In Pieces

by Gia Riley

  “It just came out, I didn’t plan it.”

  “I know you didn’t. I could tell it was as much of a surprise to you as it was for the rest of us—it’s the only reason I didn’t interrupt your moment.”

  “You’re okay with it?”

  “I guess I have to be. You can’t help who you love.”

  He couldn’t be more right about that, but he’s not specifically taking about me, he’s also talking about himself. “You need to talk to Becca.”

  “Am I that obvious?” He pops open the button on his suit jacket, not enjoying being dressed up any more than I am.

  “She mentioned you’ve been talking.”

  “It’s really not a big deal.”

  “To me it is. I care about you both, and you two have been tip-toeing around a relationship for what seems like forever.” He neither agrees or disagrees with me. He just stares at the coffee table. “I take it you haven’t met any other girls on campus?”

  “I’ve met plenty—kind of hard not to in the dorms, but I’m not dating anyone. I barely have time to breathe outside of football.”

  “But you find time to talk to Becca.”

  “There’s just something about that girl. I can’t for the life of me figure it out, but I can’t stop thinking about her. And it’s screwing with my head.”

  “Maybe she reminds you of home. What do you guys talk about?”

  “School, our classes—she’s concerned about my math grade. I don’t have the heart to tell her I’m actually really good at math.”

  “I think she’s known all along, but she enjoyed tutoring you too much to say anything.”

  “Maybe. Has she been talking to any guys at school?”

  I swallow, wondering how I can talk myself out of this. If I tell Wyatt the truth, Becca will kill me. But if I keep it from my brother, I’ll be the worst sister—especially after what he’s done for me by coming home. I owe him the truth at the very least. “She’s sort of with Jake.”

  Like he’s seen a ghost, his face pales. “Why is she with that douchebag? She could do ten times better than him.”

  I don’t want to get into the middle of this mess, but at the same time, I’m happy to see him pissed off. Maybe this is what he needs to finally speak up and go after Becca. Now that he has competition, there’s a chance he’ll lose her completely. “It’s been a couple weeks. They’re not serious or anything, but they hang out at the football parties and talk at school.”

  “Is she screwing him?”

  My eyes nearly pop out of my head. “Becca? No way. She stayed with him a couple parties ago after he got too drunk to drive her home, but nothing happened. Even Rhett made sure.”

  He stands from the couch, fists opening and closing like he’s on the verge of punching a hole through the wall. “She slept in his bed—with him?”

  “For a little, maybe.”

  “Jesus Christ.” Yanking his phone from his pocket, he paces back and forth, typing text after text.

  There’s no time for me to warn Becca. I already know she’s the one he’s texting. All I can do is drag him to this football game and hope he’s able to work it out with her by the time he goes back to school. “We have to go, Wyatt.”

  He stuffs his phone back in his pocket, but not before huffing at the screen. “Right, yeah. Come on, Kinny.”

  I try making conversation the entire way to the field, but Wyatt’s distracted. He drives on auto-pilot to the field he’s played on for years. Only this time, he goes back as a starter for the Penn State Nittany Lions.

  As soon as we’re through the gates, it’s like an announcement was made that he’s arrived. All eyes are on him, and kids rush to him with questions about football as they ask for autographs. My brother is even more of a big deal in this town than he was a year ago.

  He’s polite to each and every kid, even making small talk with a few parents. I couldn’t be more proud of him. “I’ll be in the stands, take your time,” I tell him before walking to find the reserved section I’ll be sitting in.

  I’m spreading my blanket over the cold metal bleacher when I hear my best friend before I see her. “Kinsley West, you look amazing!” Becca jogs up the few stairs, hugging me tightly. “Even if you don’t win, I’m so proud of you, but I swear, if Mandi wins, I’ll shove that crown down her throat. I can’t listen to her brag for the rest of the year.”

  I laugh, mostly because she’s serious, but I also need to have a little talk with her about my brother. “You’re not mad at me?” I ask cautiously.

