Schooled

Chapter 14

Homecoming weekend was a big deal. At our school, it was less about the alum and more about an excuse for the students to party. And worship football. For me it was mostly about celebrating surviving the first two months of school with my grades and sanity intact.

Homecoming was a special occasion for another reason: it marked my one and only appearance at the football stadium for the year. Even when I was dating Jake, I didn't go to watch the games. Football was my least favorite sport. It never made sense to me why a bunch of guys would run around in tight shiny pants and hit each other. Ironic, I guess, that I ended up dating a first-string player for four years. It was a testament to my stubbornness that Jake had tried and failed for that entire period to get me hooked.

The game was Saturday afternoon and the day was gorgeous and sunny. Ava, Emily, and I went over together and met Jen and her boyfriend there.

I drove and took advantage of the free weekend parking, though we had to park a mile away from the stadium because of the crowds. We settled into our seats about thirty minutes before kickoff. Emily had scored us a great vantage point. Her brother was a linebacker and the team's family got first dibs. In the past I'd gotten them from Jake. Not this year.

We'd all dressed in school colors, green and white. Emily, Jen, and I were all wearing legit team clothes. My choice had been a girl-sized jersey and denim miniskirt. This was as preppy as it got for me. Ava, always needing to be different, had on her own emerald green tank made out of some lux fabric that you definitely could not get at the campus book store.

Catching a glimpse of the players warming up, Emily leaned over to me. "Have you talked to Jake lately? I heard he sprained something last week in practice."

"No, I've barely talked to him. He texted me a bit when I got back to school, but that's it." I gave silent thanks at the guarantee he'd be sitting on the bench, feeling only a little guilty about it.

Emily chewed her lip like she was debating how much to say. She might come off as flaky and boy crazy at first, but she was actually a do-gooder. Which sometimes meant we butted heads when she thought she knew what was better for me than I did. "Well, Chris said Jake's been in pretty rough shape lately. Even before the injury. I wondered if that had something to do with you guys breaking up."

"It was his brilliant idea to call it quits in the first place."

"You don't think you'd ever get back with him? You guys dated for a long time." Emily had that righteous look on her face, but I didn't feel like entertaining her matchmaking efforts today.

"We wanted different things, Em. It wouldn't have worked."

The band started playing and I used that as an excuse to look toward the playing area in front of us. For once Emily took the hint.

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it was true. Once I could look at Jake and our relationship with some distance and the halo started to fade, he was just another guy looking to keep his parents happy. And that didn't fit with me. Not anymore.

A few players were doing warmups, and the cheerleaders were stretching on the field. Well, most of them were. I caught a glimpse of green and white skirts in my peripheral vision two rows behind us. They weren't warming up.

Or if they were, it was for a different game. Both were in conversation with guys who were no doubt ecstatic to receive their attention.

I'd been about to glance away when I saw a familiar face. Kent was one of the guys. When he caught my eye he smiled. The brunette who'd been touching his arm glanced over with a far less pleasant expression on her face. I sent a genuine smile at him and waggled my fingers at her, impervious to the daggers she shot back. Kent waved me over. I shook him off, having no desire to be scorched by his fan club up close, but he insisted.