Songs for Cricket by Laine, E. (best books to read in your 20s TXT) 📗

not because of the potential to be a minor celebrity of sorts.

“Can we do this after or even postpone it until never?”

She laughed at me. “This is only the beginning. But I think I can persuade them to wait until after practice.”

“Good because I’m already late.”

“Okay, give me a minute before heading upstairs. I’ll distract them so you won’t be too late.”

I agreed, and she trotted off. I counted off the seconds in my head and then hustled upstairs and into the locker room.

“Farrow, good you could make it.”

My checks burned as all eyes turned to me. Coach continued.

“As I was saying, this is the last week to prove yourselves worthy to play on Saturday. Disappoint me now, and you’ll be keeping the bench warm for the starters.”

Not long after, we left the locker room and jogged down the stairs that were between the up and down escalators, warming up our muscles for what was going to be a grueling practice.

As we reached the bottom, someone from the crew spoke loud enough for me to hear over the steady chatter.

“That’s her.”

I listened intently, wanting to hear her response.

“Just footage,” she warned. “We have an exclusive after.”

“What about him?” the same guy asked. “The guy from this morning.”

“There’s nothing there. They said he hadn’t been under arrest. He was just being questioned about a reported crime. She’s the bigger story for now.”

As I came to a stop, a familiar hand nudged me at the base of my back. I wanted to correct the reporter and bargain for them to stay away from Shepard if they wanted an interview from me.

“Just go,” Shepard whispered.

I did as he asked, not wanting to create a scene. I felt some relief outside. The heat from the July sun and how to survive the next few hours in it in full pads eclipsed my other thoughts until I saw her.

The cheerleaders lined the entrance to the field, chanting something I couldn’t focus on with her in my sight. She hadn’t spotted me. I was beneath her. But I caught the moment she saw Shepard. Her lip curled in a sneer, but the joke was on her. She must not have been told yet that her little ploy hadn’t worked.

Hands caught hold of me when I drifted in her direction. Wiping that ugly smile off her face had been my subconscious goal.

“Let it be. She’ll get hers.”

But it wasn’t Shepard talking to me this time. I nodded to Cooper and continued onto the field. Shepard hadn’t stopped but had moved faster instead. I wasn’t mad at him. Her kind of poison was deadly, and knowing him, he didn’t want to put a target on my back if she saw us together.

I caught sight of August talking to Emily. She looked distressed, and my brother was being very animated. Though I hadn’t quite forgiven him for his overprotectiveness, he was my brother, and Emily was close to becoming a good friend. Plus, I needed August on my side when Shepard and I told him we were together.

Once practice began, I forgot about everything. Coach had told us to show him what we were made of. Bryant would be gunning for me and my position. I had to continue to prove that I was the better choice.

When it was over, sweat ran like a raging river over me. I hoped the TV crew would give me time to shower before I was forced in front of the camera.

I ran up to the guys. “You don’t have to wait for me.”

August seemed distracted. “Yeah, I have a thing.”

I wondered if that thing was Emily.

“I’ll meet you at the café,” August said.

“I’m not hungry. I’ll walk home,” Shepard said.

“I can run you there,” Cooper offered, “and come back.”

“No, I’m good. Go ahead. I need time to clear my head anyway.”

August and Cooper nodded and went off. August was clearly distracted, or he would have insisted on being there for the interview.

“I’m staying with you,” Shepard whispered.

I stepped in front of him. “No, you won’t. If you’re there, it will just give them a reason to look into your background.”

He looked as if I’d stabbed him in the chest. “You shouldn’t go alone.”

Alone was so much better. Having August or Cooper there would have pissed my dad off. He would think I was creating a media circus and dragging them into it.

“Tori is going to be there. She’s good at the press thing,” I said. “It will be fine. Don’t worry. I’ll see you later.”

He looked like he wanted to say more, but I gave him a little shove forward, and he kept going.

I glanced around, hoping the cheerleaders were around but found none in sight. I wasn’t done with Lacey. After all these years of my brothers and Shep watching over me, it was time for me to do a little protecting of my own.

As I worked up a plan in my head, my mood began to lift. I ignored the crew when they surged forward at my arrival and disappeared into the locker room. I showered and changed, grateful the TV woman hadn’t followed me. Though Tori had been there probably warning them off.

I walked out into the main foyer of the facility in clean practice gear including pads. I had a feeling they wanted to see me in uniform.

Tori gave me some pointers as I trudged over to where they were set up in a corner that had excellent lighting from tall windows.

“Just stick to the basics. Only tell them what you’re comfortable with. Don’t let them trip you up into saying more. If they ask you something you don’t want to answer, say next question. If they persist, I’ll step in. Don’t lose your cool. You will be fine.”

She also cautioned me about saying anything negative about the school.

The TV lady stepped forward, hand extended as we approached.

“Hi, I’m Glenda Hightower. It’s nice to meet you.”

She had a warm smile and was dressed in a conservative blouse and