Another day, another chapter. Well that might be a lie. It's Sunday and I came up with the idea for this book Friday. I'm pretty proud of how much I've written this weekend.

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"Shit." I mumbled, as I stared at my leggings, tank top and hoodie in a pile on the floor.

One small thing I forgot about? I didn't have a change of clothes. I wasn't prepared for this sudden overnight stay.

I searched my duffle bag and found deodorant, a sports bra, and an almost empty bottle of cotton candy perfume.

It was my gym bag after all. But I never really went to the gym, so it was rarely used.

I put the Nike bra on and my leggings, then tied my untameable caramel hair in a bun. Then I put deodorant on, and sprayed the rest of the perfume.

I haven't worn this bra since freshman year, and it didn't really fit that well, but it was all I had.

By the way the sun poured through my window I could tell it was going to be a hot day. This kind of weather was odd for this time of year.

I tidied up the room, by hanging up the bath towels I just took of and threw out the small soap bottles. It took an entire mini bottle of shampoo to wash my hair. I had a lot of it.

This hotel was nice enough to provide me with a toothbrush and toothpaste upon my request.

I shoved the rest of my belongings into my bag and left the room.

Checking out quickly I got in my jeep and opened the texts from Baylor.

Baylor: Smith Montgomery, Pinecrest Secondary School, Pinecrest Virginia. Practice from 11:30 to 2:30.

Ethan King, A.H. High, Raleigh North Carolina. Practice from 3:00 to 6:00.

He also included photos of the guys.

Smith had shaggy, dirty blonde hair that reached his ears, and a goatee. His smile revealed a slight tooth gap, and his grey eyes looked friendly.

Ethan seemed to be almost the exact opposite of Smith. His yellow-blonde hair was freshly cut, his bright blue eyes held attitude, light freckles dusted his tan skin and perfect nose. The smug smile on his face made me want to slap him, and I've never even met him before.

I justified this conclusion by reasoning that he had in fact cheated on my cousin. Although my family didn't like him, he was the best quarterback in North Carolina, and therefore earned his entrance to the Junior Bowl.

I shot a text back to Baylor, and was surprised when he answered right away.

Me: What numbers are they?

Baylor: Smith is 13. Ethan is 11.

Me: Thanks. See ya tonight.

Baylor: Drive safe <3.

If I wanna get home before midnight I better get going now.

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Virginia was an absolutely beautiful state. The late morning sun beamed down over the huge mountains.

I rolled down my window, and hung one arm out the side. The wind cooled me off and subsided my sweating.

Salt Pond Mountain loomed in the distance as I neared Pinecrest.

"Almost heaven, West Virginia. Blue Ridge Mountain, Shenandoah river. Life is older there, older than the trees. Younger than the mountains blowing like a breeze."

How fitting that this song would happen to play.

"Country roads, take me home. To the place I belong. West Virginia, mountain mama. Take me home, country roads." I sang along.

I was almost in the right state. But personally I didn't find mush a difference between the two. One was just more to the west, that's all.

I turned off the highway and passed a sign on the side of the road.

'Welcome to Pinecrest Virginia. Population: 15,000.'

Wow, what a small town.

The paved road quickly turned to a dirt one as a followed the directions to the school.

The houses were small and spaced decently far apart. Honestly I'd love to live in a cute little town like Pinecrest.

The School came in to view, and it surprised me.

The school was pretty huge. It was four stories high, and had worn down red brick. The windows looked a little dirty and the parking lot wasn't paved. The flags at the front of the building were tattered and sun bleached.

This place definitely needed some TLC.

Pulling on my sweater I groaned.

I was going to look sketchy wearing all black in this kind of weather.

Sighing I stepped out of my jeep, and began walking towards the field.

It wasn't much of a field though. Just a patch of grass with the yard lines spray painted on, and rusted goal posts.

I quickly spotted Smith Montgomery on the field. But there was something that took me slightly aback.

The rest of the players were shirtless and running laps, but Smith was wearing a brace around his torso.

I didn't even know you could play football with scoliosis. But he was.

There was no coach in sight, so I just yelled out.

"Yo! Smith Montgomery! C'mere!" I yelled, motioning for him to come over with my arm.

He jogged over to me, a goofy grin plastered on his pale face.

"Yeah?" He had this sorta charming cowboyish accent.

"I got something for ya." I handed him the letter and his smile only grew as he read it.

"Son, the hell ya doin?" A man's voice bellowed.

He must be the coach. He looked like a carbon copy of Smith, but with salt and pepper hair, and a more winkled face.

"You ain't gonna believe it, but this girl here gave me a letter. We made the Junior Bowl!" Smith cried.

"That's my boy." Mr. Montgomery pulled his son in for a hug and patted his back.

After letting go of their hug, Smith smiled and thanked me before running back to his teammates.

Coach walked over to them, allowing me to easily run over to the change room and slip in without being caught.

I shoved all the black and orange jerseys in to my bag. I managed to get all of them in my bag, but before I zipped it up the team entered the room.

I ran for the back door and entered a dark hallway.

I ran in to the dark while attempting to zip up my bag. The sunlight pushing through the windows in the door at the end of the hallway provided an aide to my vision.

"HEY! COME BACK HERE!!" Someone yelled, their footsteps pounding behind me.

I ran in to one of the stairwells going up the steps two at a time. Once I reached the second floor I ducked in to a classroom and slammed the door shut, and locked it.

Panting I peered through the glass by the door and watched as Smith continued running down the hallway. He returned a few minutes later, walking back downstairs with a defeated look on his face.

Can't believe I almost out ran a freaking quarterback.

I left the stuffy room, and crept back outside to my jeep.

I checked my phone and saw I had a message from Dean.

Dean: How's the drive been?

As I was about to answer I got another one from him.

Smith Montgomery said someone stole all his team's jerseys. Are you sure no one is following you?

Me: I'm sure. I've been really careful and I think it's just a coincidence.

Dean: If you say so. But I still want you to be extra careful.

Me: I promise I will.

I turned my data on, and logged on to the Junior Bowl website.

The guys were busy texting in the group chat. Quickly I scanned the recent messages, before typing out a comment.

Evan: Don't you guys think it's a little sketchy that all of us have been robbed?

Keenan: Yeah, no shit Sherlock. That's what we're talking about.

Dean: I think it's sketchy that all of us have been robbed after Bailey gave us the letters. I think there's someone following her.

Evan: Bailey?

Keenan: Yeah, the chick that gave you the letter dipshit.

Evan: She never gave the letter to me. The person that took all the jerseys from us said they found a letter in my locker.

Dean: Yeah sometimes she does that. Just leaving the letters in your locker if she's busy.

Smith: I just chased someone around my school. I was coming in from practice and saw them lead through the back door. Didn't catch them though.

Keenan: And the thief strikes again.

Me: Seems like y'all are having some serious jersey issues.

Evan:
How tf did you get in to this chatroom?

Me: It's my dad's website. I have access to everything.

Keenan: Wait, your dad runs the Junior Bowl?

Dean: Yeah, why do you think she was the one handing out the letters?

Keenan: I dunno....

Smith: Even I figured that out.

Dean: I thought you were driving to nc

Me: Stopped for lunch, but yeah I am.

Evan: Are you delivering another letter?

Me: Yep.

Keenan: To who?

Me: Can't tell you

Smith: Why not?

Me: I just can't

Keenan: Whatever. Keep your secrets then

Me: I will.

What they didn't know, what that I had even bigger secrets than they thought.

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Heyo. How's it going? Just another chapter. I finished this one waiting for the bus. It's harder to write on a phone than I thought it was, but I did it.

~Grace 🏈