Chapter 5

(Chapter song ‘Stupid For You' by Waterparks, ‘Thunderstruck' by AC/DC)

QUINN “Dynamics is the branch of mechanics that deals with the effect that forces have on the motion of objects. In contrast, statics is the study of forces without motion…”

I lean in and kiss Rita’s neck, nipping her lobe. “Keep going…” I whisper in her ear. My other hand slips behind her hair. My wolf is growling in my chest as I drown in her scent and taste.

She leans her head to mine and tries to stop me. “An object…at rest…tends to remain…Quinn!” She giggles, pushing me off her.

I sit back, smile and run my fingers through my hair. “Ok. Sorry.” I adjust myself on her bed. Resting my hands on my legs.

“I swear, you’ve gotten bigger.” She smirks.

“I did. I grew an extra 4 inches. Want to see where?” I wiggle my brows and grin.

She closes her book and hits my arm. “Gross!”

I laugh as I cringe back. “Ok. Ok. I’ll be good. I promise.”

She eyes me with a smirk and goes back to her study notes. She clears her throat. “An object at rest, tends to remain at rest. An object in motion tends to remain in motion with constant velocity…”

I slide her hair back off her shoulder and go back to tasting her skin as she studies for her physics exam. “It’s so hot when you talk dynamics…Say velocity again.” I purr as I nip her ear and kiss cheek. My mouth engulfs hers and I start to move on her.

Rita breaks the kiss and pushes me off. “Quinten. You’re supposed to be helping.”

I give a lustful smile. “I am. I want to show you how velocity affects mass, now come here.” With a growl, I shove her on her back and kiss her within an inch of her life.

She giggles on my lips and wraps her arms around my neck. As I kiss her, she checks her watch. She pushes me back. “Quinn. You’re late for the game.”

“What?” I sit up and look at my watch. “Shit!”

I grab her head and kiss her a few more times. “I love you…I’ll call you…I’ll see you later.”

She laughs. “Go weirdo!”

I throw my books in my bag and give her one more kiss.

I jump down the stairs. “Bye Mr. and Mrs. McRoy!” I yell.

“See ya, Quinn. Knock em dead." Mr. McRoy shouts.

“Thanks!” I shout back.

I jump off her porch to my bike and book it school. It’s the finals and we’re playing Toledo High. The school with the highest winning streak in the high school district. Not this game. We got a new captain now.

I jump off the curb and bike up the middle of the road leading to the school.

That Quarterback? Yep, it’s me. In just two years, I’ve lead our team to the championships for the first time in ten years. Of course, it helps that, in that time, I’ve grown six inches and now have the body of an 18 year old. Yep, there’s actually an advantage to all this.

As you saw, Rita and I are hot as ever. She’s my best girl. There’s no else for me. Rita’s it. I don’t care that she’s human and she doesn’t care that I’m a hybrid. We’re prefect. I haven’t done the big deed yet, but I’m hoping that homecoming will be the night. I can’t wait. I have it all planned out. Nice limo. Flowers, hotel room. The whole bit. I’m making it so special for her.

This icing on the cake, for the best year of my life, will be winning this game.

****

The lights flood the field and the crowd cheers. Parents, teachers and fans chant and shout.

It's forth down and the final quarter of the game. We’re a touchdown behind.

My eyes meet the eyes of Toledo’s defensive line. Mean bastards. They stare at me with cocky ass looks behind their face masks.

I look up and down their lines and analyze their positions. This play has to work, I think as scrimmage set up at the 40 yard line.

I bend over and place my hands between my centers legs.

“YELLOW 18!!” I yell down one side.

I turn my head the other way.

“YELLOW 18!!”

“SET! HUT!!”

My center snaps the ball and I back up waiting for a receiver. The scrimmage hits with loud smashes of hard shoulder pads. Eli breaks away and I throw the ball. He catches it, tucks and runs down the field.

He tries to gain yards, but he’s tackled at the 30 yard line and the whistle blows.

I take off my helmet and wipe my brow. We gain 10 yards to get the first down, but these guys are fucking tough.

“PRESTON!”

I turn to my coach and jog to him. “Yeah, coach.” I puff out my breath.

“Tell me Preston. Do I look happy to you?” He points to his face.

“Um…No.” My mouth shrinks as I study his face.

“No! I’m not happy because all I see is a bunch of losers trying to play football!!” He yells in my face.

“Sorry, coach.” I pant.

“SORRY! I DON’T WANT SORRY, PRESTON!” He grabs the pads under my neck. “YOU GET OUT THERE AND WIN THIS THING OR YOU’LL STILL BE DOING LAPS WHEN MY GRANDKIDS ATTEND THIS SCHOOL!”

