The Falcon Ridge Series Book 2 Not Just A Girl

(Chapter song ‘Let’s Go Crazy’ by Prince)

JAYSON

I knew it wouldn't be long before the Terror of Black Lake struck. It was only a matter of time.

I had hoped that I was straightening her out enough to actually be a disciplined young girl. I guess I was wrong.

I know her seeing me with Wren had something to do with the tennis ball attack. I just don't know what for. It's not like she can be mad at me. We are in no way together. We're barely friends.

But clearly, if her aiming balls at my head wasn't an indication of her being angry, her face, when she was back on the field, definitely was.

I wish she didn't see it, but I won't feel bad about it. I have no attachment to her. Yeah, she's gorgeous. Funny, smart, a good fighter, but I refuse to get involved. I won't and I won't be held responsible for her school girl crush either.

So why do I feel like a giant asshole?

I probably could've explained myself, but I shouldn't have to. I don't need to explain myself to anyone.

Wren insisted I talk to her and I flat out refused. What I do in my private life is no one's business which is why I will be supervising her during her extra hour of practice.

I'll make her rethink her choices and make it clear this isn't about me. It's about her.

For her punishment after practice, I have her doing squats and planks over and over again for her hour.

She's panting and sweating. Almost dying.

I'm squatted beside her while she's in her final plank position. I pick up a blade of grass, play with it a bit and throw it. I speak to her in a monotone voice that's almost threatening in nature. "Did I not say that if you continue to fuck with me, I'll make your life hell? Did I not say that?"

I look at her as she fights her plank. She's starting to dip.

"Get that back straight." I grit. She corrects herself.

"I thought you were making progress, Sarah. I really did. I thought… Here's a good kid who really wants to try. She just needs someone to understand her. I thought for sure your reputation wouldn't follow you here from back home. Imagine my disappointment as you tried to smash my face with a tennis ball." I study her reactions to my words.

"You don't have a responsible bone in your body, do you?" I lean down to her and see how red her face is. She's shaking as she holds herself up.

"Obviously, you couldn't care less about yourself or other people. Even those trying to help you. People who actually give a damn about how you turn out. But I can see now...” I let her hang another second. “Release." She flops on the ground, her face buried in her arms.

I lean closer. "I can see, Sarah. I'm doing nothing but wasting my fucking time. Hit the showers." I get up and walk back to my office, leaving her there on the field.

Yeah, I'm probably a cruel bastard for talking to her like that, but I told her what she needed to hear. She's better than her reputation. Her self-control is in there. I've seen it. I'm hoping my words will put a fire in her belly that will burn hot enough to make her want this for herself, just as much I do.

Because it may not look like it, but I'm rooting for her. I won't give up on her. I know there's a good kid in there. This is just a temporary setback for her. I can feel it.

****

She hasn't spoken to me or even looked at me proper in three days and I don’t know why, but it’s kind of bugging me. She should be over it by now. I usually don’t care if people have issues with me. Being a poor kid from the ‘dirt town', you get a lot of that, but I feel like Sarah should be different.

I've have been running her pretty ragged after practice. I try to encourage her by telling her she's not this person. That she doesn't need to be here. I’m trying to help her, but I’m not letting her off the hook.

After watching her run suicides, I tell her to take a knee. She jogs up and I can see she's hurting, trying to breathe. She gets down on one knee and rests her head on her arm on her thigh.

I take a knee in front of her, crossing my arms on my knee.

"Now, for four days, I've reminded you who you're supposed to be. So, I have to ask, do you still want to be that kid on the roof, or do you want something more?" I stare at the back of her head.

"Sarah. Look at me." I say gently, but sternly. She raises her head and sits up on her back leg. Her face is red, pained and tired.

"Who do you want to be, Sarah?" I ask her.

"I want to be myself." She pants.

I nod. "Does that include the violent kid hitting people with tennis balls?"

She shakes her head. She looks like she's about to cry. "No." She chokes.

I put a hand on her shoulder. "Do you want me to help you?"

"No." She shrugs off my hand.

I look confused. "You don't want help?"

She nods. "I want help, but not from you." She stands, grabs her water bottle and downs half of it. Grabbing her bag, she starts for the dorms.

"Why don't you want me to help you?" I stand up and walk to her.

"Because I don't. I don't need you." She adjusts her pack.

