Cassie's Bears

Chapter Two

Black, Luna - Cassie's Bears [Avid Ménage, Alternative MMMFM Paranormal Romance, Reverse Harem] Chapter Two

Looking at my cell, as the field began to clear, I could see that it was well after 10 o'clock. I began wondering what in the world was going to be open this late for our date. I didn't dare say it out loud once I saw Carmen coming my way since it would yet again show off my past nerdy ways. I found myself moving forward as she signaled for me to come down to the field. I looked around me, wondering if we would get in trouble for this, but I guess I had no choice. I could see her standing there with two sweaty guys, each one in a different team’s uniform. Just then, my only thought was, this was do or die time.

I tried not to appear as nervous as I was when I climbed down to meet them on the field. When I reached even ground, I couldn’t help but notice how intimidating it was to be down here, knowing that whenever there was a game, there would be a huge crowd above watching the game. I don’t know how these guys did it. I would probably get stage fright in front of just five people.

I stupidly waved at Carmen as though we were in grade school as I approached and immediately regretted it. I needed to get someone to sit on my hands or something so I wouldn’t do dumb things like that.

"Hey girl," Carmen called to me to come stand next to her. I couldn't help but notice that she was a little sweaty from all the cheering. I tried to ignore it the best I could so that I didn't give up any strange vibe to the guys. I looked at them both shyly as I noticed him looking me up and down. That was something I wasn't used to. Before guys never looked at me with any interest. Carmen turned to the guys. "Guys, this is my girl that I was telling you about, Cassie. Cassie this is my date, Finn, and your date, Barry."

I felt like I was back in middle school when we first started liking boys and dating them as we fell into step automatically with each other, walking around the field. I could tell that Barry was trying to keep a little bit of distance probably because of the smell since it seemed like he hadn't hit the showers yet. As we talked about the game and the weather, I glanced over at him several times. He looked younger than Finn with his dark hair and a little bit of facial hair that looked really good on him. He was muscular but not too big, clearly built for being a quarterback and not for defense. I glanced at Finn as he was joking with Carmen and saw that he was kind of the opposite of Barry, taller and bigger. He had more angular features and was blonde with a completely shaven face. He looked like he could tackle some guys to the ground and come out the winner. I looked away blushing furiously. He was supposed to be Carmen’s date, not mine and I needed to focus on Barry.

"So Carmen tells me that both of you know each other. How long have you known each other?" I asked and was surprised when it was actually Finn who answered, positioning himself between Carmen and I.

He turned around with a grin and started walking backward. I got the feeling he was kind of a young and silly guy at heart. "Oh, we go way back. We actually played football together in middle school. And from there we just grew up together and we both just love the game. We’re pretty much inseparable, well other than when our teams force us to go after championships."

I found it interesting, because I didn't know a whole lot of guys who have guy friends that had stayed that close. I was used to seeing girls this way and I think it endeared me to them more.

"Is it weird at all playing against each other?" I hoped I wasn't pressing too much. I felt a bit like I was being a little too inquisitive. I wasn't sure what else to do. My dates normally consisted of ice cream or a movie.

We made it all the way around the field without me even noticing. Had this been about a year ago, I would’ve been panting after just a few steps. I needed to learn to be proud of myself for what I had accomplished, especially losing all this weight.

“I hope you ladies don’t mind but Barry and I need to get cleaned up and then maybe we can go for a late-night snack?” Finn asked looking back and forth between Carmen and I.

I nodded.

“You go right ahead, guys.” Carmen waved them off and waited until they were out of earshot to turn to me. “Girl, it looks like I’m chopped liver over here. Both of these guys are totally focused on you. I think I might sit this one out.”

I felt myself begin to panic, my cheeks flushing and my underarms beginning to sweat all over my shirt. It was a good thing I was wearing something dark. “You can’t just leave me here with two strange men. This was to be a double date,” I hissed. “I was just being friendly because Barry was so shy. There is no way in H-E double L those two good-looking, successful football players were both into me right now. You can’t bail on me, Carmen.”

