Chapter 10 #2
“I’ll meet you at your house at five forty-five.” I want to mumble it since I know she’ll give me shit for going just because Ethan asked, but her car is too noisy so I say it loud enough that she hears me.
We pull up to a red light and she turns to me and gawks.
“Wait, you’re coming to a game? Really?” I nod, trying to cover the smile on my face.
She studies me, then when the light turns green, she faces forward.
“Ethan asked you to come, huh?” Again, I nod.
“Is this still pretend or are you two really dating?”
“No, nothing has changed. But it’ll look weird if I don’t come to my boyfriend’s game after this.” I gesture towards the jersey.
We pull up at her house and she puts the car in park, then turns it off. “Koby,” she drawls, getting my attention when I try to get out. “Look, I know this isn’t real with you and Ethan, but…you two make a really cute couple.”
I roll my eyes, even though my heart is hammering.
It would be amazing to date Ethan. Not because we look cute together, like Elle and Crystal are saying, but because he’s slowly but surely becoming one of my best friends.
Who’s better to date than your best friend?
We don’t know each other very well, but he’s been there for me at some truly low points.
I let him in about Tim, about not having much money, about my mom.
And I think I’m starting to get to know him too. He’s so nice. Like ridiculously nice. Not just to me, to everyone he encounters. And it’s not a front. That’s who he is. He has a genuine heart.
He cares about me. Enough to put his reputation and friendships on the line so I can have a comfortable senior year.
He’s willing to spend money on me so I can experience my first Homecoming.
He took me on my first date, albeit a ‘friend’ date.
And we talked well into the night last night while we sat at the restaurant.
In short, in the past few weeks, Ethan has shown me more kindness than anyone outside of Crystal, and he’s been a rock for me when I needed him, comforting me without complaint. If there’s a man better than Ethan, he’s probably already taken.
“We’re friends, Crys,” I say. “As soon as we graduate, all the pretending will stop. We won’t ever be a couple, but I don’t mind that. He’s a good person. I like having him in my life as a friend.”
She opens her mouth but closes it before she can say anything further. Then she looks at me and nods. “Okay, Koby. But I love when I’m right.”
I scoff and get out of the car. Crystal is insufferable when she’s right. She is not the person that doesn’t say ‘I told you so’. She will shout that shit from the mountain tops, so everyone else knows, too.
But she’s not this time. Ethan and I will be friends, hopefully for a while, and that’s it.
I quietly sneak into my house, quickly darting into my room. I don’t hear anything coming from my parents’ room, but I don’t want to risk making noise, so I won’t wake my mom. I don’t want another repeat of yesterday.
Snatching off the jersey, I stuff it in my bag in case she’s awake when I leave. I don’t want her to ask any questions. I’m not in the mood to be sad today.
I drop on my bed and pull out my phone and see that I have a text from Ethan.
Smiling despite myself, I open the message and have to fight to keep my laughter in.
It’s a picture message of him and Ryder, with their faces painted red and black, and the caption saying, ‘Our war paint matches our war faces.’ They have these angry looks on their faces that look more comical than scary.
It makes me happy that he and Ryder took the picture together.
At five forty-three, I hop off my bed, grab my bag and inch out the door. No one comes out of my parents’ room, so I lock up and dart down the street. At least I won’t be bothered this weekend.
Crystal is ready when I get to her place. The drive back to school is spent in silence—between the two of us, not her loud-ass car.
I’m surprised when she finds parking directly across from the football field.
Before my last class, Ethan gave me enough money to pay for my and Crystal’s ticket, even though I pretty much begged him not to.
He told me if I didn’t take it, he would give it to Crystal.
I begrudgingly took it, promising to pay him back, but all he did was kiss my forehead and push me to my classroom.
Jerk.
I feel a bit out of place since I haven’t been to a football game in years. I’m sure people are still looking at me weird, since I slid Ethan’s jersey back on when I got in Crystal’s car. But, come on, they’ve had all day to get used to it.
We sit down in the bottom row of the bleachers and Elle bounds over to us. The cheerleaders are down on the track, even though the game hasn’t started yet.
“Hey!” she exclaims way louder than necessary. “Glad y’all could make it. I mean, I knew you would, Jakoby. Kinda had to since you’re dating a player.”
A screeching, grating voice sounds behind Elle, cutting off our conversation, and making me want to crawl into a hole and hide.
Elle turns around and faces Dawn, who has her face twisted as she looks at my jersey. “Elle, your captain needs you to stop socializing and get to the routine. You can chat with the lower class after the game.” She spins around, flipping her curly hair, and stomps off.
My cheeks flame and I rub my forehead. Why can’t she just be like everyone else and ignore me? None of this is real, so she doesn’t have to worry about me trying to be with Ethan for real. He’s straight and I’m me.
Her words hurt almost as much as my mother’s, her reminding me of how Ethan and I are from two different worlds.
That we really have nothing in common, and there’s no real reason for us to be together.
He should be with someone like her. Rich, beautiful, a cheerleader.
Someone who belongs in his world, not an outlier pretending. Not me. Not…a nobody.
Crystal rubs my back, an angry look aimed at Dawn.
Elle leans in and tells me fiercely, “Do not listen to that bitch. She’s jealous that you’re with Ethan and he’s happy.
She fucked up and she’s mad he won’t take her back.
That’s not on you, that’s on her.” She gives me one last look, then walks to her squad.
Wow. Elle really is turning into a friend.
From the rumors that everyone heard our first week back at school, Dawn cheated on Ethan with one of the other football players, and he broke up with her.
They had been dating for close to six months, a relationship that surprisingly lasted over the summer, but not too long after.
