Tackled

Chapter 3

"You were talking with Lincoln Jacobs! He walked you to your car!" Whitney was freaking out.

"Yeah. What's the big deal?" Of course I knew what the big deal was. "He just wanted to ask me if I wanted to hang out with him. Then I told him that I would ask my dad if it was okay if he came over Sunday to watch the game."

"Oh my god." She gave me that look. The look that says you like him. "You like him don't you? What are you going to tell your brothers? What is William going to say? You know he's very protective of you."

"I know. I remember seventh grade football tryouts every time I'm out on that field. I'll probably just tell him I invited a friend over to watch the game."

"Ads, you know that's not going to cut it for him. You have to tell him the truth."

"That is the truth." It was the truth, just not the whole truth. But what was I going to say, I have a crush on the team's new quarter back and he's coming over to watch the game with us on Sunday?

"Okay. But it's going to have to come out sooner or later. And you know that too. If I was you, I would just tell him the next I saw him." She had that motherly tone. I really hated that tone because she's always right when she uses it.

***

We finally pulled into the driveway of my house, grabbed our bags out of the back, and headed inside. When we walked inside, we removed our shoes, and headed into the kitchen for a snack only to find William sitting at the kitchen counter.

"Hey, there's Adeline. How was practice? Score any touchdowns? Who am I kidding, of course you did." He was in a good mood. I didn't want to ruin that by telling him about Lincoln. "Hey Whitney. What's new?"

And then it all came out. "Adeline has a crush on the new kid at school and he's coming over on Sunday to watch the football game, if your dad says yes." She said it so fast, it was hard to understand what she was saying. It was all just one big jumble.

"Whitney!" Now I was going to have to tell him. I could see on William's face that he was stunned and a little confused. He didn't know what to do. And neither did I.

Whitney turned to look at me. "I think I'm gonna go now. I'll see you at school tomorrow Ads." Then she escorted herself out, leaving William and I alone to talk.

"Nice to see you again Whitney. I'll see you Sunday." William shouted to Whitney as she was leaving. Then he looked back at me. For once, I couldn't read his face, and that couldn't be a good sign. "So, you have a crush?"

"I wouldn't call it a crush." I didn't know what else to say. I figured that he would continue to ask questions and then I would continue to give him answers. That way, I didn't have to say anymore than I had to.

"What's his name?" He was quiet, like he was trying not to show something. He wasn't making contact with me, instead he was looking at the dark wood floors.

"Lincoln. Jacobs."

"Does he play football? What position?"

"Quarter back." I wasn't making eye contact either. I was to scared too, we both were. This was new for us. I had never liked anyone before, let alone talked to my big brother about it.

"Come with me." He stood up, took my hand, and lead me downstairs. Alone. Once we were down the steps and situated on one of the couches, he spoke again, still quiet. "Why didn't you just tell me Ads?"