I rub my neck as we walk side by side. "Why are you so angry?"

"I'm not." She glances at me and walks faster.

"Yes, you are. Look. I get that seeing me and Wren together..."

She cuts me off. "It's not about that." She throws open the door to the dorms.

"What's it about then?" I throw my arm out to the side as I try to keep up with her speed. She doesn’t sound pissed, but I’m still feeling it.

She opens her room and throws her bag on the floor. She grabs her shower bag and comes back out to the hallway, heading for the showers.

"Sarah." I grab her arm and spin her around.

She scratches her temple. "Just... forget it. I'm not mad and I don't care who you sleep with. I have to go."

She spins on her heels and strides to the shower room.

As much as I don’t want it to be, I feel like it's a lie.

She's mad at me for sleeping with Wren and I'm starting to care about it. When she told me she didn't want my help a little piece inside me felt pained.

I heave a sigh and leave for my office.

I sit down at my desk, rub my head and stare at the paperwork I've been trying to do for the last couple of days.

Hours pass as I try to work, but I only end up just staring into the room, playing with my pen.

Why do I care so much? I shouldn't.

The image of Sarah staring at me at the door flashed across my mind. The look on her face. The shock of it. I don't even know why she was there in the first place. I didn't call her there.

I scrub my fingers through my hair while I bend over my paperwork.

Why was she at my door that day?

I raise my head and stare at the door. "Why?"

I grab my keys and rush out the door and lock it behind me. I head to Sarah's room to get this burning question out of my head.

As I stand in front of her door, I raise my hand and hesitate. Do I really need to know this? I think it over then knock on the door.

It felt like an eternity before I hear soft footsteps seemingly stumble to the door.

She opens the door. "Jayson? What are you doing here. It's after midnight."

I eye her up and down. She's in little pink shorts and a tank top. Her eyes are puffy from sleep.

I pull out my phone and look at the time. Shit. I didn't even realize the time.

She comes out into the hall and shuts the door. She stands in front it, lowers her head and crosses her arms.

"I just need to ask you question then I'll leave you alone." I say, leaning on the door frame. My arm beside her head.

She rubs her eyes. "Ok."

"Why were you at my office that day?" I try to find her baby blues as I wait for a response.

She shakes her head. "Uh. I don't remember."

"You don't remember or you don't want to tell me?" She raises her head and my eyes lock with hers.

"I don't remember." She repeats.

I point my finger at her. "Why?"

She narrows her eyes. "I don't... remember." she says adamantly.

I smack the door frame hard, making her flinch a bit. "That's bullshit! Why, Sarah?" I clench under my breath.

Her mouth goes small and she shakes her head. Tears line her eyes.

I hit the frame again. She squeezes her eyes shut. "Tell me!"

Her chin quivers and her cheeks turn pink. "I just wanted to thank you for the Saturday morning because it was really special to me and I never shared that with anyone before. It just... It meant a lot." Her voice was shaky and tiny tear falls from her eye that she quickly wipes away.

My jaw falls and my hand drops from the door. My eyes widen as I realize I am a giant prick. "Sarah... I..."

She sniffs. "No. It's fine. It's not important. I'll... um... see you at practice." She whips around, opens the door and hurries herself inside.

I reach out and run my fingers down the closed door in front of me. I should have realized she was there for a reason. I should of listened to Wren and talked with her when it happened. I thought this was about me having sex with Wren when really it was about tarnishing an important moment for her.

I could have fixed it if I just talked with her. I would've told her it was a special moment for me, too. That I felt honored she would share something so special to her with me.

I lean on the wall across from her door. Fuck. No wonder she tried to kill me with tennis balls.

I give her door a second glance before heading to my own room.

I may not be involved with Sarah, but I have to fix this for her own sake. If I leave it, I feel like things with her will only get worse.

I think I know what to do.

****

The next morning, I'm at her door again, dressed in sweats, tank and runners.

I knock pretty enthusiastically and I wait patiently.

She opens the door slowly. Ashley's behind her in the room, grabbing her stuff.

They both blink at me like I'm some sort of alien.

I smile "Good morning."

Sarah looks back at Ashley then back to me. "Uh... good morning. It's 5:30. I didn't miss early practice, did I?"

I chuckle. "No, but are you ready to head out?"

