Chapter four
SIERRA
The college stadium is packed with faces, and the energy is bustling around me as I follow Jenny through the crowd. We're meeting Kyle and Mia in one of the stand sections, ready to watch the game and support both Elias and Sebastian along with the rest of their team.
The roar of the students grows louder with each step I take.
It makes me grip my soda cup tighter against my chest, not wanting to spill it in the swarming crowd that we're moving through.
My other hand is grasped tightly by Jenny who's weaving our way up to our friends.
I can barely see past the tall people around me, so I can only rely on her to navigate us through.
We climb the steps, dodging the empty bottles and spilled popcorn on the ground.
It takes us a few minutes to reach our row, and I spot Kyle with his arms crossed, overlooking the stadium with his jaw tight.
He hates crowded places, and for someone who's an absolute sweetheart, he sure does look intimidating like this.
Mia stands beside him, almost a head shorter, and she notices us first.
Her smile stretches wide as she waves us over happily.
Jenny glances back at me with a smile, her blue eyes sparkling under the stadium lights and the afternoon sun.
She leads us all the way through, past the occupied seats.
Kyle gives me a quick fist bump when I get closer, then pulls me to his side.
I look down from where we stand, seeing two cheerleading groups on the field. They chant along with the crowd, and excitement buzzes through the stands. The announcer's voice booms through the speakers, introducing the teams, but I barely hear it because of the hoots around me.
A moment later, the players jog to the field, and I spot Elias right away.
He looks focused, and I catch myself staring for a little too long when I see how the jersey clings to his body.
Sebastian follows close behind, his usual cocky grin in place, and I feel a strange mix of pride and nerves twist in my stomach.
"Here they are!" Jenny raises her arms and jumps on the spot, cheering loudly with her eyes fixed on the field, while Mia places two fingers in her mouth and whistles loudly.
In a while, the game begins. The first few minutes pass by in a blur because I don't really have much of a clue about the rules. Mostly, I just keep my eyes on Elias and the way he flicks his sweaty hair away from his forehead every now and then.
The following hours keep everyone locked in, and the scoreboard counts two against two points. We need one more for our teams' favor, and we're all on the edge about it. I can feel the adrenaline rushing through me as I keep my attention on the field.
The sky gradually deepens from a burnt auburn into that inky blue of the early evening. Reflecting lights above turn everything below into a stage. I glance over at Kyle, Mia and Jenny. All of them are focused, slightly tense, because we're very much rooting for a win today.
A sharp whistle cuts through the air, making me flinch slightly. I see some players from the opposite team argue about something with the referee, and I pull on Kyle's elbow. "What's happening?" I ask, my voice half-lost in the noise.
"Foul on their team," he says back. "We get a free kick."
The crowd holds its breath when Elias steps up. The ball is at his feet, and for one brief moment, everyone goes still. He adjusts his stance, eyes fixed on the goal, and I can see the tension blooming in his shoulders. His fingers flex slightly before going still.
You got this, Eli.
The whistle blows again, and he moves. Involuntarily, my hand grasps for Kyle's, our eyes stuck on Elias.
It's like watching time bend—the smooth arc of his foot connecting with the ball, and it spins, cutting through the air.
The entire stadium collectively inhales, watching as the ball sails, curving just enough to slip past the outstretched fingertips of the goal keeper and into the top corner of the net.
The crowd goes absolutely wild. The explosion of the sound is nearly deafening.
Jenny is screaming beside me, jumping up and down while holding on to Mia, and Kyle grabs my shoulders, shaking me with a grin stretched across his face.
People around us wave the school flags, and in that moment, nothing else matters.
Elias doesn't celebrate wildly, like expected. He jogs back with that calm and measured look on his face that he always has when he's focused. With a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes, he looks up into the stands, scanning briefly. I know that he's probably looking for us. For me, maybe.
But before I can think about it for too long, Sebastian runs in his direction with a big smile on his face, then jumps on his back. The rest of the team joins in, tackling him to the ground in celebration.
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"Fuck, I'm not leaving my room for a week." Kyle sighs, slumped against the back seat next to me. It's visible that his social battery is already on the low, and honestly, I relate.
Mia drives us out of the parking lot, finally getting us away from the sea of students.
They're still hanging around at the stadium, but we decided not to wait for Sebastian and Elias since they still had to go to the locker room.
Instead, we're on our way to a diner where we can wait for them in peace, and also get our stomachs full in the meantime.
"Did anyone text them that we left?" I ask, and Mia glances at her phone in the cup holder. "Yeah, I did earlier. Told them to meet us at Bluebird."
"Seb just sent a thumbs up," Jenny adds, probaby looking at the groupchat texts.
Kyle groans softly, tilting his head back against the headrest. "I swear, if that place is packed too, I'm eating in the car."
"You'll survive a booth, dramatic ass." I smirk, but he doesn't answer, just pulls the hood over his head and closes his eyes like the day's weight might slide off his shoulders if he bundles up enough.
Mia chuckles under her breath. "The second the fries hit the table, you'll forget all about your existential crisis."
Silence settles between us. It's not awkward, but necessary. The kind I know I can only get with people who I feel comfortable with. After all the chaos, it feels like a gift, because the game felt ten hours long instead of three.
It takes a while before the neon sign for Bluebird Diner flickers into view just ahead. Mia puts on the turn signal and parks the car. All we need right now is a mountain of carbs to let us unwind for the evening.
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