by SM Olivier
“He didn’t drop me. I dumped him!” Leah yelled, stomping her feet.
“Yeah, okay, I’ve seen your texts.” I forced a laugh and shook my head.
Believer by Imagine Dragons began, which was our cue to fall in behind the football team. We broke off, and as directed, we ran to our fans and tried to pump them up more. I noticed Sal, Des, and the additional guards Grandpa had hired for tonight situated all along the sidelines. Mr. Fanning hadn’t hesitated to permit extra security tonight.
The school was still in that weird limbo ever since the girl in the bathroom, Dove Bartlett, overdosed. The school had been closed the following day, and yesterday, grief counselors had started calling students into the counselor’s offices. For a brief moment, they contemplated canceling tonight's games but determined there was no reason to.
Dove Bartlett had been a junior. She left behind a loving mother, step-father, father, step-mother, two brothers, two half-sisters, a stepbrother, and a stepsister. She had been a good student, was in the school band and on the field hockey team. Her friends even claimed she’d never had any issues with her family, and her parents still got along despite them not being together.
No one had witnessed her purchasing the drugs or understood why she took them. Her best friend had said, as far as she knew, Dove had never taken drugs. She also stated that Dove had recently started talking to one of Jana’s known associates, a guy who hadn’t been at school the day she died. He also had an alibi, claiming he’d been sick that day. Jana and two other students who were known to hang out with her hadn’t returned to school yet, which both comforted me and made me suspicious simultaneously.
“Pey Pey!”
I heard my name being screamed and noticed Kyler holding Clay near the front of the bleachers.
I paused in my rallying and used the rails to climb up onto the stands. Golden, Lochlann, Kyler, Clay, Maisie, Mr. Jenkins, Grandpa, and David, along with Ava’s kids—Hope, Gideon, Joy, and Raphael—were all sitting together. As I leaned over to kiss Clay’s cheek, I noticed Anya making her way toward my family, and I felt my eyes mist over.
I knew she was a very busy woman, and with a big dance competition tomorrow she was more so. I was half-thinking she was going to forget the promise she had made me. I hadn’t reminded her, though, because I knew she was stressed enough with Renee’s absence the last few days. Finding Dove the way she had that day had significantly affected Renee.
After I had gotten off dance that night, Paxton and I had gone over to Renee’s house. She was in her bedroom, mindlessly watching television. I hadn’t made her talk to me, but I had held her until her sobs had subsided. Grandpa had sent a therapist over to her house yesterday, but she remained absent.
“You look beautiful, Kitten,” Kyler growled now as he leaned in towards me. “I’m taking my night tonight.”
Crew had “graciously” given him his night tonight. I couldn’t wait. Kyler had been swamped the last few days with work, so I only saw him before morning dance. My body warmed up just thinking about what I planned to do with him later.
“Can’t wait.” I coyly grinned up at him before waving at Anya and the rest of my family.
“Come on, Pey,” Freddy laughingly called to me.
“See you guys later!” I grinned as I waved to them once more.
I looked for Zane, who was busy in the huddle, knowing he rarely looked into the stands. I couldn’t wait for his mother to join him on the fields to honor the seniors. The athletes would have another banquet at the end of the year, but that one would be with all the sports teams, so it wouldn’t be the same.
I knew Zane would be shocked to see his mother at halftime. He would never admit it or ask her, but I knew it meant a lot for her to be there for him. I just had to make sure Paxton captured those images. I was sure they were going to be frame-worthy.
●
The energy remained high as we entered half-time leading by three points. It was both exhilarating and nerve-wracking watching the guys− my guys mostly− play. There was no doubt in my mind that Zane and Crew were leaving one hundred and ten percent on the field.
Zane hadn’t thrown even one interception and had hit his target every time. In turn, Crew hadn’t allowed one guy to touch Zane, let alone get near him. If they lost today, which I hoped they didn’t, it wouldn’t be from a lack of heart and soul.
