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Chapter 2 – More Than What She Seems

"Guys, I understand that you want me to sub the Quarterback since he's out with injury and that I'm the captain of the team - BUT WOULD YOU FREAKING KEEP SEVENTEEN OFF MY ASS?! He's been riding me hard the whole game and I haven't scored fucking once! They're leading twenty-five to zero and this is our last chance! I refuse to let Seventeen cock-block us into a shut out game!" Brian roared from the bench, slopping the sweat away from his face and chucking the towel in the nearby container. He could hardly contain his anger as their band tried to rouse them into a fight song. It was a sad case, however, because everyone was cheering for Tartan. The drum major for Tartan had their band doing contemporary songs for the color guard to dance to. They almost seemed like professionals, but Brian could care less. Brian could only think about smashing Seventeen and breaking every bone in his body. Seventeen hardly let up at all that night. Every time Brian received a face full of dirt, Seventeen was the cause.

"We're trying, Richardson, but seventeen is like fucking lightning! It's not all our fault, you know! Give us a break!" one of the players defended the team. They all nodded in agreement. "Why don't you try thinking of a plan where seventeen WON'T knock you on your ass... then again, maybe you're starting to like it and that's why it keeps happening!"

"I'm not giving you a break because you fucking won't give me a break! If you would block better then you wouldn't have to worry about me liking it when I get knocked on my ass. Stop eyeballing the cheerleaders for Tartan and get your idiotic—always—thinking—with—your—dick brains and get in gear!" Brian snarled, refusing to let the team pin the whole loss on him. He already knew that Alex would have a field day when the game was over. Riding home would be Hell.

"We're not thinking—"

"Guys, this fighting isn't getting us anywhere! You three keep a better eye on Seventeen and everyone else just watch out in general! C'mon, let's get at least ONE touchdown!" another player interrupted.

"I'll just take the snap and run as hard as I can..." Brian commanded, knowing that no one on the team was faster than him.

"Alright, ready! BREAK!" The team broke the huddle and headed out to the field.

Brian grunted some kind of reply as the players ran for their positions. He took his position behind the snap, pushing the bite guard into his mouth. He rolled his neck in attempts to crack it, praying that Seventeen would just fall and break his leg. He took a deep breath, glancing around to make sure everyone was ready as he hollered for the go. In an instant, the ball was hurled back into his arms. He caught it quickly, bringing it into the cradle of his left arm, and throwing his right arm forward to push off any attempts to defeat him. He ran as hard as he possibly could, ignoring the feeling of his lungs burning from the lack of oxygen. The end zone slowly began to approach and Brian whooped in victory.

But it was too late, he felt something hard hit him from behind with powerful energy. He was hurled forward and began to tumble against the grassy field. He groaned in pain as a heavy force crushed him deep into the ground. Brian could almost feel the imprint of his face against the soft grass as more players piled on top. The buzzer sounded and the game was over. Tartan had completely eliminated William's, proving once and for all that Seventeen was a top MVP.

"GET THE FUCK OFF ME!" Brian roared from beneath all the players as the whistle blew and the Tartan fans began to cheer and hoot wildly. He heard the band play a victory song as the William's fans groaned in disappointment, chucking their refreshments to the bleachers’ ground. Brian just wanted to catch Seventeen and break his neck for humiliating him in front of everyone.

Slowly, all the players emerged from the pile. Titans ran toward their benches, immediately tackling everyone with roars of celebration. The coach whooped several thanks, motioning toward Seventeen with exhilarating enthusiasm. Brian lay against the ground for several minutes, trying to make sense of his surroundings. His anger was unrelenting as he slammed his fists against the ground. "Need a hand?" an unfamiliar voice called.

"I don't a fucking hand, thank you VERY much!" He rolled over onto his back and looked up at the player who made his team lose. Seventeen. "You better run right now, motherfucker, before I break every bone in your damn body!"

"It was just a game," Seventeen answered simply.

"To YOU it may be a game, but not to me! So like I said, get the fuck away from me!" Brian scrambled to his feet.

"You William's boys really need to get a fucking grip. If you're not careful, your heads just might disappear all the way into your assholes," Seventeen growled with disapproval, not liking the unfamiliarity of unsportsmanlike conduct.

"Well, so sorry we're not perfect like you Tartan guys. Must be really hard to be MVP for three years AND take the team to the championships. If you expected me to be all 'Hey, great job! It was just a game anyways!', you're wrong. You may not have anyone at home to be disappointed in you, but I do, so back off!"

"You don’t know anything about me and I’m not a guy," Seventeen quickly commented.

"What do you mean, you're not a guy? Only guys play football."

“There’s been an exception at Tartan—”

“What? You’re a fucking monkey?”

“You really don't get it, do you?" Seventeen laughed, not even stumbling backward.

"All I get is you’re a cocky asshole who wants to rub this game in my face."

