Free Rival Love by Natalie Decker Page A

my football coach, Mr. Dillon.
    Skylar eventually vanishes, and no one can find her. She doesn’t even attend her last set of classes. The whole school won’t shut up about it either. “The Bulldog finally ran home.” If only this were true.
    As soon as the final bell rings, I head to my car. My uncle is waiting beside it, and with his worried expression, I know exactly what this conversation is going to be about. He better not even mention her name with all these people flooding the parking lot. Someone will overhear him and then I’ll be the next one running away from a mob of people.
    “Caleb, a word. In my room.”
    “I’ve got practice.”
    He narrows his eyes. “Practice can wait. This is a family matter.”
    I roll my eyes. Family matter my ass. Skylar hiding out is not my problem. She’s not even family! She doesn’t want to be here. I don’t want her here. Sure, there are some perks, like a hot chick living across the hall from me, wearing skimpy shorts and all that jazz, but it’s Skylar.
    Uncle Brian is not taking no for an answer and I reluctantly follow him up to his room. Once we’re there, he shuts the door and says, “I need your help finding Skylar.”
    I wrinkle my nose and shake my head. “Seriously, why should I help? She’s been nothing but a brat since she got here.” Plus, it’ll be better for all of us.
    “Look, I know you guys have your differences right now, but Caleb, this is Erin’s daughter. If she hears about any of this, I’ll lose her forever. Please. Help me find Skylar.” The way he’s pleading makes me cave.
    I sigh. “Fine, I’ll help.” Can’t believe I’m missing practice for this. Coach is going to have a field day with me when I get there.
    Heading down to the music room, my phone rings. I look at the caller ID and hit the ignore button. No one can know what I’m doing right now, that includes Derrick, who calls me three more times. I make my way down the halls and try a few of the doors. All of them are locked. I roll my eyes and kick the one on the right. “Damnit!”
    “Crap!”
    “Skylar?”
    “Caleb?”
    I glare at the door. It opens a crack. She looks around and then straight at me.
    “Are we having fun in there?” I ask.
    She shrugs. “My battery just died. I was on level fifteen of Angry Birds.”
    “That game is for five-year-olds. Come on, my uncle has been looking everywhere for you.” She enters the hallway and looks down at the ground.
    She doesn’t say anything as we walk up to my uncle Bri’s classroom.
    When we reach the landing on the first floor, she huffs. “Stop.” I do and she faces me. “Why did you do it?” Before I answer, she shakes her head. “Why are you being nice to me and I don’t know, looking for me instead of going on with your life?” she mutters.
    “Brian guilt-tripped me into it. This doesn’t mean anything.”
    She nods. “Good.”
    We continue toward my uncle’s room. He smiles as soon as he spots us. To say Skylar and I were as pleased as him would be an absolute lie. “Skylar, where have you been?”
    “I was in a janitor’s closet playing Angry Birds.” She smiles. “So…should I be heading to detention now?”
    Brian frowns. “Yes. We can talk about this later, I guess.”
    “We don’t have to. I mean, look, Brian, you’re a cool person. But let’s be real here. You’re not my dad, so the whole talking thing…” She sucks in a breath. “Yeah, that’s not going to be happening.”
    I don’t know who’s more shocked—me or my uncle. “Um…I need to get to practice.”
    My uncle looks at me and nods. “Yeah, sure. Uh…let me give you a note.” He walks over to his desk and starts writing on a Post-it. My gaze follows Skylar as she makes her way to the door and leaves. Brian sets his pen down and sighs. “I don’t know what happened today. Skylar is usually the sweetest kid you’d ever meet.”
    “Maybe it’s her time of the month.” I take the sticky note and start to