  “Oh, I’m pissed, but I’m not going to ruin this night for you. I’ll deal with Wyatt if he messages me tonight. I’m sure he’s busy with football.”

  “About that,” I start to say, but she stops me.

  “No, first you’re telling me about Rhett. Don’t skip any details.”

  I decide to talk as fast as I can so I have a chance to tell her about Wyatt before he gets here and surprises her all on his own. “It was actually a little bit of a disaster, Becca. First I get a case of verbal diarrhea and tell Rhett I love him, and then I told Wyatt about Jake.”

  “What! Did he say it back?” she asks, curiously, completing ignoring my comment about my brother. “I can’t believe this.”

  That makes two of us. “Once I said it, it was perfect—like a movie. He told me he loves me, too, and I really think he meant it. It feels different now. It’s like we’re on a new level or something. I can’t really describe it.”

  She’s staring at me, hanging on my every word. Becca’s always been the real romantic out of the two of us. I always thought it would be her falling in love first. But, before I can talk about Wyatt, and inform her he’s here, he climbs up the stairs and stands right next to her. “Hey, Becca.”

  She whips around so fast, she almost falls over. “Wyatt? Ohmigod!” Her face lights up like she’s just been reunited with her other half. I’ve never seen her look at Jake that way—not even once.

  My brother’s noticeably mad, but he lets her hug him, all while biting his tongue. It’s not going to last long though, I can tell. “Nice jersey,” he says coolly.

  She pulls away from him, her smile falling. “I’m glad you’re here,” is all she says. Ignoring the comment entirely

  “Are you?”

  Becca glances at me, but I pretend to be oblivious. “Of course I am. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen you.”

  Wyatt points to Jake’s jersey. “Couldn’t have missed me too much.”

  She glances at the number scrawled across her chest. “It’s not what you think, Wyatt.”

  He sits down backward on the bleacher in front of us, his head bowed at first. When he raises his eyes, they land directly on Becca’s. “You couldn’t possibly know what I’m thinking. If you did, you wouldn’t be walking around in that thing.” It’s a spiteful response—one I wish he wouldn’t give her, but he can’t help himself.

  It only gets worse when the team jogs onto the field for their pregame warm-up with Jake front and center. He watches as Becca returns Jake’s wave, and any control he was holding onto, disappears. “Why are you wasting your time on him?”

  She crosses her arms over her chest, protectively, looking down at the ground. “It just happened.”

  “Yeah? So, it’s okay if I just happen with some girl in my dorm then?”

  Her eyes land on his and her sadness is gone. In its place is jealousy. “How do I know that hasn’t already happened? I mean, look at you. You’ve never had a hard time getting attention from girls.”

  He tosses his hands in the air. “You’re right, Becca. I could have any number of girls, no questions asked. Yet somehow the one girl I’ve had my eye on wants nothing to do with me. How do you explain that one?”

  “You really want to do this right now? Here in the stadium?”

  “That’s just it, Bec. There’s never a right time with you. You’re always pushing me away, and you know what, maybe I should take the hint. Maybe I should give up on
you and go have some fun. That’s what you want, isn’t it?”

  She turns her head away from him, shaking her head. “That’s not what I want. Jake and I aren’t serious. He’s fun to hang out with, that’s all.”

  “Do you know how many fun girls there are, Becca? Does that mean I get to waste time with all of them while I wait for you?”

  “No, Wyatt. It doesn’t. But what am I supposed to do? Sit around and miss out on every senior year experience because you’re two hours away and can’t do any of them with me?”

  His eyes narrow, like he might finally understand where she’s coming from. Becca being with Jake has absolutely nothing to do with Wyatt—even I know that. But all my brother sees is someone else with his girl. He’s never going to be okay with it which is why this isn’t the best place to be having this conversation. The stands are getting fuller, and they’re only drawing negative attention. As much as I don’t want to get in the middle, I stand up and put an end to it. “Wyatt, we have to go for pictures.”

  He pulls his gaze away from Becca, reluctantly standing up to join me. “Come on, I’ll help you down.”

