For the Streets

Fourteen

"Ugh, I should've ate before we left." My mom groaned.

I laughed, pulling out my compact mirror. "I told you."

My mom and I were on our way to Charlottesville to see this UVA vs Virginia Tech football game. It was the day after Thanksgiving, meaning my break from classes was coming to a close.

Being home for break was weird, but not a complete nightmare. My mom and I spent a lot of time together, and she made it clear she would do anything to mend our relationship. I really did miss her, and it was nice to see that she was trying, but a part of me I couldn't comprehend still felt off around her.

"What time is it?" She asked me.

I checked my phone. "A little after 1:30. The game starts at 3."

"Do you think we have time to stop? I don't wanna pay a bunch of money for concessions."

I nodded, reading the GPS. "We're about 15 minutes away from the stadium. We'll make it."

"Good, cuz I'm craving french fries."

We spent the last portion of our drive enjoying my mom's music and talking. After stopping to get my mom a large fry and cup of water from McDonald's, we pulled into a parking spot not too far from the stadium. My mom quickly inhaled those fries and washed it down with her water. Once she was ready, we stepped out of the vehicle. The weather was just as cold as I had expected, and I was thankful I'd been prepared. I put on my gloves and Virginia Tech ear warmers, then grabbed my blanket, phone, and wallet.

"You good, momma?"

She nodded with a smirk. "You look like such a football girlfriend."

I rolled my eyes, "let's go."

We walked up to one of the gates and waited patiently in line. After several minutes, it was our turn to get our tickets scanned. We went through the process with no issues, and then my mom proceeded to call her sister.

"Ruth... yeah, we're here. We came through gate 7... y'all are seated where? The hell is that? Okay, okay... we'll be there. See you soon."

My mom hung up with an annoyed facial expression. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"They're making Tech fans sit on some hill."

"The hill?" Logan had told me about 'the hill' before Thanksgiving break. It was literally just that-- a hill. While three-fourths of the stadium had proper seating, Scott Stadium had the fourth 'wall' simply as a steep hill for spectators to sit. I thought it was so ugly-- it looked like they couldn't afford to finish the stadium.

I fought back a gag in realization that I was definitely being biased. UVA and Virginia Tech had a long history of rivalry, especially during football season. I never cared about it before, but now that I had a boyfriend on the team... I couldn't help but hate on our opposers a little.

"Your aunt and uncle have blankets for us to sit on, so our clothes don't get dirty." I nodded at her words.

We followed a few other fans from my college to where the entrance to the hill was. We thankfully found our relatives with ease, taking careful steps along the dirt.

My mom then walked behind her sister and tapped her on the shoulder. My Aunt Ruth stopped whatever she was saying, as she, her husband, and son turned to look at us. Their eyes brightened.

"Esther! Deja!"

Everyone soon became engulfed in hugs. I noticed my mom wipe a tear as happiness overcame her. A part of me was emotional as well, but crying was something I hadn't done in a long time. I had no plans to start then.