Under the glaring bright lights in Norristown, Pennsylvania, Deni caught the football. He was immediately sandwiched between two defenders and then shoved out of bounds. He fell onto the gravel sidelines and skinned his forearm to his elbow. The pain was excruciating, but it was the sight of blood that caught the attention of his coach and team doctor.
He winced when the trainer applied antiseptic to the wound and then wrapped it in gauze and white first-aid tape. It wasn’t too long until he was back in the game taking more punishment from the opposing, molesting defense. He loved football and finding cunning ways to escape a tackle, but tonight, the Norristown defenders knew his every move.
After the game, Deni’s entire body ached. Norristown was always so hard-hitting and he had mentally prepared for the hits, but still, the fatigue and physical pain existed. He never really felt any pain while on the field, normally all the pain came right as he stepped out of the shower. As soon as he was washed clean of the grime and grit of the playing field, the pain hit him.
Players were beginning to fill the bus’s seats. The cheerleaders were seated waiting eagerly for their favorite player or boyfriend. Deni headed towards the back of the bus which was where T-Bone usually hung out, but three-quarters of the way back he saw Heather seated alone with her bag marking the seat next to her. When Deni made eye contact with her, she removed her bag and nodded to the seat.
“What the heck,” Deni said, spinning into the seat. He grabbed a water bottle from his backpack.
Heather studied him carefully. His hood was pulled over his head and his eyes were dark. She could see the fatigue and pain in his expression. “Rough game.”
“We lost,” he replied.
“I know; I was there,” she said with a wink.
He slumped in his seat. “Give me a break, will ya? My body aches everywhere.”
“Everywhere?” she questioned.
“Ev-ver-ry-where,” he repeated and took a swig of water.
Heather sunk in her seat. “Well, have a shoulder. We have a long ride home.”
Deni slid down in his seat and rested his head on her shoulder. It was so nice to sit there silently. He glanced down at her perfectly manicured nails and the rings on her fingers. They were like the hands of a doll. He wanted to touch them, but didn’t dare. When he looked upward he saw Heather watching him through the reflection of the bus window. “What are you looking at?”
“You,” she said with a smile. “You’re a mystery to me, just trying to figure you out.”
“Ha!” Deni grunted. “That’s a waste of time if ever I heard.”
“It’s my time,” she said strongly.
Deni sighed and lifted his head. He reached in his bag and pulled out a packet of Ding Dongs. He opened the plastic wrapper and offered one to Heather. “You want half of my Ding Dong?”
Heather laughed and reached inside the packet for one of the cakes. “Sure. It’s nice to see your mother taught you sharing.”
Deni shoved the Ding Dong in his mouth, licked his fingers and rested his head back on her shoulder. “Sharing is caring.”
It was close to midnight when the school bus pulled up in front of the steps of Reading High School. The team was asleep, including Deni. Heather was wide-awake. As they made their way off the bus, Deni let Heather walk in front of him. She turned to him as she stepped from the curb to the bus. “Can I give you a lift home?”
“Sure, why not?” he said.
As they walked to the parking, Deni saw the lights of a white BMW blink. “This is me,” said Heather as she opened the passenger side door for Deni.
“Nice ride,” he said.
“It was my sweet sixteen birthday present,” Heather said as she started the ignition.
“I gotta cake,” he said smugly.
“Cake. Is that what we’re calling it these days?” Heather laughed. “From what I hear, you gotta lot more than cake.”
“Rumors, nasty rumors,” he said.
“Everything seems to be a nasty rumor with you.” Heather laughed and pulled out onto the street. The drive home was quiet. Occasionally she would glance overto see him shrouded by the hood of his sweatshirt. Deni felt a little more than uncomfortable riding in the BMW. It’s not that he didn’t like Heather or felt he didn’t deserve the luxurious ride; he was just more than suspicious of the gesture. What does she want with me?
Pulling to the curb outside the Daudov’s modest income row home in the north west part of Reading, Deni got out of the car. He hesitated before closing the door. He glanced back inside and said, “Uhm, I’ll see you around.”
“Yeah, guess we’ll see each other in class,” replied Heather.
“Right.” He paused, tapping his hand on the top of her car. “Thanks for the lift…and the shoulder.”
She smiled. “Anytime.”
Deni waited for her car to drive out of sight before walking inside his house. When he entered the house, he turned off the living room light his parents left illuminated for him. Quietly, he tiptoed up stairs and stopped in the bathroom. He gave himself a quick glance in the mirror, wondering what the heck Heather saw in him and then opened the medicine cabinet door for the bottle of aspirin. He swallowed two tablets with water, brushed his teeth, and headed to bed.
Saturday night, he did something he hadn’t done since he was fourteen¼he stayed at home with his parents. In fact he was beginning to believe he was infringing upon his parent’s mojo. Both were shocked to have him home.
Shortly after dinner, he filled the tub with hot water and half a carton of Epson salt. Submerged in the water, his mind strayed to Heather. He simply couldn’t stop thinking of her.
