“You don’t know how much I don’t want to do this,” he whispered.
I chuckled sourly. “Looks like it’s killing you.”
“It is!” he nearly shouted. He let out a strangled sound and drove an angry hand through his disheveled blond hair. “Whatever. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow’s Saturday,” I stressed sarcastically. “No school.”
He smirked. “Just the same. I’ll see you.” He brushed past me and called out over his shoulder, “Enjoy the football game.”
Screw you! I screamed it in my head, but couldn’t bring myself to shout it out loud.
Tears were stinging my lash line and threatening to spill out over my heated cheeks. How had I managed to get so emotionally invested in this? I should’ve seen the Loren bomb dropping days ago. Of course he’d be dating the most popular girl in school. And, true to form, of course he’d keep it a secret.
I strode briskly to the ticket booth outside the football field, blinking to fight off the waterworks. Hoodies, long-sleeved tees, and windbreakers lined the back of the little store on shelves. My classmates mingled in small groups, a few outside the fence, more on the inside; they’d already paid and saved their seats with blankets. Everyone had bundled up in hoodies as the day slowly turned to chilly evening.
I wasn’t cold, but I bought a white CAHS Football hoodie with my ticket anyway. The cashier stamped my left hand so I wouldn’t be forced to pay twice if I had to leave the grounds for any reason, then directed me through the gate of the chain-link fence.
The track, where we would eventually run the mile in gym class, surrounded the football field and created a fenced barrier between the spectators and the players. I found my way to the bleachers, grabbed a seat at the end, and waited. And waited.
I tried not to think of Cade and his secret relationship with Loren, and it would have been easier if Holden had been around to distract me. Don’t think, don’t think, don’t think! I needed to walk, but I didn’t. I waited.
By six o’clock the other team finally showed, filing quickly off the bus in crisp white jerseys with baby blue numbers and lettering. The Wildcats. They were located in Northland, which wasn’t very far away, so I had no idea what had taken them so long to get there.
Finally, around six thirty, the Bears were running out onto the field.
The crowd erupted into a deafening roar that sounded more like a high-speed wind tunnel than human beings. At some point during all the waiting, every spare foot of bleacher had become occupied. The entire town might’ve been packed into the stands; I wouldn’t have doubted it one bit.
Cheerleaders skipped, cartwheeled, and flipped their way to the front of the crowd. Bright smiles plastered their pretty, made-up faces and pompoms glittered excitedly above their heads.
The band, which occupied the first four rows of bleachers on the far left side, was blaring a brassy rendition of a currently popular song. They stood and danced as they puffed their cheeks, flittered their fingers, and tapped their drums. It was a decidedly alluring cadence that made me want to get up and dance along, but luckily I didn’t—though a lot of others did.
I couldn’t see Holden right away in the mess of crimson jerseys, but he became impossible to miss as he and the Wildcats’ captain met with a referee in the center of the field.
An announcer echoed loudly above the crowd. “Welcome to Center Allegheny Football, ladies and gentlemen!” He was a little late getting to the mic, so he picked up where he had to. “The coin has been tossed! Holden Michaels of Center Allegheny and Colton Pride of Northland are calling it in the air.” The ref pointed at Holden, who gestured to the other side of the field. “Michaels wins the coin toss and opts to receive the kickoff!”
The crowd screamed their cheers much louder than necessary, but it made me grin. I thought I could literally feel the vibrations of their cries thrumming through the air. Apparently Holden’s call was a good thing; a strange, unfounded sense of pride spilled through me.
“The Wildcats are lining up for the kick…and it’s in the air! The ball is caught by Center Allegheny’s wide receiver, number twenty three, Jay Walsh! He’s running it down the field. Past the thirty yard line, forty, fifty. A little hesitation, there, and oh! He’s tackled at the Wildcats’ forty yard line by number sixty-eight, Kyle Beam.”