  His hand reaches out for mine, but I wait a second, looking between the two of them. I hate seeing them at each other’s throats when all they’d have to do is take a chance. If it doesn’t work out, at least they can say they tried. “You guys need to finish this conversation before Wyatt goes back to school, okay? I don’t want the two people I love the most arguing. You’re both stubborn fools who need to get over yourselves and admit you want to be together.”

  “I’ve done that, Kinsley. She doesn’t seem to care,” Wyatt argues.

  “Look at her, Wyatt. Take a long, hard look. Becca wouldn’t be on the verge of tears if she didn’t care about you.” He glances in her direction, but she lowers her head, trying her best to avoid making eye contact while she’s hurting. “It’s senior year, and she doesn’t want to spend it missing you. Maybe it’s not the best choice, but it’s one she’s going to have to live with unless she comes to her senses and admits she’s in love with you.”

  Becca gasps, her hand covering her mouth. “I can’t believe you said that, Kinsley.” Becca says, completely shocked. Even so, she doesn’t deny a word I said. All she does is flip her hair over her shoulder and stomp toward the end zone to sit with the rest of the student body.

  Wyatt chuckles at her reaction. “Why do I like her more when she’s feisty?” He watches her the entire way to her seat before she’s sucked up in the crowd.

  The first two quarters drag a little, but only because I’m ready to be done with the halftime festivities. When it’s time for us to take our place on the visiting side of the field, we form a line in alphabetical order, leaving me dead last.

  I hook my arm though Wyatt’s, and he gives my hand an extra squeeze. “They saved the best for last, Kinny.” I smile, thankful I have the best brother in the world. One who would throw away his Friday night to come back home to rescue his little sister. He can be intense, insanely stubborn, and even a little cocky at times, but when it comes to his family, he’d move mountains for the ones he loves.

  The announcer in the press box begins the introductions, and inch by inch, the line grows shorter as each couple makes their way toward the home side of the field. I’m not expecting to win, and I don’t. This entire experience has been about giving credit where credit’s due, and tonight that credit went to the right girl.

  Once we’re seated in the stands, and the third quarter begins, I lean my head against Wyatt’s shoulder, finally able to breathe again. Part of me is a little sad my parents weren’t here to watch their little girl, but there’s no use letting it get to me because in the morning, my situation will still be the same. My mom couldn’t help her fate, and maybe someday my dad will realize how much he missed out on and come home.

  Maybe.

  “Don’t think about it too much, Kinny. I know it’s not easy. When I took the field at Beaver Stadium for the first time, I almost lost my mind. All those afternoons Dad spent with me in the back yard, teaching me the fundamentals, and he wasn’t even there to see my hard work pay off—his hard work.”

  “Mom’s watching, Wyatt. She’s really proud of you.”

  He squeezes my hand. “I hope so. I’m trying to be the man of the family, Kins. I really am. The last thing I want is for us to fall apart, too. You and Kate are all I have.”

  “We’re doing well, Wyatt. I promise. I have Rhett and we both have Carson.”

  “I tried like hell to keep all those guys away from you, but I knew there’d be at least one who would get to you. I even had a feeling it would be Rhett.”

  “You’re really okay with it?”

  “I have to be. You and him are the kind of people that would fight to be together no matter what. It’s just how you are.”

  “Just like you and Becca.”

  “I don’t know about that. She’s a stubborn girl, but until I have a reason to give up on her, I won’t. Maybe she’ll come around. Maybe she won’t. But it won’t be for lack of trying, that’s for damn sure.”

  This time it’s me squeezing his hand for support. “She’ll come around.”

  The final buzzer sounds, and the stands erupt in applause for another blowout victory. It’s become expected at Central—that’s how good the team is year after year—even with key players like Wyatt out of the picture.

  “Do you mind if I find Rhett before we leave?”

  Wyatt shakes his head. “I’ll go say hi to some of the guys while you talk to him. If we get split up, meet me back here. I don’t want you walking all the way to the car by yourself.”

  “Okay, but if you run into Becca, go easy on her.”

