Once Charlie had made it to the bottom of the stands he saw a few students pushing water jugs behind the football players. Then his eyes drifted to a nearby metal bench where he saw a full, orange water bottle holder. He lowered his head and moved quickly to grab it and followed the students pushing the jug.
Together the clump moved towards the back of the school. Many of the football players were walking silently, dragging their feet in their cleats and letting their sweat drip down the side of their faces. A few were mumbling to each other and the rare few were laughing and pushing each other. From the back it was hard for Charlie to see Gray but as the large clump moved there would be moments where the players would all sway and this was when he would catch sight of Gray who was walking silently at the front.
From the front Charlie heard a metal door squeaking open, then a loud bang followed by another long squeak. The coaches had opened the doors to the locker room and the players were walking inside but the students pushing the jug continued to walk straight.
"Hey where does this go?" Charlie asked no one in particular.
One of the students in front of him turned around and he showed them the water bottle holder. "Follow the jocks an' right before the lockers there'll be a storage room, put 'em there but make sure you empty 'em first," said one of the students in a low voice.
Charlie nodded and followed the players inside. The hallway he had entered was strangely bland. It was made of gray concrete with no posters, color or items of interest. The floor of the hallway had been coated in a special material that made it shine when the light from above hit it. As Charlie followed the group through the dull passage he eventually saw windows lined with chicken wire and blue doors next to them. One of the coaches pushed past him and opened a door, going inside and flicking the light on to reveal a small office. He then heard a grunt followed by the squeaking of a chair and a deep sigh.
Charlie turned his attention ahead and saw the end of the hallway. It opened up into a large locker room full of blue lockers. From the distance Charlie could make out wooden benches and a shower area in the far back. Right before it, like the student had said, was a large wooden door. It had a silver office sign on the front of it that read 'storage'.
With a twist of the handle Charlie had made it inside. Once he flicked the light on he saw that the room was full of pads, helmets, footballs and other sports equipment. Large silver shelves lined the walls and each row was full to the point of overflowing. Charlie waded through the equipment until he found a shelf full of similarly orange water bottle holders and pushed the one in his hand against the ones on the shelf. As he did he heard something slip and fall with a plastic clang.
He took a few steps backwards and assessed the area around the shelf and saw no change. With a shrug he left the room. As he opened the door he saw Gray walking towards him. Charlie realized he had always heard of Gray's name or seen him from a distance but never from close up. Gray's hair was blonde but looked more yellow, as if he'd dyed it. His hairstyle resembled that of the boy, only Gray parted his short hair in a spiky comb-over. He had blue eyes, like the boy he had met on the stands only Gray's looked calmer and more inviting. Gray's frame was large, he stood two heads taller than Charlie and with his broad shoulders he looked twice as wide. He had a sharp jawline and with each step he took Charlie could see the muscles bulging in his legs. He had changed into a maroon hoodie and gray shorts with his slim school bag over his back and his football bag slunk onto his shoulder.
As he walked by Charlie said, "Gray."
Gray continued to walk. His eyes slid to look at the small person to his right but he didn't stop.
"Gray," Charlie said again.
"What?" he said as he continued towards the exit.
"I wanna talk to you," Charlie remained standing where he was.
"Not gonna happen," Gray went to push the door open.
"I have answers to the quiz Mr. Liev is gonna give tomorrow."
Gray stopped. He gave the door a slight push before walking back hurriedly towards Charlie.
"Make it quick, I have some film to study," he had moved in close. His nose was nearly on top of Charlie's head and his chest was directly in front of him.
Charlie looked at Gray's chest and nodded, "follow me then." He turned and walked towards the door with Gray close behind him.
Whe Charlie opened the door he was surprised to see the sky had changed to a deep purple. A cold wind blew past him, leading him to button up his red and black shirt. He then walked towards the stadium as the large field lights came on. Once his feet touched the turf he turned around to look at Gray who had pulled his hood over his head and tucked his hands into his hoodie's pocket.
"Cold?" Charlie asked.
"Just say what you want to say already," Gray had hunched forwards and bounced up and down with his knees.
"Are you dating anyone right now?" Charlie asked.
"Huh?" Gray furrowed his brow and twisted his head.
"Are you dating anyone right now?" Charlie enunciated his words this time, giving each one weight.
Gray scoffed before raising his head towards the lights. He licked his canine's with his tongue as he turned around and looked at Charlie with his eyebrows raised and annoyance dancing across his lips. "Is that what you called me all the way out here to ask?"
