“Yes, Coach.”
“And you’re breaking one of them right now. That’s not good for you.”
I glanced around the dining room, seeing quite a few people looking at us, but I didn’t recognize any of them. Had one of them called the football coach on us? What was the big deal, anyway?
“Hello,” I said, standing up and offering my hand. “I’m…”
“This is my cousin Brooke,” Austin blurted out.
“Your cousin, huh?”
The coach turned his attention to me. I smiled and bent my elbow to raise my hand close to my chest in a mini-wave.
“I’m his cousin. Nice to finally meet you.”
“You better not be lying to me, Austin.”
“I’m not, Coach. I know your rules, and I appreciate you helping me go pro.”
“I know a lot of people,” he said. “And my rules are in place for a reason. I can’t have you go making a fool of me, now can I?”
“No, Coach.”
“I should go,” I said. “Talk to you at the family reunion, cuz.”
He nodded his head at me. I walked away, wondering what the hell had just happened. Was it really that serious? None of it made sense.
On the way home, the confusion turned to anger. Had Austin really chosen football over me? Was that stupid ball of his more important than me?
I stopped thinking clearly as I got worked up the closer I got to my apartment. Would I not be moving after all? All the drama pissed me off.
Why couldn’t any of this be easy?
TWENTY-EIGHT
Brooke
The moment I walked in our apartment, I made up my mind to leave as soon as possible. Jocelyn and a group of her friends were sitting in our living room. She lifted a wine bottle in the air when she noticed me. I glared at her, not saying a word.
“Hey, Brooke. Come join us.”
“Everyone needs to leave,” I said sternly.
The half-dozen people crammed into our tiny living room sighed and booed me, but I didn’t care as I pointed a finger at the door. For someone worried about being harmed she sure looked mellow.
“Now!”
“This is my apartment too,” Jocelyn said drunkenly. “You can’t do this shit to me.”
“I’m not going to tell you guys again.”
The others stumbled to their feet, looking back and forth between Jocelyn and me. She defiantly took another drink. Her friends turned to me.
“I’m calling the landlord. You know there’s no partying allowed here.”
“This isn’t a party,” Jocelyn whined. “You’re no fun anymore.”
Some guy in a green turtleneck sweater laughed. I shot him a look that sent him scurrying to the door. Jocelyn walked over to me.