Catching Texas

Invisible

So, this took a bit of a left turn from my original plan, but I like where it's going. I'm aiming for more than fifteen chapters, but I make no promises. Y'all enjoy! Thanks for reading!

xxKay

Texas

"I don't know what you see in him, X." Essee chided lowly, not bothering to avert her gaze from the subject of our conversation. I, however, had glued my eyes to the ugly plastic tray on the worn cafeteria table filled with mystery meat and potatoes galore. I knew Tennessee didn't understand my attraction to Yates and to be honest, I didn't either. I hadn't walked into school on my first day, singled him out and decided he was going to be the boy I was going to spend my entire high school career running after. And, for the sake of honesty, Yates wasn't really the kind of guy I ever really found cute. His hair was too blond, he was too short, he was too cocky, way too self absorbed, he had absolutely no interest what-so-ever in anything slightly outdoorsy, and he couldn't stand sweets. Essee didn't see this as a problem, but that was because she was pretty much Yates with breasts, I did. I spent ninety percent of my time in the kitchen, had since I was old enough to use the oven on my own, loved to fish, practice with my bow at least three times a week, and hike and camp. I couldn't imagine trying to be with someone who called 85 hot, who wore bug spray indoors or who had hands that rivaled a baby's bottom in softness. Yates was also about as bright as a black crayon and as useful as pants for snakes. No, Yates definitely wasn't my type and yet here I was.

"Why don't you just go talk to him, Texas? The stalking is getting a bit out of hand." She said saucily, her tone rising above the everyday chatter of the cafeteria. My face flushed a brilliant red at this and I wanted to crawl into a hole and die when heads turned in our direction. My sister had absolutely no idea what an inside voice was. 

"Tee, I'm not stalking him and we do talk."  But she was my twin and she saw right through my lie, about talking to him that is. I wasn't stalking him, but we did have five out of our seven classes together and were partners in three of those classes because of our last names. We did talk, constantly, actually. He would tell me about things going on at home, about the way he had perfected his spiral for the upcoming game on Friday night -- and then he'd turn to me and smile, this perfect smile that had my heart stopping in my chest and the air seizing in my lungs simply because he was smiling at me and he'd ask if I was going to be there to cheer him on. And with those brilliant blue eyes glittering so irresistibly in my direction, how was I supposed to say no? So, I didn't. 

And this was how I knew that he had not, in fact, perfected his spiral and that if Coach Jennings and Assistant Coach Jones didn't replace him with Stetson on the field the Timber Wolves would lose this season. Contrary to what Yates believed, he had a lousy arm, was a bit of a ball hog on the field and he was not ever going to be drafted into the NFL. Despite the fact that I knew about his overconfidence and his lack-luster personality, I couldn't seem to look away when he walked into a room. 

It was a vicious cycle. I would slowly piece together the kind of guy he was, realize how little I actually liked him and steel myself with the knowledge that my little crush was nothing more than a passing trend -- then we'd be in Chemistry and he'd lightly caress my cheek as I helped him with his overdue assignment while he prattled on about how pretty I could be and how lucky I was to have him as my partner and all of what I'd thought would take a swan dive off of the Empire State building. That was Yates. He could charm the panties off a nun and have no qualms about it. 

And I wasn't the only girl to fall for it.

I'd seen so many girls like me crumble at his feet simply for the attention he gave. And why shouldn't we? He was the damned Messiah of Red Mire High and he was lavishing his attentions on the shy, outcast girls of the school.