Read Online For the Win (Playing for Keeps Book 1) by Amber Garza - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Amber Garza
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into the school parking lot. It was practically empty with a few cars scattered here and there. By the time first period started, the whole lot would be crammed, but during zero period it was like a ghost town.
“I didn’t want to bother you,” I lied.
“You’re never a bother.” She smiled. “I would’ve welcomed the distraction from my family.”
I grinned, knowing she was right. “Anyway, he loaned me his laptop so I could type the article.”
“Shut up!” She said emphatically, slapping me in the shoulder.
“I wish you’d let me,” I mumbled.
She giggled. “You know what I mean.”
I nodded. Yeah, I did. She was surprised, and I totally got that. I had been a little shocked by his kind gesture too.
After Skyler parked, I yanked up my backpack and struggled to get out of the car. I was not looking forward to limping around campus all day. There was no way to go undetected with my ankle like this. Kids would notice, and that was something I dreaded.
“Sounds like he’s totally into you.” Skyler came around the car to meet me.
“He is not.” My chest tightened at her words. I knew she wasn’t correct, but there was a part of me that wanted so desperately to believe it. To grasp the words and hold them close, as if by doing so they would come true. But life wasn’t like that. I had learned that the hard way. Wanting something didn’t make it real. Wishes were nothing but unanswered prayers, fleeting thoughts we never saw come to fruition. They scarred you if you allowed them to, if you foolishly put your hopes in them.
And that was something I wouldn’t do again.
CHAPTER 10
Cooper
I never made it to Calista’s last night. A fact which she couldn’t stop reminding me of today. Frankly, it was starting to piss me off. And it was the reason why I didn’t get involved in relationships. Once that happened, the girl became needy and suddenly demanded all my time and attention. I was a busy guy. I couldn’t spend all my time with some girl. Besides, I had baseball and school, and that required my focus right now. If I had any hope of getting into a good college, I couldn’t allow some chick to take over my life.
“I waited for you for hours.” Calista leaned her back against my locker, sticking her bottom lip out in a pout. It was sexy as hell, but it didn’t quell my irritation.
“Look, I told you, something came up, okay?”
“Hey, Coop,” Nate waved from his locker across the hall. When I lifted my hand to wave back, his gaze shifted to Calista, and he cocked an eyebrow.
I flashed him a knowing smile.
“What came up that was so important?” Calista asked, yanking my attention back to her. One thing that was clear was that she liked to be the center of attention. God, she was exhausting.
London floated into my mind. I remembered how helpless she appeared lying on the ground, blood on her hands. And then I recalled her open expression filled with sorrow when she told me about her mom. I knew that pain, and in that instant I felt connected to her. Felt like she was the one person on earth who understood me.
“Cooper? Where were you last night?” Calista pressed.
There was no way I would tell her about being at London’s house. I didn’t plan on telling anyone. Besides, it didn’t matter. It’s not like I was planning to hang out with her again. We may have had one moment of connection, but it didn’t mean anything. When it passed, it was clear that she wanted me to leave as much as I wanted to get out of there. We weren’t compatible. We were total opposites. Plus, I wasn’t kidding when I said she had a major chip on her shoulder. She was like ice, she was so frigid. Anytime she started to thaw, to reveal a part of herself, she quickly closed back up, freezing me out. If I thought Calista was high maintenance, London was ten times worse. At least with Calista I knew what I was getting.
“Nothing. It was just a--” Clattering caught my attention. I turned
“I didn’t want to bother you,” I lied.
“You’re never a bother.” She smiled. “I would’ve welcomed the distraction from my family.”
I grinned, knowing she was right. “Anyway, he loaned me his laptop so I could type the article.”
“Shut up!” She said emphatically, slapping me in the shoulder.
“I wish you’d let me,” I mumbled.
She giggled. “You know what I mean.”
I nodded. Yeah, I did. She was surprised, and I totally got that. I had been a little shocked by his kind gesture too.
After Skyler parked, I yanked up my backpack and struggled to get out of the car. I was not looking forward to limping around campus all day. There was no way to go undetected with my ankle like this. Kids would notice, and that was something I dreaded.
“Sounds like he’s totally into you.” Skyler came around the car to meet me.
“He is not.” My chest tightened at her words. I knew she wasn’t correct, but there was a part of me that wanted so desperately to believe it. To grasp the words and hold them close, as if by doing so they would come true. But life wasn’t like that. I had learned that the hard way. Wanting something didn’t make it real. Wishes were nothing but unanswered prayers, fleeting thoughts we never saw come to fruition. They scarred you if you allowed them to, if you foolishly put your hopes in them.
And that was something I wouldn’t do again.
CHAPTER 10
Cooper
I never made it to Calista’s last night. A fact which she couldn’t stop reminding me of today. Frankly, it was starting to piss me off. And it was the reason why I didn’t get involved in relationships. Once that happened, the girl became needy and suddenly demanded all my time and attention. I was a busy guy. I couldn’t spend all my time with some girl. Besides, I had baseball and school, and that required my focus right now. If I had any hope of getting into a good college, I couldn’t allow some chick to take over my life.
“I waited for you for hours.” Calista leaned her back against my locker, sticking her bottom lip out in a pout. It was sexy as hell, but it didn’t quell my irritation.
“Look, I told you, something came up, okay?”
“Hey, Coop,” Nate waved from his locker across the hall. When I lifted my hand to wave back, his gaze shifted to Calista, and he cocked an eyebrow.
I flashed him a knowing smile.
“What came up that was so important?” Calista asked, yanking my attention back to her. One thing that was clear was that she liked to be the center of attention. God, she was exhausting.
London floated into my mind. I remembered how helpless she appeared lying on the ground, blood on her hands. And then I recalled her open expression filled with sorrow when she told me about her mom. I knew that pain, and in that instant I felt connected to her. Felt like she was the one person on earth who understood me.
“Cooper? Where were you last night?” Calista pressed.
There was no way I would tell her about being at London’s house. I didn’t plan on telling anyone. Besides, it didn’t matter. It’s not like I was planning to hang out with her again. We may have had one moment of connection, but it didn’t mean anything. When it passed, it was clear that she wanted me to leave as much as I wanted to get out of there. We weren’t compatible. We were total opposites. Plus, I wasn’t kidding when I said she had a major chip on her shoulder. She was like ice, she was so frigid. Anytime she started to thaw, to reveal a part of herself, she quickly closed back up, freezing me out. If I thought Calista was high maintenance, London was ten times worse. At least with Calista I knew what I was getting.
“Nothing. It was just a--” Clattering caught my attention. I turned
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