by HJ Bellus
She nods her head, beaming brightly back at me.
“State is going to love this.”
“Do you think he can wear it during the game. Miss Tami said he might be on TV.”
“I’ll try to get it to him. I’m sure he’ll wear it to the next game for sure. Are you going to watch the game?”
She shrugs. “Maybe.”
“You are the strongest, bravest, and very prettiest princess ever.”
“With Pop Tarts on top?”
“With cherry-berry Pop Tarts on top.”
It’s harder to leave the house than I thought it would be. I want to cuddle with Rowe in my chair and hold her as she watches her first football game. I am so in love with that little girl. I crank Sam Smith on the drive and focus on the game. State let me know he wouldn’t be able to text me on game day. He focuses on the game with the team.
Picturing him in full game mode brooding in all of his sexiness makes me squirm in the seat. I have to focus on that and not everything else that might happen today.
Finding parking at the stadium is rocket science. There are signs everywhere with people in orange vests waving parking wands everywhere. I follow instructions having no clue where to go. State sent me a parking pass, reassuring me it was a prime spot. I flash one of the parking attendants the pass and he waves me on. I roll past the large parking spot creeping closer to the stadium. I find the spot numbered one hundred twenty-seven with his last name “Blake” under it.
He was right about the parking spot. I’m only left with a short walk until I’m in a long line of a sea of blue and orange. I tug on the jersey that was also tucked in the box with the parking pass. He sent three jerseys with his name and number on them. Rowe was wearing hers when I left.
I fiddle with the bracelet on my wrist while shifting from foot to foot. I have no clue if I’m sitting with his parents or all by myself. I really hope I can enjoy the game solo without having the pressure of meeting the parents.
I get through security and use the restroom. I opt for a soda and pass on the aroma of the stadium food wafting through the air. It nearly killed me to pass on the hand-dipped corn dogs. My favorite.
My jaw drops when I step down the first step into the stadium. It’s huge and powerful just like State Blake. It’s an electric sea of Kelly green turf. I’ve never been a fan of green, but I’m instantly in love. I study the intricate white painted lines on the field and also the blue and orange mascot in the center.
I step down the stairs carefully following the alphabet as I go, in search of row D. Considering I started up at Z it was a long jot. I’m heading smack dab for the fifty-yard line behind the hometown bench.
“Baylor.” A feminine voice hollers out my name.
Shading my eyes with my hand, I look up to see Shayne waving at me. I relax seeing a familiar face.
“Your seat is over here.” She points next to her.
“Hey.” I wave awkwardly when I approach her.
“You’re sitting with me.”
“Excellent.” I run my palm down the front of my shorts drying off the nerves. “I’m glad to see you here.”
“Right back at you,” she beams at me. “I’m forced to be at every home game, and not being forced to sit with my mother surrounded by the teammates family and women is a treat. I could kiss State.”
My spine stiffens with her last words, but know it’s just an expression.
“I was worried I’d be sitting with State’s parents.”
Shayne lets out a loud laugh. “Oh honey, they’re up in the box with my mom. They are too good for these seats.”
“Oh.”
“Hear you get to meet them tonight.”
I nod wondering just how close her and State are. She picks up on my confusion and growing anxiety.
“Ryder and I are…well, I don’t know what we are.”
“Nice.” And everything just went awkward.
“My dad would flip his lid. Nothing has happened between us, but it’s complicated.”
“I’m sorry.”
Her voice is sad and her shoulders slump in defeat. I feel for the girl. There’s definite tension between her and her parents.
“What do you study?” I finally ask her as the fans pour into the stadium.
“Sports medicine.”
“Nice. Are you an athlete?”
“I am.” She sits up a little taller. Her pride radiates off of her. “I’m on the gymnastics team.”
“Really? I teach dance for extra money.”
“Sweet. I’ve always loved gymnastics. I’ve spent more time in the gym than at my own home. My dad always wanted me to be in a more jock-ish sport.”
“Are you kidding? Gymnastics takes tons of strength and dedication.”
“Try telling my meat head father,” she rolls her eyes. “Do you go to college?”
I start telling her about my collage of jobs and my online schooling. Speaking about my three jobs makes me realize that I do work too much. The booming sound of a fast-paced song fills the stadium. Everyone jumps to their feet, so I follow looking around to see what’s happening.
Shayne nudges me in the ribs and points to a tunnel where smoke rolls out of it. “State leads the team out. He’ll be the first one you see.”
A bundle of nerves coil low in my belly. I’ve never seen him on the field and I couldn’t be any more excited. My hips begin swaying to the song Shots as the smoke continues to bellow. Shayne squeals, beginning to move with me, and before I know it we are both in a full-blown dance.
Everyone surrounding me seems to be just as into the music and environment. It makes me feel comfortable. The anticipation of seeing State run out of the tunnel leading his team, multiplies.
The song switches to a thumping song with hard beats of hip-hop. It sends chills up my skin. The crowd grows louder until only the sound of the bass of the song can be heard. My whole body hums with excitement. Then there he is with a sledgehammer raised above his head sprinting out onto the field. The crowd increases their cheering.
