Crushing on the Enemy (4 page)

His hands shook as he drove and he caught himself speeding several times.

“Easy does it,” he said out loud, “all I need is to get pulled over on the way to stopping a crime.”

It did occur to Jake that he could call the coach and he would prevent the team from committing such a blunt act of vandalism, but he didn't want to be branded as a snitch for the rest of the year. His home life was bad enough without creating a disaster at school. Besides, he didn't have any friends that weren't teammates.

He pulled into the parking lot as the sun was setting. It was Saturday so it was empty for the most part so Jake parked in the teachers' section to keep from being seen. He didn't want anyone else to find out what his team was up to. Jake called his dad and said he was going to be late. He started in on his normal lecture, but Jake hung up the phone before he could get going too much on the subject. Some things were more important than his dad's opinion, one of which was his teammates' futures. They had all worked their butts off to keep their grades up and practiced hard to stay on the team. Their coach didn't allow slackers.

Jake waited nervously for his team to show up. Around nine o'clock he fell asleep, but was woken a few hours later when a car drove past. He glanced at his phone and seen that it was already after midnight.

“Damn it!” he cursed.

He looked around and saw that Craig's car was already parked a few rows over. The newest arrival looked to be the pom-pom girl, as he came to refer to her. Could she have possibly found out Craig's plan? Was her car full of her boyfriend and his teammates? If it was this could get uglier than Jake had first thought.

To Jake's relief she got out of the car alone and looked to be dressed for jogging. He's have to circle around the school quickly and hope to beat her to the field. Hopefully, the guys hadn't had a chance to get started yet. Jake couldn't believe he had fallen asleep on guard duty!

He waited until the pom-pom girl was out of sight before he got out of his truck. Quietly as he could, Jake sprinted around the school, which was larger than it had seemed from the stadium. When he was nearly there he heard the pom-pom girl screech and threaten to call the cops.

“Damn it!” he hissed and quickened his pace.

He was too late! Jake knew he should leave before the cops showed up, but what if the guys decided to try to keep her from calling the cops? Would they hurt her to get the phone away? Surely, they wouldn't, but then again they hadn't been acting normal at all today.

He ran onto the track to see Craig arguing with her.

“Give me the damn phone,” he said, taking a step towards her.

“NO!” she shouted and stood her ground.

“That's a girl,” he thought to himself, “don't back down to Craig, he's more hot air than anything else.”

“Come 'on,” Craig said.

He looked more frustrated than anything. Jake could tell his teammate had counted on not being caught.

“No! This is our field and look what you've done to it!” the girl shouted.

“It's not like you have to clean it up!” Craig retorted.

The other guys were laughing at him now.

“No, but the school will have to pay people to clean it up!” she shouted.

“Come on,” one of the other guys said, “let's just go. It'll be her word against ours.”

“I have you on camera,” she said bravely.

“What?” Craig said, his brow furrowing in anger.

Jake watched in shock as the pom-pom girl quickly began dial nine-one-one.

“Please don't,” he said before he could stop himself.

“What?” she said looking up.

Craig took advantage of the distraction and snatched the phone from her and stomped on it. She screeched in surprise and stepped towards the much larger Craig.

Acting quickly, Jake sprinted in between them before she could slap Craig. He didn't want the situation to get any more violent than what had happened to the phone.

“Just leave guys,” he shouted at Craig, “Go now!”

His teammates didn't need told twice, they ran like dogs with their tails tucked between their legs. Once he was sure they were gone he picked up what was left of her phone.

She snatched it from him and examined the damage. The case had held up pretty well and it looked to Jake that the screen was only cracked.

“I'm still calling the cops,” she said.

“Okay,” Jake nodded in defeat.

“You're not going to try to stop me?” she asked.

“No, I told them not to come here tonight,” Jake said following her.

She walked over to the bleachers and sat down.

“Then why are you here?” she asked.

“I was going to try to stop them, but I fell asleep in my truck,” Jake admitted.

“How do I know you're telling the truth?” she asked.

“You don't, well not at least until they look at the security cameras tomorrow,” he said, “Wait a minute, what are you doing here?”

“I came to jog. It helps clear my mind,” she sighed, “You should leave before I call the cops,”

“No, I want to stay. I can give names,” he said.

“So you're a snitch?” she asked arching a brow.

“No,” Jake shook his head, “I just don't want to get some of the blame somehow.”

“Fair enough,” she shrugged.

Jake watched nervously as she called nine-one-one and reported the crime. The operator asked that she remain there so the police could take her statement. They waited in an awkward silence.

“I bet your boyfriend is going to be mad,” Jake said trying to find something to talk about.

“What?” the pom-pom girl asked.

“About the field,” Jake added.

“You have me confused with someone else,” she said, “I don't have a boyfriend.”

“Really?” he asked, smiling a little more than he meant to.

She gave him a weird look and then laughed.

“Don't look so happy about my misery,” she giggled.

