This Can't Be Good

Chapter 35

It’s been a couple weeks since the Championship game and things have settled down. The posters that were up around town and school have started to come down. It’s crazy to think that next season the only Grizzly boy I will be directly supporting is Max. My brother and Parker will be off on their own journeys to be decided here shortly.

January was ending which meant my birthday was around the corner. I wasn’t too fond of birthdays. Something about people making you the center of attention just didn’t appeal to me. I had a big party last year thanks to my mother. Seventeen wasn’t a big birthday so I figured I could just pretend it was another day.

It was lunch so I went to my normal table. Usually the football players all stayed at their own table but since the season ended, they’d been spending lunches together. They didn’t want to miss anything since they didn’t see each other everyday at practice anymore. I didn’t mind too much.

Miranda had just walked in and was walking toward us. She sat down beside me and across from Jayden. “So Miss Josylne what are we doing for your birthday?”

Unlike me, Miranda loved a birthday party. “I don’t really have plans I was hoping to just stay home and do nothing.”

“That’s so boring!” Miranda whined. Ava nodded her head in agreement and I sent a hostile look her way.

“You only turn 17 once babe,” Max chimed in.

“I’m not into birthdays,” I added sending the table into a heated debate. Who knew people were so passionate about birthday parties. I wasn’t going to worry too much about it. My birthday was on Saturday so hopefully everyone would make date night plans and forget it was my birthday. At least that’s what I wanted to happen.

Later that night I was in my room working on some homework when Parker opened my bedroom door and quickly shut it behind him. He had been doing this more frequently.

“What are you doing?” I asked not so causally.

“Relax Mir just left with Ava.”

“Why is she with Ava?” Miranda and Ava didn’t really have much in common beside the fact they both had football player boyfriends. I kinda liked it that way. Miranda was a persuasive person when she wanted information and Ava knows a little to much about my secret life.

Parker just shrugged his shoulders and climbed onto my bed beside me. I moved over a bit to not only give him room but to put some distance between us. “Jayden is still here.”

“No, he’s not. He took Lex to buy ice cream,” Parker stated while scooting closer to me to close the gap I had just created.

I relaxed at the idea of him in my room knowing that everyone was gone. I continued to figure out math equations in my notebook. I was only half way done and I really wanted to sleep tonight. All my classes had decided to start piling on homework. Parker put his arm around me, bringing me closer to him. It didn’t phase me, I was immersed in a world of pre-calc homework.

“Jos,” Parker said pulling my notebook away from me.

“I need to finish my homework,” I tried reaching for my notebook but he wouldn’t let me get it.

“Not until we discuss your birthday.” I groaned and Parker chuckled next to me. “You have to do something!”

“Not really. I had a party last year, that was enough to last a lifetime of parties. I’m all partied out.”

“Fine no party,” Parker stated. Finally someone who listened to me. “What about a date then?”

Apparently I was wrong. “Oh yes that’s not suspicious at all. Both of us out on the night of my birthday. MIr would figure it out and I’d rather not spend my birthday having her yell at me.”