Years of Silence

CHAPTER SIX

As I waited in line for tickets with Cal, the wind chilled my bones. Even though I was wearing a winter coat from my grandmother, received the Christmas before, I could feel the cold breeze flowing through the stadium and the parking lot outside. As I looked to my left, I saw the football team, warming up for the game, stretching and practicing their throws.

I saw a player, numbered fourteen in the lineup, break from the pack of males, but was surprised when he made his way over to Cal and I in line. I had no idea who this player was. Bastien was number eight, our lucky number, for the date of our birth.

He peeled off his helmet, revealing dark hair and barely lighter violet-shaded eyes. I released a breath I didn't realize I was holding. "Xavier. Hey." He was breathing heavily, presumably after all the running in warm-ups. "Hey. I'm glad you could make it. Even though you aren't here for me. Bastien. Who am I kidding? Of course. He's your brother." He turned at least five shades of pink and red. "I'm just really glad you're here." He started to talk away, then stopped as if he was remembering something. "Right. Almost forgot...Thanks for being my new good luck charm." He leaned in suddenly, kissing me on the cheek and leaving me turning more shades of pink than I could think to name.

He jogged back toward the pack, leaving me stuttering in the wind, not able to think of what to reply, barely able to remember my name. Cal had to shake me a few times to get rid of the stupor, but once I snapped out of it, I was surprised by a sense of security, wrapped in a light blanket of suspicion. I didn't know what to do. How could I? I was stunned! Why would he do that? Unless...

Did Xavier like me? What was I supposed to do about that? I'd never had anyone actually like me before. I turned back to Cal, pretty sure my face was still pink. I watched her laugh out loud.

I was almost sure I heard her laugh, beautiful, like the tinkling of silver bells, but I knew I had to be imagining it. But I couldn't imagine why. I hadn't heard her laugh in five years. Why now?

We reached the front of the line, and Cal bought tickets for both of us. She handed mine to me and we passed through the gate safely with our tickets. We had no clue what would have happened if we hadn't bought tickets. A catastrophe? A cacophony of loud looking actions?

We took seats near the front of the bleachers, knowing the back would be colder, and the front would be taken up completely if we didn't take up any of it now. It was about twenty minutes after we got there when the people started filing in. More people than I expected showed their faces, more people expecting the excitement of the first home game of the season.

I wasn't ready for that excitement, and I hoped that Cal wouldn't see that wariness on my face. I was too afraid of someone being injured. I couldn't wait for our team to win or lose, so I could leave with all my friends and family intact.

The players ran in after the people, and there was a cacophony of action. Players seemed to come from everywhere, flooding half the field in pink. Their helmets were pink, as well as their jerseys, with white pants that probably weren't all that great for playing football in.

The purple flooded the field in a few seconds, seeming fully prepared to beat our team. Each player wore a grim expression, and each one was about the size of two of our players put together. I saw Xavier stand in front of him, about a foot shorter and a lot less buff. He turned to Bastien, and I could almost imagine the fear in his eyes.

The game started not long after that, and every piece, every throw, every tackle drove me crazy. What if they got hurt? What would I do? Would I be a supportive friend, a supportive twin if my brother's teammates got hurt? Would I turn into that girl?

Within my thinking, I missed my brother scoring a point. I looked up and he was jumping around in the end zone, and he looked so happy. I smiled, but I think at that point some part of me realized something was going to go wrong. Within the first five seconds of the next round, the biggest member of their team tackled Bastien. He got up, and my brother didn't. I stood up as a team of medics rushed onto the field.