22. Ryder
Ryder
Last night was the best night of my life.
I would argue that it even has wedged out draft night. While getting picked by my dream team will forever be a top highlight, getting to kiss my dream girl imprinted on my soul.
I know that’s all flowery and shit . . . but damn. That’s how I feel.
I can’t stop smiling either.
Knowing now how great we are together, I hate that I waited all those years.
I should have risked the friendship and tried to kiss her sooner.
Well, before graduation, that is. If I had tried, and she had said no, there would have been time for her to think about it and change her mind.
If she was on board, then we would have ridden off into the sunset.
If she wasn’t, well, we’d still be right where we are today.
Not friends, but not enemies anymore either.
Come to think of it, I don’t know what we are. I don’t know if I’m anxious or excited to talk to her and find out either.
“I know most people love this event, but honestly, I’m tired this year,” Camden says as he walks over to stand next to me. While quite a few tents are set up in the end zone, I’ve remained off to the side in the shade of the stadium to take it all in.
Today is the team picnic. It’s a family-focused event on the field with just the team.
I’m told it’s always on the weekend of our bye week.
Are we required to attend? No. Some plan trips with their families, but most people do.
The team in and of itself is a family, and getting together in a casual setting, so far what I’ve seen, is nice.
I glance over, and Camden does have dark circles under his eyes.
This is not like him at all, and I take a step back to examine him.
Typically, he is very regimented in his schedule, this is abnormal for him.
His hands are in the pockets of his shorts, and the button-down that he’s wearing is wrinkled.
I’ve never seen him look anything other than pristine.
I turn to face him. “What’s wrong with you?”
He raises one hand and runs it over his head.
I’m stuck on the fact that he’s messing up his hair.
There’s a reason we call him Superman. Right now, he’s in his Clark Kent persona, which means his hair has that harsh side part and is slicked over, only he’s got pieces standing up all over the place.
“I don’t know. I think I’m coming down with something,” he says, looking away from me. He’s also usually very direct when he’s speaking to someone. He’s hiding something.
“Is everything okay at home?” I broach the subject as tentatively as I can, but it doesn’t matter. He gives me a side-eye and pinches his lips together. His saying nothing says it all.
“Well, you know you don’t have to stay long. Make the rounds and then head out.” I clamp down on his shoulder and pat him a few times.
“I will. I had to at least make an appearance, or I’m certain my father would be hearing about it and then, in turn, so would I. Not worth the hassle. Also, I wanted to come see everyone’s family and eat some food. The less I have to think about today, the better.”
The plot thickens. He rarely talks about his father.
That is a no-go subject. Throw that in with what he’s alluded to, his appearance, and the fact that he said eat some food, and something is definitely going on.
He’s one of the strictest eaters I know.
His body is a temple and all that. He plans his meals weekly and rarely deviates.
My brows pull down in concern. “Yeah, there’s definitely something wrong with you. I’m here if you need anything.”
He nods.
It’s about this time that Rico spots us, and he wanders over to join us. “I got to sleep in; there’s no game; we’ve got live music; and Lexi brought her pies. I’m in heaven.”
“You know you can order those pies online,” Camden reminds him. “I’m sure Lexi would love the business.”
I hear we used to have a teammate named Jack who would eat all the pies, but since he retired, it’s now Rico.
“I have ordered them for special occasions, like the holidays with my mom, but I try to limit my sugar intake.” He rubs his flat stomach.
“You know how it is. Oh, look! There’s Ryder’s girl.
” He nods toward the tents, and I instantly find her.
Behind my sunglasses, I’ve been scanning the crowd trying to spot her.
She must have just arrived. She’s wearing a sporty, white-looking dress.
The skirt is flowy and short. She has on wedge heels, and her hair is in a high ponytail.
I don’t know how she does it, but every time I see her, she gets more and more beautiful.
“Did you know she was coming today?” Camden eyes me suspiciously.
I don’t make the effort to correct Rico about him calling her my girl.
“I did. It’s our last scheduled event. Gretchen told us that there would be other times they’d grab our picture together during the holidays, and that we might have to represent in a parade or toy drive or something, but for now attendance to events is over.
