Senior Year Box Set

This was just part of his security protocol, but he made a big production of assisting each one out. I offered him my hand like the girls had done, but all I got was a dirty look.

Brook, unfortunately, had been suspended, so she gave me a quick kiss, and Paul took her home.

I found Bryan and Brock Callahan waiting for me.

“I take it your girlfriend told you that you had to kick my butt because my girlfriend kicked hers,” I said as a greeting.

“Something like that, but Brit heard what she said to Brook,” Bryan said.

I was sure when they’d heard she threatened to steal me away, they’d figured out where they stood with her.

“If you’re in the mood to kick someone’s butt, you could track down Alan for me.”

I then told them what he’d said to the coaches.

“So, you really aren’t protecting him anymore?” Brock asked.

“God, no. I haven’t since the spring.”

“Funny, he tells a different story,” Brock said.

“He’d been one of my best friends up until this spring. I actually thought about working things out with him when I came back. Someone I trust told me that we’d been friends too long not to at least try to make things right. Then he pulls this crap.

“It sounds like he’s been acting like a jerk to you guys as well,” I said.

“I could never understand why you liked him. He’s a mean-spirited spaz if you ask me,” Bryan said.

“Okay, I might have an issue if someone kicked his ass,” I admitted.

“But if he ended up in a dumpster?” Brock asked.

“Shit happens,” I said with a shrug.

I think I made their day.

I walked inside to my locker to drop off my backpack. They arrange lockers alphabetically by class, so Douglas and Dawson weren’t that far apart. Alan was focused on getting his books out of his locker when my hip checked him into it.

“What the … David!” Alan protested.

“What? It was just a joke. You shouldn’t be so thin-skinned. People will think you’re a prima donna,” I said to let him know I’d heard what he told the coaches.

He just gaped at me.

“Word of warning: I let everyone know that I’m not protecting you anymore, so you better watch your mouth.”

That seemed to concern him more than me knowing about him lying.

◊◊◊

In PE, I was happy to see Coach Fletcher, our strength and conditioning coach who had been hired during the winter. He’d gone to school at Oklahoma and worked with their training staff as a grad assistant. He also had gotten a certification with NSCA, the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Once certified, Coach Fletcher had been an assistant trainer for three years at Florida State. He’d just moved to the area to take care of his mother. He eventually wanted to be the head trainer at a Power Five school.

“I didn’t expect to see you back. How’s your mom?” I asked.

She hadn’t been doing well the last time I’d seen him.

“She passed.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that,” I said.

I was never sure what you were supposed to say to something like the loss of a parent.

“Thanks. I did land a job, though. I’m the strength coach at State for their basketball team. They told me I could also freelance, so I offered to keep working here.”

He measured me, and I weighed 225 pounds and was six-four and a quarter. I’d also improved in all my measurables. The extra ten pounds were all muscle. He showed me a picture of myself before I started working with him and now, and I was even more defined. My most significant improvements were in my core muscles around my midsection and my explosiveness. I’d added nearly four inches in my vertical jumping ability.

My core was probably the most important. It was what gave me the power to throw and hit a baseball. It also helped me in football with taking hits and with my throwing. I also had some improvement in my speed and agility, even with the added weight. He was happy with the progress.

◊◊◊

At lunch, I found Don Crown, Destiny’s brother, waiting for me, and he didn’t look happy. Out of nowhere, Cassidy appeared at my side.

Don took a menacing step towards me, which released Cassidy. The poor dumbass was gasping for breath and twitching on the floor before he knew what happened. Cassidy bounced up and disappeared into the lunchroom.

“I think you fell down,” I offered.

“That girl …” was all he got out before I corrected him.

“… was never here. You fell. Do you want it getting around that some little girl kicked your butt?” I asked.

“My sister …”

“… sent you to kick my butt after her boyfriends refused to do it. Did you ever consider you might have been sent on a fool’s errand?” I asked.

I helped him up.

“Yes, she and Brook got into a fight,” I continued. “That has nothing to do with you and me. I’m having a party tonight. Why don’t you come?”

“What about my sister?” he asked.

“You want your sister to come with you to a party?” I asked, raising one eyebrow.

He blushed.

“Destiny can come, but if she tries to start anything, she’ll be escorted out by security. Until the girls work things out, I would rather she didn’t,” I said.

“Okay, and sorry,” he said.