With The Labels

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

A couple days have passed and it is now Friday night before the football game. Tonight we will be playing another home game versus the Creek Pointe Warriors. We have a good chance at going all the way this season, even though we are only a few games in.

I talked to James earlier and he said he would come out to watch the game, or at least part of it. He was planning on coming and just watching until halftime. He wanted to see how good my schools team was considered how much I raved about it to him.

Bella and I find ourselves at Rachel's house this time, unlike before at last weeks game where we were at Bella's house. This weeks theme is camouflage. I have on a pair of black leggings with a camo bandana tied around my thigh like a garter. I also sport a camouflage button down, a camouflage baseball cap that has the Browning Country logo on it, and black lines under my eyes. Both Rachel and Bella could pass as my twins, just with different hair colors, and we all look like are are ready to go hunting. Tonights game was going to be a good one, I could feel it.

~

At half time the Honeycomb Hornets are up by over twenty points. Our team is nearly perfect, and the fans are going crazy. The marching band and cheerleaders preform during halftime, but no one pays much attention.

James spots me and walks over. He came her with mom and they were sitting on the other side of the bleachers. Both Bella and Rachel have disappeared to go and get snacks. "Hey." He sits down next to me.

"Hey." I say back, leaning in to him. "Our teams pretty good, isn't it."

"Yeah. Really good, actually. Your boyfriend is a great quarterback. I definitely see him playing successfully in college, maybe even getting a scholarship if he continues to work hard like this." James seems genuinely impressed.

I stifle out a laugh. "Thanks, James. I'll be sure to tell him that, even though he is most definitely not my boyfriend."

James glares at me. "Whatever you say, little sister. I think mom and I are going to go now. Probably going to catch some dinner in town before it gets to late. Don't stay out to late and stay safe."

"That's something dad would have said." I laugh, and he laughs too. I think this is the first time we have made a joke about dad since he had died. He stands up from the bleachers and says goodbye before walking away.

Once James leaves, I spot Blake standing near the concessions with some of his friends. I decided to go walk over and congratulate him, considering that he scored two of the touchdowns that put us into the lead.

Things between Blake and I have been fine. We haven't kissed since last Sunday when he came over for dinner with me and mom and James, but we have been spending a lot of time together. We hang out nearly every day after school. Our time together consists of mostly just spending time with each other by doing homework or riding or simply hanging out. The extent of our physical contact is holding hands, but not really in public. We mostly do it in his car on the way to and from school. As for kissing, I'm sure he wants to, but I don't think either one of us wants to make the first move.

I get up from the bleachers and make my way over to Blake. He is surrounded by some of his friends on the team, but also people who don't play football, and some underclassmen who play on Junior Varsity. The JV team is dressed in their uniforms, but aren't playing tonight. Instead, they are just here to support the team and some of the better players will fill in for Varsity if they need a sub. Blake's eyes meet mine, and he smiles. Blake separates himself from his friends and makes his way over to me.

"Nice playing tonight, hot shot." I hit him playfully on the shoulder.

"Thanks, Care Bear. Glad you're here watching and pretending to know what's going on." He grins at me, knowing that my extent of knowledge on football is bare none. "Hey, what do you say you come over tomorrow and I teach you a thing or two about football?" Blake suggest, running a hand through his already ruffled hair.

I raise my eyebrow at him and laugh. "I don't know about that..." I fade off. "Me and contact sports? Not a pretty sight to see. That's why I ride instead."

Blake rolls his eyes, "That's why we will practice! Come on, it will be fun. And afterwards we can watch a movie or something."

I weigh my options. I could do homework and get it done early. I could exercise Penny. I could clean my room. Yeah, those all seem like pretty crappy alternatives. "Sure, why not."

His face lights up like a kid in a candy shop when I agree. "Yay, Care Bear. This will be fun. Something to look forward to this weekend."

"You going to the big party at Sarah's house tonight?" I ask him. Sarah is a cheerleader and after the game she is throwing a huge party, practically inviting the whole school. There will be a lot of drinking, a lot of drugs, and a lot of loud music.

He shrugs. "Maybe, not sure. Seeing you would be the only reason I would go. I don't drink anymore. Are you going?"

I shake my head. Sarah invited me to go earlier today during Statistics. "No. Mom would kill me if I came home smelling like cheap beer, even if I didn't drink. Besides, I don't have a ride."

"We could spend another night cuddling together." Blake winks at me, bumping his hip into mine.

I blush at the memory of last weekend after the party. Mom wasn't home and I didn't want to sleep home alone, so Blake stayed over with me. "Yeah, if my mom or James didn't kill me first."

He laughs and turns his head over to the field. Coach blows the whistle, signaling to the team members to come back onto the field. "Talk later. After the game." He squeezes my hand lightly before jogging off to the field.

"Good luck!" I shout after him.

~

The rest of the game is an incredible success for us, and a horrible defeat for the other team. We beat them, winning by over forty points. It was insane win, definitely boosting the team's and the school's morale. I am one of the last people to leave the stadium because I wait for Blake to get changed out of his uniform. I see him walking over to me dressed in a pair of grey Hornets sweatpants, a black Nike sweatshirt, and a black Nike duffle bag slung over his shoulder. I stand up and walk over to him.

He wraps his arm around me as we walk out of the stadium. I feel slightly uncomfortable, so close to Blake. My heart beats wildly in my chest and I pray silently that he doesn't hear, or feel, it. This is another step up in our relationship. It has evolved from holding hands in private to holding me in public. Even though it wasn't that crowded, it was still a little strange and different. I lean into Blake's strong side. He is warm and familiar to me. It is comforting to be able to have someone like him that I can be totally myself around.

He might know that my heart is beating at a thousand miles per minute, but what he doesn't know is that his is beating just as fast.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Hope you guys liked this chapter!!

I've really been liking putting GIFs on each chapter. It's fun to look for them and I love them all so I hope you guys do too!