Page 3 of Campus Heat

“But coach—”

“Trust it!” Harris snapped, and Malik shut the hell up. “I’ve run this move a thousand times.”

We lined up again. The center snapped the ball, and we leapt into action. Lucas ran toward me, trying to set a screen. Another receiver cut in behind him, crossing the formation. The tight end stepped sideways instead of blocking, and Dylan hesitated, unsure if he should be cutting or protecting.

I barely had time to turn before the defense exploded. The defensive end crashed through the right side while the second linebacker came up the middle.

I panicked as I spun and got hit from both sides. With a helmet to my ribs and shoulder to my back, I slammed into the ground while the ball flew out of my grasp.

I couldn’t take it anymore. These plays weren’t going to work because no one knew what the coach was actually trying to achieve. And keeping quiet obviously wasn’t helping us.

“Coach!” I called as I got back to my feet. “What if we spread them out? We can do a quick pass with one read.”

Harris was quiet for a moment, but then he said, “Fine, let’s go five-out.”

I didn’t correct him. I was just grateful to try something resembling football. We lined up again, and this time I was sure we’d achieve something.

The receivers spread wide while the running back stayed by my side. It was sloppy and uneven, but it gave the line a chance to breathe.

“Quick touch,” Harris called from the sideline. “Catch and shoot!”

I took the snap and this time the offense line actually blocked. The pocket formed for a heartbeat and Malik started the blitz. Dylan collided with him, slowing him down just enough.

I didn’t wait. I planted and fired a shot right past the slot receiver. The ball hit his hands, and he turned upfield. The tackle was almost immediate, but the play worked.

“There it is!” Harris shouted, his excitement evident in the way he was cheering.

“Yeah, man! That was the most epic play we had all day,” Dylan said, giving me a pat on the back.

“This calls for a celebration!” Lucas chimed.

“So what will it be? A beer party at my place?” Malik offered.

“Sorry guys, but I have an assignment coming up so I won’t be able to go out with you,” I mumbled.

Even though I’d had a lot of fun, I needed to remember what my priorities were. And they did not include getting drunk or becoming friends with these guys.

The guys seemed a little disappointed, but they didn’t let it drag them down, so I headed to the locker room. I needed a long, hot shower if I planned on being on the field again the next day.

But as I was walking, my gaze fell on the beautiful cheerleader again. She was sitting on the bleachers with a few of her friends. They were laughing, and I couldn’t help but wonder if it had something to do with the skills we’d put on display.

The thought alone was enough to make my stomach churn. I had countless football dreams in my life, but I never imagined I’d be in a situation like this one. And of course there had to be a gorgeous girl to witness it all.

I gave her one last glance, and for a moment our eyes met. She gave me one of those warm smiles and waved. My heart did a somersault in my chest and I was pretty sure I went pale as a sheet.

I felt like such an idiot, so I just put my head down and walked past them without any indication that I’d seen her sweet gesture.

2

Elizabeth

Jenna basically dragged me into Coach Harris’s house, and I couldn’t help but laugh. It wasn’t like I hadn’t planned on attending, but her excitement was contagious. And that wasn’t helping with the reason I really wanted to attend.

We stepped inside and the sight took my breath away. I had no idea the coach had such an amazing house. Or that the entire football team and their fan club would be there.

“This isn’t a mixer,” I mumbled. “It’s a full-blown party.”

“This is nothing,” Jenna said as she pushed through the crowd. “Word has it that some of these guys really know how to have a good time. So it’s safe to expect things to get worse.”