Mutual Hatred - Love Game Read Online Free PDF Page A

two. Or all of them, for that matter."
    "Whatever Brandon and his goons throw at you, we got your back," piped up Joshua Alvarez.
    "We'll be your bodyguards!" squealed Carl Parker. Who knew boys squealed? Who knew boys could even get that excited?
    The other boys nodded in agreement.
    "It's really sweet of you to offer your um.. services , but I'm sure I can handle it. Thanks, though," she said.
    Johnny shook his head. "You don't understand. If Brandon doesn't get what he wants, everyone suffers."
    Shelley tried to be logical. "Seems like Brandon's a spoiled brat. I'll just have to teach him his place."
    "It won't be easy," added Carl, "Trust me, you'll need us."
    Shelley considered his words for a moment before saying, "How about this? You guys just be on the lookout for me, okay? If you hear anything, let me know. I'll deal with it. I do not want to bring the team into this petty feud Brandon and I have."
    Fifteen pairs of eyes exchanged glances, as if having a silent conference.
    "Done," Daniel Bennett finally proclaimed.
    Shelley chuckled and said, "Okay, then. Now you can get running!"
    Without a word-not one complaint-the boys ran off. Those are my kind of people. Do what you're told and we all get along!
    "Why do you do this to us?"
    Shelley swiveled around. Why did Brandon always come out of nowhere?
    "Shouldn't you finish your laps?" she asked.
    He smirked. "Just finished them."
    "My, that was quick."
    He matched her gaze with a steely one of his own. "Yeah, well, I'm fast."
    "I see. Well if you want to get into another argument, now isn't the time. We need to actually practice, you know."
    "Maybe we would get things done if you didn't go ballistic all the time," he countered.
    "Maybe I wouldn't go ballistic if you would shut up and let me do things my way!"
    Here we go again.
    "You can't tell us what to do!" he yelled.
    She was amused and it infuriated him. "I wasn't aware that coaches were supposed to just watch."
    Brandon wanted to rip her long brown hair out. "That's not what I meant!"
    "Well maybe you should say what you mean. Saves a lot of confusion," she retorted.
    "I meant," he said, gritting his teeth, "We don't need you telling us what to do."
    "So if I don't," she said, hands on her hips, "Who will? Do tell."
    "You know," Brandon shook his head, "I don't understand how someone so beautiful can have such a…nasty attitude."
    Beautiful. Not pretty. Beautiful
    "Funny, I could say the same thing about you," she spat.
    He scowled. "I'm not beautiful."
    Shelley shook her head. "We agree on something! But Brandon? You're wasting my time. Stop trying to provoke a fight and we'll get something done, okay?"
    "You started it!" he said defensively.
    She frowned. "Normally I would have said that, too. But you know what? You're not worth it. We have more important things to do."
    She turned her back on Brandon, who was speechless.
    "So you're just going to walk away from this?" he finally asked.
    "In a manner of speaking, yes. I don't like arguing, especially with one of my players. So I'll do everyone a favor and end it now."
    "You know, I was right," he said triumphantly.
    "Right about what?"
    Those blue eyes were dancing like fireworks. "You can't finish anything you start."
    "Arguing with you hardly counts for anything," Shelley snapped.
    Brandon was about to reply, but Shelley walked away.
    "I win!" he called after her.
    Shelley stopped in her tracks. "You're being so immature. We fight over nothing! There's nothing to win. Grow up!"
    "But I'm right, aren't I?"
    "Give it a rest," she slowly enunciated, as if talking to a young child, "I'm not even going to talk to you anymore."
    Can he get more annoying than he already is? If we keep this up I'm going to need a supersize bottle of Advil.
    She tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for the rest of the team to finish running. Brandon stood not too far away from her. And he's sulking. Get over it! Johnny was first to finish. He studied Shelley's expression and