Double Play XXXVI

By Cruise

Chapter 42

            Dakota and Owen walked towards the University chatting.

            “You are coming for the Heisman presentation right?”

            “Of course, the whole family will be there to cheer you two on.”  Dakota smiled proudly, patting her brother on the shoulder.

            “Excellent.  abuelo and abuela are coming from Spain, did mom tell you?”

            “No I haven’t talked to mom lately, but abuelo called to tell me the good news.  I can’t wait to see them.”  Dakota saw that the lights at the softball batting cages were still on.

            “Me too.  Dude, where are you going?”

            “I just want to check something out.”  She veered down the road to her right.

            “Okay, but why?”

            “Would you just shut up and follow me or go to Joe’s I’ll meet you there.  Damn, you have more questions than you did when you were an annoying little kid who had to ask why about everything.”  Dakota chuckled, playfully shoving him.

            “Well, nobody tells me anything these days.  I feel left out man.” 

            “Man, you are being such a whiney bitch! What happened to your cojones?” Dakota shook her head in disbelief.

“What do you expect? Freaking Chad punched me after I was questioning him about some new chick he went out with and now you won’t tell me what the hell we are doing.”

“Why did Chad punch you? Were you being a punk?” She glanced over at him questioningly, walking towards the softball locker room.

            “It’s always me right?” He asked defensively.

            “Yeah, especially when our normally mild manner brother pops you one.  So, what did you say to him?”

            “I was just talking to him like we normally do about the chicks we go out with and he took offense to me calling his new chick a bitch.”

            Dakota stopped.  “What?”

            “Yeah, he is really defensive of this chick for some reason.”

            Dakota looked at her brother momentarily at a loss for words, making a mental note to get Chad’s side of the story when she saw him.  “Who is she?”

            “Beats me.  I haven’t met her yet.”  Owen shrugged his shoulders and turned his head to his sister when she shoved him behind the building.  “What in the hell are you doing?”

            “Shh…”  Dakota put her finger to her mouth as she looked at him, looking around the corner of the building.

            Owen moved next to her and looked around the building.  He leaned towards his sister’s ear, whispering, “Why are we spying on Cass?”

            Dakota glared at him and shook her head.

            “I suppose you’ll tell me later?” He whispered and rolled his eyes.

            Dakota watched as Cass locked the door to the locker room and shut off the lights to the batting cages.  ‘I take it she isn’t too worried about the mystery man anymore.’  She waved her brother on as they slipped away from the building, staying a safe distance behind Cass.

            “Why don’t you just go talk to her and work out your problems instead of stalking her.”  He groaned when Dakota elbowed him in the stomach.

            “I’m not stalking her you ass, I just want to make sure she gets back to the dorm safely.”

            “You should just talk to her, you know you want to.”  He chuckled when Dakota pulled him down behind a car after Cass turned her head.

            “Can’t you keep your mouth shut?” She glanced over the car, seeing Cass cross the street towards her dorm.  Dakota stood up and walked in the same direction followed by her brother.  They hid behind a bush near Cass’ dorm until she was inside.  Dakota slowly moved around to look inside.

            “This is crazy.”

            Dakota stood upright when she peered in through the window and saw Cass talking to Mary.  Annoyance filled her when the pair walked down the hallway.  “You’re right, this is crazy.  Let’s get drunk!” She angrily pushed her brother away from her and walked away.

            “Are you sure you don’t want to stalk anyone else?”

            Dakota clenched her fist and shook it at her brother.  “Keep it up and I’ll finish what Chad started.”

***

            “Do you have any idea where Brooke might be?” Mary asked as she walked along side Cass.

            “No idea.”  Cass shook her head side to side as she unlocked the door.  “Is there something going on with you two?”

            Mary shrugged her shoulders casually.  “No, why would you ask?” She followed Cass inside the room.

            “It’s kind of strange that you don’t know where Brooke is, haven’t you spoken to her today?”

            “No, I haven’t, but I don’t think it’s that strange.  Do you know where Kody is?” Mary smirked as she looked at Cass, who placed her back pack down on the bed.

            “No.” Cass glared at her as she unzipped her jacket.

            “So, there’s trouble in paradise with you two huh? No surprise there.”  She smirked happily.

            Cass squared up to Mary who had approached.  “Who said there was trouble?”

            “Well, it sounds like trouble to me considering you don’t know where she is?”

            “Unlike you, I don’t need to know where Dakota is every minute of the day.”  Cass smirked dryly.  “Was there a note?” Cass’ eyes diverted towards Brooke’s desk.

            Mary stared at her momentarily saying in a hushed tone, “no.”

