short crush / love stories

A football game (Owen nd Riley)

POV: Riley

It was the boys' senior night. And I was so rude to Owen. I didn't mean what I said. And I can't tell him that at all. Because he wasn't having it. Which I deserved.

I was being defensive. I was hurt and then I realized he was trying to tell me that I was faking everything. Myself.

I still wanted to go to his game. He needed a sign for the game and had nobody to do it. I felt so bad. So I volunteered to do it.

It was supposed to be really motivating. I guess each girlfriend is supposed to write stuff about their boyfriend and it was a poster. They would decorate it, etc and put it on a poster. Then, they would put it on the fence below the bleachers, each player in order. Most of the girlfriends did it. But, Owen didn't have a girlfriend.

I didn't feel bad that he didn't have one, I was the only girl he would talk to and I guess open himself up. But I ruined it. And I felt so bad.

He always told me he was going to hate this senior night, because he knew he was forced to be one of those guys who didn't have girlfriends, so their mom would do everything instead.

I called his mom and told her I would do it. Just to not tell Owen. It was going to be a big surprise.

The girls were supposed to run to the guys with flowers, after their name was announced. Some guys don't care, and take it as seriously, I would wonder if Owen would. Or maybe forgive me. I didn't know if I was going to give him flowers or what.

I watched all of his games, before, for him, my best friend, and I guess Connor. To be honest, I really liked Owen, but I didn't want to be heartbroken. So I made it easy and did Connor. And try to impress Owen. Which I guess I did, but never realized it. And every time I would make myself hotter. And hotter.

I wanted to deny I liked Owen because he wasn't like the guys I liked. I was being so stupid and like the other people who bullied me: shallow. Owen treated me so kindly and soft like I was fragile and I wanted that.

After school, I started on the sign and did my math homework at the same time. I wrote Owen in my handwriting, and his numbers, printing and picking out some good and funny pictures for him.

My heart stopped. I looked at what his mom sent me, and it was him holding a football when he was younger. I started to blush. My stomach was filled with butterflies. And then next, he was in a suit with Connor, and I couldn't take it. He was dressed nicely and weirdly said I could smell his cologne in the picture.

I start to decorate and write stuff. I go all out. Big teddy bear. <3 Hot. Giraffe. Accepting and caring. Loving. Best runningback in the state. My favorite dumbass. Heart of gold. Humor and can always have a fun time. Great leader on the field and an amazing teacher. Patience.

I write something by itself:

Owen has always cared for anybody, no matter how much of an asshole somebody has been. He has a great passion for football. He succeeds well in anything he does. The best thing I admire about him is his heart. It drives me crazy. He can never be mean to anybody.

--Riley

I start to blush again. Oh god what is he going to say about this. Oh lord. What if he doesn't accept it? My nerves get high and I'm not aware of what to do.

5:30.PM.

OH God. I need to be at the field in 30 minutes! I try to get my best makeup on and a dress. Owen's favorite color? Blue. I look at a blue dress with butterflies. I knew this is what he would like...

.......

POV: Owen

I was changing into my uniform in the locker room. I was going to be embarrassed my senior night, and I knew it. My mom was going to run like a weirdo and hug and kiss me like I've gotten out of war. It was going to be terrible, and I didn't need that.

"You ready?" Connor asked, "Because I am...wonder which girl fought over me to make a sign?"

"I'm not-I know it's going to be my mom." I sigh.

"You know I saw Riley right before I came here."

My ears perk. "And?"

"She was wearing a blue dress with butterflies. Definitely not my style, so if I get her I'll be disappointed."

I love that dress. She's worn it on multiple occasions, after I told her she looked nice in it. If she did it for Connor, this would be all disappointing.

"I mean, for one it was too long, not showing any curves,"

I ignored him.

"I mean. We can know by the signs. They shield the girls from us so we don't know. But you would know if it was your mom, a girl who didn't care, or her. Right?"

"Yeah, I mean, let's check." I say.

While the parents were in the bleachers, we saw the signs. Connor was disappointed in his. I tried to look for mine, I was one of the big numbers. My number was 78. They were spaced out, so we had to walk more.

"I can't believe I got Jennifer. She was a one night stand who couldn't even read. Dumb as a board. Who did that. My sign was so boring--"

I saw my sign. Owen Kurt. I was so surprised. This wasn't the dealings of my mom. No, it was Riley. I blushed. It was everything I wanted. Everything. But the question was, did she mean this?

"What the fuck?" Connor was jealous, "You got a hot girl AND a good sign?!"

I smiled. "I'm so pumped for this night."

....................

I knew what happened when I waited for my name to call. For me, it was more of a surprise than the other guys, because the girl who was going to run out could be my crush. Or she could be my mom and I was fooled in a fantasy.

The girls came out from our tunnel. Connor was number 1 as our quarterback. Lansing was 2, our wide receiver. Jack was 15 at cornerback. Rick was number 30, our tight end. Rick was bigger than me, but smaller.

I was imagining it. Them calling my name. She running out. God. All the seniors last year would joke that the tradition would be embarrassing for me. But what if it wasn't.

They were starting it.

"Today, we would like to continue our tradition with the seniors for senior night. And today we are breaking stereotypes," our announcer was foreshadowing, "We at CMHS love this tradition and in this year we have no parents or family walking out. Sorry moms and dads."

I started to get nervous. Oh my fucking god. It's not my mom.

"These seniors worked their asses off: we have at number 1 acclaimed quarterback: Connor Lehotsky, going to University of Dayton..."

I didn't really care much for the rest of the guys, but I did notice something different. Rich had a guy run out. Wow. I was proud that he was able to come out and have the same tradition we all could have.

Now, it was my turn.

"Number 78, our big tough running back: Owen Kurt," I step forward. "going to Illinois State University, on a scholarship!"

"He is a leader and loves to help people, including Riley...who he helped with an acl tear..."

I wait. And I don't see my mom. My dad. My cousin. My sister. Nope. I see a small beautiful girl run out. And she's got a teddy bear for me. Oh my fucking god.

It's when it flashed in my head. Big teddy bear on the poster. She runs to me and hugs me. I take sense of her perfume and the beautiful dress she has on. I can see shes shaking, but she kisses me softly on the cheek.

"You look beautiful tonight." I pause. "Thank you for all of this."

The hug seems like it's so long.

"I'm sorry." she says, "I didn't mean what I said..."

"We can talk about this later Ry."

"Kick their asses," she says while she kisses me on the cheek again, "You got this and you are going to get some goals!" She jokes.

I laugh. This will be a day to remember.