Taint Of Innocence

Stupid Confetti!

"Oh shoot we're stating, I'd better run. See you guys!" 

We gave the woman behind the little table our tickets, she stamped our hands and we found a seat in the middle section right underneath the Brookville Rangers sign. The team’s color was red, and dozens of kids who looked three times my size were warming up on their respective side. 

My eyes wandering over the field as I pulled my knees up and rested my elbows on them. My eyes caught a cheerleading squad in the corner, warming up and practicing for their half time gig I supposed. The girls all looked super pretty and as I watched the smallest ones get thrown up into the air I couldn’t help but shiver.

“Charlie, you cold?” My dad felt my shiver, and I sent him a smile as I pulled my sweater on. Even though we were in the Gym, it was still quite cold. A whistle sounded for a five minute warning, and I took this chance to go to the bathroom. 

“Hey, I’m gonna go find a bathroom, okay?” I said to the two adults on either side of me. Dad made a move to get up, too, but I pushed him back down. 

“I’ll have to learn my way around sometime, right?” I laughed and got smiles from the both of them. 

I nodded and made my way toward the bottom of the bleachers, passing the home team bench on the way. Will caught my eye and smiled a little, and he raised his hand as he came to talk. 

“Hey, Charles. Ah! I'm so nervous!" Another whistle sounded and I looked behind Will at his assembling team and he followed my eyes. 

"Charles? I'm a tomboyish girl but that's a little too much, don't you think?" He laughed. 

“I have to delay this chat a little. I have to go play hoops now.” He smiled again and I laughed as he held out his fist. 

“C’mon, good luck?” I laughed again and punched his big fist, making it explode for an effect. 

“Woah, explosion. I’ll have to remember that one.” He smiled again at me as his coach yelled his name. I was so stunned that my answer came about three seconds after he was gone. 

“Uh…Good luck Will,” I kind of yelled softly. But he heard me and waved. I smiled at him as I turned back on the way to the restrooms. Once inside the school, I couldn’t help but compare it to my old one. The bathrooms were right by where I had come in, so I zoomed inside.  Looking at myself in the mirror, I decided that my messy ponytail of red-brown hair was…cute. In an athletic sort of way. Can you say that? 

I dug my hands deeper into the pockets. Making my way back to my seat by my dad and Carole, I noticed the score was already 7-0 Lomaha Falls. I felt my eyebrows knit together in confusion, feeling bad for Will. 

“Charlie, don't worry. This isn't an important game, plus they already are finalists for the championship.” He gave me a small smile, gauging my reaction again. 

“There’s still a whole lot of game left.” I said, watching as another one of our guys got shoved into the wall by a Lomaha Falls attacker twice his size. 

“Oh!” Carole gasped. I chuckled, pulling my hair out of it’s ponytail to keep my neck warm. 

Gasps and boos erupted through our stands as another player gets sacked by this monster defender.I looked at the bench, wanting to get to know some faces when my eyes fell upon a certain player. I watched him stand up quickly, almost as if he was getting geared up to fight. Another big tanned guy, had to physically drag him back to the place where he was sitting not to cause a scene. Only he didn’t sit down. He randomly looked up, running his hands through his longish, jet-black hair and somehow his eyes locked with mine. At that moment a huge gust of wind had knocked over what I guessed was a box of confetti over my head and my dad and Carole started laughing as they got covered in the little strips of bright red and white. I joined in too, laughing, warming my body, and held my hands palms out to catch some. The boy, still looking at me, smiled and seemed to chuckle once, then turned his attention back to the game. 

My cheeks burned, and I shrank to my seat, the confetti finally stopping to fall at half time.