I snickered at my victory, and the smile on her face, before turning to jog down the hallway towards the gym. I made her smile. The pissy mood that had been consuming my body for the last twenty-four hours lifted.
I kept myself plenty busy while I waited for the game to start. I didn’t feel like sitting in the cold any longer than I had to, so I hung out in the hallway near the gym with my earbuds in while I did my homework. Surprisingly, the time went by super fast. At 3:45, I set off down the hill to the soccer field.
Not taking Graham’s advice at all, I found Mr. and Mrs. Wagner on the bleachers, smiling as I took the seat next to them.
“Hey, sweetie!” Mrs. Wagner greeted me with a huge grin. “What’re you doing here?”
I shrugged my shoulders just as I did to Graham. “I hadn’t seen him play in a while, and I had no plans,” I said. “Figured I’d stay to watch.”
“Well, what a pleasant surprise.”
I loved his parents. I think I already pointed that out, but I did. They were like my own. No matter what the situation or where we were, being around them always brought that comfortable feeling that being with your own family did.
It felt like coming home, sitting with them at a chilly fall game, watching as the game started and Graham took over the field. I’d forgotten how amazing he was at soccer. He scored three of the five goals for our team. Graham, by far, stood out, which made me sigh, remembering all the colleges that had been scouting him. Colleges so far away from here. Particularly, UNCW, the school he had his heart set on—a full twelve hours away from us in Central New York. They basically played all year around because the weather was so nice. That was like a dream come true for Graham, but for me…I hated the thought of him being so far away.
My shoulders sagged and my mood changed. What would I do without Graham only being literally ten feet away?
“You okay, Cass?” Mrs. Wagner asked. Apparently, my thought process was showing through my expression.
I brushed the melancholy feeling away. It was only September. Leaving for college was months on top of months away. There was no need to get all Debbie Downer over it now.
“Yeah.” I took a deep breath and smiled, acting unaffected. “Just was thinking about something,” I admitted, but kept it at that.
She didn’t answer, just looked at me sweetly for a second then turned her attention back to the game just in time to see the last seconds drop from the clock, ending the game.
Cazenovia 5, FM 2.
After a quick circle pep talk with the coach and a long line of handshakes, the team left the field. Most of the players headed straight to the locker room, but Graham walked to us instead. Regardless of the fall chill, Graham was covered in sweat, his shaggy hair slicked back. Not a bad look on him, actually.
“Great game, son,” Mr. Wagner said first. “Scouts were really paying attention.” He nodded to the line of men with clipboards down near the field, talking amongst themselves.
Graham glanced at them quickly, but nodded his head, impressed. “That’s the UNCW coach on the far right,” he said when he looked back to his dad.
Mr. Wagner clenched Graham’s shoulder, pleased. “Great game for him to attend.” He smiled, as if waiting for his son to comment more, but Graham left it at that, turning his attention to me next. He held out his arms like he was going to give me a hug.
“Eww…don’t even!” I scolded and took a step back, but he didn’t seem to care, and hugged me anyway. He and his parents found it comical, laughing hysterically.
“What? I just wanted to give you a thank you hug for coming, best friend,” he said, his arms still around me while I tried to wiggle out of his hold. He was so wet…and gross…. “I’ve missed seeing you in the stands.”
Ugh!
When he finally let me go, I shook my hands like I’d be able to shake off the secondhand sweat. “You’re so disgusting.” I acted irritated, but he didn’t care. No, because he proceeded to wrap his arm around my shoulder as we walked up to the parking lot.
“You love it!” he said, being his annoying self. “You just don’t know it yet.”
Graham’s parents treated us to dinner after the game, which was so good, but I was exhausted. We didn’t get home until after eight and then I still had some homework to finish up. I was just getting ready to watch a movie in bed when my phone rang. It was Levi, my best gay friend and shopping buddy.
“Hey, hottie,” I answered.
