Small Town Boy

Chapter 24

Once again the bus wound its way along the valley floor. Only the white, snow-covered peaks of the mountains were reached by the sun as the chasms between were filled with shadows. Inside, there was a mix of nervous energy and excited chatter, although the long ride ahead had tempered the noise. Ben and I sat towards the front, across the aisle Parker and Owen. He wasn't playing, but as our captain, there was no way he would've been left behind. 

School finished as it usually did on a Thursday afternoon, but instead of going home, the entire team boarded a bus and began the long drive toward Colorado Springs. The bus was packed. Most of the seats were taken, and any that weren't were stacked with either suitcases or bags of gear. The aisle too had been filled in a way that made it difficult to move. Most people had been sensible, but some had obviously decided they needed enough clothes to go on a two-week vacation, which hadn't helped the space issue. 

The school had given us Friday off, and although Principal Lee had said everyone could leave at midday, I doubted whether many would go at all. Even tonight, the bus had a trail of cars stretching far behind it. Only on the brief straight sections of the road could you see the end. Most people would probably drive tomorrow, as the game didn't start until the evening, but some had decided to book a hotel for tonight as well.

Ben was snoring softly, his head resting on the window. Mateo, seated in the row in front had his eyes closed, although I couldn't tell if he was awake, and I didn't want to wake him if he wasn't. It was going to be a long night. 

Around six, and with the sky completely dark, we arrived at the outskirts of Denver. The gentle hum and vibrations of the engine stopped a change which got the attention of most of the team. I shook Ben's arm until he woke up.

"Urgh! Let me sleep." He groaned. 

"You can do that later," I told him. Before he had a chance to say anything else, Coach Hudson stood up, carefully placing his feet to avoid standing on the bags. 

"Alright boys, you've got half an hour to find something to eat. Think about tomorrow, and if you're bringing it back on the bus it better not make a mess." He ordered. We began exiting the bus, a process which took a few minutes as those at the back had to clamber over the piles of gear. 

"What're you feeling?" I asked Ben and Mateo as soon as we were off. 

"Honestly I'll probably just get McDonald's." Mateo yawned. 

"Seriously?" Ben asked. "You're gonna feel shit later." 

"Well?" He shrugged. "What are you suggesting then?" 

I gazed around. We had stopped near what looked like a suburban mall. There was the usual cluster of chains, a grocery store, and a couple of other shops. 

"Why don't we have a look around? Just for like five minutes." I suggested. 

"Sure, but we've gotta choose quickly." Ben sighed. 

"I hadn't realized." Mateo teased. 

"Shut up man," Ben said, shaking his head, although the grin he wore broke his stoic facade. 

We walked around for a few minutes, with Ben eventually finding a noodle bar that he thought looked good enough. With the clock ticking, Mateo and I shrugged and followed him. It wasn't exactly what I was looking for, but it smelt nice enough. We all ordered and then sat on the stools near the window as the food was made. A few times some of our teammates walked past, recognized us, and then gave us a wave. Matthew came in, looked at the menu, then left. 

The half an hour we were given was almost over by the time we were all handed out food, still piping hot. There wasn't time to eat, so we rushed back to the bus, hoping our meals didn't pose enough of a cleanliness threat. Thankfully, he waved us onboard and a few minutes later we were back on the highway.