Head Over Heels

Chapter 24-End of the Line for the Bulldogs

Three weeks have gone by since I met with Tyler for coffee. Since then, life has gotten back to normal. Or at least whatever this new normal is. I still have a dull ache in my heart that misses Tyler, I'm realizing it may never fully go away. It feels sort of like a scar that healed over leaving a visible reminder in its place. Either way, I'm pushing past whatever remaining pain I have in my heart and forcing myself to enjoy Junior year again.

Hanging with the girls and cheering has kept me busy and distracted. Payton's ankle is back to normal yet she still insists on sitting some stunts out at games just so I have to go in for her. That girl loves to push me out of my comfort zone. I know she does it out of love though, so I allow it.

Speaking of games, by some miracle the Bulldogs are still in the running for the State Title. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a huge relief that their season didn't end early while Tyler was benched. They might have barely squeaked by but they did it and that's what matters. Tonight will be Tyler's first game back since the suspension. If they can pull off the W tonight, the Bulldogs are only 2 games away from the Title.

*****

"I'm all for our boys making a run for the championship obvi so don't get me wrong when I say this..... But anyone else ready for football season to be over with?! It's just too freaking cold out to be cheering for three hours each Friday Night." Kelly dramatically shivers as we throw our cheer bags down on the track.

She's not wrong. It's November now and the temperature this evening is an unforgiving high of 34 degrees. With the wind though it feels more like 20 degrees.

"You guys definitely left this part out when you convinced me to join the team." I joke.

I'm wearing two pairs of leggings under my warm up pants, three shirts under my cheer jacket, gloves and a beanie on my head, but I'm still going numb.

"Oh come on. I know it's freezing and we would all much rather be sitting in my hot tub or doing anything else that doesn't require turning into human popsicles.....but if you really had a choice, would you choose to be somewhere else?" Payton asks us.

"Noooo" We all groan back in unison.

"You're right, Mother Payton." Rachel's tone mocking. "We will always choose to support our Bulldogs. Sometimes I just wish we lived in Arizona instead of Michigan while we did it."

"At least after tonight's game, if the boys move on, the championship game is played inside Ford Field so we won't have to freeze to death." Claire adds with optimism.

"Speaking of your hot tub Pay, you're inviting us all over to jump in after this game is over right?" Kelly raises her eyebrow in question.

"Duh!" Is Payton's only response.

Up until now I've purposely been avoiding Payton's house in fear of seeing Tyler there. The girls and I never talked about it out loud but it's like they knew without me saying anything. We haven't hung out at the Johnson's since Homecoming which isn't normal for us. Instead, we go to a coffee shop or to Kelly's house when we are together. I know my fears are a bit silly at this point but none of them have tried to push me until I'm ready.

"You ok with that Lila?"

Payton asks me quietly so not everyone else can hear. It's like she can read my thoughts.

"Umm....yeah. That sounds really nice actually."

It finally feels alright to go back to their house. I'm ready.

"Good, because you know you're always welcome at my house. My parents have even been asking about you lately. They miss you."

"Thanks Pay, and I know. You always have my back. This whole situation between Tyler and I couldn't have been easy for you to navigate but you were seriously a major part of making me feel whole again. I think I'm finally past the worst of it and that's thanks largely to you."