“You know it!” he responded, making me laugh. Typical greetings weren’t our thing.
I loved Levi. If he didn’t like guys, I would totally have a crush on him, because Levi was stunning. Not sure exactly what his ethnicity was, but it gave him this flawless, tan skin which made his crystal blue eyes literally explode from his face. And even though he considered Cheetos a suitable meal, Levi had the body of a supermodel, which coincidentally was what he was shooting to be someday.
“So what can I help you with?” I asked, knowing that if he was calling me out of the blue he needed something, because even though I considered Levi a good friend, the kid was always busy. This was the main reason I told him he was my date for homecoming. He had no choice. I needed Levi time, and so I would have the hottest date.
“So, yeah,” he began, his voice dropping in enthusiasm.
Uh oh.
“So, I know that this weekend is Homecoming and all, and I said…”
“You’re not ditching me, Mr. Hollenbrook!”
There was a brief silence.
He was totally ditching me.
“The modeling agency in New York called, and they really want to meet with me,” he spit out in one breath. “I could be interning with crazy, famous models next year!”
I sighed. I couldn’t tell him no. I couldn’t make him lose out on a huge opportunity like this just to go to a stupid dance with me. This was his dream, and I could tell from his voice that although he felt like crap ditching me, he was super excited…as he should be. It was huge.
Darn it!
“I’m sorry, beautiful. You would’ve looked amazingly hot next to me.”
At least he made me laugh. “No, it’s fine. This is so huge. I’m so excited for you.”
“Oh my God, girl,” Levi crowed, all traces of guilt vanishing. He was already over Homecoming and ready to divulge into his meeting this weekend. “Can you freaking imagine me someday modeling in the city—Manhattan, Cassidy!”
I laughed. How could I not? Levi’s enthusiasm was not only contagious, it was hilarious, too. Levi was beyond animated all the time.
“So awesome!” I exclaimed. “You’re going to be famous!”
“So that was nice of Cassidy to come tonight,” my mom made sure to point out as we walked inside the house after dinner and my game.
Her insinuating grin made me roll my eyes. Nobody wanted Cassidy and me to be together more than our mothers. They’d been trying since we were in diapers. Back then it was just gross. Girls had cooties before, but now…now, it just couldn’t happen. It almost felt like it was too late.
But then things like tonight happened. Days like these threw me for a loop. Most of the time, even though my heart had been doing crazy shit lately when it came to Cassidy, I knew that Cassidy and I could never be. We’d already past the good timing part with us—if there really ever was one. We had different lives now. Cassidy, different crushes. Whenever I thought maybe, I shook my head soon after. We just couldn’t. We were just friends. But then today…
I ran my hand through my hair.
It seemed possible. Seeing Cassidy sitting on the bleachers with my parents, laughing, talking, and watching me, smiling as I played…it felt real. The idea, the visual, the feeling…it was all there, making my insides explode. I played the best I ever had. The adrenaline of having her there…I loved every damn minute of it.
“Don’t start sending out the invites,” I responded. “She only came to one game. As a friend,” I added before grabbing a water from the fr
idge and taking the stairs two at a time up to my room.
I definitely aborted the conversation. It was one that I wasn’t prepared to have at the moment. I was exhausted. Between the game and my racing head, I needed the shower and my bed, stat.
But, as soon as I finally lay down, my cell phone started ringing. Cassidy’s name and insane picture of her with her cheeks blown out and her eyes crossed that I’d taken a couple years ago popped up. I stared at the picture as it rang a few times. I didn’t know what I was thinking…blank thoughts, I guess…but before it went to voicemail, I picked it up.
“Hey.”
“Hi, best friend in the whole entire world that loves his best friend in the whole entire world and would do anything for his best friend in the whole entire world because he loves her more than anything in the whole entire world,” she said straightaway, and maybe all in one breath. I couldn’t be sure, but I’m almost positive that she did.
