darkest days

2

  

                               I try to finish up whatever homework I can before the game. I was planning on doing it later tonight, but as we can see my plans have changed since this morning. I'm pretty scattered between getting on my endless layers of clothes and finishing my chemistry homework, so I don't realize that it's almost eight o'clock. I throw on my beanie and scarf and unplug my phone from its charger and make my way downstairs.

                Rather than finding my mom in the kitchen where she was this morning, she's sitting in the living room watching the seven o'clock news, which is almost over. "Riley's gonna be here soon to take me to the game." I say to her, sinking into the cushion next her on the couch. "Alright, stay warm and be safe." She warns me. I love her but sometimes I feel like she worries too much about me. "I promise you I'll be fine and make good choices." I say in a sarcastic reassuring tone. "I know you'll make good choices, but not everyone around you will." I don't say anything back, because she's right.

           Breaking the silence between me and my mom is the sound of a car honking outside of my house, which tells me that my friends are here to get me. "I'm out." I say to my mom getting up from the couch and heading towards the door. "Love you." I continue, and I exit the house. Almost immediately, the cold strikes me even through my thick layers. I get into the back seat, Amanda and Riley are in the front so this is my only option. "Hey guys." I say to them, still slightly shivering from the cold. They both reply with "hey's" and the car jolts forward towards Windell High School.

      "I can't wait to see Ryan in his football uniform, he's so dreamy!" Riley gushes about her boyfriend, quarterback for the Windell Warriors. Amanda and I laugh, "You guys have been dating since eighth grade and you still gush about him like this?" Amanda asks her, "now that's relationship goals." She finishes. Now the whole car is filled with laughter from the three of us as we pull into the parking lot of the school.

       As the three of us pay for our tickets, we can already see that the game is packed with people, but I can't see Alex anywhere. I really want to tell him how I feel, considering we graduate next year and I'm running out of time. We take our seats on the bleachers, even though the game hasn't started yet some of the crowd is already cheering.  I'm not cheering, but just with the few breaths I'm taking I can see the warm air in the light. We haven't been here long and I can already feel the cold making its way through my layers. But it doesn't matter, I came here to have a good time and that's what I'm gonna do. So I begin to join the cheering crowd and support our undefeated team.

        The players all run onto the field, which makes the crowd go even crazier. Riley yell's out Ryan's name, and cheers along with the crowd. Within seven minutes of the first quarter we have a touchdown. My friends and I are sharing laughs and chatting with our friends and acquaintances around us. I try and scope him out, but Alex still seems to be nowhere in sight. 

           Between plays, me and Amanda talk about my love life. (or lack there of) "I just really want to do it tonight, I feel like I need to." I tell her, still eyeing around for the dark haired boy. "I think you should do it! You never know, he might just have a secret thing for you too." She says to me and winks. We both laugh, but our focus is averted back to the field when the crowd starts going wild yet again. The Warriors scored yet again. We all start cheering, this is seriously the most fun I've had in I don't even know how long! 

     "Aren't you glad you came Ar?!" Riley leans over and asks me, even though I can barely hear her over the crowd. "Yes, for once you were right. I'm having so much fun!" I reply to her. "Good." She says in a smug but joking tone. I chuckle a little. 

       The game goes by pretty fast, before I even know it the clock says 9:50 p.m. and the game is over. The crowd makes their way off of the bleachers and we're all squished against each other in the process. It's not an entirely comfortable situation, to be honest. All I'm really focused on is not losing my friends in the crowd. While I'm walking I see him, and the butterflies begin to flutter in my stomach. 

     "There he is!" I whisper yell to Amanda who's sweatshirt i'm gripping to ensure I don't lose her. "What are you waiting for? Go talk to him!" She replies to me. "We'll meet you at the car in 10!" She says eagerly pushing me through the crowed his way.

      I'm beyond nervous but I already know what I'm gonna say. I'm about to approach him, he's so close to me now. The boy I've had feelings towards for what seems like forever is within a few feet of me, and in just a few moments he's gonna know how I've really felt about him all of this time. Just as I'm about to tap his shoulder, I hear commotion coming from behind me. The persons voice is familiar, in fact too familiar. It's Riley. And when I turn around, I see her in the middle of a fight with Sophia Parker, who Riley's had problems with for as long as I can remember.

   All I can think to myself is, "Oh no..."

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