The New Experience

Chapter 12

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, Roy" 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?