The Captain's Dirty Little Secret

Chapter 153: Chapter 153 - The Far One

By Friday afternoon, Briarwick had turned the practice field into a fundraiser with folding tables, donation jars, crooked signs, and enough black and red decorations to make Karen personally offended.

”This school cannot be trusted with streamers,” Karen said. ”And glitter. They definitely have no respect for turtles.”

Roxie stood behind the hot chocolate booth, stirring a pot that was already thick enough to count as dessert. ”You have been mad at glitter for a week.”

”Because it keeps happening.”

Angela smiled into her scarf. ”They look festive. And we helped with some of those streamers, Karen.”

”You helped with those.” Karen pointed at a plain strip hanging near the corner. ”Roxie and I did that one. Yours look like someone lost a fight with a craft drawer.”

Roxie laughed and reached for the stack of paper cups.

The bonfire had started as a fundraiser for State Finals travel costs, but Briarwick had made it into a whole event. A fire pit sat in the middle of the field with teachers posted around it like security guards. Students sat in hoodies and blankets across the grass while music played from two huge speakers near the gym doors.

The Road to State shirts were selling fast at a table run by Student Council, and every few minutes, someone shouted about raffle tickets like the prize was a car instead of a donated gift basket from a local bakery.

The football boys had their own table near the field house, signing posters and programs for kids from the lower school.

Zac was there.

Roxie knew because she had checked exactly once.

Maybe twice.

Fine, three times.

He stood behind the table in a black Ravens hoodie with the sleeves pushed to his forearms and a Sharpie in one hand. A little boy in a too-big jersey held out a poster, and Zac bent his head to sign it. He smiled at whatever the kid said.

Roxie looked away before she smiled too.

She would try.

Even if tonight, trying came with hot chocolate duty and a direct view of his table.

Great.

Kendall walked past with a clipboard and three cheerleaders behind her, all carrying bags of marshmallows.

”Set those near the booth,” Kendall said. ”And make sure the donation jar is actually visible. People donate more when they feel watched.”

Karen stared after her. ”That was dark.”

Roxie took the marshmallow bags from one of the girls. ”That was true.”

Kendall stopped near the booth and scanned the cups. ”We need more lids.”

Angela lifted one sleeve-covered hand. ”I can get them.”

”No, stay,” Kendall said. ”You’re taking payments. Roxie, get lids.”

Roxie looked at her. ”I’m sensing a bossy attitude I’m really struggling to appreciate. Also, I’m stirring.”

”Someone needs to be captain,” Kendall said, voice sharp.

Roxie rolled her eyes.

Honestly, Kendall could organize the entire field if she wanted. Roxie had other priorities tonight. Like finding two minutes alone with Zac before the school swallowed him again.

”It will survive without you,” Kendall added.

Karen leaned over the table. ”Will we?”

Kendall gave her a flat look. ”Tragic if you don’t.”

Karen smiled. ”See, this is why people think you’re kind.”

Kendall ignored her and moved on to fix a crooked sign.

Angela watched her go. ”She’s actually organized.”

Karen made a face. ”That is how they get you. Competence.”

Roxie grabbed the extra sleeves of lids from under the table and set them beside the cups. ”She is busy enough to bother us less. Let’s appreciate that.”

Angela’s phone buzzed.

Her face changed instantly.

Karen pointed. ”There it is again.”

Angela looked up. ”What?”

”It’s the same face.”

Angela blushed and glanced at Roxie.

The hell?

Roxie gave her a tiny look. Karen had a new target, and Roxie felt bad for Angela, but the spotlight had to go somewhere.

Roxie poured hot chocolate into two cups and kept quiet.

”It is embarrassing,” Karen said.

Angela hugged her phone to her chest. ”You’re embarrassing.”

”I’m honest.”

Roxie watched Angela for a second. She had been glowing all week. Dinner with Caleb had gone well. He had asked properly. Angela had said yes. Now he stopped by her locker, walked her to class when he could, and smiled at her like she was the only person in the hallway.

It was cute.

Annoyingly cute.

Roxie was happy for her.

She also kept watching Caleb like he might grow fangs if nobody paid attention.

As if summoned, Caleb appeared near the booth with his basketball jacket zipped up and two raffle tickets in his hand.

Karen saw him first. ”Incoming.”

Angela turned so fast Roxie almost laughed.

Caleb smiled at her. ”Hey.”

Angela smiled back. ”Hi.”

Roxie leaned toward Karen. ”They are going to be like this every time?”

Karen looked pained. ”I fear yes.”

Caleb held up the tickets. ”Bought two. One for me, one for Angela.”

Karen crossed her arms. ”What if she hates gift baskets?”

Caleb looked at Angela. ”Do you hate gift baskets?”

Angela shook her head, trying to hold back a laugh. ”I like pastries.”

Caleb looked back at Karen. ”Then I stand by my decision.”

Karen stared at him.

He stared back, polite and calm.

Roxie had to give him credit. He handled Karen better than most people.

Caleb turned to Roxie. ”Can I get three hot chocolates?”

”Three?”

”One for Angela. One for me. One for Karen because she looks like she needs something warm.”

Roxie snorted.