I turned to her angrily as she began to cackle. I was not in the least bit amused at the moment. “I’m sorry girl it’s just that I can’t believe that you can’t see it. They were looking at you like you were the best darn thing since sliced bread. No way can I compete with that. It’s fine though. Just because I’m a cheerleader doesn’t mean I need to be with a football player. They told me they’re not my type anyway. And I can get whatever guy I want. This was all about you, and it looks like you’re going to have your pick of the litter, girl.”

I shook my head at her comment. But maybe that’s where I went wrong all those years ago. Looking at men as if they were these little precious gems when really, there were a ton of them out there for the picking. I knew that any other woman would be thrilled to have two men interested in her, especially these men, but I was just too nervous. Carmen tried to reassure me with nods and gestures and encouraging words, but all I could think about was making a fool out of myself in front of those two men. Two strange men for that matter. How could I trust that I was safe alone with them? Wasn’t there some kind of unspoken rule about that?

The men came out a while later looking totally different. They were in jeans and T-shirts, ready for an outing and smelling completely heavenly compared to the sweaty smell of earlier. My heart began beating like a drum in my chest when Carmen explained to them that she wasn’t feeling well and was going to go home, leaving me in their care. She teased them about not keeping me out too late and then hugged me and left. Helplessly, I watched her walk away then moved like a robot in between them as they led me to a vehicle in the empty parking lot.

I opted to sit in the back seat so that I wasn’t sitting next to either one of them. But this just felt weird as well. While Finn drove, Barry turned around in his seat with a shy smile on his face and asked, “So, any ideas where you would like to go for that late-night snack?”

I slouched in my seat, furiously trying to think up what the right answer might be. In the end, I decided I might as well be myself. Either they would like me as I was or they wouldn’t. Just so long as we’d get this date underway and over with before I had a heart attack. “I’m always good for late-night breakfast. Know of any place?”

Barry smiled and nodded. I could feel my heart flutter at his reaction. “I think we can do that, can’t we?” He didn’t take his eyes off of me to ask his friend the question, though.

Finn nodded, looking at me through the rearview mirror. I couldn’t believe this was happening. This had to be a dream. No way was I going on a date with these two guys. What would my mother say? But then again maybe my mother would be thrilled that I was finally dating at all.

It wasn’t that long until we pulled into a small breakfast café. It was the kind of place where people would work for years, where you knew exactly what was in the menu, and the menu is simple. Probably just eggs any way you like, breakfast meat, and pancakes. I was totally fine with this place and for a while there, I’d been afraid that they would take me somewhere fancy.

Both of them got out of the car, Barry coming around to open my door. Finn was already up at the building and holding the door open for me. It was like they were a team and it wasn’t at all weird for the both of them to be out on a date with me at the same time.

As we found a seat, a corner booth where we can actually sit beside each other, I felt like something needed to be said. “Finn, I totally understand if you want to leave, or if both of you want to reschedule this. I know we were looking at a double date, and I don’t want this to be awkward.”

The waitress came up to us to take our drink orders and interrupted the conversation temporarily. I took the fact that both of them ordered a drink as a sign. So, I got myself a hot chocolate as well.

It was Finn who broke the silence after she finally walked away. “You can tell us if this is awkward for you. We totally understand, but honestly, we like the same girl pretty often, so it doesn’t really bother us. I think I speak for the both of us when I say that we both kind of like you and want to get to know you better. And Carmen has talked about you before, so we feel like we already know that you would be compatible with the both of us.”

I was skeptical at first but in the end, I decided to go with it. After all, when in Rome, right?

By the end of the night, I found myself laughing as the two easily made jokes and told stories about when they were kids and what they’d gotten up to. It surprised me that there was no awkwardness at all. I still wasn’t sure what I would do if they both ended up calling me afterward, but I let them drive me home and gave them my number.

They walked me to my door and each gave me a kiss on the cheek. I blushed and waved goodbye as they went back to their car then turned and went inside to go straight to bed. With Carmen passed out, I was glad for the reprieve of having to tell her how everything had gone. I still had some things to sort out in my head. Hopefully, a good night’s sleep would help me do that.