They don’t need much from us today, only a quick recording and a few shots of us together. ”
“I see,” he says in a way that feels really final, and for the first time, I do too.
This is the last time we’re required to get together.
I once couldn’t wait for this day to arrive, and it’s now here.
After today, I don’t know when I’ll see her again, and suddenly I don’t feel happy anymore. I feel nauseous.
“What do they want you to do today? I thought this event was private?” Rico reaches into the pocket of his shorts and pulls out a package of popcorn.
He throws some in the air and catches them with his mouth.
There’s a machine set up somewhere, along with cotton candy and snow cones for the kids.
It shouldn’t surprise me that he whips this out, but it still somehow does.
“It is, but they said they still post about it. Shows team camaraderie and makes the community happy to see us socializing together. There will be sound bites, too.”
“Well, if you say you’re being forced to spend time with her, maybe you should take us over there to introduce us to some of her friends.
We can help you out with that, except for maybe that one chick Kelli.
She low-key frightens me, but the others I don’t really know, and they’re all looking mighty fine today. ”
Next to me, I catch Camden rolling his eyes.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he chimes in. “You know how strict the rules are.”
Rico looks offended. “What, we aren’t even allowed to say hello?”
“You know we’re not supposed to.” Camden now scowls at him.
“Superman, you’ve got to learn to lighten up. Don’t you know rules are meant to be broken.” He grins as if he’s just imparted some great wisdom upon us.
I grin too, because behind him is Sully. He taps Rico on the shoulder, and when he turns to see who it is, his face blanches.
“Hello, Rico.”
I lock my lips together to keep from laughing. Happy for once that I’m not the one under Sully’s scrutiny.
“And I think I hear my name being called over there. Later, players.” Rico saunters off like he wasn’t just busted.
It’s then that Alice looks over and, even through my sunglasses, her eyes lock with mine. That one look makes me kind of breathless and restless at the same time to be near her.
“I suppose I better go get my picture taken,” I tell them.
Sully tracks my gaze and finds Alice. He doesn’t say anything, which is odd for him.
Usually, he’s spouting off something about the handbook, but instead, he just nods at me.
Camden’s brows shoot up in surprise. I think he was expecting the same.
“I’ll head that way with you. I need some food. Sully, you hungry?” Camden asks him.
“When am I not hungry? Let’s go.”
The three of us make our way over to the tents. At the last moment, they split off, leaving me on my own. Alice smiles at me as I approach. Her lips are all glossy and pink, and I feel mesmerized.
Was that kiss last night a one-time thing? Maybe it was; maybe it wasn’t. I’m hoping for me it wasn’t, as we’ve now opened Pandora’s box and I can’t undo what we’ve done. I don’t want to.
I’m grateful for the glasses until I hear Kelli.
“Oh, look who it is.” Her tone says she’s not pleased, and a few of the people around them snicker.
I pull my eyes off Alice and tilt my head as I look down at her. She stands her ground and scowls back up at me.
“Do you have a problem I don’t know about?” I understand what Rico is saying, and quite frankly, whatever this is, I’m over it.
She steps closer to me. “Actually, yeah, I do.”
“What—”
“All right. All right. Come on, Ryder, let’s go find Danica or Ross.” She hooks her arm through mine and pulls me away from her cheer group.
“What is her problem? I’ve about had enough of her attitude. In fact, my teammates have too. She’s not representing herself well.”
Alice’s face registers with surprise and then guilt. She has to have known that people aren’t going to like the constant attitude.
“Don’t worry about her. She’s looking out for me.”
“How so?”
“She just is. That’s what we do for each other.”
I think about the text thread from earlier this morning and all the warnings that Sully has given me. I guess I should be grateful someone is looking out for her too.
“Okay, but maybe you suggest to her that she tones it down a bit.”
She nods as we walk past all the food. A few people glance at us, but mostly, everyone is off doing their own thing.
“You got home okay last night?” she asks. We’re making our way toward the kiddie activities. There’s squealing and laughter. Add in the band, and it’s actually pretty loud out here.
Mentioning last night has me looking at her lips again. She’s smiling as she doesn’t look at me, but at all the movement around us. “I did. You don’t live that far away. Twenty minutes at the most, and that’s just traffic lights.”