I join along, hopping up and down on my toes, screaming for State. It’s not like he can hear me, but it’s years of missing him and now watching him live out his own dreams on the field. He leads his team to the center of the field. They circle around him, bend over, and begin swaying side-to-side before they jolt from the circle.
All the players have their hands raised pumping to the crowd while jogging over to the sideline. State takes off his helmet showcasing the smile that covers his face. His vision darts right to me and I wave like a maniac. His smile grows even wider before he winks and waves at me.
I melt on the damn spot. I’m so madly in love with the man, it’s insane. I blow him a kiss and then cringe at how cheesy the gesture was. He throws his head back and laughs.
“He’s so in love with you,” Shayne whispers in my ear.
I nearly forgot she was sitting next to me. I was so wrapped up in the moment.
“Uh?” I turn to face her.
“We’ve heard nothing but things about Baylor since the day he stepped on the field as a freshman. So many women have flocked to him, but not one of them ever won him over.”
Now my smile matches the one State flashed me. I turn back to the field watching State and two teammates go to the center of the field. They win the coin toss, deferring the choice. I clap even though I’m confused as hell.
“We are strong on defense, that’s why he deferred. Do you know anything about football, Baylor?”
I shrug and then sheepishly shake my head no.
“Okay, all you need to know is this. State Blake is a badass on the field. One of the best defensive ends college football has ever seen. His job is to break up all the plays. Go for the quarterback, read the ball, bat the ball down, and crush other players.”
I nod soaking it all in, noting the things I need to remember.
“Oh shit.” I reach down into my pocket. “I need a favor and this may seem silly.”
“What?”
“I need to get this bracelet to State. Any chance of that?”
She grabs me by the wrist and ushers me past the spectators in our row and marches us right down to the sideline.
“Yo, Brutus.” A towering bodyguard turns to us. He’s scarier than fuck.
“Baby Girl,” he coos to her.
“Hey, tough guy.”
“You joining us on the sidelines today? It’s been years.”
She shakes her head no. “I need State for a few seconds.”
He gives her a hard glare.
“Please.”
“Jesus, kid, I’ve never been able to tell you no.” He walks off.
“He used to watch me on the sidelines when I was kid. He’d do anything for me,” she offers.
In a matter of seconds, State is jogging over to us with his helmet dangling from his fingertips. Between his pads and cleats he’s easily another four inches taller. He grins at me.
“Couldn’t wait until after the game?” He pulls his face to mine and kisses me hard. His tongue swipes across my lips, and I open up for him to explore for a second before cutting him off.
“No, it’s not that.” I laugh at his defeated expression. “Well, okay that was nice too. But, hey, Rowe is going to try and watch the game. She’s wearing your jersey and everything. She made this for you to wear.”
I open my palm to show him the bracelet. It’s so delicate in my hand, and compared to him. He smiles wider.
“Tie it on, baby.”
My fingers fumble tying the string around his wrist. He tucks the knot under his glove, but the bracelet remains on top of his glove. I admire the black stripes under his eyes for a moment too long.
“You’re so sexy like this,” I finally admit.
“You looking fucking incredible in my jersey, baby.” He turns and rushes back to his team.
Once back in our seats, I open up to Shayne about Rowe and my upbringing. I leave King’s out of it because that’s mine and State’s. She’s a good listener and seems genuinely interested in my story. It makes me feel uneasy about meeting State’s parents, but that fades when the game starts.
State is all over the field. His long legs make him faster than anyone else. He’s smart and precise about every single play. I cringe with his second tackle and even hold the air in my lungs waiting for him to get up. He hops up with ease each time, even more determined to break up the offenses plays. It’s third and three, whatever the hell that means.
“They have to stop them. It will give us huge momentum to shut them down on their first drive.”
I look over to Shayne confused.
“State has to shut down the offense.”
I nod getting that. Shayne is catching on that she needs to feed me the information in the simplest of terms. The quarterback catches the ball when it’s hiked to him. It reminds me of the hundred times I had to do that for State when we were kids.
He dances back and forth, looking down the field to throw the ball. I’m too absorbed in his actions to follow State. When I do catch a glimpse of number seven, he’s flying toward the quarterback. State’s busted through the line and is closing in on the scrambling quarterback.
I scream louder with the rest of the cheering crowd. State collides into the quarterback, sending him to the turf. He hits hard with his helmet bouncing up off the ground. In a flash, the ball is loose. One of State’s teammates swoops in, picking it up and runs it in for a touchdown.
The rest of the game goes much like this. State’s defense is out on the field most of the time. He rules the field. It’s insane how crazy he is out there. His speed never dies, or the hard hits on the other team.
It’s late in the fourth quarter. That I’ve learned — there’s four quarters in a football game. Shayne was very informative at half-time, giving me some simple run downs on the game.
The quarterback on the other team learns quickly, and once he gets the ball he’s been releasing it fast. He gets off in the air, but my eyes are glued to State who jumps up in the air and grabs the ball.
“Holy shit, interception, run big guy,” a man behind hollers loudly.
