Page 78 of The Cheerleader is Off Limits

And for the record, just so fucking hot.

Don’t look at him. Don’t even think about him.

I understood why he ended things. I wasn’t mad… well,thatmad. He had to protect himself, and I couldn’t fault him for it.

It just sucked having to see him in class and then also on the weekends at games.It’s like I was going through a sort of breakup? But I was still forced to see him all the time.

“God, did Coach K get hotter over the summer? Fuckme,” one of the girls, Kristen, a senior, says loud enough for me to hear, and I resist the urge to roll my eyes.

And that! Why was everyone always talking about how hot he was, I swear to God.

Do not engage.

“That’s what I said!” Delaney interjects. “I was really hoping he’d be my biology teacher this year. My cousin has him, though!” she says, pointing at me.

“What’s he like in class? I’ve heard he’s been weird since school started? Like not as cool as usual?” Kristen asks as we start to get back in formation for another cheer.

“Ummm, well, I have nothing to compare it to.” I laugh. “But I think he’s fine, I guess?”

I turn my back on the team, refusing to look at themor their hot coach.

The stadium lights hummed overhead, and when I looked up at the scoreboard, it was starting to glow brighter as the sky grew darker.

The score was seventeen to three with two minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Then this game will be over, and I can be done.

A part of me wishes I’d listened to him when he said we didn’t need to see each other more than we needed and that maybe I didn’t need to join the cheerleading squad.

Because the thought of doing this for seven more games sounded miserable.

The game ends with another touchdown, making it twenty-four to three. The stadium erupts with cheers, applause, and excitement as our team earns its second win of the season. I’m grabbing my things to leave when I happen to hear something that catches my attention.

“Uncle River, Uncle Riverrrrr!” I turn my eyes slightly to the side, careful not to draw too much attention to the fact that I’m watching our football coach drop to his knee and scoop up a little girl who ran toward him.

No way. No fucking way.

I’m trying to get over him!

I do not want to see him interact with kids!

I turn my back to the scene unfolding for only a moment before curiosity gets the better of me, and I turn around again. Now, I see a young boy talking to River, as well as what I think must be his brother and future sister-in-law. The little girl is still in River’s arms, and it’s obvious how much she adores him.

Do not start,I tell my ovaries that feel as if they’re fluttering.

“Sloane!” I hear from in front of me, and I snap my head toward my name, hopeful that no one is going to have a bunch of questions as to why I’m staring at the football coach interacting with his family.

What I do not expect when I turn around, however, is Mack in front of me with a bouquet of gorgeous red roses. Behind him are ten guys from the team, each holding a large poster with one letter on it that readsHOMECOMING,and an eleventh guy holding a question mark.

My mouth drops open in shock because… he’s asking me?

Besides a few conversations in class and one that was barely anything at that party, we hardly talked, and he wants to takemeto homecoming?

I guess we did have one of the earlier homecomings in the county, the first weekend in October, so people were acting fast. This was the third homecoming proposal I’d seen today alone.

He hands me the flowers and grins, showcasing his perfect smile and kind eyes. “So I know you’re new to the public schooling thing, and have never been to a homecoming or prom or anything, but maybe you’d let me show you what it’s like for your first one?”

A crowd had formed, and people were already cheering. Not that I had a reason to, but this crowd makes it impossible to say no. I shouldn’t say no, though. I didn’t owe River anything. He told me we had to move on, and Mack had been nothing but sweet when we talked. Once there were not a bunch of people, I could reiterate that I just wanted to go as friends.