Wide Open

f i f t y n i n e

My body is the first to react after the sound of the hike. It's automatic. Like running this route is no different than breathing. My legs carry me faster and faster, picking up more speed by the second. My torso navigates me, leading me up and through two defenders. I reach out an arm, stiffening them away from me to avoid their attempted tackle.

The yards add up quickly.

Ten...Twenty...Thirty...Forty...

And at the right moment, I twist my torso and extend my arms moments before the weight of the ball slides between my gloved hands. I was wide open. With no defenders close, I follow my path the rest of the way to the end zone. Only then do I slow to a jog, and then a complete stop.

I raise the ball in my hand high above my head before spiking it straight into the turf. When the rest of the offense runs to celebrate with me, I turn with purpose towards the stands on my right. Looking right to where I know my mom and sister are watching the game with Camryn.

Normally I'd look right into the camera. Just to let them know I see them too. It feels so damned good to know I don't have to do that today.

🏈🏈🏈

"Oh Camryn! You have just spoiled us this weekend!" My mom says, walking through the door I'm holding open for her.

Camryn grunts a soft laugh. "The cheesecake is pretty life changing."

"If I hadn't already sworn off ever getting remarried, I might just marry that steak."

"Did you hear that Zo? Mom wants to give us a new dad." Everyone laughs, and as all the women loop arms.

"What's the plan now?" The guys have been blowing up my phone since I left the locker room. It was the second week game in a row where we broke multiple records both as a team and individuals so the celebrations are bigger than normal tonight. I don't mind having a quiet night with my family though. I don't know when the next time we'll do this is, and if they'll ever be at another game in this city.

"Welllllll," Zoey begins, but I cut her off. "No."

"You don't even know what I'm going to say!"

"You'd just say it if you knew I wouldn't care," I shrug. "So whatever you're about to say. No."

"Tay.." My mom stops to look at me with puppy dog eyes that I brush off.

Zoey counters, "Mom already said I could."

"I'm exhausted," our mom adds. "I'm just going to go back and fall asleep. There's no reason all the young people should have to cut their nights short."

"Great. We'll all go back and watch a movie or something. I'm beat to shit, anyway."

Camryn has left her place in between my mom and sister, and is now nudging me with her hand. "C'mon Cowboy. Zoey wants to hangout with me and Alyssa. You can do whatever it is you do to celebrate a win."

🏈🏈🏈

I walked into the house with a case of beer in each hand after we somehow already went through the two cases I brought home after I left the dorms. After much protest, I dropped my sister and Camryn off at her dorm, and then took my mom back to the hotel. I tried to stay with her too, but she told me to have fun and then slammed the door in my face.

There are people scattered throughout the house, but I don't bother to stop and talk to anyone. Instead I head straight for the kitchen at the back of the house.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

Zoey is leaned against the counter in a too tight top and with a red solo cup in hand. I walk over to her, grab it and sniff. "Who gave you vodka?"

My roommate Chase holds his hands up in surrender just as Zoey shrugs. "I gave it to myself."

"I just told her where we keep it." Chase slowly backs away, turning and leaving completely when he reaches the doorway.

With him gone, I turn to my sister. "What are you doing here?"

"Hanging out," she says, crossing her arms as if I'm the one who's wrong.

"How did you even get here? Where's Alyssa and Camryn?" I demand.

Zoey rolls her eyes. "In your room."

I grab Zoey by the upper arm and pull her with me. I led her up the stairs, taking them two at a time and within seconds we burst through the door to my bedroom, revealing Camryn in nothing but a bra and panties.The floorboards under me are wet cement. I should leave, or at least turn away, but I'm stuck. Camryn, however, has the reflexes of a damn cat.

"What the hell!" She snatches the closest thing she can find and covers herself.

I clear my throat, but my voice still comes out thick as honey. "What, uh, what is my sister doing here? What are you doing here?" Besides tempting me in my own god damn room.

"Chill, Caveman. We're going to that Barcade downtown. And don't worry...it's all ages until ten thirty."

When I don't move, Camryn gestures towards the still open door. I reach over and close it. It's only when Zoey opens it again and pushes me through and back down the hallway that I even remember she's there.

"I think she meant for us to leave." Her smirk is miles wide, obviously picking up on my reaction to seeing Camryn nearly naked. I grumble a response and walk back downstairs. The house has filled up a little more, and a game of beer pong is being played in the living room.

"I wanna play!" Zoey screeches and runs over to the table.

"No."

"Pleaseeeee!" she pleads, resting her hands on my crossed arms.

"What crawled up your ass and made you no fun?" Camryn says from behind me. "It's water in the cups anyway. I'll be your partner, Zo."

She ignores me when I disagree, and they are quickly pulled into the next game. I stand off to the side to watch, but it's too much. To know I plan on ending whatever this is between us after the alumni dinner tomorrow.

It's also too much to have Camryn this close and not be able to touch her. To now know what's underneath those clothes and know I'll never get to see it again.

I trudge back into the kitchen and grab the bottle of whisky I've been storing on top of a cabinet. I don't even bother with a glass. I need the whole damn bottle as I settle back in across from the beer pong table and hear Anderson's voice over the music. "Damn little Reed! Now I see where four two gets his skills from!"

I ignore him, and continue to watch Camryn. She catches me, but I don't care. When a playful smile creeps onto her lips, I swallow hard and take another swig. I want it to make those lips melt away.

Even after a few more sips, I can still see them. They're all I can see. I pull from the bottle again, and this time I don't stop for a long few seconds. When I look at her again, her smile is gone. Her lips are a firm line, and her brows are pulled just as tight. She still doesn't say anything to me and looks away. Good. That's what I need. For her to see that I'm not who she wants. That I can't be what she needs. Maybe then it won't hurt nearly as much when it ends.