“I'm not, it's just that..” Jake wasn't sure what he was going to say, but their conversation was cut short by the arrival of two police officers.

He was quite while pom-pom girl talked to the cops. She explained that they had agreed to meet here for a late night run. One of the officers gave him a knowing smile. For a second he thought they didn't believe her and then Jake realized the cop thought they were a couple. He gave the cop a sheepish grin and looked away.

As he listened, he learned new things about pom-pom girl. Alyssa was her name. The officer questioning her had known her father before he died of cancer. He had been an officer too. She gave the officers that smile that most cheerleaders wore at pep rallies and football games, but they seemed to think it was genuine.

As he watched her, Jake's heart thumped against his chest. It took him a moment to realize that he was beginning to like this odd cheerleader from the rival school. He shook his head, mentally shaking the picture of them holding hands and acting like a couple. It was never going to happen. She came from the richer side of the tracks and was a Panther.

When the officers were done talking to Alyssa, they turned their attention towards him. It pained him to give up the names of his teammates, but he forced himself to speak the names of everyone of them that had participated. His hands shook as he spoke. The officers were patient and gave him time to come to terms with each name he gave them.

Alyssa put her hand on his shoulder and a lump formed in his throat. He forced himself to swallow hard and give the last name.

“Craig Semmons,” he said.

He saved Craig for last even though he had been the brains behind the operation. Through his high school career Craig had been his best friend, but he was guessing that ended tonight.

“He's the one that damaged the young lady's phone?” the cop asked.

“Yes, sir,” Jake answered looking down at his feet.

“Thank you, for helping us,” the officer said with a smile, “I know it wasn't easy, but it was the right thing to do.”

Jake nodded not trusting himself to speak. Alyssa's hand was now resting easily against his arm and he was trying to focus on anything but how soft her skin felt against his.

“You kids get on home,” the other officer said.

“Yes, sir,” he said.

Alyssa slipped her hand into his and together they walked to the parking lot. Jake's mind raced with questions, but none that he was brave enough to ask. Why was she holding his hand? Oh, yea, she had implied they were dating. Jake bit back a chuckle.

“What?” Alyssa asked.

“Nothing,” he shook his head.

“Okay,” she grinned and pulled away, “We're to my car,”

She glanced over her shoulder and Jake followed her line of sight to the officers that were still watching. Jake felt himself blush as Alyssa touched his cheek and brushed her lips against his before getting into her car.

He stood awkwardly still and watched her drive away. It hadn't been a real kiss, not by what the guys would count anyway, but still it was the first time he had ever kissed a girl.

The sound of the officers laughing urged Jake to move. Once inside of his truck he realized he was holding a small slip of paper. He studied the curvy writing for a moment before he realized it was a phone number. Alyssa had given him her phone number.

Jake didn't remember much of the drive home, but he found himself smiling when he pulled into the driveway. All the lights in the house were off and he crept silently in without waking his dad. Maybe, just maybe, his luck was turning around.

Alyssa stopped at the all night diner and ate a burger. She was starving and needed some time to get her thoughts straight before she headed home. Jake, the boy who had rescued her pom-poms filled her thoughts. Her heart pounded against her chest when she thought about how bravely she kissed him. It was the first time she had kissed a boy. Most of the other girls on the squad had at least one boyfriend, but she had been holding out for Ryan.

Ryan Matthers. He seemed a world away. She knew that reality would come crashing down on Monday, but for now what Ryan and Katie had done to her didn't matter.

Alyssa tried to tell herself she had only kissed him to keep their alibi, but had they really needed one? She could have told them the truth. She had said they both had sneaked out of their houses anyway. So why had she lied? Alyssa wasn't sure. At least it was behind her now.

Alyssa blinked for a moment and felt like a fool. Caught up in the moment and her emotions, she had given Jake her phone number. Surely, he wouldn't call her, or would he? She remembered how his eyes had lit up when she told him she was single. Alyssa felt her cheeks go pink.

“Stop it,” she told herself silently, “that boy is a Rattlesnake.”

Alyssa drove home through the empty streets trying to figure out how she was going to sneak back into the house without getting caught. Her mother was going to be angry enough to have kittens and Cody would have a field day with 'delinquent' behavior.

“I guess I climb back up the tree,” she sighed as she killed the engine.

Slowly, so not to make a sound, Alyssa hefted herself up the sturdy branches of the tree that stood outside of her window. She pulled herself onto the pane and over the window seat before she collapsed silently panting.

The overhead light came on, startling her.

“No cheering for the rest of the year,” Cody said, looking down at her.

“Screw off,” she panted.

“I mean it, Alyssa, and I'm sure your mother will agree with me,” he added.

“Leave her alone, Cody,” her mother sighed coming into the room.

“I'm not going to continue to tolerate her behavior under my roof,” he said.

Anger twisted Alyssa's belly and she forced herself to her feet.

“This isn't your house, it never was,” she shouted at him.

Hot angry tears dropped down her cheeks and landed on the soft blue carpet as she spoke.