            “Well, then I’ll let Brooke know you stopped by.”  Cass moved her towards the door and opened it.

            Mary glared at her.  “This thing with Kody isn’t going to go well for you.” She smiled slyly.

“The same can be said for you with Brooke.” Cass’ eyes flicked behind Mary as Brooke walked up with Michelle.  Her smile reflected her satisfaction that Mary’s sarcastic grin would soon be wiped off her face.

            Brooke and Michelle stopped laughing when they saw Mary.

            “Shit.”  Michelle said under her breath.

            Brooke’s heart raced with fear of the impending confrontation and how she was going to explain her way out of this situation.

            “So, what’s going on here?” Mary asked as she approached Brooke, her eyes reflecting her disappointment and embarrassment.

            Michelle looked at Brooke then glanced to Mary.  “I was looking for Cass and ran into Brooke who was on her way back from the bookstore so we walked over here together.”

            Cass chuckled inwardly, the lie was blatantly obvious.  “Well, Michelle come on in and tell me why you were looking for me.  I’m sure Brooke and Mary have some catching up to do seeing as how they haven’t spoken to each other all day.  Isn’t that right Mary?” Cass grinned sardonically and waved Michelle inside, closing the door behind her once Michelle passed by her.

            Michelle and Cass giggled quietly as they moved towards the middle of the room.  “So, why were you looking for me?  Was it for an excuse because you are hanging out with Mary’s girlfriend?”

            Michelle grinned sheepishly and nodded yes.  “Man, I hope Brooke is okay? Maybe I shouldn’t have lied like that.”  She moved closer to the door, but didn’t hear any voices.  She walked towards Cass.

            “Brooke will be fine; she’ll think her way out of the situation.  Hopefully, she’ll dump her.”  Cass shook her head and walked over to her bed, sitting down.

            Michelle walked over and sat next to her.  “You were once with her.”

            Cass glanced at her.  “Don’t remind me.”

            Michelle chuckled lightly and nudged Cass.  “So, what’s going on with you? You were pretty nasty to her.”

            “Oh, she just rubbed me the wrong way this evening.  She is so different from when we were together.  I felt like she was taunting me, she just ticked me off big time.  I’m not sure where that venom came from, it’s not me.  I’m not like that.”  Cass ran her fingers through her hair and sighed.

            “Is it her or some other dark haired beauty that has ticked you off?” Michelle stared at her questioningly.

            Cass looked at her, narrowing her eyebrows.  “Both, but more so the latter.”

            “Ah-ha, we have the source of your fire.  What happened?”

            “The usual.  I can’t handle seeing other women around her because…well, I don’t trust her.  I want to, but I am just not doing well with that at all and of course, she gets mad.”

            “Oh, man that sucks.  I can see both sides.”

            Cass glared at her from the last comment and shook her head.  She reached over and turned on her radio.

            “Don’t give me that look.  All I said was that I can see both sides, I’m not taking her side.  I know how much of an insufferable flirt she is and what I know of you, that is so not you.  Has she been with anyone else since you two hooked up?”

            Cass looked at Michelle.  “I don’t think so.  Not that I know of at least.”  She rolled her eyes, sighing to lessen a wave of jealousy at the possibility that she might have been with someone else.

            “Well, if it’s any consolation I have never seen Kody be with someone as much as she is with you.”

            “What about that bitch Leila?”

            Michelle chuckled, blowing off the comment.  “There was nothing more between them than sex.”

            “I see them together a lot.”

            “More than likely it’s Leila who is throwing herself into Kody’s path especially if she knows you are around.  Now, Leila is into Kody big time, but it’s not that way for Kody.”

            “How can you be so sure?”

            “Well, I am buddies with her brother who tells me a lot and because I’ve never seen her look or even act the way she does with you towards Leila.  She would blatantly cheat on the woman right in her face.  She is in to you big time.”

            “I keep hoping that, but I see these women with her and it breaks my heart every time.  When I say something to her, she’s evasive and puts the blame on me that I’m…in a sense over reacting.”  Cass sighed looking down at the floor.    “Even though I would miss Dakota I should move on with my life and get that together before I invest my heart more with her than I already have.”

            Michelle rubbed her back comfortingly.  “Or maybe you could look at it from Kody’s perspective, that no matter how many times she tells you or proves to you that she wants to be with you, you just won’t give her a chance.  Don’t think of other women as competition, you’ve won.  Enjoy being with that hot creature and let all the other women eat their hearts out!” Michelle chuckled.

            Cass looked at her with a slight smile.  “She is hot that’s for sure.”  Her smile broadened.  “Thanks, I appreciate the chat I sure needed it.”

