I have three basic rules to live by
Don't draw attention to myself.
Make it through another year.
My brother's friends are off limits.
My junior year, each and every single one of those rules will be broken.
**~~**
Blaine has always been the type to...
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IHSA and the staff in NIU's athletic department had set up a schedule. Times that were designated for each team to practice. When we were expected to have our meetings with the officials and board members so that we could be reminded of the basics. The point when we should be suited up. Most importantly, when kick off was.
Reminding me of my gender for the thousandth time today, I was forced to get dressed first then wait in the hall for the rest of my team to change. The maintenance staff kept slowing to stare at me when they passed. One even had the gall to stop, stare and ask if I was the mascot.
As if the universe wanted to really kick me down on the most important day of my life. A few players from our competition were coming toward me. In the middle of the group was the jerk from earlier. The smile stretching across his face reminded me of Owen's. Nothing but evil thoughts hiding behind a good looking exterior.
"They let you dress up," he mused, making his teammates chuckle and snicker. I could have let it go. He wasn't the first one to give me a hard time. Hell, if I wasn't related to Lucas, I probably wouldn't have been able to try out. My parents wanted me kicked off and banned from playing next year.
This guy shouldn't have gotten to me. Somehow he did though. I blamed the attitude. It kept taking back to the night Owen put his hands on me. Unfortunately for this asshole, the facemask of my helmet was preventing my fingers from curling into a fist. Beating the crap out of him with my helmet minutes before the big game will lead to disqualification. I knew it in my bones, and judging by that smirk he did too.
"Why wouldn't they?" I nodded to his own uniform. "They let you don't they?"
"That's because I can catch and run." His eyes trailed over me like before but this time it was slower and made my skin crawl. "I guess you'd make for a decent water girl. Although, you could lose some of the padding. An all natural look is much better."
"All natural? Is that why you got a manicure before the big game? Getting in touch with your feminane side?" I leaned a little closer and lowered my voice. "You don't have to hide it anymore. We girls have to stick together after all."
One of his buddies coughed when pretty boy curled his fingers to hide the evidence. The others were looking for any excuse to leave. None of them expected me to fight back. Pretty boy kept his eyes locked on mine as he took a step closer. The crowd stepped back and a gloved hand landed in the center of pretty boy's chest.
"Any closer," Lucas growled, "And you won't be playing football for the rest of your life."
"Even if I wasn't out there, my team would still kick your ass."
"Lesters," Coach Corey shouted from the doorway. He scanned the hallway and frowned when he saw us. Two on six wasn't exactly fair, but Corey knew my brother's reputation. The look in his eyes as he stormed over to us told me he knew what I was capable of, too. "Locker room, now. You boys, back to your locker room."
