Chapter 15 Who Knew Game Film was Going to Lead to so Much Drama?
-Annie-
I don’t see Daniel for the rest of the day.
Craig tells me after third period that my dress is too short.
Knowing Craig so well, I know he isn’t impressed with the fact that I’m getting more attention today.
He is the best bodyguard a girl could have.
I smart off to his comment with, “You know I have one in my closet that just covers my butt, but I didn’t want to be sent home.
” He nudges me, “Stop trying to get me into fights, please!” I give him a nudge back, “No promises.” I get a few compliments throughout the rest of the day, boosting my confidence that this “rebranding” is doing the job.
Before fifth period, I get to walk with Meg to class.
We’ve been trying to connect on all things boys between classes.
We would have normally chatted in detail over lunch, but with the guys joining us, it seems a little awkward, especially since the guy I want to talk about is the brother of one of the guys in our little group and is also the guy Meg wants to talk about.
“So, what’s the plan for tonight?” Meg asks.
“I don’t have one, other than wearing those red shorts I love,” I tell her.
“Those shorts do great things for your butt: great idea, approved.” She acts like she is checking off a box on one of her books.
“What about you, any plans for Drew?” Meg looks so excited.
“I’m playing the long game at the moment.
I think I’ll text him when I get into class.
Can you let me know his reaction?” she asks me, knowing that Drew and I both have English together this period.
“You want me to be your spy,” I mockingly gasp and look around.
“Yes, you are my best insider source.” Meg is all smiles as I reply, “Ok, ok but if I’m caught, tell my parents that I love them.
” The bell rings and we separate quickly, slipping into our respective classrooms.
We are covering the Great American Authors, and Mrs. Smith is laying out how the rest of the school year and Christmas break will play out with our current reading assignments, required papers, and due dates.
In the next aisle, I can see Drew moving in his seat.
His phone is now wedged between his book and notes.
Meg must have sent the message that she said she would.
I’m trying to pay attention to Mrs. Smith, but I’m a little distracted trying to catch Drew’s facial expressions as he is focused on his phone.
Mrs. Smith is cutting down the aisle, and I know he has been caught.
He plays the apologetic card and slides the phone back into his pocket.
He gives me a side glance, and I can’t help the smirk crossing my face.
The rest of the class moves by quickly, and Meg is waiting for me outside class.
***
“So, what happened?” she asks, bouncing on her toes.
I give her my perspective on his reactions, including him getting caught.
She laughs and pulls out her phone, opening it with a smile across her face.
I glance at her phone; “Drew with the abs” is typing out a message.
“Did you give him that name in your phone?” I ask as we both wait to see what Drew has to say.
“Yes, if you must know I saved myself in his phone as ‘Meg with the Nice Ass.’” OMG.
“Of course you did,” I reply. “How can I be you in my next life?” I ask her.
“Rebranding, my girl. Look at you,” she replies, waving at me in my blue dress.
“My work has just started, and you already seem to have learned the skill of using what God gave you.” She says this with so much passion.
“Well, thank you, my rebranding mastermind,” I say and wave goodbye as I head to the girls’ locker room to get ready for practice.
***
I’m in my room working on homework when I get a three-knock tap on my bedroom door.
“The guys are headed over,” Miles tells me through the door.
“Ok, be right down,” I shout back. Then I scramble around to change out of my soccer gear into a form-fitted t-shirt and my little red shorts.
I make my way down to the game room. A few years ago, my dad convinced my mom that it would be a work investment to get a projector screen installed so he could watch in great detail the games he was covering for The Reporter.
Mom likes to give Dad a hard time about it because it was also the same year the Kansas City Football team had won their conference and were headed to the championship.
Miles and I loved it, and so did all our friends.
Who doesn’t want to have almost a whole wall to watch the game across?
Since Miles has been the starting QB since last year, it has been a twice-a-week event to have guys over from the team to talk about the defenses they will be facing.
They run a play and stop it at different points if one of them sees something useful.
I love getting the insider experience into the prep work that goes into executing the upcoming Friday night game.
All the antidotes I learned here have helped me write articles last year and are helping me feel comfortable on screen delivering the Visual News each week.
***
Miles is connecting his school laptop to the projector when there is a knock on the back door.
Everyone knows to come around to the back on film night.
I walk over and open the door: Max and Daniel have shown up at the same time.
I yell over my shoulder to Miles, “Max and Daniel are here.” I do my best game show host move, directing them towards the couches.
Max laughs at me and gives me a side hug.
“Always good to get a warm welcome from one of the Campbells.” “I live to serve at the pleasure of QB1,” I joke back, sending a dig at my older brother.
