Sidelined: The QB and Me

Bonus chapter • Dray 11

This is an unseen chapter. It's the summer before senior year when Drayton caught Emily cheating on him with his uncle 😉

D R A Y S • P O V

"Hazel!" Cass snaps at the energetic six year old who won't stop throwing her fists around and socking people in the side with her harmless jabs. "Turn off fight mode! Now. Fight mode needs to go off!"

"Oh let her do her thing," uncle Noah flicks his wrist dismissively. "She's worked hard at her right hook."

The sun is shining down on our Fourth of July barbecue. It's tradition for the family to gather in our back yard and celebrate with red and blue themed outfits, delicious food and good music. Hazel can often coerce people into the pool because she's too young to swim alone and little Coen, who hates the water, watches on with mild fascination.

This year I'd invited Emily, for some reason, unknown to myself. We've been dating for a month and a bit but to be quite honest, she's dull and boring. She never wants to do anything fun apart from shop and 'tan' her pale skin.

Even now, she sits beside me at the large outdoor table and stares with discontent at Hazel, who's engrossed in a fighting match between herself and a large pool floaty. She's been doing martial arts and boxing since she was four. Who knows what intrigued her to start up those particular sports, but she loves them. She needs a little bit of reminding every now and then that she needs to chill, but I think it's cute.

From Emily's expression, I'd have to guess that she finds it anything but.

"Alright, food is served!" Mom sets the large platter of salads and dressings out at eleven on the dot. Dad soon follows behind with a big platter of different barbecue meats that were being kept warm in the oven.

"Are there any cashews to go with that dull looking lettuce?" Emily asks with her nose turned up.

"Emily?!" I nudge her with my elbow but she merely shrugs, not at all bothered by the hint of hurt on Mom's face.

"I could go for some cashews." Noah pipes in, running a hand through his light brown waves. He gives Emily a reassuring smile and stands, heading towards the kitchen. "I'll get them."

"Ya know," Cass says while she fumbles with Coen on her lap, attempting to fill up Hazels plate and feed the toddler. "The lettuce is meant to be mixed with the other salad ingredients and then a dressing. It's kept seperate like that so people can pick which vegetables they want. Not everyone likes tomatoes or cashews."

There's a definite hostility in Cass' voice and I'm sure that if she weren't wearing the enormous sunglasses, I'd be able to see the evil look that she's no doubt shooting Emily right now. Mom gives her an appreciative smile and sits down next to Dad who's reading the paper with little interest as to what's going on around him. He's not that fond of his brother or my girlfriend, so I'm going to guess he's checked out of the situation entirely.

"Found some!" Noah shakes the small bag of cashews and comes strolling across the back deck with a smile that'd suggest he just found a thousand dollars. He sets the bag down beside Emily and takes his seat between her and Hazel.

"So Emily," Noah says, loading his plate up with the vegetables and cold salad. He's more of a health nut than Mom. "Drayton tells me that you're the cheer captain at school."

"I did not tell you that."

He leans around and stares at me as though he's contemplating whether I'm right or not. Of course I am. Why would I tell him something like that. I couldn't care less myself to be quite honest.