Ranked

Chapter 4

ELLIE

"Wait, I can't believe that you've never gone to a football game," Brock stated accusingly. "Not even when we made the playoffs?" He gave me a bewildered look as I shook my head, making tendrils of my hair fly.

The party was still in full swing, but Skye, Brock, and I were outside on the patio because of Skye's sudden urge to smoke. I watched her manicured hands shake as she fumbled with the lighter, not having any success. Brock noticed and pulled the lighter away from Skye. In one fluid motion, he had gotten the lighter to produce a flame.

Skye shot him a grateful smile as she lowered her head to the lighter so that it could catch on the cigarette between her lips. One hand held on to the cigarette while the other one covered his outstretched hand that held the lighter.

I frowned as I watched Skye smoke, her shakiness diminishing. The sudden urge to put out the cigarette with one swift stomp of Skye's borrowed Louboutin heels arose, but quickly diminished as I heard the French doors open and then close.

"What took you so long?" Skye asked, extending her slender arm for one of the beers that Asher held triumphantly in his hand. He gave it to her wordlessly before giving me and Brock a beer too.

"You forget who you're talking to, sweetheart," Brock drawled, answering for Asher. He ignored the face of disgust that Skye made as he called her "sweetheart."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, curiously. I had only known Asher for a couple of hours, but it had been enough time for me to forget that just inside the French doors was a whole group of adoring girls.

"This guy can't go anywhere without attention, especially from girls. My favorite time was when we were playing at East River High School. One of the linebackers had a girlfriend, but get this," Brock said, starting to laugh as a small smile began to grow on Asher's face.

Skye seemed to hang onto every word that Brock was saying, but I found myself paying attention to Asher's small, toothless smile.

"The guy's girlfriend wasn't even cheering for her own school, or her own boyfriend. Nope, instead she had a sign that she held up that said, 'West, go down South.' Now Coach Mizner is over on the sideline, scratching his head and trying to figure out why this girl is giving Ash travel advice, but by going 'South' she actually meant-" Brock was laughing too hard that he didn't get to finish.

Not that he needed to, anyway. The innuendo was quite clear. I let out a breath of laughter in disbelief at the crazy story. Skye's face was flushed as she began laughing too. The only person who wasn't laughing was Asher, but he did have a grin on his face as he shook his head in amusement.

"You always get that kind of attention?" I asked curiously.

"Nah, not always. I mean, ask Skye over there. She didn't give a shit the first time she met me," Asher said, meeting my eyes before glancing over at Skye.

"Hey, that's not fair. To be honest, it's kind of hard to give a shit when the guy you want to hook up with walks in on you hooking up with one of his teammates," Skye laughed flirtatiously.

"Wait, you were hooking up with Brock when you met Asher?" I asked in amusement, looking between Brock and Skye.

"What?! No, oh no, El. I was getting with Tyler Marshall," Skye said, looking horrified that I had thought that she was getting with Brock. I didn't see why she would be offended. Anyone with eyes could see that Brock was attractive.

"Yeah, I have higher standards than that. Come on, Ellie," Brock said, smirking before finishing his beer. Skye just rolled her eyes in response before muttering that she needed another drink.

This time, I offered to grab us more drinks. It didn't take long, but by the time I came back to the patio, they had already moved on to a new topic.

"Seriously, Ash? You're kidding," Brock huffed out angrily. Skye just looked at Asher sympathetically.

"What's going on?" I asked cautiously, setting down the beers gingerly on the patio table. Skye's hazy eyes landed on me, and suddenly her eyes lit up.

"Uh hello, dumbasses. Ellie!" Skye exclaimed, putting her palms flat on the table.

"Oh no, what?" I asked, a feeling of dread growing in the pit of my stomach as Brock and Asher swiveled to face me.

"Well, El... Asher is failing a class or two. If he doesn't bring those grades up, he can't play football. And this is a super important year for him.. He has scouts coming from all over to watch him," Skye informed me.

"So, you want me to tutor him?" I asked, meeting each of their eyes. Asher looked embarrassed, but slightly hopeful.

"Well, duh. You're the valedictorian," Skye said sassily, yet still managed to look proud as she gazed at me.

"Would you, please? I could pay you and everything. Please, I need this. Football means the world to me," Asher pleaded.

"What subjects?" I sighed, thinking of how I would have to make room in my schedule for this.

"Just calculus and AP English Literature. And my grade in AP Lit isn't even that bad, it's just a few missed pop quizzes here and there," Asher said.

It's fine, I can do this. I'll just do my homework while he's working on practice problems until he says he needs help. It seems like he actually wants to learn, I internally convinced myself as I scrutinized him.

"Ok, fine. I'll tutor you," I said in defeat, shooting Skye a look that said, you owe me. She squealed in response.

"Thanks so much, Ellie," Asher said, letting out a sigh of relief. He fished his phone out of his pocket and held it out to me expectantly, the contacts already open to a new one.

I typed in my information and gave it back to him, not yet sure if I would regret this.

Suddenly, a new song thudded over the speakers inside. Skye perked up in recognition.

"I love this song! Come on, I want to dance," Skye said, springing up and grabbing an unsuspecting Brock.

Brock allowed himself to be dragged by the wrist inside, leaving Asher and I alone outside.