Chapter 6
Ari
I forgot how much I love Friday Night Lights.
It’s been almost a decade since I’ve been to a high school football game, but the second I step into the stadium, the excitement and the tradition come rushing back.
Nothing feels more like a new school year and the beginning of fall than football does.
There’s just something so great about the background noise of the marching band, the entire town dressed in maroon to show school pride, the faint sound of coaches’ whistles as the teams stretch, the smell of popcorn and cheap hot dogs, cheerleaders with ridiculously huge bows, the overhead hum of field lights, the announcer’s voice coming in and out of old stadium speakers, and the crisp night air that forces the first hoodie of the fall season.
It’s magical.
The stands begin to fill up as I take money and stamp hands. When I agreed to sell tickets for the first half of the game—not that Wade gave me much of a choice—I didn’t think about how many people in town I’d run into.
There are the same regulars, just like I remember.
Officer Roy still volunteers to patrol the games.
Farmer Joe arrives early, wearing an Autumn Ridge hat; football games are the only time he removes his straw one.
Mayor Monroe stops and talks to every single person before he arrives at his usual seat at the top of the stands.
It’s crazy how nothing changes. It’s almost comforting in a way—the stability that my life has lacked the last four years in my relationship with Andy.
“Ari!” Rosie Harper gasps when she steps up next in line and sees me.
Rosie was older than me in school, but we became good friends on the cheer team my sophomore year of high school, when she was the senior captain.
Her energy just matched mine. I was sad when she graduated. “What are you doing here?”
“I live here. I moved home this week. Took the English teaching job at the high school. I’m actually going to be working with you on the fall festival for the high school booths.”
“Oh my gosh! I didn’t know.” She leans over, giving me a clumsy hug above the cash box. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen you.”
“We knew she was here.” Two heads pop up behind Rosie.
The Ednas.
I thought these two women were knocking on death’s door ten years ago, but not only are they alive and well, they’re also spry enough to be at the high school football game on a Friday night.
To be honest, the Ednas are like twins I can’t tell apart.
Even though one has dyed yellow hair and the other has dark hair, I don’t know which one is Edna G. and which one is Edna B.
The lighter-colored Edna turns to Rosie. “If you’d come to monthly bingo last night at the church, you would’ve heard all about how poor Ari has no prospects and had to move home while Landrie is about to get married.”
“One Langford sister is up, while the other is down.” The darker Edna moves her index finger in a downward motion.
I don’t have to guess which Langford sister I am.
“Uh…” I smile at Rosie, trying to hide my embarrassment. “What are you up to these days?”
“I run the bed-and-breakfast in town. You’ll have to stop by so we can catch up.”
“I’d love that!” I take her money and hand her some change. “Plus, we can also talk about what you need from the school for the festival.”
“Perfect!” She nods to the Ednas. “I’d better get these two up to their seats. They hate missing kickoff.”
As one of the Ednas walks past, she leans in as if she has a secret just for me. “There’s a new dentist coming to town.”
“Great. I’m sure my mom will be happy since she works at the dentist's office.”
“No, not for your mom.” She winks at me. “For you. Don’t worry, Edna and I will take care of it.” She winks again. And again.
“Thanks, but I’m not interested in dating right now.”
“We’ll see about that.” Edna waves as she moves along.
Ugh.
I’m afraid Mr. Rogers did not teach me how to deal with the people in my neighborhood.
I just hate feeling like everyone is in my business. It’s the biggest drawback to living in a place as small as Autumn Ridge. There’s no anonymity.
As the game clock ticks on, I try not to have FOMO every time the crowd cheers during the first half, and I’m grateful when Mrs. Baker, the foods teacher, relieves me of my post right before halftime.
A light breeze picks up as I walk over to the fence that separates the crowd from the track and field.
Landrie and Jaxon are somewhere up in the stands, saving me a seat, but I linger, watching the end of the cheerleaders’ and the marching band’s halftime show.
I’ve already spent my first week home, being the third wheel in their relationship.
My eyes catch Wade off to the side on the track.
He’s pushing one of the students in a wheelchair back and forth to the beat of the band.
It’s probably the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.
I keep saying that Wade is the exact same flirt that I knew almost a decade ago, but this moment proves there’s more to him than the unserious boy from high school.
When the halftime show ends, Wade bends down to talk to the teen, and the smile on his face is everything.
I find myself smiling too with a full heart.
A few minutes later, Wade spots me staring. He says something to the boy before jogging toward me. “How was your shift selling tickets?”