            “Anytime.”  Michelle winked.  “Well, I wonder what is going on outside?”

            “Hopefully, good news for you.”

            “That would be nice.  I should have never been such a dumb ass with Brooke.”  Michelle shook her head regretfully as she walked towards the door.

            “I’m sure she will give you another chance.  I don’t foresee this thing with Mary going on much longer and when you get another chance don’t blow it.”  Cass chuckled patting her on the shoulder.

            “If I get another chance, I won’t.”  Michelle’s voice trailed off as she opened the door, not seeing Brooke or Mary.

            Cass looked out into the hall only to see it was empty.  “I’m sorry, but don’t lose hope.”  Cass smiled encouragingly and patted Michelle’s shoulder.

            “I won’t and you hang in there too.  I’ll see you tomorrow in the weight room.”

            “Thanks, bye.”  Cass smiled and waved after Michelle did the same.  She closed the door and walked over to her bed.  Lifting the cell phone to her ear, she punched in Dakota’s number.

***

            Chad walked Jana to the door after their date and smiled when she glanced over at him.  He had never been so taken with a woman before and wondered just what it was about her that made him feel that way.  ‘Is it how soft spoken she is or shy? Maybe it’s her beautiful smile or is it the way she looks at me.’  He watched her admiringly as she unlocked the door to her apartment. 

            Jana opened the door and turned to him.  “Would you like to come in?”

            Chad smiled broadly.  “I’d love to.”

            Jana blushed, smiling and pulled him inside, closing the door behind her. 

            Chad looked around the small apartment seeing a classical guitar in one corner of the living room and a keyboard in the other.  He looked to his left and caught a glance of the bedroom.  He was impressed with how clean and tidy her apartment looked considering how messy his bedroom remained at all times.

            “Can I get you something to drink?” Jana asked, rubbing his arm softly.

            “Sure, a soda will be fine.  Thanks.”  He smiled, watching as she walked away enjoying how her petite figure showed through her snug jeans.

            “Have a seat and make yourself comfortable.”  She glanced over her shoulder and pointed to the futon across the room.

            Chad headed over and sat down watching as she walked over to him with their beverages.  He stood up when she came closer.  “Thanks.”  Smiling, he waited until she sat down then he did the same.

            Jana chuckled when her soda made a loud fizzing noise as she poured it into the glass.  Turning to him, she smiled.  “I had a great time this evening.”

            “Me too.  Dinner was great.”

            “Definitely, very delicious.”  She sipped her beverage.  “So, you’ll be going to New York soon to find out if you won the Heisman trophy right?”

            “Yeah, we go next weekend.  My entire family will be going as well.”

            “How exciting.  How are you and your brother handling all the publicity considering you’re competing for the same award?”

            “We’re fine.  He’s my brother, I’d be very happy for him if he won it and he’d feel the same if I won.”

            “It’s wild seeing advertisements all over campus and on the sports channels for the two of you for the award.  There has to be some competition between you two.”

            “It’s pretty weird and yeah, there is some.  I tease him that it’s time for the wide receivers to win the award more rather than the quarterbacks.  It would be really cool if we tied.”

            “Has there ever been a tie?”

            “Never, so we are really hoping for that.”

            Jana moved closer to him, placing her hand on his leg.  “Well, I hope you win it out right.”  She smiled and moved in to kiss him.

            “Hmmm, maybe I will.”  He smiled, pressing his lips against hers.  The kiss awakened his senses and a tingling feeling coursed throughout him.  He deepened the kiss, which she reciprocated.  His heart raced and he became more aroused as she rubbed her hand up his arm.  He moved towards her guiding her back on the couch, and lay on top of her kissing her passionately.

            Jana broke off the kiss breathless.  “Wait Chad, please.”  She patted his chest.

            Disappointed, he sat up and sighed, embarrassed.   ‘Not another Michelle?’ He wondered. 

            “I’m sorry.  Oh, don’t look so disappointed.”  She sighed, lightly rubbing his face when she saw the disappointment in his eyes.

            “Did I do something wrong?”

            “No, not at all.  It’s just that, I aah…”  She looked down shyly.  “I would like to get to know you better and well…” her eyes lowered to the floor.

            “What?” Chad lifted her chin with his hand and smiled when she looked into his eyes.

            “It’s kind of embarrassing.”  She chuckled lightly and sighed heavily.

            “Oh, come on you can tell me.” 

            “Well, I ‘m not experienced.”

            Chad was surprised…excited.  “That’s fine…there is nothing to be embarrassed about.  We can wait if that’s what you want.”