“But, Coach, you don’t have kids.” I blink at him.

His angry eyes look me over. “I could have…someday.” He crosses his arms.

I point my helmet at him. “Don't you live with your mom?”

“Hey!” He points in my face. “She lives with me. Get it right.” He scowls and grabs my pads again. “Get out there and WIN THIS THING!”

“Ok, Coach!” I put my helmet back on.

“GO!” He thumps my helmet and pushes me out to the field.

The scrimmage sets up and I jog out to center.

I look at scoreboard. There’s 20 seconds left on the clock and 24 to 27. I shake my head to get it in the game. We can do this.

The crowd cheers and chants as I look out to the bleachers.

I see Rita and she waves at me. I grin big then position myself behind my center. “RED 84! RED 84! SET! HUT!”

The ball is snapped and the defensive line hits our offensive. I look for my receivers, I don’t like their positions and decide to fake a handoff to my running back. I tuck the ball and run to the sideline and up toward the end zone.

The crowd goes insane as I gain the yards. 25, 20…I run into the red zone and cross 15 then 10. Toledo defense men eat dirt behind me the whole way as they try to catch me. My legs barely feel the speed I’m running at.

I’m tackled just as I cross the end zone. Three guys hit me and I go skidding into the grass.

They push off me and I lift my head.

Oh my god! I did it! My head whips to the scoreboard on the side of the field.

“COUGARS WIN!!! COUGARS WIN!!!” The announcement blares over the field as our score changes from 24 to 30.

The whole place erupts in loud cheers.

I jump to my feet and throw my arms into the air. “WOOOO! YEEAAHH!!!” I scream a growl as I jump around.

“YEEAAAHHHH!!” Eli runs at me like a speeding truck, growling. He jumps and grabs my head. More team mates suffocate me in a leaping, screaming circle. My helmet’s hit and I’m being shaken from all directions.

The crowd is on their feet and the night is filled with even louder screams and cheers.

I take off my helmet and look for Rita. Our eyes meet and she gives me a two handed air kiss. Eli pushes my head down, ruffling my sweat soaked hair.

After we congratulate Toledo for a good game, the fans come down onto the field.

“QUINN!”

I look through the sea of heads and I see her.

She jumps into my arms.

“Ooo…You were so good!!” She squealed as she hugged my head. Her legs wrapped around my waist.

I pull her head back. “I couldn’t have done without you, baby.” I smile then kiss her deep.

“Hey! None of that!”

I break the kiss and look to my mother wagging her finger at us.

I laugh and put Rita down.

“There’s my star player!” My dad grabs my neck and rubs my head.

“Dad! Come on!” I chuckle and shove him off.

“I’m so proud of you!” My mom grabs my cheeks and kisses them.

“Thanks, mom.” I smile.

My dad claps my pads. “Hit da showers, champ. We’re going out ta dinner.”

“Ok.” I pick up my helmet and grab Rita. “Meet you out front.”

My parents nod and I wrap my arm around Rita’s neck. “So…I was going to save it for homecoming, but I want to tell you now.”

“Tell me what?” She looks at me.

“Oh…You’re looking at Caledon University’s newest student of the biological sciences program.” I grin.

She stops and throws her fingers to her nose in a prayer pose. “You got in.”

I lean to her. “I got in, baby.”

She squeals, bounces on her toes and throws her arms around my neck. “Quinney, I’m so proud of you!! This is so awesome!”

“I know, right!” I grab her hand and we continue the field. “I’ll be the youngest student they’ve ever had. Now, homecoming will be even more special and when you get in on the physics degree, we’ll be together.”

“I…um…I won’t be going to Caledon, Quinn.”

I stop her and stitch my brows. “What? Why?”

She shrugs. “My GPA. I’m not as smart as you Quinney. I wasn’t going to tell you until later, but now…”

“But, Rita…The plan…” I tilt my head to her.

“I know. I know the plan, but some people aren’t meant for top of the line schools.” She looks into my eyes, looking worried and sad at the same time.

“Hey, you know what?” I lean to her.

“What?” She asks.

“It doesn’t matter. I love you and we just make a new plan. I don’t need Caledon. I can go wherever I want. I'll just follow you.” I grin.

“But Caledon has the best biology department in the country. Quinn, I can’t let you do that.” She says.

I kiss her lips and pull back just a little bit. “Baby. I love you so much. I’d do anything for you. I promise. It’s fine.”

She smiles. “Ok.”

I lean back. “Are you all ready for homecoming?”

She lets out a nervous breath. “Yes.” She glances at me and I see her cheeks flush.