  “We’ll see,” is all he says, as his eyes shift toward the end zone. He knows exactly where she is despite being half a field apart.

  It breaks my heart to see my brother so down, but I hold onto the hope they’ll figure it out. Becca thinks she’s doing them a favor by not pushing a long distance relationship, but she’s only hurting both of them. Some things you just have to fight for no matter how many obstacles you’re facing.

  “Sunny!” I turn my head to see my hot boyfriend standing next to the railing, motioning me to come onto the field with him. I snatch up my blanket, and run to him, throwing my arms around his neck. “I missed you,” he whispers in my ear. His voice is low enough to give me goosebumps.

  “I missed you, too. Is your back okay?” He took a hard shot, to his already sore back that left him on the ground for a few seconds too long. He jogged it off, but every single spectator in the stands could tell by the way he ran that he was hurting.

  “I’m fine. It looked worse than it was. How’d halftime go?”

  “The crown went to the most deserving,” I say with complete confidence, now that Mandi will never get her grubby little hands on the crown.

  “Molly?” Rhett asks.

  “Yes! Tonight was a lot for her, with her autism and all, but she wore her headphones in the stands to block out some of the noise, and then at halftime, she held onto her dad for dear life, but, she did it. It was an honor to lose to her.”

  “You’re pretty amazing, you know that?”

  His words make me blush “Thank you for tonight—for bringing my brother home.”

  “You don’t have to thank me. I wanted you to be happy.”

  “I’m deliriously happy, Rhett.”

  “Good. Now, how about we get out of here so I can kiss my girl without an audience.”

  I want nothing more than to change out of these uncomfortable clothes and spend the rest of my night in Rhett’s arms, but I also want to spend some more time with my brother before he has to leave. “Will you come home with me? I was thinking about inviting Becca over, too. Those two need to finish talking, and while they do, we can hang out.”

  “What about Carson?”

  “He’s going to Penn State tomorrow, so either he already left, or he’ll probably stay in his
room if the rest of us are coupled up.”

  “All right, I’ll shower and meet you there. Wait for Wyatt though, I don’t want you walking by yourself.”

  “You two are so alike sometimes.”

  “We both care a shit-ton about you, that’s why.” He drops my hand, and jogs toward the locker room, leaving me with a huge smile on my face.

  If I knew this is what it would feel like to fall in love, I would have done it so much sooner. Then again, it wouldn’t have been right unless it was Rhett. It’s all the more reason why I have to get my brother and Becca on the same page. I want this for them—I always have.

  While Wyatt finishes his conversation with the head coach, I type out a text to Becca.

  Kinsley: Meet us at the house.

  Becca: What about Jake? He expects me at the football party.

  Kinsley: I don’t know. Tell him you have cramps. He won’t question that.

  Becca: Does Wyatt want me there?

  Kinsley: I want you there and you two need to talk. He knows you’re coming.

  Wyatt sneaks up on me as I’m typing out my last text, no doubt, reading over my shoulder. “Kinny, why are you trying to play matchmaker? Let it go.”

  He walks past me toward the parking lot, but I hurry to catch up with him. “It’s not about playing matchmaker. My best friend isn’t as happy as she could be, and my brother deserves to have everything he wants.”

  “I have enough.”

  “Oh, come on. Go ahead and tell me you don’t like her. If you can do that, I’ll stop getting in the middle.”

  “I like her, Kin. We’ve already established that.”

  “Exactly. So, stop interfering with my interfering.”

  He pulls me toward the parking lot, shaking his head. “That makes no sense, and she’s not going to ditch Jake to come hang out with me.”

  “Wrong again brother of mine. She’s coming over. I already invited her.”

  “Kins, I don’t want Jake showing up causing trouble. Jake saw me on the field, he knows I’m here, and he’ll know where Becca’s going. He won’t like her picking me over him tonight.”

  I didn’t even consider that. “I can always invite Jake to come along. I’ll tell Rhett to keep Jake occupied while you talk. I’ll even send you to the store for food, and then Becca will go with you. That’ll give you enough time to talk, right?”