Page 1 of The Surprise Play (Nolan U Football #3)

ELIZABETH

I fidget with my hands as I head toward the library.

I’m telling myself it’s because I’m cold and forgot my gloves.

Snow that’s turned to brown sludge is edging the sidewalk, and the air is clear and crisp.

My winter coat is buttoned up to my chin.

I could easily put my hands in my pockets to keep them warm, but no…

I can’t stop fidgeting. Squeezing my unpolished fingernails, I climb the concrete steps and head into the library.

The second I walk through the glass doors, the heat envelops me… but I still keep rubbing my hands together because I’m stupidly nervous.

I shouldn’t be.

I’ve been tutoring students at Nolan U since the second semester of my freshman year. One of my professors shoulder-tapped me and put me onto an academic adviser who was looking for students to add to her tutoring pool.

Apparently, I’m smart enough to help students older than me, and I’m not about to shy away from the money. I’m here on a partial scholarship, and my parents are really stretched to make up the rest, so if I can help out at all, I will.

The only problem is…

I didn’t think I’d have to help a guy like Wily Wilson.

I mean, I don’t even know why Ms. Bigsby thinks I’m a good fit. Wily is a senior. A senior .

Who’s taking the easiest classes he can find. You’ve totally got this.

It’s pointless lying to myself. I’m not nervous because I don’t think I can handle the coursework.

With a little sigh, I unbutton my coat and shuffle into the library, staying close to the wall and eyeing the students already in here.

I’m surprised how full it is considering school doesn’t go back until Monday, but I guess people want to get prepped for their classes the same way I do.

Although, some are probably catching up after slacking off between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

My eyes dart from one face to another, quickly working out which students fit into my various categories.

I don’t see Wily among them and inch my way a little closer to the main desk. I told him to find me in here at eleven o’clock this morning. I’m early, of course—I have an inability to show up late or even on time. Early is on time, isn’t it?

Biting my lower lip, I pinch my index finger and beg my roiling stomach to calm the hell down.

I shouldn’t have looked Wily Wilson up on the school website last night.

One glimpse of his beaming face with those perfectly straight teeth, brilliant blue eyes, flawless bone structure, and a head of hair that would make all male models on the planet jealous was all it took to ruin my night.

Athletes.

They’re horrible humans, and the fact that this one made my chest flutter with appreciation is really annoying me.

And making me bite my lip and squeeze my fingers and?—

Grrr! Stop it!

He’s a dumb jock. You’ve dealt with them before. Be polite and professional, and freaking get paid. That’s all you have to do.

I shake out my hands with a huff, then feel the air in my throat catch.

Oh shit!

Taking three quick steps back, I duck around the corner, squeezing my eyes closed and praying they didn’t notice me.

I grip the edge of the bookshelf and dare to open one eye, peeking across the library and spotting the three girls huddled together at the long table just beyond the main desk.

They’re whispering and giggling, and now I feel sick.

Dammit. What are they doing here?

I thought they’d stretch out their holiday break and not return until Sunday night. I imagined them heading to Jamaica or some island where they could show off their bikini bodies to drooling men and get themselves a nice little tan.

Resting my forehead against the book spines in front of me, I slowly count to ten, trying and failing to forget that first day of this school year and the moment my world shifted on its axis .

I’d survived freshman year at Nolan U without too many problems.

I was missing my parents like crazy, and living at Nolan U felt like moving to Metropolis after growing up in Fledgling, but I was managing.

I loved being anonymous, walking around campus as Miss Invisible.

My teachers noticed me, but that’s only because my grades impressed them, and I did win one small academic competition, which was mentioned in the school paper.

Thankfully, it was on page nine, and hardly anyone read it.

They used the worst photo of me ever. I was so stiff and nervous, I couldn’t smile.

So I just held up the trophy and stared at the lens. Ugh!

Other than that second of semi-fame, I’ve been able to walk the corridors of my dorm and the sidewalks of this beautiful campus without anyone caring who I am…

Until the first day of sophomore year, when I was heading to my first class feeling upbeat and excited.

It took all of half a microsecond for those fizzing feelings to disintegrate when I spotted Jade Buchanan.

She was standing with two other girls, all new and fresh-faced and… potentially Team Evil 2.0.

Team Evil, you’re no doubt wondering. What is that?

Well, it’s a trio compromised of the three most popular girls from my high school—Jade Buchanan, Katrina Marsden, and Carmen Ludlow.

Those girls made my life a living hell. And it was all thanks to Jade and her master scheming.

I honestly stopped breathing when I saw her, my heart thudding in my chest, my skin starting to itch the way it used to.

I thought she was going to Denver University !

What was she doing in Nolan?

The day after high school graduation, I thought I’d never have to see them again. They were a year behind me; I could move on with my life and become a distant memory for them.

But that morning, Jade looked up from her phone, snorted in surprise, then nudged the girl beside her… and I knew in that instant, my life hadn’t changed at all.

She’d just rally new minions and persuade them to play her evil little games. And they’d buy into her sales pitch because she’s so pretty and fun, and everybody freaking loves her!

My stomach and chest broke out in instant hives, and I couldn’t help scratching my belly.

Jade snickered as she picked up her pace and made a move toward me. I took off as fast as my short legs could carry me, and by the time I found my first class, my thighs were itching too.

All I could think was This can’t be happening again! How could life be so unfair?

Middle school and high school were pure torture for me.

Those girls made an art form of taunting and teasing me, dropping snide comments in sweet tones until they could see the tears swimming in my eyes, then acting like they cared and passing me tissues, patting my shoulder, and whispering more acid into my ears before walking away.

