Loving Charley by Casey Peeler Page A

girls and Cash Money! Before we leave, I tell my
parents bye, and inform Tessa, Dustin, and Cash that I have to ride
back with the team.
    “Char, I think we’re just
going to go back to Grassy Pond. Piper can drive your car,” Tessa
says.
    “Why would y’all wanna do
that?” I question.
    “Probably ‘cause I can’t
get in to Hank’s, and even if y’all can sneak me in, there’s no way
they’re going to let Dustin in.”
    I’m surprised that I hadn’t
even thought about that. I don’t want her to leave, but I have no
choice really. “Well, that sucks!”
    “Charley!” Mom says. “What am I gonna
do with you two?!”
    Tessa and I just look at each other
and shrug our shoulders.
    “I don’t want y’all to go,
but that does make sense. Piper, will you take the
Honda?”
    “Yeah.”
    I give Tessa and Dustin a
hug before they leave with my parents.
    Cash, Piper, and Joe stop
to eat on the way back, and it’s going to be a fun night at Hank’s
Tavern tonight.
    We stop to eat on our way
back to Southern, and we are able to sit back, relax, and enjoy the
time as a team. Coach is the finest lady I know besides my mama.
She is classy at all the right times and a little redneck when
needed. She knows each of us, and regardless of our pasts, she
loves us all. I guess she’s like our mama away from home. She is a
little cooler than my mama, if I do have to say. ‘Cause there’s no
way my mama wouldn’t give me crap if she knew I partied and was
hung over. Not to say, she wouldn’t fix a killer breakfast to get
me over it, but I’d pay one way or the other.
    Once we finish eating,
Southern picks up the tab, and it’s time to get back. I can’t wait
to be back in Cash Money’s arms, let alone spend the night dancing
in them. I must be staring out the window when Georgia breaks my
thoughts.
    “Char, whatcha
thinkin’‘bout?”
    “Just that I can’t wait to go to
Hank’s tonight.”
    “Yeah, I bet not!” Tori pipes
in.
    “Y’all, hush! I mean, I
know y’all are jealous of my Cash Money, but he’s mine.”
    After a handful of eye
rolls, Georgia asks the question they all wanna know the answer,
“So…um…are Piper and Joe an item?” Not really sure how to answer
this, I take a second, but that’s a second too long because Tori
puts in her two cents.
    “Oh, they’re an item all
right! I don’t know how exclusive, but they are for sure
to-geth-er!”
    “Y’all, I don’t know the
official answer, but I do know they have it bad!” I say.
    “Well, let’s just see if she does a
walk of shame in the morning.”
    We all chuckle because we know beyond
a doubt that is going to happen.
    Before we know it, we are
pulling into Southern. Coach parks at the gym, and we pile out. She
informs us that she will see us for a team meeting next week to
discuss off-season workouts and plans for next year, and then she
tells us to enjoy the night and to call her if we need a
ride.
    I text Cash as we make our
way back to the dorm. He informs me that they are in Joe’s room,
and he will come that way. Walking to the dorm, we can hear the
party has already begun on campus. Music is being played from dorm
to dorm, we can hear people talking, and the stoop is packed with
people sitting there with cold ones in their hands already. As we
walk up the steps, we are all greeted with congrats, hoots, and
hollers. I get the most attention from everyone. We stop and talk
for a minute before making our way to Kluft.
    Once we are upstairs, we
notice Caroline and Hayden waiting on us with Caroline’s famous PJ
in hand and empty cups. Knowing we can’t disappoint them, we each
fill a Solo cup and chill for a minute before we head to our rooms
and get ready to continue our pre-game before Hank’s.
    Tossing my bag and coat
onto the ground, I honestly want another shower because the smell
of chlorine is still very evident on my skin, but I don’t know if I
have time. Taking a sip of PJ, I toss the thought aside. I begin