Either way, it was pretty entertaining, making me snicker, but sigh soon after.
She wanted something.
“What can I help you with?” I came right out and asked, because there was no reason for small talk. She was on a mission, and I could only imagine what it was, especially if she needed my assistance. She had another thing coming if it had anything to do with Spirit Week. I was done with that.
“I have a…dilemma,” she said hesitantly.
Yeah, big sigh this time. By her tone, it didn’t seem too appealing…for me, at least.
This girl.
“Okay…” was all I said, waiting for Cass to continue as I lay back against the pillows on my bed, putting my free hand behind my head. The Cassidy James show was always worth getting comfortable for.
“I need to ask you for a favor,” she added right on cue.
If I knew Cass like I knew I knew I did, she was probably biting down on her lower lip, nervous to continue.
I was biting my lip, freaking out. I was desperate for Graham to say yes. There were only a few days until the dance and I was now dateless. I was completely and utterly screwed.
“Okay…” he answered again, the hesitation in his voice obvious.
Just blurt it out, Cassidy!
“Can you please go to the Homecoming dance with me?” I spit out and then sighed, relieved to have gotten the words out. I knew how much Graham was anti-school function stuff, dances at the forefront, but I would look like a complete loser going by myself. I needed him.
“Are you insane?” he was quick to answer.
“You didn’t even think about it,” I complained. He practically blurted the words out before I could even finish my question.
“No thought required for this one, sweetheart.”
“Come on, please, Graham?” I begged. “Levi was supposed to go with me, but he got some interview to intern at this modeling agency in New York City that he can’t miss this weekend. Please. Please. Please.”
There was a brief silence. I had every finger and toe crossed, praying that he would say yes, and then I heard him sigh.
An immediate smile covered my face. That was Graham’s sigh of defeat, a sound I’d grown to love over the course of my life.
“Is this why you came to my game tonight?” he asked. “To be all Number One Friend before trying to rope me into Homecoming?”
I laughed immediately, because even though it wasn’t like that at all, it would be something that I would do.
“No,” I said honestly, still kind of laughing. “I promise. I just got off the phone with Levi.”
“Cass…” he exhaled. “I hate school dances.”
“But just think,” I started, trying to butter the idea up, “it’s your last Homecoming. The last one you can attend as a—”
“Jesus, you sound like Troy!”
Oh, Troy! He’ll probably be there!
Brilliant.
“Graham, everyone is going to be there—Troy, Caleb…”
“Caleb has to work,” he responded dryly.
“Okay…Troy will be there…”
Geez, this wasn’t easy. Graham wasn’t caving. I needed something else, something to pull him in. I started chewing on my nails, thinking as fast as I could.
The pressure!
“Fine,” he said out of nowhere.
Wait. What? Did he just…
“Really?” I asked, shocked. “You’ll go?”
What the heck just happened? I was by no means complaining or going to ask. Whatever thought sauntered into his head that made him change his mind was fine by me. This just never happened. He agreed…just like that. It was amazing!
“Yes,” he uttered the one word that finalized everything, making me practically squeal with excitement.
I was saved!
“But…”
I sighed. Of course there was a but.
“No dancing,” he clarified. “And I’m not doing after parties or anything like that.”
“But dancing is a part of going to a dance, hence the reason why it’s called a dance,” I argued.
“No dancing.”
Geez, he sounded like my dad!
“Fine, no dancing, but you do have to wear a suit.” I knew I was probably pushing it, but the suit was a requirement.
“A suit! What makes you think I have one of those?”
I snickered at the annoyance in Graham’s voice. I knew he wouldn’t like that part, but honestly, what was he really expecting to wear? Jeans and a t-shirt?
“You’re the best, Graham. See you in the morning!” I said cheerfully, leaving it at that.
He was going to kill me.
I killed Throwback Thursday, wearing my mom’s old polyester pants and halter top. I actually didn’t have to wear a wig, surprisingly, because all I needed to do was wear my hair dead straight and parted down the middle to fit the part. No one looked better than me. I’d confidently given myself another point.