Max takes a seat on the end of the couch, his normal spot over the last two seasons.
I turn and smile at Daniel. “Nice to see you, Davis—come on in, why don’t you,” I say because he hasn’t moved from the back porch into the house yet.
He walks up to me and, in front of both my brother and Max, wraps his hand around my waist. He pulls my body against his, and his lips land on mine in a kiss.
It surprises me… I didn’t expect him to do that.
I figured we would do the whole flirting-teasing thing that we had established over the last few weeks.
Just as I’m settling into the kiss, I hear a “Cut that shit out, Davis, or I’m going to take back my invitation,” Miles says in his grumpy tone.
“Annie, don’t make me kick you out,” he warns when we don’t immediately end the kiss.
I step back from Daniel, and he winks at me before shutting the door, taking my hand and leading me towards the couch.
He sits down in the middle, leaving the opposite end of the couch from Max open.
“You’re in Annie's seat, man,” Max says to Daniel.
Daniel doesn’t even respond. “It’s ok, Max, I am good on the end today,” I hear myself say.
I mean, Max is right; I normally sit in the middle of the couch.
It’s my unofficial spot during these review sessions.
Before I can think too much about it, I sit down and we get to the game film.
***
The Tigers have a good defense: they like to throw a lot of one-on-one coverage.
At least that is what they have done so far this year.
The guys focus on the plays and coverages, starting and stopping plays over the next hour.
About five minutes in, Daniel places his hand on my exposed thigh.
He acts like it’s the most natural thing in the world that his hand should be on my leg.
When he is lost in the review, he starts to tap his fingers against my skin.
I feel the goosebumps as they appear across my legs.
I try to keep focused but soon realize I’ve missed all the comments about the last few plays, as my mind has been hyper-focused on his hand and his fingers on my leg.
“Earth to Annie,” Max laughs from the other side of Daniel.
I jump: oh gosh, what have I missed? Max gives me the out I need and repeats his question, “I was asking you what you thought about the defensive tackle.” I think back on the film.
“I think the o-line is going to have to step up their game—if this film is any indicator, he is thirsty to get the sack. He has been able to get a lot of them so far this season. Miles needs to make sure he is ready to scramble if the line breaks.” I say with confidence to Max.
“Annie, glad you could join us again, I’d agree with you,” my brother says.
He has turned toward me, his eyes going to my leg before turning around.
I know he saw Daniel’s hand on my leg, and I know, as my older brother, it is killing him to try not to overreact at this moment.
I double my efforts to focus on a few more plays.
Miles closes his computer in no time, all the plays covered for tonight.
We all stand, and without thinking about it, I stretch, making a small, satisfied groan.
I hadn’t realized I’d been holding my body so tight.
I open my eyes. Max and Daniel are both looking at me with a look of interest. My brother’s jaw is pinched.
I wonder if I should be worried about him breaking a tooth.
I hadn’t done it on purpose; it was a natural reaction to my stretch.
Boys are weird. Daniel wraps his large hand in mine.
“Walk me home, Annie.” I’m about to tell him ok, when Max opens his big mouth, “Dude, you live right next door! But you know, Annie, I think I’m scared of the dark.
I need you to walk to my car—come on Annie, please, baby?
” I know Max well enough to know he is putting on a show and playing up the tension in the room.
Also, I know that Max isn’t a huge fan of Daniel; he lost the starting position to him back in August. Daniel releases my hand quickly, and before I know it, he has Max pinned against the wall.
I watch the situation from outside of my body.
What the hell just happened? Miles jumps between them, pushing Daniel off of Max.
Daniel looks like he is about to throw a punch but before he does, I grab his arm and say, “I’ll walk you home.
” I tug on his arm, and he lets me pull him out through the back door onto the porch.
I don’t stop, leading him through my backyard, and head for his front door.
Before I can take more than a few steps in that direction, he turns and tugs me in the direction of his backyard.
I follow him through the gate in the direction of his porch.
But we never make it to the porch, because in a flash, he has me pinned against the side of his house: his hands are in my ponytail, yanking my face up to meet his.
After the events of the last few minutes, I wasn’t expecting another kiss—I was going to be happy that no one was walking away with bruises.
Now I’m here, pressed against him and the house.
He is a little rough in this kiss, all the gentleness from earlier gone.
He pulls my face back with his hands in my hair, looking me straight in the eyes.
“Stay away from Max, Annie. Or the next time he smarts off, I’ll shut him up.
” He removes his hands from my hair and makes his way up the stairs and into his house, not once looking back at me.
For the second time in minutes, I think: what the hell just happened?