Songs for Cricket by Laine, E. (ebook reader .TXT) 📕

sprouted from a shirt that barely covered her thighs. August and I traded glances.

“What? Never seen a woman before?” she asked.

She moved around the island, having spotted the coffee pot. Though August didn’t say anything, his glance towards the hallway that led to Finn’s room was confirmation that we were thinking the same thing.

“I’m going to take her home,” August said, tipping his head Lisa’s way.

I nodded and left Finn’s woman to her own devices. When I got to my room, I laid down and tried to remember what happened after my conversation with Finley. When I closed my eyes, it started to replay in my head before I drifted off.

I woke up feeling only slightly better to the sound of August’s voice outside my room.

“Party time,” he called.

“Not tonight.”

I begged him off. There was no way I wanted to run into Lacey, not after Lisa’s warnings and what happened the night before.

Instead, I spent the evening playing music in the backyard. Finn came to join me.

I stopped playing and smiled at him.

“You had company last night,” I said.

“It got late, and I didn’t want my TA going home by herself.” The smirk on his face belied his words.

“Sure. Whatever you say,” I said on the heels of a chuckle and left it at that.

I didn’t think teacher’s assistants and professors were supposed to hook up.

He only grinned. “How about you?”

I sobered. “I may have stupidly told Finley how I felt.”

“It didn’t go well?” he asked.

“Not really, though I can’t blame her. I was twisted, and nothing came out right.”

“You can try again,” he suggested.

I shook my head. “That ship has sailed. She’s with another guy.”

Finn nodded and looked absolutely sincere when he spoke again. “I could always roll over him if you want.”

That made me laugh. “Thanks, but it’s okay. Maybe it’s better this way.”

Finn was easygoing and allowed silence to fill the space without further questions. And when I went back to playing the melody, my choice of conversation, he listened.

I spent the rest of the weekend unpacking the few boxes that had arrived weeks before. There wasn’t much. I hadn’t left anything at the Farrows, not even the few trophies I’d won.

August’s dad had made it clear my extended stay was over when he told me to pack all of my things when none of the Farrow siblings were around. He, like so many others, saw me as trash once my father had been arrested and put in jail. I’d been considered a criminal by association.

It was August’s mother who fought her husband to allow me to live in their house after almost a year of fighting for my life every day on the other side of town. The delinquents over there thought me soft and tried their best to make my life hell.

I hadn’t mentioned that to August at his father’s request. He had other reasons to hate his dad. I wasn’t going to be one of them.

Monday morning felt like the first day of my life. Classes began today, and my schedule wasn’t filled with math, science, or history.

My future degree in music focused on classes like Music Theory and Composition. Though my minor in business required I take an economic and business law class.

Everyone was subdued when we arrived for morning practice, even August. He and Finley didn’t trade barbs, and he hadn’t cracked a single joke.

When we spotted the TV van parked out front, August finally broke into a smile.

“Big times,” he said and glanced at me.

Layton was a huge football school and the biggest university in the state. It wasn’t a surprise that they would cover our football team for sound bites or footage to use during the upcoming game on Saturday.

Finley broke off for the women’s pool locker room once we entered the building without a word. The rest of us rode the escalator up with a few others who were also cutting it close to making it on time.

The locker room was eerily quiet. Muted conversation and furtive glances my way had me on edge. I’d just deposited my things in my locker when Coach appeared.

“Connelly, with me, now.”

I glanced at August who said nothing but let me know with a quick nod he had my back. I followed Coach, guessing at possible reasons he could have to single me out. Did everyone else know? Is that why they’d looked at me and whispered when I’d arrived?

Two uniformed cops stood near the entrance. When they moved, Coach barked, “Not here.”

My mind went on red alert. Had something happened to my mom? Was she okay? And darker thoughts. My dad? Had he gotten out, rather broken out of jail?

Once we were in the hall, one cop stepped in front of me. His eyes were dark as night. I’d never forget the hateful stare he gave me as he said, “Shepard Connelly, you are under arrest for the rape of Lacey Foster.”

I really didn’t hear anything else once I spotted Finley. She’d arrived in time to see the other cop cuff my hands behind my back.

21

shepard

Finley Farrow was a fighter, one of the reasons why I loved her so much.

“No, he would never do that,” she shouted to the cops, wedging herself between them and me.

“Go,” I said.

Though I must have whispered it because she was still yelling at them.

“Back inside,” Coach said.

I turned around and caught sight of August and Cooper’s anxious glances and a few others behind them. I shook my head and turned forward as I was led by the shoulders toward the escalators.

It was then I caught the steely-eyed cop pushing a shouting Finley aside.

“Don’t touch her.” There was enough growl in my tone to cause him to pause. I faced Finley. “Go.”

She looked on the verge of tears, and I hated she had to see this. “I’ll call my father.”

“Don’t!” The last thing I needed was her dad to be proven right that I was nothing but a cancer to their family. “Call Finn.”

He was