A few players left the field, a few players ran onto the field, and a few players stayed. Holden was the last one to take the pitch, as he’d been conferring with Head Coach Sanders and Assistant Coach Adler on the sidelines.
The band immediately began an aggressive number, stopping in the middle to shout out O, F-F, E, N, S-E! before blasting their instruments to finish the tune.
The Bears broke up from the huddle and lined up on the field across from the Wildcats. Holden must’ve shouted something as he pointed left and right, because two guys slightly adjusted their stances.
“Center Allegheny’s quarterback, number three, Holden Michaels, is under center,” the announcer said excitedly. “Number fifty-five, Edison “Eddie” Fairfield, prepares for the hike, and…the ball is snapped and in play!”
Holden gripped the leather tightly and capered to the left, looking for a clear pass. Jay opened up down the field, and the ball left Holden’s fingers like a bullet. I didn’t think I could hit a baseball as fast he threw that football.
“Michaels finds Walsh down the field, and the ball is caught at the thirty yard line! Walsh is blazing toward the end zone! The Wildcats’ defense is scrambling to reach him, but they’re falling short! Twenty yards, ten yards…”
The band erupted into a fast-paced jingle and cowbells sounded off throughout the stands.
“TOUCHDOWN!” the announcer shouted wildly.
The crowd cheered mercilessly as the Bears swapped players and prepared to kick for an extra-point attempt.
Cheerleaders clapped, chanted, and performed stunts to please the already amiable spectators. Each girl seemed to have her own personal cheering section—for example, the four girls sitting directly to my right apparently idolized Charlene Lowery. I was pretty sure they were actually junior varsity cheerleaders.
Charlene waved at the four girls as they squealed and squeaked, and then she noticed me. She waved at me, too. I smiled and gave a little finger flutter in response.
“Number ten, Jimmy Reynolds, takes the pitch for the kick,” the announcer informed us. “The Bears are ready at the line of scrimmage. Fairfield snaps the ball to number eight, Hudson Tillens! Tillens sets the ball as Reynolds approaches the kick from a curve! Reynolds makes contact and the ball is in the air… GOAL!”
More cowbells rattled and another earsplitting cheer erupted all around me.
Holden and the rest of the team continued to keep the upper hand throughout the first half of the game, ending at halftime with a score of twenty-one to thirteen. Before I knew it, the band was marching across the field to the music of Alice in Wonderland.
Charlene grabbed a bottle of water from a cooler and waved me down. I hesitated, not wanting to lose my seat because I had nothing to save it with.
“Don’t worry!” she yelled. “The JV girls will save your spot for you! Right girls?”
They giggled. “Yes Charlene,” they sang in response.
“Come on!” she yelled again, and I finally skipped carefully down the metal steps, meeting her on the ground. “I’m starving! You wanna get something to eat?”
“Sure,” I agreed kindly with a nod.
She smiled wide. “I’m so glad you actually came!” Apparently she felt she needed to yell over the other voices in the crowd in order for me to hear. “When I made that excuse for you in homeroom, I never dreamed you’d actually run with it!”
“Thank you.” She gestured for me to up the volume. “Thank you for that, by the way!” I shouted.
“No problem! Holden told us he’d invited you to the party tomorrow night! So I figured I ought to help a friend out! Plus, I knew he’d be ecstatic if yo
u came; he’s totally crushing on you!”
Heat crept up my neck and flushed my cheeks. “How do you know?”
She gave me a flat look. “Avenelle Winters is like your press representative! She confirmed which rumors were true at lunch, and based on those, I’d say it’s pretty obvious how Holden feels about you!”
The tingling in my cheeks informed me that my blush had deepened. My pulse had also ratcheted up a notch, and I thought my temperature might’ve risen by a few degrees. I had never been very good at feeling differentials in hot or cold, but I could at least somehow sense the average numerical temperature.
Away from the bleachers, it was easier to talk without shouting.
