His Jersey

E I G H T

Grayson Lake

I thank the lunch cashier and grab a bag of Ruffles off the rack of chips. She hands me a quarter back with a smile. I tuck the quarter into my pocket after paying.

Where's Peyton? This morning, late notice as always, Peyton told me her cousin, Grant, from New Mexico moved back to Austin to finish his senior year.

I'm okay with that, in fact, I'm excited to see him. I remember Grant being cute with his incredibly tan skin and brown eyes. Although Grant loved to tease us, we still liked playing with him.

Grant used to go to a private all boys school down the street before he moved to Albuquerque. But now that he's back, he wants to start school with Peyton and some of his old friends at Copper Wright. Peyton decided we should hang out with him during our lunch period to catch up with him.

"Grayson, hurry up." I look up from my almost empty bag of ruffles to see Peyton standing by the doors that lead to the football field.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." I look around for Grant. Maybe we're meeting him somewhere. "Where's Grant?" I throw the bag away in a plastic trash can and walk over to the doors. Looking out of the cafeterias' s windows, I notice around 100 students on the football field or in the bleachers.

"We're meeting him on the field," Peyton says. I nod and walk outside with her. Tuesday mornings are the worst to me because we're not even half way through the week. I also have to go back to Jocelyn's house tonight to finish our project.

Peyton and I walk on the sidewalk, towards the field.

I can't wait for the first tournament game in three days. It's a home game, thankfully, so Peyton and I don't have to drive a lot. The school has littered the school and the town of fan gear for the Cavaliers. Signs are everywhere, tournament shirts are being sold at the game, the local stores have banners for the tournament in their front windows. The town is going crazy for the football team.

"Guess what?" Peyton asks. She grins at me. At all the things running through her head, it could be anything. I shrug at Peyton.

"Scott is getting married!" She squeals. I smile at her.

Scott is Peyton's older brother from her mom's first marriage. He drove us everywhere growing up and Peyton loves him. He moved away with his fiance a few months ago, so Peyton hasn't been able to see him. I know it crushes her, but she would never say anything because she doesn't want to hurt her brother.

"Really? That's great. When's the wedding?" Peyton and I push the metal gate open and start walking onto the field to find Grant.

A sign is taped on the fence that the football field will be closed Thursday, so they can paint the charity's logo onto the turf and some other stuff. I look around the fenced in football field and notice that some people are hanging up posters for the stores sponsoring Copper Wright High School.

"It's Saturday. I know it's late notice but I'm hoping you can go. My mom threw away the invitation and I found it in the trash when I was looking for one of my homework papers." I nod. I would love to go. The last wedding I went to, I was probably four. Why would her mom throw the letter away? Maybe something happened between her mom and Scott. What mother doesn't want to see her son get married?

"Sounds good." Peyton claps her hands happily at my response. Peyton stops walking and her eyes go wide.

"What happened?" I ask.

"Grant!" Peyton loses her cool and runs up behind Grant. I chuckle and walk towards Grant who's talking to some guys. She jumps on his back suddenly, almost making him fall on the track that wraps around the football field. Peyton slides off his back and hugs him.