Homecoming - Chapter 35
Saturday
Brooklyn
Felix looked almost exactly the same. Except he wasn’t smiling at me. He used to always smile at me. He just looked shaken. And I got it. I wasn’t supposed to be standing here.
“Felix?” I said again.
His eyes searched mine, but he still didn’t say a word.
“It’s me. Brooklyn.”
He reached out and touched the side of my face. “Newb?”
I smiled and nodded. I’d forgotten how much I loved when he called me that.
I heard Tanner curse under his breath.
“Newb,” Felix said again as he just stared at me, his hand still pressed against my cheek. And then he looked at my son.
“Hola, I’m Jacob,” Jacob said and put out his hand for Felix to shake.
Felix looked like he was in a daze as he shook my son’s hand. “And…this is your mom?” he asked my son.
“Yessie, this is Mommy.”
He dropped my son’s hand and then rubbed his forehead.
“But…” his voice trailed off. “You’re…you…
” he shook his head again. “Brooklyn.” He finally smiled.
“I can’t believe you’re okay. I’m so happy you’re okay.
” And then he hugged me. Even though I was still holding Jacob.
He hugged both of us. Like he could tell how badly we needed it.
And it was weird. Because I couldn’t remember what Matt smelled like. I closed my eyes. But I remembered Felix. He smelled like grass and sunshine. He smelled like a summer’s day. He smelled like happiness.
Jacob wiggled out of my arms. Apparently he did not appreciate the familiar hug as much as I did. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him grab Tanner’s hand. He was staring up at Felix.
And I realized I’d been hugging him a beat too long. I stepped back. “I know I have a lot of explaining to do. We were just about to hit the concession stand and then maybe we can all grab a seat together?”
“That’s probably not possible,” Tanner said. “The stands are pretty crowded. It’s better if we split up. Right, Felix? Good chap.” He slapped him on the back.
“Hey, Tanner,” Felix said. Then he looked back and forth between us. “Wait, are you two friends?”
“Ummm…” Tanner started.
“Are you two?” I asked.
“He sells me art,” Tanner said. “And he really should be going. There’s probably a seat for one up there somewhere for you, Felix.”
“Tanner, don’t be ridiculous. Felix is an old friend. And I…I really need to catch him up.”
Felix’s eyes had wandered down to my hand. Or more specifically, he was staring at the wedding band on my ring finger.
“Maybe another day would be better though?” Tanner asked. “We’re a little busy.”
“Wait, are you two…?” Felix looked back and forth between Tanner and me.
“No,” Tanner and I both said at the same time.
Although I understood why he thought so. Tanner was being weirdly possessive. And Jacob was holding his hand.
I cleared my throat. “Just um…we’ll be right back,” I said.
“Jacob wanted a cupcake.” I needed a second away from Felix.
I needed just a second alone to take a deep breath.
I didn’t know why I hadn’t expected to see anyone here.
Of course I’d see a familiar face at homecoming.
It was called homecoming for a reason. And yet…
I really hadn’t expected to see Felix. He hadn’t exactly been high on school pride when we went here.
But he’d been here for two years without me…
“I’m okay, Mommy,” said Jacob. He looked up at Felix. “Who are you?”
“He’s an art dealer, and we really should be going,” Tanner said.
Why was Tanner trying to get rid of Felix? Maybe Tanner had hated the art Felix sold him or something? And by art I really hoped they meant art. And not drugs. But Felix didn’t look like a drug dealer. He looked successful. Composed. Happy, even if a little shocked right now.
Felix cleared his throat. “Yes, I do that. But I’m also an old friend of Brooklyn’s. Of your mom’s,” Felix quickly corrected.
“Like my abuelo?”
“Who?”
“My abuelo.” Jacob looked up at Tanner.
Tanner laughed.
“Wait, Tanner is your grandfather? How is that even possible?” Felix said.
Yeah, that definitely wasn’t possible, because I was pretty sure Tanner was about the same age as us. Maybe even a little younger.
“It’s a nickname because we’re bros,” Tanner said.
“Abuelo,” Jacob said. “It’s football time!”
“Yeah it is,” Tanner said and picked him up. “Let’s go find a seat for the three of us.” They started walking. Wow, Tanner really seemed to hate Felix.
“You really can sit with us,” I said. “I don’t know why Tanner is being so weird.” Although…he was always a little weird. “Does he not like you for some reason?”
“We’ve always gotten along,” Felix said. “But I barely know him.”
Huh.
“I can’t believe you’re really here.”
I smiled up at him. “It’s really good to see you.”
“You too. But I’m really surprised to see you here of all places.”
“Yeah.” I sighed. “Coming back to Empire High wasn’t my idea. But Jacob wanted to see the game.”
