What Once Was

(5) Stole My Heart

"Under the lights tonight."
-One Direction

I found Lacey in the student section. She smiled warmly at me as I sat beside her. Lacey is one of the only people I have ever felt like they genuinely cared. A lot of people usually use me and are fake because of my dad, but Lacey has never been that way. I don't even think she understands what the NFL is, so I doubt I'll ever have to worry about her.

Long story short, Lacey and I have grown up playing soccer together, but we were always on opposing teams so we never really met. Finally, in high school, we met through volleyball and are now great friends.

"Where have you been?" she asked with a knowing smile.

"I needed to find a first aid kit. I guess the one they have now is out of date and does not meet the requirements," I said.

"Okay, I was expecting more detail. Why were you with Ryder James!?" she asked rather loudly.

I held up a finger to my lips. "We literally met on Monday. My mom sent us to get the first aid kit. How did you know I was with him?"

"Your mom was filling me in about how you're all blushy-blushy any time he is around."

I groaned. "That's a lie! You would get flustered too if a football player was standing next to you."

"Bad excuse, Ains. I'm surprised you aren't wearing his jersey."

"Stop! We aren't even friends!"

"Mhm. Whatever you say," she said with a smile, and just as Emerson, one of the cheerleaders, began to wave at me.

"Ainsley, come here!" she called.

I gave Lacey the stink eye as I climbed down the bleachers and to Emerson, who stood on the track. She held onto a jacket and she handed it to me. "It's from Carew. He wants you to wear it," she explained.

I held up the jacket. It was his lettermen. Why does Carew want me to wear his jacket? He's talked to me like twice.

Usually the boys give their letterman jackets or jerseys to their girlfriends to wear at the games. It is a cute tradition, but Carew, really? He has a reputation for being a player.

"Tell him I said thanks."

I made my way back to Lacey, who was wearing a big grin. "Is that Ryder's?!"

"No. It's Carew's," I responded as I draped it over my lap.

"You have all the guys after you!"

I shrugged. "Not necessarily a good thing when my dad coaches them. He would be at their throats if he found out one even dared to lay a hand on me."

"And that's exactly why you set Lacey and me up with them," said Katie as she flopped down on the other side of me. "I was snapping Ryder just a minute ago. He looks so good in uniform!"

I ignored her and kept talking to Lacey while we waited for the JV game to end.

When it finally did end, cheers erupted from the bleachers across the field because the other team won 27-7. Nothing new, though.

"How bad of a loss do you think we'll take today?" asked Lacey as the cheerleaders formed a tunnel for the football players to run though.

I shrugged. My dad was hopeful but the team has always sucked, so I was not very confident. They lose so much that it's almost like they are jinxed.

The band began to play and the players sprinted onto the field. The parents were really the only ones to cheer as they launched into an organized warm-up. My dad and the other coaches walked onto the field and cheers erupted for them.