The first game is always the most exciting. Well, after Homecoming of course. There is usually a big turn out by the student body. I go every year because football was my second favorite sport. I try to go to every home game if I have the time. Today was a great day too. About eighty-five degrees with a constant breeze. Perfect day for football.
I usually go to the games alone or with Dashaun. This time Jessica was accompanying me. We arrived at the field a half hour before kickoff. I did not know how she was going to act during the game. She lived with me for a while, but she is still a new person in my life. I honestly don't know why she even agreed to come with me. I guess everything will reveal itself.
As we made our way to the bleachers, I saw the cheerleaders practicing. Among them was Jocelyn. She was not the best cheerleader, hell, she was not even the best looking. But her technique was great and she had a certain grace to her that was liked by many. That's why she's co-captain on the team.
I found myself staring at her. Then I felt someone staring at me while I stared at her. I turned and Jessica was looking at me. The expression on her face was hard to make out. She was just looking at me.
"You should join." I said to her jokingly. I was trying to play it off because I knew she saw me staring at cheerleaders.
Jessica just rolled her eyes and kept walking. Was she mad? I had no idea. She could be very hard to read sometimes…most of the time.
We made it to the bleachers. I was surprised to see a lot of open seats left. It's usually packed by now.
"You want to sit up top or down low or in the middle?" I asked Jessica.
"Wherever you want to sit, Ray." she responded.
I went to the top and she followed. I always sit at the top in the middle of the field if the seats are open. I just wanted to ask her to see if she had a preference. But she does not really like sports so I guess it was a dumb question on my part. I looked at the scoreboard. We had twenty five minutes before kickoff. What were we going to do before then? I looked at Jessica and she answered my question. She pulled a book out of her purse and started to read. I guess I'm by myself for the next half-hour.
The game had a slow start. It was a defensive battle in the first quarter. The score was 0-0. The second was a little more offense based. Riverside scored the first touchdown off a pick six. After that it was all Smith. We scored 3 touchdowns in five minutes. It went to halftime and the cheerleaders performed. Third quarter Smith got one more touchdown. Fourth quarter started and Riverside started to comeback by scoring two touchdowns in three minutes. It was now Three minutes left and the score was 28-21 Smith. Riverside had the ball.
The whole time I was into the game. I watched intently. I'm not a big external emotional guy, but in my head I was freaking out. This was a great game by both teams. We were expected to win by thirty because we are the more dominant team. In fact, Smith is projected to reach the Sectional Finals for the third time in five years. Second in a row. Last year we lost to Cramers High School. Last year we were made up of Juniors. This year returning Seniors. Getting back to the top shouldn't be a problem.
Riverside, however, was putting up a fight. We were about to blow them out, but they roared back into the game. This team has heart. I was shaking, sweating, praying that we would win this game.
I look to my left and see Jessica. She had the same expression since the start of the game. She was watching it, but she didn't seem excited. She also hasn't said a word since we've been here. Does this girl have a pulse? How can anyone not be into this game? Everyone was cheering except her. She was not into football that much. So why did she agree to come with me?
"AND THE BALL IS INTERCEPTED BY SMITH!!!"
The announcement took me out of my train of thought. I quickly turned back to the field. Riverside was inside our ten about to score. That just changed. Number 23, Christopher Raven, just picked the ball off in the end zone. He ran it out, and he is our fastest player. He was at the thirty in about 2 seconds it seemed. He was racing down the sidelines. The receiver on the opposite side had a great pursuit angle though. He was catching up to Chris, fast. I could see where they were going to meet which was our twenty yard line give or take. That's exactly what happened. Riverside's receiver lined up for a big tackle, however, Chris's start and stops is just as fast as him running forward. Chris stopped on a dime and juked inside. The receiver went flying out of bounds. Chris ran it in for a touchdown. 103 yards in 13 seconds.
"TOUCHDOWN DRAGONS!! THAT MIGHT DO IT. 103 YARD RETURN BY RAVEN!!"
