Fae Read Free Page B

out.
    My heart stopped beating. My hands clammed up. What? I screamed on the inside. Are you kidding me?
    â€œTonight?” I croaked out. “Why can’t we just do a profile on him and put it in next week’s paper?”
    Please let her say it can wait until later, I thought frantically to myself. There was no way. Just no way I could walk up and actually talk to him. My mind quickly moved through my plans for the upcoming evening. I would run home and have time to think, prepare my questions, and try to relax. By next week, I’d be in perfect control.
    â€œI need it to go in tomorrow’s paper, Caroline. He’s a new student, and everyone is dying to get to know him. You’ve got to write it tonight and email it to me.” She was talking a mile a minute. “You know that I am always the last to know about everything, especially the new students. We have to write something about the famous new quarterback! Don’t you agree?”
    She always ended every sentence with a “don’t you agree ?” especially when she knew she was wrong.
    I hated her. “Yeah, I guess.”
    â€œI knew you would after you heard my logic.”
    Her logic defied all reason. I shook my head in annoyance. I couldn’t believe how the evening had transpired. I was speechless. What was going on?
    My stomach sunk in dread as I nervously scanned the crowd looking for him. He was easy enough to find. Tall enough to stand out in the crowd. Gorgeous enough to demand attention. And of course he was surrounded by a small crowd of adoring female fans. Just like a celebrity.
    And they were female fans that came in the form of cheerleader. A different breed of women. They looked immaculate at all times in short skirts, and had, for some reason, swam out of the genetic pool of Playboy models. These were the kind of girls that would always remain hot, never lacking for anything because they’d inevitably find some rich husband to marry them, and would breed children to look and act just like them.
    And now I had to enter their lair?
    Jordana Kroll, a name that funnily enough rhymed with troll, was the blonde bombshell and squad leader. She was practically drooling. No doubt assessing her prey. To think that I was going to have to walk over there and get his attention was nauseating. Absolutely sickening. What had I ever done to deserve this?
    I looked to Teddy for assistance. He shook his head. “Don’t look at me. I’m already late; my mother is going to lay into me if I don’t leave right now.
    â€œBut…Ted,” I begged.
    â€œYou’ll be fine. I’ve gotta go. You’ll be fine.”
    Another lie.
    It was as if he sensed my hysteria. He knew me too well. He knew that the last thing in the world I wanted to do was walk over to the snakepit and conduct this interview.
    â€œCaroline, who cares about this guy anyway? He’s a football player.” He was right of course. This guy was a jock. What did I have to be afraid of? Unfortunately, I could not control the frantic beating of my heart.
    For some reason, I was suddenly obsessed with him, and I couldn’t figure out why.
    â€œYou’re right,” I said instead. I looked over at Natalie, “I’ll do it.”
    â€œGreat,” she happily replied as she gave me my marching orders. “Just ask him the basics: background, family, girlfriends, etcetera.”
    She turned around and started walking away from me as she spoke. “Remember to email it to me tonight. Okay?” She called out.
    â€œGood luck,” Teddy said as he too started to walk away. “Can’t wait to hear all the details. I’ll be up late, so call me. I want to hear about how smart he is.” He added sarcastically.
    I tried to smile, but it’s hard to smile when you know you’re doomed.
D
    I saw her approaching me from the corner of my eye. I was busy entertaining a cheerleader, Jordana something