afraid of running a little bit? God! If you can't even do that then we should just stop now. There is no way you will be able to do any of the other things on your stupid list." Will's handsome face is kept in a blank mask as he spits out his venom.

I can feel the tears start to well up in my eyes. I refuse to let him see me cry. I shove back from the table and stand abruptly, knocking my chair down in my haste. Tripping over the legs of the chair, I right myself and rush out of the room.

I don't need him to do this with me. I don't need any of them to help me. I can do this on my own.

My glasses are fogging up from the tears as I run to my next class. There won't be anyone in this classroom for another thirty minutes. Maybe the peace and quiet will calm me before then.

I grab my headphones and put on some Every Avenue to distract me from my thoughts.

A/N: Hi everyone! I know it's been a while but I have been busy with schoolwork. I hope you can forgive! I made this chapter pretty long to make up for it. :) 

Why do you think Will is being a jerk? Why do you think the list is so important to Kendyl? I posted a picture above of what I picture Will as. Yes, it is Kellan Lutz. Isn't he gorgeous?