Ashley pushes past Sarah. "Um. I'm going to go. I'll see you out there. Luv you." She hugs Sarah.

"Luv you, too." Sarah hugs her back.

Ashley gives me a curious look and walks to the outside door.

I lean on the frame, crossing my arms. "So. You ready?"

"We don't need to be there for another thirty minutes." She eyes me up and down.

The corner of my mouth ticks up. "We're not going to practice. At least, not yet."

Her brow furrows. "Why?"

I lean to her slightly. "We're going to dance first." I smile, wiggling my brow.

She pauses then a big smile grows on her lips. Damn, that’s a beautiful sight.

She spins around and grabs her gym bag. "Let's go."

I took her to the clearing and put on my Spotify on random.

We both started dancing around like a couple of crazy people. It's weird. Ask me a month ago if I'd be here, dancing like a lunatic in the middle of the woods and I'd probably punch you in the face.

But here I am. With this larger than life, wily, 18-year-old girl. Watching her twirl, having fun and smiling. I hear her beautiful laughter and I almost feel like I’m melting. I grab her hands and jump around with her and she throws her head back before whipping her long, silky hair all around like a heavy metal rock star.

It's crazy. I swore this kind of thing off 2 years ago, but somewhere deep inside, I'm liking every minute of it.

After, we sit on the ground, leaning on the log. She has her knees up and her arms wrapped around them. Her head rests on her knees and her eyes stare at me.

I throw a piece of grass. "What?" I smirk as my eyes meet hers.

"Nothing." She shakes her head on her knees. "You didn't have to do this." She smiles.

"Well, I kind of had an ulterior motive." I smirk.

She lifts her head. "What's that?"

"Saving myself from getting beaten with tennis balls again." I bump her.

She giggles. "Sorry."

I turn to her, leaning my elbow on the log and my head in my hand. "Tell me about this. How did it start?"

She mirrors my position. "Um... I was about 7 or 8. I got into a fight at school. Again. I got a two-day suspension for it and deemed a problem kid."

I furrowed my brow. "You were so little."

She shrugs. "It wasn't my first time. Anyway, my mother was on her last nerve. The day I was supposed to go back, my mom was making breakfast and dancing around the kitchen. I started dancing, too. She saw me and started to dance with me. While we danced, she held my hands. She told me to let go of everything. The fight, the teachers, the other kids and just dance. She told me to feel whatever's in my heart and let it out then she sent me off to school." She picks at the log as she shares this memory with me.

"What happened?" I ask.

Her mouth ticks as she shrugs. "Nothing. I had a great day. So great, the teacher called my mom to ask her what we did. After that, I danced every morning before school. Some days it didn't work or I didn't have time, but for the most part, my mother saved me."

I gave a small smile and eye her. "Why don't you want anyone to know?"

She turns back to leaning on the log with a sigh. "Like I said, it's easier to have people think you're weird, then to prove them right."

I turn my back to the log. "Sarah, I'm sorry. I should've talked to you sooner. I want you know, I'm happy to share something that means so much to you. I’m glad that you trusted me with this."

She lets out a tiny laugh. "Well, it's not like you'll go blabbing about the camp screw up dancing in the woods."

I chuckle. "True."

She sits up and crosses her legs in the grass. "I was hurt, but it's not your fault. It's mine."

I gave her a curious look. "How was it your fault?"

She picks at the grass. "I just had things in my mind that were... not what I expected. I'm sorry. For everything."

I eye her again. "What things?"

She stands up and wipes herself off. "Nothing. Just some stupid girl stuff."

"No, Sarah. I want to know." I stand up and was probably closer to her then I should’ve been.

She stares at me and I realize the heat we had been feeling over the past weeks was building again. Her cheeks turn a light shade of pink and my eyes lock with hers. The air pressure increases and I suddenly feel the urge to kiss her pink, pouty lips.

Before I could, she broke it off. She grabs her gym bag, slings it over her shoulder and turns to me. "We should get to practice. Thank you... for this."

She walks backwards a bit, smiling, then turns to the field.

I blow out a shaky breath as I watch her leave.

Standing in the clearing, hands on my hips, my mind is racing. I don't know what I'm feeling right now, but I think Sarah feels the same thing.

I'm starting to believe there may be something there between us. The question is, do I really want to find out what?