5. Sienna
CHAPTER 5
SIENNA
Zander was so freaking nice to me, it was impossible not to like him even more than I already did. I threw up on him, and he told me it wasn’t a big deal. I drunkenly humiliated myself with loose lips, and he didn’t judge me for it.
I like him so much it hurts… but it’s been nearly two weeks since the party, and we still haven’t done anything more than casually say hi when we cross each other’s paths at school.
In fairness to him, he’s a busy guy. Football is king around here, and I’ve been forced to learn the ins and outs of the game. Olivia’s been teaching me what she knows, and even my dad helped me out.
See, I’m not your standard all-American girl. My parents are… well, they’re nomads. They’ve always struggled to stay in one place for long, and I spent my early childhood growing up around the world. We lived out of a camper van, traveling through Europe for the first three years of my life. Then we spent a few years checking out Asia, and I was homeschooled in places like Chiang Mai, Hanoi, Bali, and Kuala Lumpur. We then did a stint in the Pacific Islands, where I got myself a tan playing on the beaches of Fiji and Samoa, before we finally headed back to the States. I was hitting puberty, and my parents decided it was time for me to experience “normal” life for a while.
I have no idea what possessed them to do this, because adjusting to life stateside was freaking hard. I was the weirdo kid with an accent that no one could place and more life experience than all the kids I hung out with. They just didn’t get me. And I struggled to understand them too.
I begged my parents to hit the road again, but Dad was enjoying living next door to his best friend, so we stuck it out… until the chance to live in New York came along. By then, I’d made some friends and was finally starting to enjoy life. Being uprooted was just plain mean, but I survived that, and I’d survive life in Idaho too.
Plus, my parents promised to stay until I graduate, which means I don’t have to stress about being pulled out of school halfway through this year.
It means I have until June to make something happen with Zander Donohue.
Some would argue that I’m just setting myself up for heartache. He’ll be leaving school at the end of this year… but thanks to some sleuthing, I’ve heard the coaches at Brighton College are interested in him. And Brighton’s like the next town over. A thirty-minute drive is nothing.
I’m choosing to be positive about this thing.
And if the eye flirting Zander and I have been doing over the past few days is anything to go by, I’m in a good position here.
He thinks I’m pretty; I can tell that much.
Why he hasn’t asked me out yet, I’m not sure. I mean, I guess I could always ask him, but that’s kind of terrifying, so I’ll just keep getting into his line of sight.
It’s been less than two weeks, Sen. Give the guy a break.
But twelve days feels like a millennium when you like a guy and you think he likes you back. I mean, right?
I’ll just have to keep making my smiles brighter whenever we walk past each other.
I’ll just have to keep throwing out flirty comments whenever he’s close enough to hear me.
He likes it when I do that. I can tell.
Shuffling in the stands, I rub my arms, trying to stay warm as the football game unfolds before us.
Zander’s on the field, getting in position to take the ball and… throw it down the field.
“Yes!” I make a fist, tensing as I watch the wide receiver chase the ball down and catch it just twenty yards from the end zone. “Woo-hoo!” I punch the air, jumping to my feet with the rest of the crowd.
Man, I love Friday nights.
This is my first Friday night game, but I just know they’ll be addictive.
I love that this is a home game.
I love this crowd.
Olivia giggles, giving me a sideways hug. “Your man is on fire tonight.”
“He’s not her man,” Becky says testily. “They haven’t even gone on one date.”
“Oh please. With the amount of eye sex these two are having, it’s just a matter of time.”
“Eye sex?” I grab her jacket sleeve. “We’re not having eye sex.”
“Whatever you say, hon.” She pats my hand and starts laughing at me. “You’re so red right now.”
“I’m not having eye sex with Zander Donohue.” I flush, covering my no doubt neon cheeks.
Becky snorts and shakes her head, obviously agreeing with Olivia. I turn to Emily for backup, but she’s no help. Her eyebrows are wiggling up and down, and the smirk on her lips tells me I’m a fool for not realizing that is exactly what I’ve been doing.
“You want him so bad,” Olivia starts singing and doing this seductive dance that’s catching the eye of everyone around us.
“Stop it,” I hiss, wrapping my arm around her. “You’re killing me.”
She cackles and kisses my cheek.
“So, when are you actually going to do something about it?” Becky gives me a pointed look while the team sets up for their next play.
I keep my eyes on the field, hoping to avoid the question. I have no idea what to do about it. If Zander likes me as much as I like him, he would have asked me out already, right?
So now I’m worried that if I ask him first, he’ll just say he’s not interested or it’s not a good time for him. Ugh—I’ve heard that one before.
In ninth grade, I plucked up the courage to ask Stephen Tanaki to the school dance, and he just winced and murmured, “Sorry. Now’s not really a good time for me.”
What the hell did that mean?
Everyone within earshot started laughing at me, and I swore I would never initiate a date again. And I’m still not sure I’m willing to break that vow, even if it is Zander Donohue, the guy I’ve liked more than any other guy in my entire life!
“Touchdown!” Emily yells, jumping to her feet and cheering for her brother, Noah. “Good job!” She’s clapping and laughing, turning to spot her parents in the stand behind us and giving them a wave. Her mom looks so proud right now.
I smile and cheer along with the crowd, my eyes trained on Zander as he takes off his helmet and runs to the edge of the field. The team is jumping around and slapping one another on the helmets and shoulders and butts. Seriously, boys are weird.
“It’s halftime. Let’s go grab a hot cider.” Becky stands, ordering us up, but my eyes are still trained on the field as the team makes their way to the locker room.
Zander looks up, maybe sensing my stare, and I boldly watch him, my lips curling into a smile. He grins back, then stops on the track, hollering up to me, “Wait for me after the game!”
I point to myself, walking down the stairs and making sure I’m not imagining this.
He laughs. “Yeah, you, bright eyes!” Then, with the sexiest wink ever given to anyone, he picks up his pace and disappears down the tunnel.
With a gasp, I spin to find my friends watching me with various expressions of triumph.
“You guys just saw that, right?” I practically squeal.
“Sure did.” Becky smirks. “Looks like the eye sex might be coming to an end.”
I give her a confused frown.
Emily wiggles her eyebrows again. “Time for the real sex to begin.”
My lips part. “But I’m not… I don’t want… I mean, I’m not ready for that.”
The girls crack up laughing, and Olivia runs down to wrap her arm around my shoulders. “Don’t worry. We’re only teasing. Zander’s not just into you for the sex. I can tell he really likes you.”
“You think so?” My stomach churns.
“Of course. He never asks girls out. He’s all about football, you know? But he’s making an exception for you.” She gives me a heartfelt smile. “That’s special, Sen.”
I nod, my insides twirling as I imagine what awaits me after the game.