Over twenty cheerleaders took the center field as the opposing team ran into the locker room. It had already been decided that we’d do our half-time routine before the seniors got recognized.
We all took our positions on the field as the student council set up for the ceremony.
Our music began—a mash-up of several songs that were upbeat and fun to dance and cheer to. Leah, Heather, Madison, and I took our spots on our four corners as the rest of the squad danced near by. I waited until Heather made her pass before I did a round-off, whip, and four back-handsprings into a back tuck. The crowd went wild, and I couldn’t help but smile as I moved my hair out of my face and discreetly pulled my Spanx from where they had ridden up. After Freddy and a few other guys did their tumbling passes, I took my lineup position.
Freddy had been disgruntled after Madison had taken my spot, but I was okay with it. It was easier to learn the dance moves instead of doing the stunts. The half-time routine leaned more towards hip-hop, and out of all the dancing I did, it was honestly the least stressful for me. I always had fun with that style, and I felt that it showed as I popped my hips to the beat.
In one part of our routine, I had to take center stage with Madison; still, my smile remained. I wouldn’t allow her or anyone else to affect my mood tonight. No, she hadn’t stopped her campaign to become my friend again, but it was becoming easier to ignore her.
By the time we were done, we knew the crowd enjoyed it as much as we had. Leah, Nan, Flossie, Freddy, Heather, Marie, Madison, and I were ushered to the makeshift stage. We were the only seniors on the team.
“Mom’s here,” Madison murmured behind me. “She knows that we… had a falling out, but she would still love to see you.”
I sighed and twirled my ring around my finger.
Vivian, Madison’s mom, was a nice woman. She was the one who had gotten me on their cell phone plan. She also never cared when Madison passed her clothing castoffs my way, some of which Madison hadn’t even worn. Back then, I was so far below their social station, but Vivian had never made me feel that way.
It wasn’t her fault Madison betrayed me. I shouldn’t—nor could I, really—ignore her because of her daughter. After all, she had permitted Madison to move here on my behalf. Kind of. Sort of.
“I’ll say hi to her,” I said concisely as the announcer started the ceremony.
My mind wandered for a moment. I had been devastated back when I had to leave Lucas and Madison. When I used to imagine our senior year, I pictured us doing many things together as we always had. I always saw them by my side.
I never thought me moving was a possibility. I definitely never imagined myself joining cheer. It had been Madison’s passion, and before everything went down, I would’ve been giddy and excited to be doing this together. But I couldn’t garner those reactions. Her betrayal cut deep, and I had no clue where to go from here.
“Thanks, Peyton. She misses you and asks about you all the time,” Madison leaned in and whispered.
I nodded as Heather squeezed in next to me. “Small get-together at my house after the game?” she inquired hopefully.
I knew she was still uncertain how to act around me sometimes. It was weird, sure, but never uncomfortable. I understood this was new territory for her, and I appreciated her for trying. It was better than how others treated me.
I noticed Madison roll her eyes at Heather’s back. They never talked to each other; like ever. I had a feeling whatever happened with Freddy had put a wedge between them as well. They’d gotten along so well at my birthday party—that was until Madison had hooked up with Freddy.
It was almost surreal at times to realize how far apart Madison and I were now, despite the fact we were in the same location, like old times. We cheered together. We were in a new school together. This should have been an exciting life change for us, but it wasn’t. Her actions had caused our paths to separate.
At a time when my lifelong best friend should’ve been there sharing my life with me, she no longer was. I had the guys and a few friends I had grown close to. And for the first time since kindergarten, we didn’t have the same group of friends.
It was hard throwing away fifteen years of friendship. It was difficult to forget all the good times we had; and we’d had a lot. If I were to write down a list of our relationships' pros and cons, the pros would far-outweigh the cons. However, some betrayals and actions were hard to forgive.
“I have a competition tomorrow morning,” I finally answered Heather.
