Stepbrother's Darling

The Game

Mirabelle’s POV

My first few days at Bradley-Thorne have been great. My classes are tiring and complicated, but I love it all. This is what I wanted, and more importantly? I haven’t seen Vaughn at all. Still, that doesn’t mean I haven’t heard of him, he’s kind of a big deal around here. Everyone seems to know who he is and the girls? Always trying to get noticed by him and his friends. Some girls in my communications class have a bet to see who can f**k him first, shallow pretty rich girls but I think the competition is dead. I won before it began and I wasn’t exactly participating.

Overall, I freaking love it here, I’m yet to make any friends in my classes or dorms but I have people I smile and wave at. Plus, Arielle. She’s great, she’s bubbly, confident, funny, and always up for chaos. We’ve grown close too fast that it almost scares me that she might change her mind about liking me.

“And where are you headed, Beauty?” Arielle asks, watching me pack my tote bag again.

I’m behind in two of my classes and that's already too many. “Library, everyone seems to know more than I do in philosophy so I have to catch up. I hate sitting around while they go back and forth during class.”

Arielle sighs, “It’s an elective, Beauty, drop it. You’ll still have six classes.”

“I’m not dropping any classes, I can do this,” I tell her, nodding to myself.

“Okay,” Arielle nods. “But you can't live your life stuck in the library. There’s plenty of time for that, these are our cheat days, have fun days and I will not let you waste them.”

“Arielle—”

“Nope,” she cuts me off. “We have been here four days and you’ve been studying every day. Tonight, we are getting air. It’s football night.”

Football?

Vaughn plays. He’ll surely be there and I don’t think showing up in his territory is a good idea but a part of me wants to go.

Arielle is staring at me expectantly. “Let’s do it.” I nod.

“Yes!” She claps. “Let’s leave before you change your mind and also so we can have good seats in the house, football is big around here. Plus the teams have hot players so whoo!”

I’ve never been big on football, my sport has always been academics and cheer. But Arielle seems pumped about the game so I go with her. I don't even change out of my dress, I simply swap my cardigan out for a mini leather jacket and we go to the field.

Arielle has two of her friends sitting beside her, and I’ve never seen this many people at a school football game.

“Beauty,” Arielle taps my shoulder. I guess the nickname stays. She’s been calling me Beauty since we met. “See that hunk in the Tommy Hill jacket? Argh, this is why I love football. It’s basically a high-end networking event disguised as a sport.”

“Are you planning on networking?”

Arielle laughs, “Always. Nearly every boy here has money that needs spending and I have places it can be spent.” She casually remarks, pointing out which ones are good for a shopping spree and which ones are greedy with their money.

I’ve noticed she loves to shop, she likes expensive things and I guess parents will get tired of paying for it no matter how rich.

Soon, the game begins and Arielle talks me through that too. This is not her first semester she dropped out a semester ago and decided to start fresh again. Vaughn is the star quarterback and when he comes onto the field, the crowd erupts in cheers. Arielle’s two friends are talking about how hot he is and how they go to see him practice because he is often shirtless.

I roll my eyes. It's nothing special. Vaughn seems to be allergic to shirts, and now I see who indulges him.

The game is a friendly match between Artcherson University(AU) and Bradley-Thorne University (BTU) but both teams are taking it seriously. It doesn’t take long for me to be immersed in the game, and I can’t stop watching him. He plays just like he f***s. Passionate and confidently. Every time he scores I almost cheer, almost.

At halftime, Arielle takes me to the concession stands.

“See,” Arielle nudges me. “I told you this would be fun.”

I nod, “I’m glad I came, even with the eyesore.” I jest, referring to the eye candy himself.

“Vaughn Thorne is basically a god here,” Arielle says, “He’s got the whole dark prince thing down. Total jerk, I’m sure, but damn, he’s hot so...”

“Still a total jerk.” I roll my eyes.

“We should go back, the game is about to begin,” Arielle says, looking at her arm in mine.

The junior coach almost bumps into me and he pauses, “Bradley-Thorne?”

“Yeah?” We both frown.

“Oh good,” he sighs, the relief unmistakable. “I know you’re not staff, but the water boy just quit, and we are completely out of chilled bottles in the main locker room. Can one of you possibly run this last crate of water to the football locker room? They have to be in there before the team runs back out.”

Arielle winces, “Oh, sorry. I would love to but I’m in heels. They’re walking shoes, not carrying water shoes.”

The man’s eyes shift to me and before I can find a satisfactory excuse, I agree. “Sure, where is the locker room?”

“It’s in the athletic complex, directly below the main bleachers. No one’s in there right now, my players are all on the bench.” He says, motioning over my shoulder. “I have to discuss plays with them or we lose.”

“Okay,” I nod.

“Thank you,” he grins, handing me the twelve-pack of water. “Just drop them inside the double doors. You’re a lifesaver!” he calls out, running backwards to his team.

Arielle shakes her head, “We will have to talk about excuses, roomie but for now, go ahead.” She sighs, “I’ll be at our seats.”

I nod, carrying the waters to the lockerooms. It's a solid three minutes there and the weight of the waters is starting to strain my arm. This is what I get for helping and to top it off, I hear the commentator announce ten more minutes before the game begins which means the assistant coach tricked me.

The locker room smells like sweat, Gatorade, and the number one fuckboy scent.

I put the water pack down with the rest of them, wiping my hands on my dress as I turn. “Never again,” I mutter to myself.

But as I turn to leave, a massive, shadowed figure appears in front of me.

Fuck.

He said no one was in here so who is behind me? I don’t wonder for another second, I simply turn and start walking, the shadow following me, steps heavier.