“Hot dogs good with you?” Charlene asked as she got in line at the stand. I nodded and stood beside her. “Ricco’s has the best food ever! I wish I could get a cheesesteak hoagie, but I’m not allowed to risk staining the cheer suit.” She pouted, and I almost believed it was real.
“Maybe I’ll get one, then. I’ve never had any local cuisine.”
“Oh my god, shut up! You’re serious? Okay, yes, you’re definitely getting the hoagie, then!” She shook her head in teasing disbelief. “Never had Ricco’s…”
I grinned. “So, you’re with Jay?”
“I sure am,” she replied with a peacock smile. “Did you see how awesome he was playing tonight? Of course, Holden was throwing him some beautiful passes, but still, those plays he pulled off! He’s such an athlete.”
I cocked my head and studied her for a moment. It surprised me that she knew much of anything about football, another rude stereotype I’d inadvertently placed on an unsuspecting victim. Note to self: not all cheerleaders are dumb, or sports deficient.
My cellphone buzzed in the big front pocket of my hoodie and I swiped the lock screen. A smile lit up my face.
Holden.
I saw you in the stands before halftime! Wait for me after the game?
I grinned and replied quickly.
I don’t know how! This place is absolutely packed!
His reply was swift.
Charlene helped lol
That brat! I pursed my lips in her general direction and shook my head.
“What?” she asked, suspiciously looking at my phone.
“You’re a conspirator working for Holden,” I accused playfully.
She laughed cheerfully. “Oh, that!”
Holden texted again.
So will you stay? Please? I don’t want to have to wait until tomorrow to see you again…
Whew… He was making it dangerously hard for me to want to take things slow.
Sure, I’ll wait. Great game so far, btw! I didn’t realize you were so good.
“What’s he saying?” Charlene asked excitedly.
I grinned. “He wants me to wait for him after the game.”
“See! I told you he’s crushing on you!” I felt like she read the slight hesitation in my eyes, though, because she added, “We’ll all still be around. It’s not gonna be just you two, one-on-one, or anything. In fact, we usually get the crew together and go to Mama Sofia’s for pizza. You wanna come?”
“Umm…I don’t know,” I hedged. “I don’t want to be a nuisance or anything.”
She raised a bored eyebrow at me. “Tell ya what. A thousand dollars says Holden will invite you himself after the game is over. But, make me a deal. If he does, you’ll say yes. If he doesn’t, you don’t have to accept my offer. Kay?”
It sounded fair, so I nodded my agreement. “Okay.”
She placed her order and stepped out of the way so I could place mine. As we waited, my phone buzzed again.
Thank you, Val! You’re awesome! I’ll see you in about an hour then.
I exhaled heavily and glanced over at Charlene. “This boy business is nerve-racking.”
She laughed out loud and squeezed my shoulder. “Which part?”
My eyes widened. “All of it. Especially the part about what I’m supposed to be feeling at any given point in time. How do I know if it’s happening too fast?”
She thought for a moment. “I think if it was happening too fast, you’d know it. You’d literally be thinking, ‘Oh my god, this is too fast!’ But you’re not, right?” I shook my head. “So who’s to tell you that what you’re feeling is wrong?”
“Everyone,” I muttered. “When they’re spreading rumors about how slutty I am through every hallway in the school.”
“No one’s saying that, Valerie.”
“Yet.” And that was the whole point. I was worrying about a completely hypothetical situation. And, damn it! I’d just told myself earlier that day that I was done with the worrying. I had already haphazardly thrown the chips; I couldn’t be scared of where they’d actually start falling now. “Never mind. I’m just being—”
“A girl?” she asked, finishing my sentence with a tender smile.
Our food was ready a minute later, and we ate quickly on our way back to the bleachers. Charlene was absolutely right about Ricco’s: it was fabulous! I didn’t know how I’d managed to live so long without the cheesy goodness of that sandwich.
“I gotta get back to the squad,” Charlene said with a smile. “But I’ll see you after the game!”
