"half my life's in books ' written pages. live and learn from fools and from sages. you know it's true, all the things come back to you. "
- Aerosmith
Mobile, Alabama. Population: 192, 904
Addison Brooks overthi...
"All you gotta do is talk to him and invite him to sit with us at lunch. It really isn't that hard," Gray tries to reason with me. He's come to the conclusion that the best way for me to get to where I want to be is to do these five things that he's laid out for me.
Howard's been a little on the reclusive side this year and I can't figure out why. He's always been pretty popular, and he's good looking and athletic so I don't know why people aren't swarming around him all the time. But, Gray insists we invite him to sit with us.
"It's not that easy! I'm on the verge of being socially awkward I can't just go talk to him!"
"Do you realize how rediculous you sound? Go!"
And with that, I'm shoved from my place at Gray's locker, right into Howard himself.
"OhmygodI'msosorryIdidn'tmeanit," the words spew out of my mouth before I could think. I can just picture Gray crawling in a hole out of second-hand embarrassment.
"No, it's fine. You okay?" I missed that megawatt smile.
"Yeah, I was just wondering if you wanted to sit with Gray and I at lunch today. I mean you don't have to I mean I'm pretty sure you have friends like why wouldn't you and now I feel like I'm bothering you and you probably don't want to-"
"I'd love to. Now let's go find Gray, I'm hungry," he laughs. We catch up with Gray at the cafeteria doors.
"Hey man! It's been a while," Howard greets.
"Yeah! Where have you been?"
"I don't know, really. It's good to see you. Where do y'all sit?"
We point him to our table and he says that he's going to the vending machine for a drink. He gets up to leave and Gray looks at me with the I told you so look.
"Was that so hard?"
"Yes. I think I lost a piece of my soul."
"What are we doing Saturday? Does Alabama play?"
I check the football schedule I have stored on my phone.
"Yeah, we play LSU."
"Wonderful. Game party at my house! It'll be great, just you, me, Howard and my parents. Make sure you invite him!"
"You make me want to pull my hair out," I say flatly. He just smiles.
Saturday,Nov. 5,2016
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"Nick Saban is so hot."
College football. Wonderful game, wonderful pastime. Especially when your favorite team is number one in the country and their head coach is the love of your life.
"Addy, he's like 60," Howard looks at me like I've grown a third eye. I just shrug. Howard ended up coming over, much to Gray's delight. Mr. Shawn has been outside all day making hamburgers while Gray and I went through and entire jar of queso dip and had to buy a new one.
"I don't care how old he is! Addy's right. Gray, he's the only man I'd ever leave your father for," Mrs. Amy shouts from the kitchen. At least someone agrees with me.
"So," Howard starts, "do you think we'll win?"
"We'd better win," Gray says. "I bet twenty bucks against Caleb Starns. I'm moving to Florida if we lose."
"Nobody is gonna go anywhere but the kitchen, right now. The food is ready and kickoff is in ten minutes." We shuffle into the kitchen and load up our plates with burgers, fries, and grab drinks.
"Where are your parents today, Addy," Mr. Shawn asks me. Gray nudges him slightly and shakes his head a little.
"Um, I'm kind of avoiding them for a bit," I say with a breathy laugh to brush it off. "We're having a bit of a rough time getting along lately."
He nods and lets it go. For the past couple of days I've been going home only when absolutely necessary. I'm not one to initiate peacemaking conversations, instead I sit and let the argument stew in my head until I'm so pissed off I can't even see straight.
I'm working on it.
I turn my attention to the television screen when I hear the familiar music playing on ESPN. I see my beloved football team line up on the field to begin the game and pray we win this game. Because if we don't.....
