Now, I'm not one for school spirit, but I must say that my school knows how to throw a pep rally. Our cheer squad is fierce today, and since I know one of the cheerleaders now, I feel that much more peppy.
Penny and I applaud when Heather's thrown into the air. After a few twirls she sticks her landing. She waves back at us, shaking shimmery blue pompoms.
The crowd is deafening yet exhilarating all the same. Our mascot, Willy the Wolf kicks around balloons as he joins the cheerleaders on the floor. They do the latest dances, and he breaks out a few signature moves of his own.
The music changes, and the lights go dim momentarily. The cheerleaders move aside. Football players rush in through the double doors of our gym. Stomping from the stands startles me, but not as much as Penny screaming into my ear.
I recognize Matt from his jersey number four, but without that they'd all look the same to me. All tall and athletically built. Dan pulls off his helmet and a few girls whistle.
The players do a little relay race against some teachers, not bothering to hold back. Shooting, hula hooping, and potato sack contests keep us entertained until the final bell rings. Confetti drops onto the court before our principal dismisses us for the day.
I swing my bag over my shoulder, and follow behind Penny. We meet up with Matt and Heather. He tells us to be ready before six, so that he can be early for the game tomorrow.
I stifle a laugh. The shoulder pads and cleats seem too serious on him.
"What's so funny?" he asks, eyeing his jersey.
Penny reads my mind. "It's the jock fit."
He grins, clearing his throat. "Yeah, it's a little tight," he says, admittedly.
"I'm not complaining." Heather wraps her arms around his waist.
He hangs one around her shoulder, kissing her forehead. "Somebody appreciates a man in uniform."
"My guy has a uniform," I say.
Penny nods. "Same."
"Yours just makes you look like a transformer."
Penny and Heather fight their smiles.
"Are you trying to get a ride?" he says, warning me.
"That's kind of your thing isn't it, Optimus Prime?"
I laugh, running for the hills before he can catch me.
~
Penny declines a blow pop. We're waiting on the steps of my porch. Her hair is tied with a red ribbon into a high puff, and her cheeks are each smeared with a line of sparkling red paint. Her eyelids and lips are a glittery dark blue. She's wearing a school shirt, plain jeans, and heels of course. She lives for these moments.
I'm talked into letting her put some paint on my cheeks too, but that's as far as I'll go. I simply won't pretend to care that much.
"I had to beg my parents to come out tonight." She pouts, lifting a leg to check her shoes. "These match right? The ones that I wanted were on the top shelf. My dad was at work, and I couldn't call Matt."
"They're fine."
It'll be dark soon. The sky is fading into a deep blue, and the sun is kissing the trees.
"Anyway, I love my little bro's, but I'm like the third parent. And they're so much work, Rose."
"It's that bad?"
"They cry at the same time every night." She leans closer, eyes wide. "They pee while you're changing them. You put one to sleep, the other wakes up. You feed one, the other is hungry. I'm losing my mind!"
"Point taken."
She leans back. "At this rate, I should be getting paid."
Matt pulls up and we hop in the backseat. It's weird having Penny beside me. Heather sits upfront, checking herself in the mirror. She's all razzle dazzle in her cheer uniform and hair bow.
Penny looks deep in thought, and doesn't seem to mind the new seating arrangement. I don't have any siblings and Matt has an older sister, so we can't relate to diaper changes and toys cluttering the floor.
"I swear, Ashley better pull herself together. One more slip up, and she's off of the team. Did you see how she almost dropped me yesterday?" She digs through her makeup purse until she finds some red eyeliner.
"Uh huh," Matt says. His eyes flick to the mirror ever so often. "They should-I mean you should definitely talk to her."
"Exactly! I hate to be the bad guy, but someone could get hurt." She holds an eye steady, giving herself a wing.
He nods, vaguely agreeing.
"That frown doesn't match your outfit," he says to Penny, watching her in the rear view mirror.
She stops staring out of the window. "Hmm? Oh, sorry. It's just nice not to hear babies screaming. I'm enjoying all of the quiet that I can get." She smiles for the first time tonight.
"Like I said before, I don't mind babysitting."
It's subtle, but Heather's finger pauses before continuing to shape her eyebrow.
"I appreciate that, but it's a lot. I wouldn't ask my worst enemy, let alone my best friend."
"It's easy. You just give them a tablet and...I'm totally kidding." He retracts when she raises a brow. "I mean read to them. Anyway, if you're there with me, how hard could it be?" He shrugs.
"Not so hard, I guess." Her grin hasn't left. "Okay, but you're free to quit anytime."
"Just give him Princeton," I say. "He's the calm one."
"Not anymore." She sighs. "You give a person one dimple, and they forget how to act."
"Can you blame him? Dimples are way cute." I rub my cheeks wishfully.
Matt nods. "Very true."
"It takes a lot to be this humble," she says, jokingly.
Heather laughs with us, but it doesn't reach her hazel eyes. I suppose it's because she's fairly new, and may feel out of place.
We park at the back of the school since it's closer to the gym. It's dark, but the lights from the stadium shine bright on the field. The dim parking lot lights do more bug attracting than anything else.