The place went up in an uproar. Everyone jumped up and cheered. Even I got up. This was exciting. Jessica stood up and clapped. It looked like she did because she thought she was forced to not because she wanted to. I was not worried about her. This was a great game.
That score ended it. Smith stopped Riverside's final drive. The final was 35-21. Everyone started to leave. I Stayed a few minutes after to watch the coaches speech. After that the whole team huddled. I took a picture of It on my phone. I don't always take pictures, but I always stay after to watch the post game. It's a tradition to me. After that I got Jessica and we left.
A few minutes away from the school I started to talk to Jessica. She was bugging me all day. Not in a negative way, I just wanted to see what was wrong if anything.
"What's your thoughts on the game?" I asked her to start a conversation.
"It was good. Well played by both teams. Very intense." She responded.
"Wow. I didn't think you were paying attention."
"I was."
"Just did not seem like you were into the game."
"I was very much into the game. I just don���t get rowdy like everyone else. I just like to sit and watch."
"Oh." So she was into the game. She is kinda like me when I watch the game most of the time.
"You were sure into the game." She continued. "You were shaking. I'm pretty sure that was the first time I heard you yell."
"Yea. Well." I responded. I felt a little embarrassed.
"If you love the sport so much why didn't you play?" She asked.
"I want to, but I train for basketball in the summer. I'm planning to play my Senior though. It's a great sport."
"Yea. It is. What position do you play?"
"I would play receiver and Safety."
"Really? You could hit?"
"Yea. Why do you ask?"
"You look fragile." She laughed.
"That's messed up." I said. "I lift."
"Don't look like it."
She just kept laughing. I started laughing too. It was fun hanging out with her by myself. When it's just us two she seems different. Maybe I just see her differently. Whatever it is I like it. Plus she knew more about football then she led on. She said even though she doesn't love sports like most people she did watch from time to time with a friend she had in Tokyo. He kinda taught her about some of the sports he was into and football was one of them. I wonder why she held this information back when I was playing Madden with Dashaun. Maybe she just wasn't that comfortable yet. Which is understandable. No need to tell your whole life story to people you really just met. We talked about it all the way home. I was really impressed. To me, it was also attractive.
We got home. We entered the house still laughing.
"Seems like you two had a good time at the game." I heard my mom say. She was standing in the kitchen. "Who won?"
"We did. 35-21." I said.
"Yea. It was a great game." Jessica added.
"That's good. Your father is upstairs. Dinner will be ready in a half hour. Go wash up." My mom disappeared in the kitchen.
"I'm going to go wash up." Jessica said.
"I'm not." I said.
"Ew. You're such a boy." she giggled.
"What? I'm not dirty."
"Whatever." She started up the stairs and turned around. "Oh yea. I won't tell Dashaun."
"About what?" I asked. I was really curious. Was this about…
"That you still like Jocelyn." she said.
"What? How the hell you come up with that?"
"I saw you staring at her at the beginning of the game. And halftime. C'mon Ray."
"I was not. I looked once or twice."
"Okay Ray."
"Do. you have to keep bringing her up?"
She looked at me and said "Gomendasai Ray-san." She giggled. "Would you like to go to another game together?"
I stood there frozen. "Umm. Yea sure. Of course." I answered.
She smiled and started up the stairs. "Okay. Stop denying it, Ray. Hi Mr. Randel." My dad was behind her coming down the steps. Wonder if he heard that.
That may be the first time she said something in Japanese. It was the cutest thing I've ever heard. It had a sexy, provocative feel to it. Almost out of an anime really. The smile she did just completed it. I snapped out of it and went to the living room.
I sat on the couch. I just can't help, but wonder what kind of relationship we have. Does she like me? I honestly don't know. Maybe I'm too naive to say yes she does. Do I like her is actually a better question. Sometimes I feel like I do, but do I truly like her? That I do not know. I think the answer will come in time. These things you must be patient with. One thing is for sure, she thinks I like someone else. Yikes.