9. Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Tyler
W hen I leave marine bio to meet Brian outside for lunch, I can't contain my smile. I got to be the first one to tell Sloane about 99X and we huddled together to listen through my headphones. I can still smell the soft floral scent she wears. It smelled like my mom's prized rose bushes. Whatever it is, it smells so good and it just makes me want to be closer to her. This girl is so cool and sweet. I'm going to have to play this right to see if I have a shot with her.
As I near the picnic table, I see Brian grinning at me and he quickly picks up his video camera, facing it at me. "Hey, man, what's up?" I say as I sit across from him. We are the first ones out here for a change.
"Why don't you tell me what's up with you?" Brian says as he looks around his camera with a glint in his eye.
I narrow my eyes and cock my head. "What do you mean?"
"You've got the goofiest grin on your face," Brian goes back to looking through the viewfinder behind the camera.
I still don't think I'm ready to let him know about Sloane so I say, "I'm just so excited about our football team this year."
"For real?"
"Yeah, don't you feel it during practice?" I ask and hope I can play this off smoothly so he thinks I really was thinking about the team. I'm not lying, though, the team is tight this year.
"Yeah, totally," Brian says. "But are you sure that's why you're grinning like that?"
I huff out a laugh. This dude knows me too well. "Yeah, I'm sure." I open my lunch and pull out the contents. Two sandwiches, per usual, some chips, chocolate chip cookies, an apple, a granola bar, and two juice boxes. I've got the best mom. She knows how hungry I get during football season and is always putting extra food in my lunch. "Our team seems to be firing on all cylinders, you know?"
"Oh my gosh, totally!" A screechy, kind of nasally voice says as Amber Gates bounces her way to our table and Brian turns the camera on her. "Our Wildcats rock!" She looks up at our teammates Max, Adam, and Josh, who grin proudly as the group, including a few of her fellow cheerleaders, arrives at our lunch spot. I don't know why they all seem to think that cheerleaders and jocks have to do everything together. I guess it's because we spend a decent amount of time together outside of school. I like my teammates, but I'm also fine just hanging out with Brian. I don't have to be surrounded by people all the time.
Thankfully, Max sits next to me and Adam next to Brian. Amber squeezes in next to Adam, leaving Josh to her left and the rest of the cheerleaders at the end. She perfectly situates herself in the center of the group so she can talk to the boys and girls. Amber always looks like she's holding court and I wonder how she ever got so popular. I've only been in this school for one full school year and so far, I haven't seen much appeal in Amber. To say she's not my type is an understatement. She's too short, too full of herself, and I'm not physically attracted to her. Sloane on the other hand? Man, she's beautiful, inside and out. Plus, she's cool and has great taste in music. I just hope she isn't one of those cool chicks who wants someone way cooler than a jock who was kicked out of private school. I wonder what she heard about that and what she thinks of me.
"Yo, Tyler!"
I snap out of my own thoughts as I hear Brian's voice. I focus on his face. "Sorry. What?"
"Adam asked how long we've known each other," Brian says, his camera focused back on me. "Was it first grade when we started Little League?"
"No, I think kindergarten," I take a sip of my juice, then look at Adam. "This kid was a madman even back then."
Brian laughs. "What can I say. I've always been high energy."
"And y'all stayed friends all this time?" Adam asks.
"Yeah," I laugh. "We got along from the start and always kept ending up on the same teams." Truth be told, Brian has always challenged authority. I think we were put on the same teams on purpose all those years because, for some reason, I have a calming effect on the dude.
"My mom says she thinks we were related in a past life." Brian says then pushes a button on his camera and sets it on the table. I'm glad he's done documenting us for now. I think his hunger trumps his desire to capture every moment.
Adam looks at me. "Can you believe we're playing your old team on homecoming?"
Nerves zap my stomach. "I know, it's crazy."
"You're going to have to give us all the intel you can," Adam says. "We can't lose on homecoming."
I nod. Homecoming is one of the biggest games of the year for everyone, especially the fans. You don't want to go to your dance the next night as a loser. "Absolutely. I know we've got the better team. Their studs graduated last year."
"That's right, didn't they make it to the semis last year?" Brian asks before biting into an apple.
I nod. "They did, but they've lost some key players. Only a few from that team are still there and they've got nothing on us." I say with more confidence than is warranted, then take a sip of juice, practically draining the whole box. I think of the one guy who is still a threat on that team. The quarterback, the guy I beat up because he was harassing a girl. I try to quell the anger rising in me just thinking about it.