A part of me really wanted to hang out with Heather, Marie, and Freddy. The other part just wanted to go home and relax for the night. I had an early morning, and after the excitement of this week and tonight, I needed to decompress.
On the other hand, Heather having the forethought to order and pay for our neck coverings had shown me the depth of our friendship. It was in the infant stages, but she had already shown me she was someone I can rely on. Plus, when we were together we did have fun.
“If you want, I can ask the guys if they don’t mind having a little get-together at our house tonight,” I said a bit reluctantly. “My Shadows had a long day, and I feel a bit selfish asking them to go out again.”
Honestly, I felt safer at our house. With Jana and Butch hovering in the dark, I didn’t trust them. Plus, I wouldn’t put Heather and them at risk because of my decisions. We had guards around the house, twenty-four seven. We also had a top-notch security system. If I did choose to hang out with people tonight, it would make more sense to have it be at our house.
“Sounds good,” Heather said with a smile. “I want to do something but nothing crazy,” she reassured me. “Let me know what the guys say, and if you want, I can stop and get pizzas on my way or something.”
I appreciated the fact she could understand that my situation wasn’t normal. I could no longer go out and do whatever I wanted. She might not know exactly all the dangers that lurked out there for me, but she understood my need for control.
I smiled and nodded. “ Okay. I’ll let you know as soon as I do.”
They called Zane’s name then, and I noticed a few of the underclassmen come forward. They awarded the football team players a football in our school colors. It also had a picture of the player on the ball, their names, and numbers. It was such an incredible and thoughtful gift.
I witnessed Zane accept the ball with a broad grin. He held it up and smiled. When he was handed flowers to “gift” his parents, he looked confused for a moment. He probably didn’t understand why he was being handed flowers and not an engraved pen.
It was decided that the mothers, aunts, etc., would be gifted flowers. Whereas the fathers, uncles, brothers, etc., were given pens.
Zane turned towards the stands where our gang resided, and his jaw dropped. I swear I could see a sheen of tears enter his eyes as his mom took the stage with him.
Anya was openly dabbing her own eyes with a handkerchief as she hugged her son close. She whispered something in his ear, and I saw him nod as he buried his face in her hair. I didn’t know if I imagined the shudders that wracked his body, but when he pulled away, his eyes found mine, and I saw the gratitude in them.
I wasn't taking full credit for this one. I couldn’t. I was just happy I could tell Paxton to be ready with his camera. I was delighted that Anya was there to see her son, where she could realize he hadn’t wasted his life by learning how to play football, that he was not only a very talented dancer but was also just as awe-inspiring on the field.
After Anya made her way back to the stands, Zane made a beeline towards me. He uttered no words, and I realized he was still feeling emotional. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, and I didn’t even care that he was sweaty as I leaned into him.
Crew's name was called next, and our little section of family and friends erupted the loudest once again. I watched Kyler make his way down from the stands as Crew was presented with his ball. Kyler made a great show of removing his leather jacket, and as he drew closer, I began to giggle.
He was wearing a shirt that said #1 Big Brother emblazoned across it. His shirt was also covered in pictures of Crew in various stages of life. Crew looked annoyed by his brother’s antics for a split second before he shook his head and ducked to hide the smile on his face.
They were so much alike, yet so different. It became apparent the more I got to know the brothers. However, there was no denying the bond and love they had for each other.
When the student council member tried to hand Crew an engraved pen for his brother, Crew shook his head and grabbed a bouquet instead.
The stadium was laughing as they watched everything unfold. For those that weren’t close enough to see the stage, a jumbotron had Crew and Kyler in hi-def. I laughed some more and was comforted as I felt Zane chuckle as well.
Kyler made a dramatic gesture of fanning his cheeks. He accepted the flowers and gave Crew a big kiss on his cheek before embracing him in a hug that would crush most mortals’ bones. I laughed and leaned into Zane more.