I smiled and waved, then made my way back to my seat, which the JV girls had actually saved for me.
“Thank you, girls,” I said sweetly.
“You’re welcome!” the one closest to me replied.
Another girl leaned around her friends and looked at me. “What’s your name?”
“Valerie,” I replied with a kind smile.
“Valerie Moore,” she stressed meaningfully, as if it had just hit her. “I’m Arianne.”
I frowned a bit. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too.” She grinned, then turned away from me and never looked back.
My frown deepened. I couldn’t shake the feeling that there had been something off about that little conversation. Simple as it was, Arianne seemed to know who I was already, and I wasn’t sure how or why she did, or if that was a good or bad thing.
Soon, the positive energy from the crowd radiated into my skin like ultraviolet light, and it dissipated any negative thoughts I might’ve had. The last half of the game went by in a rush, and I watched excitedly as Holden and Jay scored the concluding touchdown of the night. The final score was a solid thirty-five to twenty.
Charlene found me immediately after, and we walked together around the side of the stands. The boys were streaming slowly from the locker room, meeting up with parents or girlfriends or friends from the marching band.
Holden and Jay were the last to break through the door, and judging from the stiffness in their stride, I knew they were pissed.
“Jay?” Charlene asked timidly as she stopped in her tracks.
I gasped. “Oh my god, Holden! What happened to you?” I breeched the distance between us and ran a finger delicately across his split bottom lip, then his upper lip, which didn’t look any better.
He grabbed my hand and gently kissed my fingers. “Where’s Chase?” he asked Charlene.
“I don’t know… I saw him earlier and he said he’d meet up with us after…” She looked back to Jay. “What happened?”
“You know what,” Jay said angrily. “Or should I say who?”
“Oh, shit,” Charlene breathed nervously. “What are you guys gonna do?”
Before either boy could answer, a guy came running at us through the grass. His blue eyes practically glowed in the dark. The sandy blond of his hair was complimented by a trail of stubble along his jaw that jutted out in a rugged sort of way. He was maybe college-aged.
“What’s the plan, Holden?” he asked immediately. “Jay texted me. I heard what happened. Let’s get this shit rolling!”
Holden’s tight smile softened as he looked at me. “Are you coming with us?”
“What are you gonna do?” I asked timidly, echoing Charlene’s concerns.
“We’re just gon
na screw with some people. Nothing dangerous or illegal, I promise.”
Chase eyed me curiously. “We don’t have all night, Valerie. In or out?” Holden must have been talking about me…how else would this guy know my name? I’d never seen him before in my life, and I wouldn’t have forgotten that face.
“I don’t have a way home,” I muttered as the realization struck me. It was all happening so fast…
“In it is, then!” Chase decided as he clapped his hands together. “I got some drinks in the bed of my truck. Let’s load up!”
Holden took my hand, and we followed the others into the dark.
Chapter Twelve
Holden pressed a button on his key fob and a silver truck flashed through the dark. He let go of my hand and grabbed a duffle bag off the front seat, rummaging through the unfolded mess until he found a dark t-shirt. Before I could even think or attempt to look away, he had his football jersey off, exposing a sweaty layer of muscled mid- and upper-body that shimmered in the moonlight.
No wonder he threw balls like bullets.
“What’s the matter, Val?” he teased with a smirk. “You like what you see?”
Umm…YES. “Sorry! I should…turn around.” And I did. Like an idiot.
Holden laughed and grabbed my arm, spinning me back. “My shirt’s on now! You’re safe.” Ha! Right… Then he pulled me into a loose and comfortable embrace.
Eyeing his swollen lips, I asked, “What actually happened to you?”
He licked them. “Oh, boys will be boys.”
Suddenly Chase’s voice carried through the darkness. “Holden, let’s go! It doesn’t take that long to put a damn shirt on! I’m ready to tear some shit up!”
The Essential Elements: Boxed Set Page 11