Charlie pushed his bottom lip upwards pressing his lips together for a moment before relaxing it. "It's only the opener, well are you?" Charlie explained.
Gray took a deep breath and making his annoyance all too clear he said, "No, I'm not dating anyone."
Charlie pushed up his glasses, "do you want to date someone?"
Gray took a step back, pulled out his hand and sighed, "look man, I just got out of a relationship," he motioned to the field, "I'm the starting quarterback here," he flattened his hand and pressed it sideways against his chest, "and we're in playoffs." He turned around and started making his way towards the exit before stopping and walking back.
"Answers," he showed Charlie his hand.
Charlie pulled out his phone and placed a dial pad in his hand, "number."
Gray groaned as he dialed his number and called it for a second before hanging up. He handed the phone back to Charlie who tapped the screen a few times before putting it into his pocket. A second later Gray's phone buzzed. When he pulled it out and opened it he saw the answers. A half smile formed on his face as he turned around and walked away.
Charlie pushed his hands into his pockets and looked up at the blackened sky. The stars were hidden by the clouds and the moon was nowhere to be seen. He breathed deeply as he realized how difficult of a situation he had gotten himself into.
"For them," he said to himself, "for them."
***
The next day, after Mr. Liev's class Charlie moved to stand with his friends, this time standing so that he could see the entirety of the commons. Around him his friends laughed and joked with one another but his mind was elsewhere, his eyes were glued to Gray. He watched as Gray laughed when his football friends slapped his shoulders and he touched his temples with both fingers making them laugh in return.
Charlie's eyes then drifted away to Chandler. She was surrounded by her friends but despite that she had her eyes glued to Gray. Every few moments she would look away to make sure she wasn't being obvious but she would always return to the same position. Feet and shoulders facing the direction of Gray despite her turning her head to look around.
The bell rang for the passing period to end and the clumps of students began to disperse slowly. Charlie smiled and waved by to his friends before heading towards the center of the commons.
As he walked away Annie watched him. Something about him had changed in the last few days. She wasn't sure what had happened but the way he acted reminded her of the old Charlie. She looked down at her feet for a moment before following her friends. There was a small joy in her heart that she kept to herself.
"Rooftop," Charlie said once he was close enough to Chandler.
She looked at him and watched as he walked past her, neither reacting nor responding.
***
"What," Chandler said as she crawled through the window.
"Gray just got out of a relationship and isn't really looking to get into a new one," Charlie leaned on the fences and stared at the swarm of students and faculty below.
Chandler walked towards him, the crunching beneath her feet was steady and getting louder as she grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.
"I don't care, just get him to ask me out." Chandler glared at him.
Charlie fixed his blue and black flannel shirt before settling himself down comfortably against the railing once again, this time facing Chandler.
"Forcing relationships isn't really my thing, you know."
Chandler scoffed. She shifted her weight from her left leg to her right leg and back. She continued to do this as she placed her hands on her hip and let a devious smile appear on her lips.
"I looked into your friends," she said as she held up her index finger, "Nathan Kelly is a varsity basketball player and already a two-star recruit despite being a junior, even with a cheating accusation he'll be fine getting into whatever college he wants," she raised her middle finger to join her index, "Jack Guo isn't planning on going to college, his father runs a few local business' here and since he's an only child he'll be joining him and taking over the business," Chandler raised her ring finger, "Chloe Keita is an exceptional artist and already works with a few existing game design companies, college isn't necessary for her either but," she shook her pinky, "Annie Duval doesn't have anything going for her."
Charlie's face hardened.
"Who told you about the cheating accusation?" Charlie asked.
Chandler smiled and shrugged her shoulders, "you're not the only one who can do their homework."
"Your mom let you read their records," Charlie looked down at his feet and grabbed the fence behind him with his hands, slowly squeezing it.
"I can be very convincing you know, and since everyone's vary of you because of the cheating accusations no one will believe you," she swayed her hips happily.
"So we're back to square one, I have to help you to wipe her record."
"No and yes, " as she approached him the gravel beneath her feet crunched slowly and painfully.
Once she was an arms length away she spoke in a light whisper, "if you don't help us get together, I'll make up another lie and add another academic charge onto Annie Duval's record, that way even community college's won't accept her."
"Who knows, maybe she might even," Chandler curled her fingers around an invisible rope next to her neck and raised it high while tilting her head and sticking her tongue out.
Charlie pushed himself off the fence with a jerk and stomped in front of Chandler. Startled, Chandler took a few steps backwards, her mouth shrunk and her eyes widened slightly.
"I'll get you two together, so start clearing her record," Charlie said as he walked past her.