“I have a lot of questions about Jacob. And who his father is. And where that father is. And where you’ve been. But first…I didn’t mean coming to the school. I meant because of…wait…does Kennedy know?”
“I just got back to town and she was the first person I saw.”
“Are you serious?” He looked over my head at the field. The game was probably about to start.
“Yeah. Come on, let’s go get to our seats.”
Tanner was waving us over.
I grabbed Felix’s arms to pull him up the stands.
“Kennedy knows you’re alive?” Felix asked as we climbed the stairs. “She knows you’re here?”
I nodded. “I mean, she doesn’t know where I am right this second,” I said with a laugh. “I probably should have asked her to come, but I doubt she’d want to come to a football game here. You remember how awful everyone was to her here.”
“Um…”
“I mean, I know it got better when we started hanging out with you. And then with Matt and the rest of the untouchables.” But still.
I couldn’t see Kennedy wanting to come back and reminisce.
She couldn’t wait to go to college and get away from this school.
She’d been an outcast just like me. Neither of us belonged in this world.
“Ummm….” Felix said.
I laughed. “Really, you befriending us made everything better.”
He smiled at me, but it quickly faltered. “I really need to tell you something.”
“What is it?” I asked as we reached our seats. There was just this tiny slice of space left on the bleacher. Presumably for me. Although if Tanner would just put his legs down and sit like a normal person there would have been plenty of room for all of us…
“Scoot over,” I said.
“This is just how I sit,” Tanner said.
Jacob looked over at Tanner and mimicked his pose, taking up more room too.
I laughed.
“Hey, Brooklyn! Hey, Tanner!” Penny said from behind us.
My heart starting hammering against my ribcage. Seriously, why were so many people I knew here? If Penny was here that meant James was probably here too. And if James was here then that might mean…
“This area is a little crowded,” she said.
“How about you join us up there?” She pointed up the bleachers to a spot where all the untouchables were seated.
Except for Matt. I breathed a sigh of relief.
Seeing Felix was enough today. I’d catch him up on everything.
And I couldn’t wait to hear about how he’d been doing.
“Hi, I’m Penny Hunter,” she said and stuck out her hand for Felix.
“Felix,” he said and shook her hand. “Wait, are you married to James or Rob?”
She laughed. “James. I’m guessing you guys went to school here together? I need to hear all the stories. Come on, there’s plenty of room with us.”
“It might be better if we stay here,” Tanner said. “I guess we can squeeze Felix in.”
Penny laughed. “Come on Tanner. And Jacob, Scarlett is here…”
“Scarlett!” Jacob yelled and climbed off the bench.
“So I guess you’ve talked to Matt?” Penny said. “We haven’t heard from him. Is he…how did he take it?”
“Oh, I haven’t talked to him yet. Today I just want to have a fun day with my son. I’ll see Matt tomorrow.”
“Umm…” Penny said. She looked out at the field and then back at me. “So you haven’t spoken to him yet? Or seen him at all?”
“No, I’ll see him tomorrow.” I’d just said that…
“Brooklyn, I think…”
“The game’s about to start!” Tanner practically shouted as he stood up. “We’ll sit with you guys, just everyone stop talking. I…uh…have a splitting headache.” And then he added, “This is a mess,” under his breath.
I picked up Jacob so he couldn’t run off without me. “Do you need some Tylenol or something, Tanner?” I asked. “I’m sure the concession stand…”
“I’m good. I just…the reveal is going to be messy now.” He picked Jacob up out of my arms to carry him.
“What reveal?”
“Come with me.” Tanner grabbed my hand and pulled me up the bleachers.
James and Rob looked surprised to see me. But Mason just smiled. I assumed the blonde and brunette already seated were Mason and Rob’s wives. I wondered if they knew about me. I was about to say hi, but James beat me to it.
“So you’ve told Matt?” James asked.
“Oh…um…no, not yet.”
“Mason,” Tanner said. “Haven’t you been talking to the guys about things ? Like I asked you to on the drive home the other day?”
“Oh, I didn’t tell them anything,” Mason said. “We’re just here for the homecoming game. I heard it’s going to be quite entertaining.”
Tanner cursed under his breath.
“Wait, are you two dating now?” Rob asked. “Brooklyn, you can do a hell of a lot better than this clown.”
“No…we’re not…” I started, but Rob cut me off.
“Felix is that you?” Rob walked out into the aisle to give Felix a big hug. And then he glared at Tanner.
How did Rob and Tanner know each other?
“Let’s all sit down,” Penny said. “The game is about to start.”
“I really don’t think this is a good idea,” James said and locked eyes with me. “Until you talk to Matt, I think you should go.”