The Game Plan

10

"Why aren't you talking to your brother?"

"Oh hey Britt! It's nice to see you, how was your day? Oh hey Liv. My day was great, thanks for asking." I laughed, walking into my living room.

"Good, but seriously. Why? Mom and Dad don't know but so help me I will tell them." She threatened. I fell back onto the couch and pulled my knees up to my chest.

"He has a girlfriend." I mumbled, picking at a nail.

She looked at me like I sprouted a second head before laughing out loud.

"Jeez Britt. What did you do when I got married?" She asked.

"Its different with Cole." I defended.

"No, I get it. Its always been you and Cole. He didn't really date much in high school." She shrugged and set the cup the coffee cup she had set on the table to take a sip.

"And then she just shows up after the game like she actually belongs!" I said, already feeling annoyed.

"He can invite anyone he wants." She reasoned.

"She hasn't even met us." I pointed out.

"Correction, she hasn't met you or me. She had a nice talk with Mom and Dad from what I heard. But you were too busy practicing for the speed walking event at the next Olympics." She gave me a look through her long lashes that told me that she knew she was winning.

"Yeah..." I trailed off.

"Call. Him." She ordered, pointing at me before walking into the other room to find my parents and her son.

I pressed send next to Cole's name and waited. He picked up on the second day.

"Britty Baby! How was the first day?" He asked.

"Not too bad. I tried to be normal but the guys were acting weird." I said.

"Like giving you a hard time?" He asked.

"More like being overly nice and helpful." I sighed.

"Thats not a bad thing. They want you to look good." He said.

"They just need to see me be me though." I said.

"Well see how tomorrow goes and then you can say something." He offered.

"I guess. Well Liv is here so I better go see her. I just wanted to give you a call." I said.

"Hey Britt?" He said before I could hang up.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you." He said.

"You don't have to tell me these things." I said and he sighs.

"I do when you depend on me to be honest and open." He said.

"I just don't want to share you." I said.

"Trust me, you are both in my life in very different ways." He said and I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"All good?" My sister poked her head in the room and I gave her a thumbs up before saying goodbye to him and hanging up.

After a shower, dinner, and playing with my nephew I climbed into bed and turned on the TV. Before I could even find a channel I felt my phone buzz.

Put on black and meet me outside your house in 15 minutes.

I frowned at Matt's text, but walked to my closet to pull on Nike running capris and a long sleeve spandex shirt that would typically be worn under my uniform when it got colder.

I told my mom I was going to play manhunt at Kenz's and walked out to my front yard.

"We thought you could use a distraction." Matt grinned from the driver's seat of his pick up.

"Who's we?" I asked, walking around to climb in the backseat.

Inside the truck was Matt and Kenz.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Frog hunting." Matt grinned

"And I happen to be a professional frog hunter." Kenz grinned.

"Why do I need all black?" I asked.

"Well because we are sneaking onto private property." Matt laughed nervously.

"Nope. Let me out!" I said.

"It's the best place to hunt. We will be fine." Kenz promised.

We pulled into the parking lot for the golf course and Matt shut his headlights off.

"Where is Luke?" I asked.

"He couldn't sneak out." Matt said.

"What Matt means is, he told his parents what we were doing." Kenz explained, laughing.

We all got out and I shivered in the cold air.

"Let's go!" Matt grabbed everything we would need from his trunk.

As we began walking toward the course, Kenz linked her arm through my own.

"Good distraction?" She asked.

"Yes if we don't get arrested." I said.

"We won't." She said without a shadow of a doubt.

"How come you seem very sure of that fact?" I asked, narrowing my eyebrows at her.

"Well this may or may not be my uncle's course." She laughed.

"Does he know that?" I asked, motioning at the giant football player creeping around stealthily in front of us.

"Nah, I think Matt feels like a badass. I couldn't let him know we'd be fine. But I did let my uncle know just in case." She said and it was my turn to laugh.

"Britt shhhhh!" Matt whisper yelled and I had to bite my lip.

We made it to the pond in the middle of the course and after two hours of laughing and catching frogs, Matt decided it was time to head home.

"We probably need a good night sleep." He said.

"The boring voice of reason." I grumbled, sticking my tongue out at him.

"Says the captain of the team." He stuck his tongue out at me.

I said bye to Kenz when we got to her house and made plans for coffee in the morning.

"So how are you feeling?" Matt asked, driving down the street to my house.

"Good I guess." I shrugged as he put the car in park.

"I'm sorry. I know it doesn't help, but I wish this didn't suck so much." He said, looking ahead.

"Me too. But it is what it is. I'll handle it and it will all be over and we will win." I promised and he looked at me with sad eyes.

"I wish everyone saw you like we do." He finally said. I gave him a smile and walked toward my house.

I made it through the front door before I felt tears in my eyes. I bit my lip and leaned against the wall, slowly sliding down.