She’s been trying to get back with him ever since, though I don’t think it’s because she likes him.
I think it’s so she can break up with him, and not the other way around.
She strikes me as a person that doesn’t like to lose.
The game starts a few minutes later, and I focus on Ethan the entire time. In between screaming at the other team and rooting for ours, Crystal tells me what’s going on.
She’s a diehard football fan that can recite stats to you all day about any team in the league, so I trust her commentary.
From what she’s told me so far, Ethan has run for about thirty yards and he’s made three first downs.
I know what the words mean, I just can’t keep up while the game is actually in play.
At halftime, we’re up by ten, thanks to a touchdown from Ethan and a field goal from Tim. Fuck that guy, though.
It’s customary to announce the homecoming king and queen during halftime.
Since nothing is going on, I stand to go get a snack from the concession stand, but Crystal grabs my hand.
“I think Ethan is going to win. You have to cheer for your boyfriend.” I give her a flat look that makes her laugh.
She’s right, though. To keep up the facade, I have to be here to cheer for him.
As everyone has been saying, Ethan wins. Who wouldn’t vote for him? He’s such an amazing person that everyone wants to see him win. He jogs over to the area where the principal is standing, and the sash is draped over his uniform and the crown placed on his head.
Then the name of the queen is read.
It’s Dawn.
She squeals like she just won a beauty pageant and primly jogs over to get her sash and crown.
She stands next to Ethan and threads her arm through his.
She’s gazing up at him, practically begging for attention, but he’s paying her no mind.
His eyes are bouncing up and down the bleachers as if he’s looking for someone.
Taking a chance, I raise my hand and signal to him, something completely out of character for me. When his eyes find mine, a slow smile spreads across his face and he waves back. I have to take a deep breath to try to calm my racing heart.
Why is he so happy to see me? I mean, that wasn’t a normal smile, right? He looked happy that I’m here. Is it because he’s giving me another first? A first homecoming game? That could be it. Or, as my friend, he’s just glad I’m here.
I don’t know what to believe.
The game resumes and I’m more focused on what’s going on.
The whole time, when she’s not cheering, I feel Dawn glaring at me.
I don’t pay her any mind. I’m here for Ethan.
The last time she glares at me, though, she trips over her own feet and everyone sees.
A few people point and laugh, and I have the pleasure of watching her face turn red from embarrassment. It's petty, but it makes my night.
Up until the next play.
Ryder gets the ball and drops back to pass.
Ethan is wide open, so Ryder snaps his arm forward and throws.
Ethan makes a beautiful catch that even I can appreciate.
He grabs it one-handed, with the tips of his fingers, and brings it close to his chest. The cheers that go up are immediately halted when one of the other team’s players—defenseman?
lineman?— completely levels Ethan. Takes him off his feet and almost slams him into the ground.
To my alarm, Ethan doesn’t get up right away.
He stays down, not moving for longer than I think is normal.
His team crowds around him, blocking my view of what's going on. I stand from the bleachers, gripping Crystal’s hand, willing Ethan to get up.
It’s taking all my strength not to hop down from the bleachers and run to the field to check on him, to take care of him.
After what seems like forever, but could have only been about ten seconds, I see the huddle part, and Ethan walks out from the middle, looking shaky, but otherwise okay.
I release the breath I was holding and drop heavily to the bleachers.
This is why I should stay far, far away from a football field.
That almost gave me a heart attack. What will happen when he plays college football?
Or goes to the NFL? If we’re still friends, I’ll be a nervous fucking wreck every time he plays if something like that could happen.
The game ends a few minutes later, and I tell Crystal to go ahead since I’m catching a ride with Ethan. She gives me a hug and says, “He’s okay, Koby. Don’t worry.”
Twenty minutes after everyone clears out, I’m standing in front of the gates, waiting for Ethan to come out of the field house that is sometimes used as the outdoor locker room. I would have stayed on the bleachers, but I didn’t want him to come out and think I left.
Ryder comes out first. He waves at me and jogs over.
“Did you like our pic?” he asks with a genuine smile directed at me. I don’t remember the last time we spoke, but I don’t think he’s ever smiled at me. Maybe the fake boyfriend thing is working.
I give him a small smile and tell him, “I did. I laughed.”
He chuckles and taps me on the arm. “That was the point,” he tosses over his shoulder as he walks away.
I turn back to the field house and see Ethan walking towards me. It takes restraint not to run to him and check him over.
He pulls me into a hug and kisses my forehead. “Thanks for coming, creep.”
“I wish I hadn’t,” I mutter into his chest. It’s muffled, but I know he heard me.
Ethan pulls me back and looks slightly hurt by my comment. “Why? Did somebody bother you? Did you not have fun?”
I sigh and wring my hands together. “No one bothered me. Dammit, Ethan, I was scared. I thought something happened to you.” I say it in a rush, not even embarrassed to be telling him that.
He stares at me for a moment, really taking me in, then pulls me to his side. “Creep, I wasn’t hurt. He knocked the wind out of me. That’s why I didn’t get up, but I’m not hurt. No concussion, nothing. I’m good. Okay?”
I’m sure if he were really hurt, they would have sent him to the hospital. I saw the school nurse checking him over when he got to the sidelines, so I know he isn’t lying.
But I was still afraid.
“Come on,” he tells me with a huff. “Let’s get you home and feed you. You’ll feel better when you’re not hungry.”
He’s probably right. All me and Crystal had were the tiny-ass hot dogs they sell at the concession stands.
When we get to his car, he turns the radio up and lets me sing, knowing that will make me feel better.