Back to the Start

Needless to say my brother’s were pissed that I hadn’t tried out for the team. James and Jared the worst of all, “Do you mean to say that we listened to you bitch for two months for nothing?!”

They threw up their arms in unison, “God, Cole, could you be any lamer?”

“Quiet boys.” My dad spoke up. The twins grumbled but said nothing further, you didn’t talk back to my father, it just wasn’t done. “It’s your brother’s choice and his choice alone, now we are going to eat dinner and we are not going to talk.”

My sister, who’s shoulders barely cleared the table top waved her fork in the air, “Daddy?”

“Yes?”

“Can I talk to tell you that I took my spelling test today?”

“Sure baby.” I chuckled under my breath, the man might be a hard ass, but when it came to my sister he was a big softy.

“It was real easy, there was only twelve words.” She put some food in her mouth and talked through it, “I got a hundered.”

“That’s fantastic.” He gave her a really big smile, and held up his hand for a high five, which she gave him happily. She may only have been eight but she had my father wrapped around her tiny little finger. Quite frankly she had us all wrapped around her finger, just not as tightly. She giggled and looked up at me from her perch on the chair.

I grinned at her, wishing I could be her age again, I wouldn’t mind repeating third grade. It was such a simple year, no one really cared whether you liked girls or boys, and you always got a recess after lunch. Too bad I couldn’t turn back the clock, maybe then I’d go back and keep David from saying anything.

I looked over at him down on the other side of the table and he averted his eyes quickly, his face sheepish and red. I could tell he felt bad, and I wasn’t angry, but it still sucked majorly.

--

Ugh. School started way too early. Did adults not realize that kids who need to wake up before six in the morning are not going to have the strength let alone the brain cells to learn? Teenagers are stupid enough already, there is no need to make it worse. I can not, however, change the rules. So, every weekday at the butt crack of dawn, I’m up and on my way to school.

David drives us all, dropping Annabelle off at the elementary and then making his way back to the high school where the five of us go. You’d think it would be easier, having five older brothers to protect you. You’d be wrong.

It still sucks major ass, I get shoved about three times on my way to my locker. And when I finally reach my locker some passer by pushes me into it. I’m way too tall to actually fit in, but somehow my hip gets lodged in and my books and paper goes everywhere. I go to reach for my stuff but my hip is really stuck in there good, so I turn and work on trying to get it out. My hands are braced on the sides and my foot is pushing against the bottom when a pair of hands wrap around my stomach and yank.

I turn around, ready to thank one of my brothers, and instead shocked into silence. The town I live in is small, so small that I could name every person in the school, but I’ve never seen this guy before. He’s tall, even taller than me (which is a feat) and tan. I swear, this guy is fucking hot, but he barely spares me a glance before making his way down the hallway. His boots thud heavily against the tile floor and I can hear him walking long after he turns the corner.

My face feels red and I work on calming down as I gather my things. Whoever that guy was, I hoped he was in a few of my classes.

--

I was sorely disappointed when lunch came around and I still hadn’t seen the mystery guy again. I only had two classes left and I hoped that he was in at least one of them, but I had a feeling that he would be. I was under a tree, eating my sandwhich when Matt came over and sat down across from me, followed slowly by James and Jared. David, I assumed, was sitting with the soccer jocks.

“Hey little bro,” They greeted. I nodded back, taking a big bite of my lunch, “Dad can’t pick us up after practice today, so you guys have got to stay for practice to drive us home, can you tell Brandon?”

I give an over exaggerated sigh and set the sandwhich down on my lap, “Why? Where’s Dad going?”

The twins shrug and Matt shakes his head, obviously none of them knew. I’d really been hoping to avoid soccer this season at any cost, but I knew that if they needed us to wait Brandon would want to go watch, and I’d be stuck going with him. Sarah never stayed after school so I wouldn’t even have an excuse to leave. Damn.

“Fine. I’ll tell him.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to try out?” Matt eyed me, watching for a reaction he wasn’t going to get, “I could tell coach, I’m sure he’d make an exception.”

“Nah.” I waved it off as though it didn’t matter, but I’m pretty sure he could tell it did. A lot. “I’m good.”

“Come on Cole, stop being so damn stubborn.” He flicks my head and I brush his hand away.

He’s right, and I know I’m being an idiot, but I just can’t bring myself to do it.

“Alright, whatever, but you wouldn’t be the only guy trying out you know.” He starts to get up but I pull him back down.

“What do you mean?” I blurt, “Someone missed tryouts?”

“Noo…” He trails off, brushing my hand of his shirt. They’re all looking at me like I’m crazy but all I want is an answer, “There’s a new kid. Noah or something.”

James speaks up, “He’s a total ass wipe. He’s in my biology class and all he does is sit there and brood.”

“Yeah.” Jared adds, “He bumped into me in the hallway and just kept walking like nothing happened. Least he could do was say excuse me.”

I can feel the flush crawling up my cheeks and put my head down, I try and resume eating my sandwich but my brothers never make my life easy, “Wait..have you met him yet?”

“No.” The word is too quick and sharp and immediately the three in front of me start laughing, large guffaws that cause people to look over our way.

“Liar! You have!” James and Jared point and continue their laughing while Matt waggles his eyebrows at me suggestively.

“So what’d you think baby bro?”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I’m practically squeaking by the end of the sentence I’m so embarrassed.

“Aw.” He coo’s mockingly, “Does wittle Cole have a crush on the new boy?”

“Shut up!” I punch his shoulder and he laughs, putting his hands up in surrender, “I’m taller than you dick wad.”

“Alright, alright.” He smirks, “I’ll stop. But seriously, you should really try out now.” He starts getting up to walk away.

“No.”

“We all shower at the same time!” And then they’re all gone, their laughter drawing strange looks from people.

I still wasn’t trying out for the team, but I didn’t feel so dejected about having to go watch the practice anymore. After all, if I got to watch him then it wouldn’t be so bad.