Karen narrowed her eyes. ”Hmmm. Bribe.” She looked at Roxie. ”You should learn.”

Roxie pointed at herself. ”Why am I involved?”

Caleb smiled. ”I’m trying to survive.”

Angela took the cup Roxie handed her, cheeks pink. Caleb stayed a few minutes, standing beside Angela while she counted change and helped with orders. He gave her space and helped without making a show of it. He acted normal, which somehow made Roxie watch him harder.

For a while, the night almost felt easy.

The fire crackled in the middle of the field. Students moved between booths with paper cups and raffle tickets. Younger kids begged football players for signatures. The cheer squad rotated through tables. Coach Miller walked the field with a clipboard and the expression of a man counting both money and possible problems.

Roxie sold hot chocolate, handed out marshmallows, and kept herself busy enough that she only looked at Zac every few minutes.

He looked busy too.

Posters. Pictures. More posters. A teacher pulling him into a group photo with the offensive line. A little girl asking for a high five. Mason stealing his Sharpie and making Zac grab him by the hood to get it back.

It was normal.

Roxie stirred the hot chocolate harder than necessary.

Her phone buzzed in her hoodie pocket.

She wiped one hand on a napkin and checked it.

Zac: Side of the bleachers. Two minutes.

Roxie stared at the message.

Then she looked across the field.

Zac was still at the football table, head bent over a poster again, but his phone was half-hidden beside his elbow.

Smooth.

Annoying.

She locked her phone and shoved it back into her pocket.

This was risky.

He was supposed to stay with football. She was supposed to help at the booth. There were teachers everywhere, cheerleaders everywhere, parents everywhere, and Karen had the eyes of someone who could sense bad decisions from across a parking lot.

Roxie lasted ten seconds.

Then she picked up an empty marshmallow bag and turned to Angela. ”I’m throwing this away.”

Karen looked at the trash can three steps away.

Roxie looked at her.

Karen looked back.

”The far one,” Roxie said.

”The far one?”

”It’s less full.”

Karen’s eyes narrowed. ”That sounds fake.”

”Your face sounds fake.”

Angela laughed softly. ”Go. I’ll cover.”

Roxie’s eyes flicked to her.

Angela’s smile stayed innocent.

Too innocent.

Roxie walked away before Angela could make it worse.

She crossed behind the Road to State shirt table, cut around a group of freshmen arguing over raffle numbers, and slipped toward the side of the bleachers. The noise from the field softened there, blocked by metal steps and shadows.

Zac was already waiting near the equipment shed.

His hood was up now, and his hands were in his pockets.

He smiled when he saw her.

Roxie tried very hard to stay annoyed.

It lasted half a second.

”You have two minutes,” she said.

”I need more.”

”You don’t always get what you ask for.”

”I got you here.”

”That was luck.”

”That was skill.”

Roxie stopped in front of him, close enough to smell cold air and smoke on his hoodie. ”You are supposed to be signing posters.”

”You are supposed to be selling hot chocolate.”

”I am helping the school.”

”So am I.”

”You abandoned your table.”

”You abandoned your marshmallows.”

”They’ll survive.”

”I was hoping you’d say that about me too.”

Roxie rolled her eyes. ”You’re dramatic.”

Zac reached for her hand slowly, giving her enough time to pull away.

She didn’t.

His fingers wrapped around hers, warm despite the cold.

”You okay tonight?” he asked.

Roxie looked down at their hands. ”I was.”

He laughed under his breath. ”Mean.”

His thumb brushed her cheek, and his voice dropped a little.

”I missed you.”

”You saw me across the field for like an hour.”

”That made it worse.”

Roxie looked up.

He was still smiling, but it had quieted.

She hated how fast that got to her.

”Two minutes,” she reminded him.

Zac nodded. ”Then I should use them well.”

He tugged her closer.

Roxie backed into the cold metal of the equipment shed as Zac stepped in front of her, one hand sliding to the back of her neck. His mouth found hers with all the impatience he had been holding in across the field.

Roxie grabbed the front of his hoodie and kissed him back.

The fundraiser stayed loud on the other side of the bleachers, but here, hidden near the shed, it felt like the noise belonged to another world. Zac crowded closer, careful with his weight but far from gentle, and Roxie held on because two minutes suddenly felt insulting.

He tasted like mint gum and chocolate.

A low sound came from him when she pulled him closer, and the heat of it went straight through her. He kissed like he had spent the whole night counting how many people stood between them and hated every single one.

Roxie broke the kiss first, breathing unevenly. ”You’re getting cocky.”

Zac grinned. ”Sorry. I missed you so much.”

”Really? With all those girls trying to get your attention?”

His brows lifted.

Roxie reached up and pinched one of them lightly.

He laughed. ”Jealous?”

She pouted before she could stop herself. ”Always.”

His grin softened.

”Good,” he said.

”That is the wrong answer.”

”It’s honest.”

”You’re supposed to say I have nothing to be jealous about.”

”You already know that.”

Roxie stared at him.

He leaned in and kissed her again, softer this time. A quick one. Then another.

For a few seconds, the whole fundraiser stayed on the other side of the bleachers.

Then a voice cut through the cold air.

”Roxie!”

Karen.

Close.

Too close.

Roxie and Zac froze.