"Actually, I'm not cocky at all and, damn, am I going to enjoy crushing your itty bitty ego," Seventeen commented for the final time, pulling off her helmet. She tossed it toward the side; pulling free her long honey blonde curls from the tight ponytail. She then ripped off her jersey and pads to expose her womanly figure covered in her pants and a sweaty tank top. Her fellow players whooped with approval, knowing their best player was dealing out the usual ego crush of an arrogant player.

Brian didn't seem to focus on that however, because he continued to run his eyes along her curved lean body with shock. All the hard tackles rushed back into his mind. It felt as if a man had been pounding him beneath the dirt. Yet, there she stood in all her glory. Her blue-green eyes were sparking with approval at his disheveled state. Her nose and cheeks were streaked with black paint and dirt, but it was all too obvious. Brian was looking at a girl.

"YOU'RE A FUCKING GIRL!" Was all he could say.

"Wow! Bet you got an 'A' in Anatomy, Slick!" she feigned with a thick accent of sarcasm.

"Girls do not belong in football."

"Really? Well, then can you explain why a man who's supposed to play football was just creamed by a girl who shouldn't be playing football?"

"Because your a dyke?" Brian snapped angrily.

"Or maybe because your a pompous asshole who thinks he's a superior jock because he can carry a football a few yards, look like a God, and make everyone in your high school despise you?" the girl guessed with disgust, rolling her blue-green eyes. "People like you will never change. So, just remember the name Oriana when you tell your Daddy-Warbucks about how you got slammed in a game by a girl who shouldn't be playing football because she might break a designer nail."

"Fuck---"

"Don't date dogs, thanks!" the girl snapped, running back to her team to dog pile them, leaving Brian in a whirlwind of repulsion.

*~*~*

"Tea! We won! We won! We won! We won!" Oriana shrieked with delight, rushing her best friend as the fans slowly began to dissipate from the stands. Oriana had managed to squeeze away from her team's swats of approval, promising them for a grand party at her home. Now she was just concerned about seeing Teagan to wish her congratulations on the wonderful band time. Oriana grinned triumphantly as she noticed Teagan break away from two boys, waving toward her. Without hesitation, Oriana tackled Teagan to the grass, kissing her cheeks to smear black paint and dirt across Teagan's perfect face.

"Dirt and paint on my face! Ew! Riana, you dork!" Teagan laughed as she hugged her best friend tightly. "You guys kicked ass out there!"

"You forgot to mention the fact that your on the ground in your white drum major uniform that makes you oh-so-appealing to our class of men!" Oriana laughed, hugging Teagan fiercely. Whenever she won a game, Oriana became overrun with tremendous amounts of energy. Her blue-green eyes sparked with a wildness that only Teagan was familiar with. Oriana felt like she could conquer the world with this high.

"That's a good point! Dang it, girl, now I need to get this cleaned again!" Teagan groaned as Oriana rolled off her. They stood up and she tried to brush off the dirt, but knew it was no use. "You're paying for it, this time. Didier freaked before when he saw my uniform after you attacked me, I don't need him doing that again."

"I'm sorry," Oriana immediately countered with a frown. Her ego had always been fragile since the many runs with her mother's countless numbers of Prince Charmings. Many of which who turned into frogs whenever encountering Oriana.

"Riana, I was just teasing you."

"I'm still sorry---"

"Don't be sorry, it's okay. I saw you and twenty-four arguing out there. Did he freak when you took off the helmet?"

"More than freaked. He promises he's going to break every bone in my body," Oriana stated lightly, pulling her long curls away from her sweaty face. She couldn't wait to get home into the shower.

"Sounds about the same reaction as everyone else," Teagan bent down to pick up her hat, thankful her plume wasn't dirty. "Ready to go party at your place?"

"How'd you know?"

"We've been best friends for how long? I know."

"True... Not to mention the fact that we've already set up dresser drawers for each other at our homes so we never have to worry about the sudden crashing at someone's home..." Oriana trailed, picking up her duffle bag with all her equipment. She had quickly stripped off all the gear so she could breathe in the muggy weather. She crinkled her nose in confusion as she leaned to the side, observing the two boys Teagan had been speaking with. The one reminded her of the boy she was eyeing before the game. "Who were you talking with anyway?"

"Just a few band mates," Teagan shrugged her shoulders innocently. "I invited them to the party tonight, if that's okay."

"Just a few band mates?" Oriana countered, arching her honey eyebrows with question.

"Two or three?"

"You mean two or three dates," Oriana laughed, watching the two boys walk off talking excitedly to one another. She groaned silently, unable to remember their names.

"Two of them, maybe. But the Latino with curly hair seemed more interested in you," Teagan replied with a sly grin.

"More interested in scoring help with a big paper that's due or working on lines for upcoming musical or hanging out or talking to another girl who he needs to date for prom or many other numerous things that don't involve your kind of interest, Tea. So please stop trying, I'm one of the boys, remember?" Oriana groaned.

"I'm calling bullshit," she said in a singsong tone. "That is NOT why he was interested in you. I seriously think he likes you for who you are and wants to get to know you better."