            “Thanks for being so understanding.”  She smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

            Her kiss sent a warmth throughout him.  “You aren’t a lesbian are you?”

            She chuckled.  “No, why would you ask that?”

            “It’s a long story.”  He laughed sitting back against the couch.

            “Well, I’d love to hear it.”

            He stared at her momentarily and smiled.  “Okay, you asked.”  They both laughed.

***

Michelle hesitantly approached Brooke who sat on the steps in front of the dorm.

            Brooke looked back with a slight smile.

            Michelle took it as an invitation to sit next to her.  She turned her head towards Brooke.  “Well, was she ticked off?”

            “A little.”

            Michelle grimaced.  “Sorry, I thought my comment about seeing Cass would spare you.  It was lame, but the only thing I could think of to say on short notice.”

            “Oh, no it wasn’t lame she believed you.  She was more ticked off about Cass than me being with you.”

            Michelle was taken aback.  “Really? What’s up with that?”

            “I’m not really sure.”  Brooke shrugged her shoulders glancing briefly at Michelle, and then looked straight ahead.

            “Do you think she’s still hung up on Cass?”

            “More than likely, she was pretty upset about their breakup.”

            “Then what is she doing with you?”

            “I guess I’m the rebound girl that is supposed to help her forget about Cass.  I’m not doing a very good job obviously.”

            Michelle patted her leg comfortingly.  “I’m sorry.”

            “Why are you sorry about her?”

            “Well, if I wouldn’t have been such an idiot with us, you wouldn’t be in this situation.”

            “Yeah, well that is true, but I guess I’ve always known in the back of my mind that I was the rebound girl.”

            “Well, maybe you’re not the rebound girl.  Maybe we are totally wrong about Mary.”  Michelle smiled comfortingly seeing the sadness in Brooke’s eyes.

            “Maybe not, who knows with her.  I just really don’t know what’s going on with her sometimes.”

            “She is pretty weird, but maybe things…” Michelle paused, inhaling deeply to calm the nervousness in her stomach, “will work out for the two of you.”  She was surprised by the words that came out of her mouth.

            Brooke looked at Michelle and smiled slightly, “Maybe I don’t want her to be the woman for me.”

            Michelle’s heart raced and a broad smile spread across her face…hope.

***

            Mary hurriedly walked across campus still fuming from her interaction with Cass.  She lifted the phone after punching in a number. 

            “What do you want?”

            “To know if you have everything set up?” Mary stopped walking and looked around.

            “Almost.”

            “Don’t give me that bullshit; I’m not getting any more info for you.  What I gave you is plenty.  When are you going to use it?”

            “Well, now… it sounds like you have had a change of heart and is not so worried about whose heart gets broken.”

            “Yeah, well whatever.  I’m sick of being taken for a fool.”

            “I like that fire I hear in your voice, it’s going to make what I’m doing so much nicer for you.  I’m putting my finishing touches for it going down very soon.”

            “It’s about fucking time.”  Mary clicked off her phone and walked away.

***

            Owen and Dakota had been bar hopping for hours and settled at the MFP dance club. 

Dakota sipped her beer watching as her brother danced with a group of women.  She chuckled when her brother pulled his T-shirt off and threw it to her.  ‘Great, I’m his personal assistant now.’  She shook her head and draped it over the chair next to her.  ‘Ooh, very nice little brother.  She’s hot.’  Dakota smirked watching the lanky blonde who was rubbing her hands up and down Owens bare chest as they danced.  ‘I should be with Cass right now, rubbing my hands over her bare chest.’  She drank the rest of her beer and motioned for another one.  ‘What am I going to do with her? She doesn’t trust me.  She probably never will.  Do I want the hassle of always having to explain myself if I talk to another woman?’  She lifted the fresh beer to her lips and turned to the side when someone sat next to her.

“Do you mind if I sit here?” The stunning brunette asked as she motioned towards the chair.

“No, go right ahead.”  Dakota smiled, motioning to the chair.  She sipped her beer looking out at the dance floor.

“Are you here alone?”

“Nah, I’m here with that half naked drunk guy.”  Dakota chuckled, pointing towards her brother.

The woman eyed Dakota up and down.  “Is that your boyfriend?”

Dakota laughed, leaning back against the bar.  “No, that is my brother.”

“Well, good.”  She smiled flirtatiously.

Dakota smiled politely and looked over to the dance floor.  She sipped her beer wondering why she was feeling guilty for talking to the brunette.

“Does he realize the one in the pink dress is a man?”

“Probably not and I think I’ll leave it that way.  It’s funnier.”  Dakota chuckled watching as the person in pink danced closely with Owen.