I begin screaming and chanting run, run, run out loud. When his feet land in the end zone the stadium erupts. He stands with one hand on his hip and the other thrust up in the air. He runs his hand in the air until he’s pointing in my direction. I fall even harder for State, not knowing that was even possible.
The remaining minutes of the game fade away too quickly. As much as I thought I hated football, I’m now madly in love with it only because of State on the field.
“State wants me to walk you to the outside of the locker room.” Shayne grabs my wrist winding me through throngs of people.
“You don’t have to hold my hand.” I laugh and point to her hand around my wrist.
“State was very clear about me not losing you.”
I shake my head and laugh. “I’m not a two-year old.”
“He’ll kill me if anything happens to you.”
“Fine.”
I follow her until we’re in a tunnel where it’s quiet.
“They’ll come out of that door after the press conference.”
There’s a few other people pacing back and forth. It’s obvious they’re waiting for players of their own. I check my phone, watching the minute’s tick by painfully slowly. The door flies open and several players take turns exiting. Some have family waiting, while others have girls jumping into their chest.
It makes my heart hurt to see the players who walk out and nobody looks their way. I make a vow to make every single home game of State’s from this point on. I grow impatient when I’m pretty sure nearly all of the team have exited.
“Don’t worry. State and Ryder will be in the press conference with my dad.”
I nod and cross my arms, clutching my phone tight to me. Barnett waltzes out of the locker room. I’m thankful he doesn’t spot me and neither does the bitchface blonde who tucks herself under his arm. He’s freshly showered even though he didn’t play one minute of the game.
Puke-Ass loser
I’m distracted from mentally slaughtering the man when the door flies open again and State’s large frame fills the entire opening. I smile and walk toward him. He takes large steps toward me. I’m sprinting at him and fly into his arms. He grunts when I crash into his wide chest.
“Sorry,” I mumble into his neck.
“Feels good.”
“Are you hurt?” I ask.
“Just bruised up a bit.”
I pull back and spot the cut under his eye. It’s sexy as hell. His lips brush against mine before I have the chance to ask any questions. I open up to him, letting him thank me for coming to his game. My hands roam up the back of his head and tuck in under the hat sitting backwards on his head.
His smell is rich and soapy. It’s the best smell I’ve ever smelled. I playfully bite down on his bottom lip and raise my eyebrows. He smiles back against my lips.
A throat behind us clears loudly, breaking us apart followed by a harsh voice.
“State.”
He sets me down on my feet, tucks me to his side, and I come face to face with a very well-manicured woman. She’s standing next to a man dressed in a sharp outfit. They reek of money and class.
“Mom, Dad,” he nods.
I stiffen next to State then try to pull away from him. He keeps me pressed to his side and runs his thumb along my back.
“Really?” His mom scoffs.
“Really.” He beams back, not skipping a beat.
“Nice game, son.” His dad steps up and pats him on the shoulder, breaking the damn tension between the four us.
“Thanks, Dad.” He reaches out and gives him a one armed hug. “Dad, this is Baylor.”
He nods offering an outstretched hand and takes his place next to his wife.
“The little girl from the orphanage?” She blurts out.
It just so happens her question gains th
e attention of Ryder, Shayne, and Shayne’s parents.
“Sure is. Have a problem, mother?” He spits out the word with venom.
She goes to open her mouth, but State’s dad cuts her off. “Not now.”
If she looked pissed off before, then looks could kill right now. She runs her blood red painted fingernails through her hair.
“Let’s go eat,” his dad offers.
We follow in silence. The only thing holding me up is the strong arm around my back. I want to run. Every excuse of leaving flows through my mind, but I don’t want to leave State yet.
“I’ll meet you guys there.” State clicks the button on his car remote.
He opens the car door for me and I climb in. I melt back into the leather seats and feel like that girl from the orphanage.
“I’m sorry.” He leans over and kisses my cheek. State drops his head to my temple. “My mom means well, she’s just difficult.”
“She hates me.”
“No, she’s just a tough one.”
“She thinks I’m trash.”
“I’ll talk to her. She’s just way overprotective and has always wanted the best for me.”
“And I’m not the best.”
His finger stretches out, goes to under my chin swiveling my face to him. “Stop.”
I try to shake my head no, but he keeps it from moving.
“You’re the best and we’re forever. My mom has two choices. She can either get the fuck over it or get out of my life.”
“State, you can’t…”
He presses his lips to mine, stopping the words from flowing from my mouth. He catches all of the fear and insecurities in his own mouth. When he pulls away he whispers, “I love you, Baylor.”
We drive the rest of the way in silence. State calmed my nerves for the time being. Our fingers tangled together soothe my soul.
“Head on in with Shayne and Ryder. I’m going to wait for my parents.”
I don’t argue and hop from the car. I have no urge to come face to face with his mother again. Shayne wraps her arm around my shoulders when I’m at her side. Her touch is welcoming and warm.
“She’s a dick.”
I giggle at the term she uses for State’s mom.
“Don’t let that shit get to you. This world can be fucking tough as hell. You have to grow a thick skin and fight for what you want. It’s what I do every day in the gym.”