"You can't call bullshit, remember? That's my card," Oriana teased, wanting to get off the subject. All the boys may have wanted to date Teagan, but all those same boys just wanted to befriend Oriana. It was the only way Oriana knew how to function and she liked it that way. She was happier with her friend status, because all the guys were great.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. C'mon, you stink and are filthy as a pig. Let's head to your house--"

"Awe, Tea, you're slumming!" a harsh voice cooed, interrupting the girls' tight hug. Teagan and Oriana immediately separated as a bold figure stepped toward them. Teagan immediately scowled with disgust at the sight of her ex-boyfriend, Xander. "Didn't think you'd be so heartbroken over me that you'd try out girls."

"Xander, girls would be a step up from you and I sure as Hell ain't heartbroken over us breaking up. What the fuck are you doing here anyway? I told you to leave me alone," Teagan crossed her arms over her chest. She despised her ex-boyfriend more than anything. He was a dropout and drug user who loved to cause trouble. It took her two years, but she finally broke up with him after getting beat up by him and his friends.

"I came to see you play, Baby," he cooed, running his hand against her cheek. Teagan pulled away in shock as Oriana immediately stepped forward. Xander snorted with laughter, holding his hands up in defense. "Little girlfriend to the rescue... What's that nickname that your boner buddies gave you after initiating you into the team with rough sex? Wild Cherry Bomb?"

"Just Cherry Bomb, thanks," Oriana growled, balling her hands into fists.

"Riana, he's not worth it," Teagan pulled her friend back. "Just leave, Xander, before I call the cops on your ass for trespassing."

"Just admit you miss me, Teagie."

"Don't call me Teagie. NO ONE calls me that."

"I called you that during our wild---"

"Leave now, Xander," Oriana ordered immediately, noticing the tears begin to build in Teagan's eyes. Oriana may have been the younger one, but she refused to see Teagan cry. She stepped forward and slammed her fist hard against his jaw, causing him to fall backward. "You're not wanted."

Xander gave a low chuckle, holding his jaw. "She still wants me, I know she does."

“Maybe you need to get your hearing checked, because I remember her telling you to leave her alone. Now get out of here before I kick your ass."

"Feisty, aren't you?" Xander asked, refusing to give up. "I'd really like both of you at the same time. Get in my truck, we'll go for a drive and have fun. Teagie and Wild Cherry - my fantasy."

"Well go download it on the Internet, because we're not interested," Oriana fired, watching Xander slowly stumble to his feet. He stepped toward them to throw a fist toward Oriana, but she quickly blocked it with her right forehead. Xander stepped back in surprise, shaking his head with disgust. "Care to try again? Because I can guarantee you don't want to mess with a girl who takes martial arts, football, and dance."

"I'll take care of you later, Teagie. When you don't have miss Wild Cherry protecting you," Xander growled towards Teagan, ignoring Oriana.

"Fuck you!" Teagan screamed as he walked off, lighting yet another cigarette. When she heard his truck revved from a few yards away, she collapsed on a nearby bench. She held her face in her hands, trying to regain her composure. He had his finger wrapped so tightly around her heart for so many years, causing her strong will to crush beneath his smoldering glare.

"You okay, Teag?" Oriana called, leaning down to pick up both of the girls' duffle bags.

Teagan took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "Yeah, I'm fine." She rubbed her face before standing up.

"He's all hot air, Teag. He just likes to get a rise out of you when he can," Oriana assured softly, running her hand against her friend's back. She hated seeing Teagan so distraught over a man who hurt her so. Oriana had been too hurt in the passed to see someone else suffer the same endeavors.

"I know, I know. He just has that look he always gave me before... you know. It still gets to me, no matter how much I tell myself not to," Teagan sighed heavily, running a hand through her messy locks. "I need a drink... alcohol or not, I need a drink."

"There's something I don't get, Teag," Oriana drawled, slinging her free arm against her friend's shoulders to bring closer.

"What's that?" Teagan asked, wrapping her arm around Oriana's waist.

"Why do you always date the assholes?" Oriana sighed dejectedly, trying to find a smile or laugh within her friend.

"I think I'm an asshole magnet," Teagan snickered a little.

"Do you catch a lot of shit then?" Oriana countered with her infamous innocent smile.

"Unfortunately," she crinkled her nose in distaste. "Maybe I should get into basketball like you do with football. Then I won't date the assholes."

"No, you'd just encounter tons of boys with inflated egos."

"Better than someone like Xander," Teagan scowled as they reached her car.

"Would you just get in the Hummer already! We're getting all upset when we just won the very first game of our last season with a shut out! I kicked tremendous ass, didn't let one person score out of all those prep Williams. You made everyone cheer and probably got a ton of phone numbers. We're the best, Teag. And we deserve it all!" Oriana announced proudly, throwing her arms up in victory before unlocking her expensive metallic blue Hummer.

"I'm getting in the Hummer!" Teagan finally laughed, crawling into the large car. Oriana revved the engine and sped out of the parking lot, honking at friends and fellow teammates while cheering. Everyone cheered and honked back, enjoying the victory over Tartan's rival.