They leave to be with their teams. Penny and I walk to the bleachers, texting Ben and AJ where we'll be seated.
"What time do the concession stands open?" I ask.
"The game starts at seven-thirty, so maybe seven?" she says.
I check my phone and sigh. We have another hour before then. "I'll try the vending machines. You want anything?"
"I can come with you."
"They're on their way. You can save our seats."
She agrees and gets comfortable. "Water is fine."
I hold onto the metal railing for support and walk down, afraid to miss a step. I don't know how she lives in heels.
It's not a long walk to the vending machines, since they're outside of the gym. I fish out some singles after settling on chips and water. The approaching sound of quick feet startles me.
"Don't scare me like that!" I clutch my beating chest.
Dan laughs, but apologizes. He's not in uniform. My guess is that he's running late to the locker room.
"You're never on time."
He shrugs. "Somebody's gotta be last."
"What an astounding aphorism." I roll my eyes, grabbing my snacks out of the machine. "Anyway, good luck at the game."
"Thanks. Maybe I'll see you after?" His tone is friendly, not flirtatious.
Regardless, I'm not in the mood.
"Yeah, maybe." I lie, passing him by.
He says something else, but I don't catch it over the sound of the gym doors closing.
To my surprise everybody's eating, and not the concession stand junk either.
"You mean I did that for nothing?"
Ben lets me in. "Not for nothing. Now we have water."
"My dad whipped up something for us." AJ's cheeks are stuffed.
It smells amazing, and I don't hesitate when he hands me mine.
"What is it?" I moan from the first bite.
"Bacalaítos."
Penny swoons at his accent.
"It's just fried codfish fritters." He chuckles.
"You're dramatic." I say to her. "No offense."
He shrugs. "None taken."
Ben leans into my ear, but we can all hear him. "¿Te gusta?"
My eyes widen, but it's AJ who speaks.
"¿Hablas español?"
"Bastante," he says, nodding over to me. "Para las señoras."
They roar in laughter, reaching across to pound fists. We try not to drool as they go back and forth.
Point taken, I text her.
The stands are packed when we finish eating, and I'm forced to give up my leg space. Before long, the game kicks off. Sports were never my thing, but Ben gives me a few pointers. Without him, I'd just be watching the scoreboard.
We lead by seven points after our wide receiver scores a touch down and a PAT. Our rivals, The Grizzlies, pick up the pace. By first quarter they've got six points on the board.
The cheerleaders come out and give a few selections similar to the ones they did yesterday. They've incorporated more splits and flips, and the crowd eats it up.
I get bored halfway through the second quarter, and take pictures with my phone. I get a good one of Matt catching a spiral mid air. He leaves two players in the dust, leaping over an opponent before scoring a touchdown! He's our second wide receiver, and that helps to make the game a little more interesting for me.
Night presses on until it's warm and dark with the exception of blinding stadium lights. It's fourth quarter now, and I've been dozing off on poor Ben's shoulder. I do my fair share of complaining about the bugs and school band.
Our school leads by over twenty points in the last three minutes of the game. We get up before it ends and stretch, leaving for the parking lot.
"We really could've left during third quarter."
I get some nods of agreement.
"Yeah, they haven't won against us in four years anyway. They're on a losing streak," AJ says.
"They have a new coach," Ben explains.
Penny grins at me when they go on about sports. "So, they speak three languages." She's leaning against AJ's car.
Ben unlocks his car, opening the door for me. "You guys feel like hanging at the diner?" He slides into the driver's seat.
Music and cold air blasts when he starts up the car. It's a relief from the sticky warm air.
"I'm in. What do you say, babe?" AJ asks.
We all agree, and I text Matt on where to meet us.
~
"I know how to cook too, you know?" Ben says, looking over the menu.
I grin. "Is that right?"
The retro diner is colored blue and white, and almost empty. Just another couple, and a loner in the back. The floors are black and white checker board patterned, and the ceiling is outlined by hot pink neon lights. Old Coca-Cola logos and posters of rock stars clutter the walls. An autographed Jimmy Hendrix photo hangs above us.
"I'll cook for you one day."
I shrug. "Show me, don't tell me."
A few winces come from the table, making me laugh.
"Oh, it's like that? And I was just about to ask if you wanted to-You know what? Never mind." He waves off the thought, instead smiling at his menu.
I give in. "About to what?"
My mind wonders on what he has planned. With him I can never tell. One day it's horse back riding, the next it's four wheelers, or joining him downtown to draw caricature art.
He leans close, smiling like we're the only ones here. My heart flutters.
"I have orchestra seats to a play. It's a few weeks from now if you all want to join?" he asks, looking to the others.
"That sounds pricey," I say. I know he can afford it, but I don't feel comfortable accepting expensive gifts.
"We know the family who owns the theater. They give us free tickets."
"Which play is it?" Heather asks. She's wrapped in Matt's arms.
"And is it formal?" Penny asks.
"Very formal. Pride and Prejudice." He goes back to his menu before deciding on the midnight burger special.
I still can't decide what I want yet.
"If Penny wants to go, I'm down for it," AJ says, touching foreheads with her.
Matt looks to Heather and nods. "Same."
"Great," Ben says. "Can you pass the salt?"