I fell in love with a jock

Chapter 3

When I got home I had no idea what to do with his jacket. Do I try to clean it for him? Do I stuff it in my bag and give it to him tomorrow? Do I sleep in it? 

I think all my choices are weird so I just put it on my desk chair and go to sleep so I won't have to think about it again but it doesn't help.  Why did he run up to me to give me his jacket when he saw i was cold? How many other times has he given that jacket to other girls? Does he expect something from me? With all these thoughts floating around in my mind I try not to let them bother me and go to sleep. 

******

When I wake up I decided on trying to see if I can catch him at the coffee shop like I did yesterday so I can give it to him.  I leave the house early enough to drive over to the coffee shop before school. I thought it would be easier to give Brandon the jacket when we're not at school or else people would get the wrong idea. Not that its any one else's business anyways. 

I throw the jacket over in the passenger seat along with my solid blue backpack into the backseat. I turn on the car and I'm blasted with hot air from last night when I was freezing. I must have left them on. I turn it off and start towards the coffee shop.

When I arrive I see Brandon's car in the parking lot. I recognize it as his because there is a sticker representing our high school and his number #42 is on the car also. At first I thought it would easy to just leave it on his hood for him to find it but that would seem rude. So I go inside to find him.

I look around and Brandon is near the front of the line waiting for his order. I walk up to him passing up everyone is line behind him, whispering "Excuse me." To everyone I pass.

"Brandon?" He looks down behind him and I notice how tall he is. I've always been short standing at 5'5 but Brandon was towering over me at 6'1 it wasn't as tall as most guys but for me he was tall enough.

"Hey Emily. You here to order something?" He asks me politely pointing to the menu. 

"No um, just came to give you your jacket. And thanks for letting me borrow it yesterday." I hand him the jacket and put my hands by my side awkwardly. Tapping my legs with my fingers to the beat of the song that is quietly playing throughout the shop. 

"Of course no problem." He smiles and puts his jacket back on casually over his grey shirt.

"I'll see you around." I smile and turn around to leave the coffee shop jacketless.

******

"Emily don't deny it you know he likes you!" Christina almost yells while we're in the hallway. When I told her about Brandon lending me his jacket she flipped out and now she has this extravagant theory that he likes me.

"He doesn't okay! He was just nice enough to let me borrow it!" She so excited that her brown curly hair is bouncing up and down. It looks good against her dark complexion.

I think about my dirty blonde hair, against my tan face, falling naturally straight over my shoulders. I didn't even bother doing anything to it this morning or any other day.

"Well I'm just saying guys don't give their jackets to just ANY freezing girl." And with that statement she makes a look that says "I win this argument don't try bring it up again" and changes the subject.

"So you went to the game last night?" Christina asks looping her arm through mine.

"Yea but I only went to help Andrew with some pictures. Trust me I would never go voluntary." I say with a laugh.

"Well there goes Andrew. I have to get to class anyway." And she leaves into her classroom while I keep walking towards Andrew.

"Hey. What time did you get home after the Game?" He puts his arm around my shoulder in a nonchalant  way and we walk down the hallway.

Being juniors in High school people have gotten used to us walking around like this and have known us well enough to know that we are just friends and not a couple.

We were even in the yearbook one year for "most likely to go out". Andrew swore he had nothing to do with it but I didn't believe him. That was freshman year and now in Junior year we are still good friends and not anywhere near dating.

"I left around 10 but got home late because of traffic."

"That's late. Good you got home okay though." I smile at him and he smiles back. We care so much about each other, he's like the big brother I've always wanted but my  parents were done after just one kid.They told me I had my "terrible two's"  for 5 years and it was enough for them. 

"Alright I have to get to class see you later."

"Okay." He takes his arm off and and walks off to his class.

******

It's was October and that meant Homecoming was coming in a few weeks which had everyone rallied up. So when I walk into my first period i'm greeted by Jamie, who tries to convince me to get into the 'homecoming spirit' and help decorate the class in our school colors. 

As always, I've never had much school spirit or go to the football games just for the pure enjoyment of it but i try to go to at least the homecoming games each year because those games are always the best. 

Every year I go with Andrew and he always commentates the game as if he's a real sports commentator from ESPN. We spend most of the game like this, and seeing how many funnel cakes we can eat before halftime. So far the record is 3. 

Its a tradition. Its our thing

So I help the class and cut out letters that spell GO GATORS to hang around the room. We eventually run out of decorations but the teacher thinks it's not enough so she sends me to the art room to go fetch her some more.

I laugh at her at how childish we're all being. Decorating a class for homecoming. I loved it. I tell Jamie I'll be back in a few minuets and, leave the classroom.

The art room isn't that far. I just have to go down a few short hallways then the long main hallway and it's right there. Since I'm walking alone my ankle boots make a loud echoing sound in the hallway.

I'm in the long main hallway now when I see Brandon on the opposite side of the hallway. We're both walking towards each other but he hasn't noticed me. He's to busy looking at some papers in his hand.

I don't want to stare at him until he passes me so I look down at the floor and try to speed walk to the art room.

I'm not fast enough.

"Hey Emily!" He walks up to me until he's right beside me.

"Hi." I say. I keep on walking to the art room but he follows me.

"What are you up to?" he asks. Keeping pace with me to the art room.

"Um I'm getting some stuff from the art room that my teacher needs." I don't want to say I'm getting decorations because Brandon might think decorating for homecoming is stupid, and childish.

"I'm delivering some papers to a teacher." He answers my unasked questions and shows me some papers he's holding.

I just smiles and nod and slow my pace so he can leave before I get to the art room.

"Well I have to go but I'll see you later. Maybe at the coffee shop?" He winks at me and turns around to leave.

*******