A Teenage Love: A Coming of Age Story

Chapter 3 - Water Works

Ryan. I wasn't at home on Davenport grounds, but I sure wasn't uncomfortable. Davenport's stadium sparkled like a shiny kitchen floor and the bleachers didn't make me feel like I would fall through the cracks if I made any sudden movements. People avoided me because I had Springs written all over me. That was okay. I would never step foot in Davenport without making that clear. I let my Springs baseball cap be a wedge between me and them. I was there for one reason and she was at the start line shaking out her limbs.

The announcer said her name real dull like she wasn't shit, so I felt the need to clap a little louder. I felt a few eyes on me. The gun popped and she shot off like lightening, lifting off the ground and pounding in the sand. She fell back on her hands and made sure her score was recorded before she scrambled up and headed back to her starting place. This time the strange silence was filled with a short but bold chorus of random "boos."

The concession stand was full of old, overpriced snacks and five dollar drinks. I bought a bottle of water and stood at the fence that separated the fans from the team. There were a few eyes on my back so I turned my hat around. That way they could see Springs from all sides.

I held on to the top of the fence and called her name, ordering my voice to be still unlike my hands. Her eyes widened at the sight of me but she played it cool and fixed her pony tail. I eyed the five knuckles she was presenting me and touched them with mine.

"Tough crowd," I said of the odd crowd behind me.

"Let's just say I'm not a fan favorite today."

"You look good out there."

"You think so?"

"You must have wings."

"Oh wow. Can you come to all my meets?"

I handed over the five dollar bottle of water and anxiously gripped the fence. "So I was thinking..."

She flinched as a chunky blonde walked by and splattered her with half a bottle of water, wetting the both of us. She wiped her face slowly, blinded. Another girl walked by and lifted her bottle. "Whoa chill," I said blocking her advances. She did what she set out to do and threw her water our way. "Go back to Springs, stupid whore."

"Guess what? He doesn't want your silly asses anyway! That's why he asked me."

The pack started squawking in her direction.

"I didn't...! I wasn't...! I'm not...!" That's what Michelle was yelling at the top of her lungs but she wasn't being seen, heard, or understood. Sensing that I was on the wrong side of the fence, I quickly jumped over. She followed them along the other side pleading her innocence until they got bored and moved on.

She walked to the locker room with a straight back, like she wasn't aching at all, but when we reached the door, I saw her crumbling. She took a deep breaths and spoke quietly so her words didn't come out like blather.

"I'll get your number from Kris," she said.

I held the door helplessly.

"Thanks," she said putting distance between us. "For coming." She couldn't get inside quick enough. Her sniffles reverberated off the cinder block walls.

My brother's car in the driveway felt like Christmas. It was the only time he came home since he left for college and got his own place in Lake City. He snatched the front door open and started pelting at me with a high power water gun on arrival. He didn't stop until his ammunition was on E.

"Is that for me, Rich?"

"Nah, It's Brandon's. You know I had to test it out."