“I take it he doesn’t realize its gay night?”

“He doesn’t care if it’s gay or straight night just as long as one chick hits on him.”  Dakota laughed.

“My name is Amanda.”  She laughed and moved her hand out towards Dakota.

Dakota shook her hand as she glanced her way.  “I’m Kody.”  She smiled slightly and looked away, as she released her hand.

“I thought I recognized you.  You being here with a guy threw me off.”  Amanda moved in front of Dakota, smiling.  “Would you like to dance?”

“No thanks.”  Dakota looked down at the bottle and sipped the beer.

“Then would you like to get out of here and go to my place?”

Dakota swallowed the beer hard and looked up, caught off guard when she finally got a glimpse of the women’s eyes.  She was silent momentarily as the woman’s green eyes stared at her… she felt a wave of guilt sweep over her thinking about Cass. “I aah, can’t I’m seeing someone.”

“That’s fine, I have one too.  We have an open relationship so I’m not looking for anything other than a one night stand.”

Dakota sat up in the chair when Amanda slid her hands up Dakota’s thighs.

“So, Kody want to go to your place or mine?” She smiled seductively, moving closer to Dakota.

***

Cass jumped when she heard a door close down the hall.  She looked at herself realizing she had fallen asleep in her clothes from the previous night.   She glanced over at the clock that displayed 6 am.  ‘Shit.’  Reaching for her phone, she sighed nervously.  ‘Damn.’  She lay back disappointed that Dakota had not called her.  Blinking her eyes, as she stared at the ceiling that was dimly lit by the light peering through the blinds she thought of what Michelle had said to her.  ‘I’m going over there.’  She sprang to her feet and quickly changed clothes.  Cass walked up the driveway to Dakota’s house out of breath from jogging over there.  She walked up to the side door and reached for the doorknob, surprised it was unlocked.  She quietly walked towards the hallway glancing into the living room noting no one was there.  She jumped as Chad came around the corner, nearly bumping into her.

“Cass, you scared the crap out of me.”  He chuckled patting his bare chest to calm his rapidly beating heart. 

“Sorry, you did the same to me.”  She inhaled deeply, calming the fright.  Looking up she smiled.  “Did you forget to rinse your hair?” Cass asked with a giggle looking up at his head that was lathered with shampoo.

“No, I needed some soap.  Some smartass decided to take mine.  More than likely it’s on the sink.  It’s a good thing I decided not to come strolling out here naked or it might have been pretty awkward between us.”  He laughed, walking over and grabbing the bar of soap off the sink.  “Asshole.”  He shook his head at his brother’s stupid joke, walking back towards her. 

“Yes, thank goodness for tow…”  Cass looked at his waist, “towels…small towels.”  She looked up grinning.  “I aah, was hoping to see Dakota.  She hasn’t left yet has she?”

“I have no idea.  She wasn’t home when I got here late last night.  I thought maybe she stayed with you.”

Cass looked down, sighing to calm her racing heart as thoughts of Dakota with someone else filled her head.  ‘Stop it, don’t think that.’  She glanced up.  “No, we kind of had a fight the last time I saw her.”

“Oh, sorry.  Well, I’m sure you two will make up.  Go check her room.”  He smiled and walked towards the hall bathroom.  Looking back he smiled, “good luck,” and winked.

Cass smiled and waved before he ducked into the bathroom.  Cass quietly opened the door to Dakota’s room and smiled when she saw her lying on her stomach.  She looked at her slumbering form momentarily, admiring how good she looked naked with the sheet draped over the lower portion of her body.  She walked over, kicking her shoes off when she reached the bed and crawled in behind her. 

Dakota moved slightly feeling a hand slide down her bare arm, and smiled feeling a kiss on her cheek.  She opened her eyes and looked back into a pair of green eyes.  “Cass…what are you doing here?”

“I thought I would surprise you.  Are you still mad at me?”

Dakota rolled over to face her.  Staring deeply into her eyes, she kissed Cass on the cheek.  She partially covered her mouth.  “Sorry, I need to brush my teeth.”

“I don’t care.”  Cass lay back on the bed, wrapping her arms around Dakota’s neck and pressed her lips against Dakota’s.  She broke the passionate kiss when she heard the toilet flush and rolled to her side away from Dakota when the door opened.  She moved to sit up when she saw a woman standing beside the bed, but was stopped by Dakota.  Hurt filled her heart.  “Who are you?” She asked softly, fighting the tears that formed.

Continued…

Feed the bard at: Cruise@clububer2000.com

URL: www.clububer2000.com

November 2007