Neutral Zone (Jordan Baker) COMPLETED

Chapter Two: Flinched

Yeah, dad wants me to make sure Spencer is welcome," Jordan said over the phone.
      I was in the bathroom covering up the bruises the next morning before school when Jordan called me. "You are the quarterback,"
      I could hear Jordan hesitate before answering me. "Yeah but-"
      I rolled my eyes, picked my phone up and place it on my ear. "But nothing. Jordan, you are the captain. It's your task to make sure everyone on the team feels welcome or make sure they are doing okay,"
         "I think you are right,"
         "There is no guessing. I'm typically right, aren't I?," I stated
       I could practically hear his smile through the phone. "Cocky much?"
      I chuckled. "Only about things I'm right about,"
       "So ninety percent of the time?"
       I laughed again and rolled my eyes. "Yeah sounds about right,"
      "Hey, I'm going to Crenshaw to pick Spencer up. Wanna ride?"
       I opened my mouth, but shut it. If Grant knew I went to Crenshaw, I would receive another beating "Nah, I'll just meet you at your house,"
      "You sure?"
      "Yeah,"
      "I'll see you there then,"
----
      I just walked into Jordan's house per usual and saw his sister Olivia sitting at the counter in the kitchen. "Hey, Olivia,"
      She looked over at me and smiled.  "Hey," She said.
       "How's everything?"
        "It's good,"
I was never really that close to Olivia. Not like Layla. They were inseparable before the night that Olivia had to go to the hospital and eventually was shipped to rehab.  Ever since then, Olivia was estranged from most everyone. "I know we aren't close but please don't be afraid to come talk to me if you need too,"
      "So you can tell my brother?"
      I looked at Olivia, kinda taken aback by that. "If you don't want me to tell Jordan, then I won't. Whatever you tell me Olivia will stay between me and you," I stated.
         She nodded and said thanks.
        I looked up from Olivia and saw Jordan and Spencer outside in the backyard, I told Olivia I'll talk to her later and walked away to meet Jordan

        Jordan's POV:
         I walked into my house and I found out that mom was in the kitchen prepping for dinner. "Oh, there you boys are," She said as she saw us. "You must be Spencer?"
He nodded and smiled. "Oh, yes, ma'am,"
        "I am so happy to finally meet you. You're all Billy's been talking about lately. Isn't that right, kids?"
       I looked at mom to Spencer. "Sure is," I said.
       Mom smiled and faced back at Spencer. "I have a question, though, and I want you to be honest,"
      I leaned on the counter. "Careful, she's a crier,"
      Spencer looked at me, chuckled and then faced back at mom. "I am making my famous gazpacho tonight and I just need to know a few things. Do you have any allergies, - dairy, gluten, you're not paleo, are you?"
      "No, ma'am. When it comes to food, the only thing I am is hungry,"
     I raised up and 'drummed' the counter. "OK, we're gonna hit it, Mom,"
       "OK, you guys do that. Whatever that is,"
      I started to head out the door when Spencer stopped and looked away into the yard. I spotted Chrissy talking to Olivia and Asher talking to Layla. "What's up?"
     Spencer took his eyes off the girls and looked at me. "How are you single, man?"
That question took me by surprise a bit "What?"
     Spencer looked at me like I had two heads. "I mean, you have beautiful girls all round you and you don't have one on your arm. Why?"
      I looked over at Chrissy and looked back at him and shrugged. "I simply haven't had the time with being the QB and making sure the team is alright. Plus I don't have any interest in anyone right now,"
      Spencer wasn't having that. "Is that why you haven't looked away from Chris since you first saw her?"
      I chuckled and slightly pushed him
"What? No, she's only a close friend,"
      He just passed me the 'not believing you' look "Mhm,"
     "Let's move," I said, walking out into the yard.
      Chrissy walked up to me, slipped her arms around my neck and hugged me tightly.  "Jordan! Glad you could finally make it!"
      Her touch always sends chills down my body. Of course, I like Chrissy. I mean, really, who wouldn't? She literally could make any tough day into a better one by just smiling at me. She's the type of soul who can light up an entire room when she walks in. She's only the most beautiful genuine girl I've met.
         I wrapped my arms around her back to hug her back and tighten the hug. "It requires some time to get to Crenshaw and back plus mom stopped us," 
       We pulled aside a few seconds later and I smiled at her as we let go of each other. She moved around and looked at Spencer. "Hi, Spencer! I would bring you in for a hug, but I don't know if you'd be okay with that since we just met," she stated.
"Hey, Chris and to get a hug from a beautiful young lady like yourself would always be welcomed,"
         A small fleck of light red appeared on her face, which means Spencer made her blush. There was a ting of jealousy shot throughout my body as I watched her hug Spencer. I looked over at Chrissy "Do you need anything to drink?" I asked her when she let him go.
      She looked at me and said sure.
      "You?" I asked Spencer.
      Spencer shook his head. "No, I'm good,"
      I nodded and walked into the house. I went to the fridge and grabbed two cans of soda. I walked past my dad's office and I caught him on the phone with someone. "Look, you think I want to drag my ass all the way to Crenshaw? You think I did it out of the kindness of my heart?"
      All I could learn was his side of the conversation, but it sounds like it could have been a booster. "All right, I didn't whip up a smart kid permit so I could mold young minds,"
      Whoever he was on the phone with,  evidently didn't get what he was trying to say. "No, no, no. "Look, I would not have recruited him if anybody on the squad had half of his potential,"
     That was the most painful thing that I could have maybe heard. My own father didn't think I was good or had amazing potential. "OK, I understand that. Why don't you bring all the Boosters down this Saturday, and I will show you what he can do,"
      I couldn't believe what I was discovering. "Yes, sir! Spencer James, he's gonna bring it home for us. Trust me"
      I just walked right outside the door when Asher walked up to me and nodded to Spencer who was talking to Layla and Chrissy. They were fawning all over him. "You seeing this?"
        "Yeah,"
        "We need to get rid of him,"
      ---
We got up to Layla's house for her party and when we went to the door Chrissy stopped me. "Hey what's wrong with you?"
       I pushed opened Layla's front door and kept it open for Chrissy to walk in. "Nothing's wrong,"
She caught my arm and pulled me to the side of the room that no one was at.
"Jordan, you've been distant since you came back with the soda. I know when something's up. So spill your guts. What's up?"
       "I already said nothing's up! So would you just back off and drop it?" I accidentally yelled.
       She quickly dropped my arm and rapidly backed up. I could watch her eyes starting to get glossy as tears formed. I immediately regretted the way I answered when I witnessed that.
      I reached out to console her, but she flinched as my hand touched her arm and backed up more. "Chrissy-"
     She waved me away and took off toward the bathroom. I trailed after her, but she slammed the door in my face. "Chris, open the door!" I said.
No answer came.
      After a few minutes of attempting to get her to open the door and her refusing to do it, I sighed, turned my head and I saw Layla talking to some people from school and walked up to her.  "Hey, can I talk to you for a second?"
     She nodded and said goodbye to the people she was just talking too as they walked away. "Has Chrissy been acting different lately?"
      Layla shook her head slightly. "No, not that I could tell? I mean we aren't that close. Why? What happened?"
      I shrugged. "I don't know. She thought I was upset and she wouldn't stop asking then I kinda yelled at her which I would understand why'd she be upset about that cause I shouldn't have reacted that way. I reached out to console her and she flinched,"
        "She's upset, you yelled at her for being a concerned friend. She's flinched probably for that reason,"
        "That's the thing though Layla. I saw into her eyes and she just wasn't upset. She was terrified,"