My parents kept telling me to keep my chin up and not let those girls drag me down.

“Show them that they have no effect on you and they’ll get bored and leave you alone.”

How many times had I tried that, only to get knocked off my feet the next day with another joke at my expense? They didn’t leave me alone. When I hid my hurt at their taunting, they just scaled things up a notch.

Like that time Jade poured moldy orange juice all over my hair and the new dress Mom had just made.

My parents actually kicked up a fuss over that one and demanded some kind of action from the school.

Jade was suspended for three days, and when she returned, she was on a mission: Make Elizabeth Satchwell Cry.

I held out for as long as I could, but it only took two weeks for me to fold.

That was the day Katrina pranked me in the hallway, right in front of the hottest guy in school—Peyton Feldman.

He was a football player, and I thought he kind of liked me.

Truth was, he was just being nice so I’d do his homework for him.

I didn’t know that at the time Katrina pranked me, though.

I was standing in the hallway, cheeks feeling as red as a fire engine.

Peyton had just smiled at me, and my heart had fluttered like butterfly wings.

I was waiting for him to hand me his next assignment, give me a little wink, and ask when we could work on it.

He flicked his head for me to come over, and I was too busy swooning to notice the slippery yogurt Katrina had flung on the ground.

My foot hit that stuff and I let out this weird squawk before landing flat on my back right in front of Peyton.

My skirt flipped up, exposing my underwear to everyone in the hallway.

“Holy shit, are those granny panties?” some guy shouted, then pointed at me and laughed like a hyena. Everyone around him started cackling while I scrambled to pull my skirt down.

Jade and Carmen ran over, feigning shock at what had happened, trying to help me back to my feet, then pretending like I was too heavy to lift.

The ground was all slippery, and the laughter intensified.

In the end, they asked Peyton to lend them a hand but warned him not to hurt his back.

He started laughing and actually groaned and strained like he was trying to lift an elephant off the floor.

I’d never felt more humiliated in my entire life.

Once I was on my feet and fighting a hot wave of tears, he gave me a friendly slap on the shoulder.

“Chill, Libs. We’re just joking.”

His teammates were still talking about my underwear and how much fabric it must have taken for my mother to make them.

“She probably has to get her clothes made at home.”

“Yeah, like she’d fit in anything at a regular store.”

It was harsh. Logically, I knew this. I could buy my clothes at the store like everybody else did. Sure, I might have been a few sizes bigger than what felt like every other girl in the school, but I wasn’t so big that I needed specially made clothes.

My mom just liked sewing, and she did such beautiful work. I loved the stuff she made for me. I wore it with pride.

But not after that day.

From that point on, I stuck to boring store-bought clothes and pants with a high waist. Mom was kind of hurt by the move, but I never wanted anyone to see my underwear again.

It wasn’t until I went to college that I started using my favorite items in my wardrobe once more.

Glancing at the clothes I chose for today, I skim my hands down the skirt I’m sporting and wince.

Oh no. Did I make a really bad mistake? Mom gave it to me for Christmas, and I should have known better than to wear it today.

I didn’t think Jade would be back already!

College has been this refreshing new start for me, you know?

Last year, I felt like I was finding myself.

But now they’re here with me.

And the only difference is the location… and maybe the merciful fact that we don’t have any classes together. Although, I still have to pass them every now and then. Thankfully, Nolan U is a big campus, and I’m learning which routes to avoid as I get to know their routines.

This morning, I’m completely thrown.

Surviving high school was so freaking hard.

I tried to stay silent and strong, ignoring all of the notes and passing comments, grateful that the girls hadn’t resorted to cyberattacks.

I have no idea why they never did, until Jade made a snide remark one day that they wouldn’t want to ruin their social feeds with my ugly face.

Apparently, I wasn’t worthy of using up their data.

Not when they could harass me in the flesh and get away with it.

After she’d said that, I turned back to my book, the pages blurring as I tried to disappear between the pages. That was my only saving grace. Books. Studying. I thrived on learning. On the promise that if I did well enough, I could get into a good college and be free of Team Evil.

But I didn’t go far enough away. I’d been too afraid to move to the other side of the country. My parents were only forty minutes away in Fledgling. This was easier. They needed me. I was their only child.

So, I’m going to survive this year somehow. At least she’s not in the same dorm building as me, and at least I can duck around corners if I ever see her or her new friends.

My only priority right now is making it up the stairs without them noticing. Like I’ll be able to concentrate at all on a tutoring session if they’re on the same floor as me. It’s bad enough that I’m meeting with Wily Wilson. I don’t need the threat of them just around the corner distracting me.

Inching out from my hiding place, I dart my eyes at them, relieved they all have their heads dipped over their phones. Hightailing it upstairs, I try to keep my clunky steps soft as I creep out of view and make my way up to the second floor.

It’s much quieter up here, thank God, and I weave around the first table, heading for one closer to the back. There’s a man studying at the table I want, so I move to the one behind him, banging my hip on the chair. With a little wince, I rub my thigh and avoid his glare.

Okay. So not someone who likes to be disturbed.

Dipping my chin, I keep my eyes on the floor, slowing down and carefully avoiding all furniture until I reach the chair I’m aiming for and pull it out.

Plunking into it, I find my phone and text Wily with quivering fingers, letting him know exactly where I am.

Checking the time, I lay my phone down, pull out a pen and paper, plus my laptop… and wait for this inevitably awkward meeting.