Now it was Friday, the last day of Spirit Week, and my favorite—School Pride Day. Talk about going above and beyond. I didn’t think I could fit another ounce of blue and gold on my body! The spirit shirts that Abby and I made every year were always amazing, and this year was no exception. We bought blue fitted t-shirts and sewed “Seniors” in gold on the front, last names on the back. We used all different kinds of fabrics and puffy paint to decorate the rest of it. My mom is a crafty queen, and made these really cute ribbons for us to wear in our hair, then painted “GO” on one of my cheeks then “CAZ” on the other. The best part was our pants. Don’t ask how we found them. Really, the internet is an amazing place. Now we have gold shiny leggings to complete the look!
Graham’s face was priceless when I walked out of the house in my spirit outfit. I got the typical entertained shake of the head through the windshield as I approached the car. As much as Graham tried to hide his amusement this week with my festive clothes, a grin always peeked from the side of his mouth each and every morning when he saw them. And although discreet, it was there today when opened the door.
“You’re very, um…bright,” he said, leaning back to look as I entered the car, using his arm like he was shading his eyes.
I laughed at his response, but was pumped up even more. Bright and loud was definitely what I was going for. “Thanks!” I happily answered as I put on my seatbelt.
“I’m not quite sure that was a compliment.” He smirked before looking over his shoulder to back out of the driveway, his hand on the back of my headrest.
I gave him a dirty look, making his smirk turn into a grin.
My contribution to School Pride Day was wearing my soccer jersey to school. It was required for the pep rally today. You know, the one that pretends it’s in celebration of all the fall sports even though the focus is all on the football team. Yeah, Homecoming was all about the football players. All the power to them. I couldn’t care less. The less attention on me the better.
We only had classes in the morning today. The afternoon was designated for the pep rally and everyone
was required to attend. I always laughed at the school’s attempt to make it mandatory. How could you really enforce that? So many kids snuck out every year. I totally would if I wasn’t technically in the pep rally.
“So, don’t start squealing like a fucking girl, but I’m taking Cass to the dance tomorrow night,” I told Troy as we waited in the hallway outside the gym to make our not-so-grand entrance before the football team.
He was shocked, as expected. I still couldn’t believe that I agreed. “Really?” he questioned, impressed but with a hint of insinuation.
I knew this was gonna happen!
“It’s nothing,” I scoffed. “Levi ditched her and she needed someone to go with.”
He threw his hands in the air immediately. “I didn’t say anything.” He acted defensive but also wore an amused grin, surrendering the truth.
Lying bastard.
“Yeah, okay. I know damn well what you were thinking,” I said, poking him in the shoulder. “And it’s not like that at all, so wipe the douche canoe look off your face.”
“Words, words. No need to be so harsh, loverboy,” Troy scolded, unable to contain his laughter.
I don’t know why the guys always gave me shit about Cass, but I was totally bugging out, pissed. I was uncomfortable enough about the whole thing without them ragging on me. “Just leave it alone, will ya?”
He stared at me for a second, like he was trying to figure it out, but then shook his head and left it at that. Obviously, he was thinking something about me, but decided not to say it. Normally, I would have no problem asking, but Troy was one of my closest guy friends. He knew me. He knew when something was bothering me, and usually knew what it was about. So if he was batting a thousand and got it, that there was something more with the Cassidy situation, then he knew what was going on in my head, and knew that it was fucked up and not something I wanted to get into.
A couple minutes later the doors opened. First came the obnoxious cheerleaders, and then followed the rest- cross country, tennis, swimming, volleyball, field hockey, the soccer team (us). The gym was loud and incredibly unbearable. I pretended to smile and wave to each side of the gym. It was beyond dumb, but I rolled with it anyway. Coach was there and watching. He was all about us participating in shit like this.
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