Zane brushed his lips against my temple. “Thank you. How did you convince Mom to come?” he inquired huskily.
I grinned and shrugged. “Well, you kind of did,” I informed Zane. “I told your mom if you danced with me in the competition, then she would have to watch you play tonight.”
He laughed again, and side hugged me.
The rest of the football team got called up, and then the cheerleaders. When my name was called, I got slightly emotional when Grandpa and David presented me with flowers and chocolate. I didn’t even care that Leah hated me more by the end of the night.
●
Blue, gold, and white confetti clung to my hair as Freddy, Marie, Heather, and I jumped up and down, screaming and laughing. The game had been tight the entire time. We were up by three points at the half, but by the end of the third quarter we were down by ten. In the fourth quarter, we gained more points after a touchdown and then an interception, followed by the winning touchdown.
Fans spilled out of the stands to converge on the football players who were attempting to run off the field. I noticed Des, Sal, and a few of Grandpa’s security form a protective circle around me. Their presence couldn’t affect the euphoria I was feeling, though. I was so happy and proud of my guys.
They had played their hearts out and earned the victory.
“What a game!” Grandpa smiled as he and the kids joined me on the field.
“The best,” I agreed as I hopped from one foot to the other in an attempt to ward off the chill in the air.
He had the double stroller with Raphael and Clay in it. Both of them were sound asleep despite the noise surrounding them. They were all tucked up in blankets with only their faces visible. The temperature had dropped drastically since the sun had gone down.
Marie and Heather immediately began to shower the rest of the kids with affection.
“Was this your first game?” Marie asked Hope.
She nodded as she ate her nachos. “It was fun.”
I knew Grandpa was slowly trying to integrate them into normal society on the recommendation of the therapists. He was beginning to plan outings for them, and this afternoon, Hope, Gideon, and Joy had expressed an interest in attending the game. With the additional security and all the extra hands, Grandpa felt comfortable taking them out.
“What’d you think?” I asked Gideon as he hid and clung onto Grandpa’s pant leg.
“I learn?” he inquired hopefully. “Throw ball?”
At three, he wasn’t the most loquacious. The speech therapist had determined his and the twins’ verbal skills weren’t
where they were supposed to be.
“I’m sure Zane will show you,” I told him.
His resemblance to Coach Carson was uncanny; it was something I forced myself to ignore.
“Now?” he begged.
“Not tonight. It’s almost past your bedtime!” I laughed and shook my head.
“Next time, buddy,” Grandpa reassured him.
Gideon pouted but nodded.
“Here,” Lochlann murmured behind me.
I was immediately engulfed in warmth and his scent. He had removed his suit jacket and placed it on my shoulders. I wrapped it around my body and grinned up at him.
“Do you mind if Freddy, Heather, and Marie come by for a bonfire tonight?” I inquired. “It won’t be a late night… Zane and I need to leave the house by six.”
“You know our house is your house.” He smiled gently at me. “I can order some pizza and wings online and pick them up on the way home.”
“Thanks.” I reached out and grasped his arm. I longed to kiss his cheek, but I couldn’t with everyone surrounding us.
We might have taken several steps forward in our relationship, and Principal Fanning was aware of it, but Lochlann still had a reputation to protect. I could be patient in my affections towards him. We had a plan and we were going to stick to it.
“So, a get-together at your house tonight?” Freddy leaned in, not even pretending like he hadn’t been eavesdropping the whole time.
Maisie had a set of pom-poms and was circling him. Whereas most of the other kids looked tired or were sleeping, she looked like she still had an abundance of energy.
It was going to be so much fun putting her to bed tonight. Not!
“I need to ask Zane and Crew how they feel about it,” I surmised, answering Freddy.
They had a more physically exhausting night. If they weren’t in the mood for company, I didn’t want to make them feel obligated to give into my whims. I knew they were willing to do damn near anything for me at the expense of their own feelings.