“Lucrative. I pocketed two hundred dollars from the cash box.”
“You know what the punishment is for that, don’t you?”
“Prison time?”
There’s a roguish curve to his grin. “A trip to the principal’s office. Just you and me alone.”
“Then I’ll give it all back.”
Wade laughs, turning his attention to the students running off the field, giving me the perfect chance to study him again.
He’s in black joggers with a fitted maroon shirt.
It should be a crime to make school spirit shirts that tight and sexy, but I have a feeling Wade could make anything look good.
“Does it take you back to high school?” he asks.
I glance around. “Too much.”
“We had some good times back then, didn’t we?”
My mind jumps to hundreds of little moments with Wade and my friends. Moments that feel like forever ago but also like they happened just yesterday.
“Yeah, we did have some good times.” I smile. “Like when we thought we could dye Leeland’s Pond green for St. Patrick’s Day.”
“Or when you spray-painted white dots on Farmer Joe’s horse, and he thought it was sick.”
“I was legendary back then. It’s just a shame I peaked in high school.”
“You did not.” He bumps me with his hip.
“No, seriously, I did. Where did all the losers go? Because now that I’m an adult, everyone is successful and has their life together. Where are all the kids from high school I thought I was better than?”
“We all grew up and are on the same level now, just doing the best we can.”
“That or I’m the loser now.”
The glint in his eye lights up his entire expression. “You’re a cute loser, if that helps.”
I bite back a smile, trying to stop the stupid pitter-patter in my heart. “It might help a little.”
“Stevie!” Ashtyn Ellis runs over to where we’re standing at the fence, causing Wade to jump back.
I must be getting old, because when I wore a tiny cheer uniform, it seemed completely harmless, but when Ashtyn wears it, I feel like I need to find a blanket to cover her up.
“Did you see me blow a kiss to you?” She bounces around in front of us with a huge smile aimed right at Wade.
He looks between us nervously. “I…uh…I must’ve missed it.”
She tilts her head flirtatiously. “Well, you have to be watching me to see it.”
“I’m here to watch the game, which is exactly what you should be doing.”
“But it’s more fun if I watch you.”
My mouth falls open as my eyes narrow into accusatory daggers, pointed at Wade.
He panics, grabbing me by the shoulders, physically moving me in front of him like a blockade. “Don’t you have Miss Langford for English?”
Ashtyn’s excitement drops as soon as she’s forced to look at me. “Yeah.”
“Miss Langford used to be a cheerleader at Autumn Ridge. Isn’t that cool?” Wade’s eyes beg me to talk, but I’m still trying to process everything I’ve just witnessed.
“Oh.” Ashtyn’s clearly unimpressed and steps to the side to see Wade better. She reaches for his arm, and he flinches back, pushing me to the side so she ends up touching me instead of his bicep.
“Uh, the game’s starting.” He points to the expiring clock. “You'd better get back.”
She smiles at him one last time—the kind of smile that has trouble written all over it. “Don’t be a stranger after the game, okay?” There’s a glare in my direction before she runs back to her squad.
I turn around, slapping Wade on the shoulder with every word I say. “What in the Mary Kay Letourneau is going on here?”
“Mary Kay, who?”
“Google it!” I keep hitting his shoulder.
“Hey! Hey!” His hands go up, trying to block my slaps. “It’s not what you think. Nothing is going on. She’s eighteen!”
My expression darkens, and my slaps get harder. “Wade. Byron. Stevenson.” I’m shocked I still remember his middle name.
“Okay, saying she’s eighteen sounded bad.” He grabs my wrists to stop the hits. “But there’s nothing inappropriate going on between Ashtyn and me.”
“But you want there to be,” I snap.
“No! Gross! Is that who you think I am?”
“You tell me, ‘Stevie.’” I say it in the exact same, sultry way Ashtyn did.
“You know what? I’m offended.”
“You’re offended? I’m considering walking over to Officer Roy and turning you in for an improper relationship between a student and a teacher. By the end of the night, you’ll be facing fifteen to twenty.”
His palms go up in innocence. “I know it looks bad, but it’s not my fault. Ever since school started, Ashtyn’s been targeting me. I’m trying to maintain boundaries, but she’s aggressive.”
“Maintain boundaries! Wade, you’re the adult in this situation. Call a meeting with her and her parents, and tell them this behavior is inappropriate and needs to stop.”
“Yes, I’ve thought about doing that, but have you met her mom?”