It felt like eighth grade all over again, Bethany sitting in the front seat of her mom's car. She felt like a toddler being dropped off at a playdate. But what annoyed her even more than that was the looks her parents had been giving each other all week. A persistent sense of hope had hung over the Forrest household since her dinner announcement, and her mother sitting across from her was brimming with that same hope.
Bethany was just hoping to make it through the night. Rory was playing which took her only friendly face out of the social equation. There was Alicia, who Bethany detested, and a possibility that a certain Emily might make an appearance. This is going to be my worst decision ever. Bethany stared moodily out of the window as the car pulled in front of the football field. A faint smell of vape mixed with the saltiness of popcorn surrounded her as she opened the car door. The night was reasonably cold and she had only brought a jean jacket, however taking her mom's coat would be much worse than being cold.
"Love you honey," Mrs. Forrest craned her neck so she could look in the now standing Bethany's eyes. As much as Bethany wanted to slam the door in a fit of teenage moodiness, she looked into her happy mother's eyes and something in her softened.
"I love you mom." She grinned.
"Smart decisions!" Mrs. Forrest called as she closed the door. Bethany saluted her and then turned around, facing the daunting looking bleachers and field. She took a deep breath and headed towards the ticket booth.
An annoyingly perky mom was sitting behind the table, keeping her sharp brown eyes on the cash box as if she thought Bethany was going to scoop it up and run.
"How may I help you?" She gave Bethany the once over, squinting a bit. Bethany tried hard not to roll her eyes, the words smart decisions echoing in her head. Best not piss off the ticket lady otherwise she'd never get in.
"I'm a student," she started, unsure of what else to say.
"Oh excellent," the lady said, taking a child's ink pad and stamp, holding her manicured hand out. For a split second Bethany was unsure of what she wanted, but when realization hit she rushed to awkwardly put her hand in the woman's so she could be stamped. After being quickly branded with what looked to be an eagle (their school mascot), however the stamp resembled some type of pigeon. The home section was packed, high school football games always being a hit no matter who you were. Bethany was sure she could see the silhouettes of Synthia and her posse behind the bleachers. Good riddance.
Now came the difficult decision, finding Alicia or scouting for Emily. Bethany didn't want to stand there like a loser, more people passed her some highschoolers giving her scornful or respectful glances, so she started towards the bleachers at a quick pace. Her hands found their ways to comfortably rest in her pockets, one fidgeting with her cellphone.
Alicia Cady was a short, around 4 11, powerhouse of a girl. She was intimidating even from her short height and was brutally honest at all times. She wore chunky boots and pulled her ebony hair away from her defined face while wearing her school girl outfits to accentuate her slender figure, and always moved with a sort of grace no matter how tall of boots she had on. Bethany and her seemed to have always had some sort of bad blood, they were never close even while the friend group was together. Alicia was too critical and Bethany too impulsive seemed to be the logical reasons.
After finding her tiny figure at the railing some way into the home section, Bethany charted what she wanted to be a casual course over to her. Alicia and Rory were best friends, an odd match, but they had been so since sixth grade. Bethany sidled up to the girl, feeling as if she was about to get attacked.
"Hey," she said kind of awkwardly. Alicia's eyes didn't move from the game where Rory had just tackled someone from the opposing school.
"What brings you here Forrest?" she spoke in her rich voice.
"Rory invited me," Bethany said, trying to relax as she leaned against the railing as well.
"That makes a hell of a lot more sense, you never show at these games anymore."
"Yeah," Bethany shrugged lamely. "It was nice of him."
"He's too nice," Alicia barked a laugh and then quieted, eyes trained on the game still. Despite the October night she was wearing a pleated short skirt with chunky Doc Martens and a cardigan, in typical Alicia style. Bethany had opted for a warmer look, black jeans (one of her many pairs) a graphic AC DC shirt topped with a jean jacket, her usual black converse on her feet.
Bethany tried to focus her attention on the game, but the one repeating thought in her head was Emily, Emily, Emily. Bethany's brain kept telling itself to prepare for failure, Emily wasn't coming, she had made sure not to be involved for years. Nothing would change. This precise attitude is what surely threw Bethany for a loop as a figure in her peripheral vision wearing baggy clothes tripped.
Her head swung away from the game which she really wasn't paying attention to. Emily Allen had just recovered from her usual clumsiness and was making her way towards Alicia and Bethany wearing a white sweatshirt under navy overalls. For the first time since Bethany had arrived, Alicia looked away from the game.
"Is that?" She asked, sounding a bit astonished.
"It is, don't be a bitch to her and ruin this." Her harshness even surprised herself but she felt like she needed to say that. One harsh comment from Alicia's unfiltered mouth could make Emily retreat.
"I'll do my best," Alicia responded, rolling her eyes as Emily joined them at the railing. "Hey Allen,"
"Hi," Emily said in her hoarse unused voice. Her blue green eyes flicking nervously between the two girls, hands fidgeting with the cuffs of her long sweatshirt. "Which one is Rory?"
"Number 15," Alicia pointed, eyes back on the game. At this point, Bethany gave up paying attention to the game, resolving to give Rory a polite "good job" after. Instead, her attention was on the fidgety girl on her right side.
"You came," Bethany commented, facing Emily.
"I had nothing better to do," she answered defensively. "If you don't want me here that's your problem."
"No, no," Bethany backtracked. "Of course I want you here, I just didn't expect you to be."
"I hope I did the right thing," Emily muttered scanning Bethany's face, the defensive look still on her face.
"Of course you did, don't be silly. Everyone is going to be happy you are here."
"Who's everyone?" Emily asked hands still fidgeting with her sweatshirt.
"Rory, Alicia, me." She emphasized the me, hoping Emily would get the point.
"Not many people, but whatever," the snark was something Bethany had been getting used to, it was unlike Emily, but seemed to be more of a defense mechanism than real feelings. They sat in tense silence for a couple moments. Bethany glanced over at Alicia who was cheering loudly for Rory and seemingly not listening to their conversation.
"Did you mean it?" Emily asked.
"Mean what?"
"You missed me,"
"Yes of course," Bethany huffed. She paused, thinking their conversation on Tuesday over in her head. "Did you mean it?"
"What?"
"That you didn't miss us?" Emily glanced away, her straight brown hair falling in her face so Bethany could no longer see her. "Yes or no was it the truth?" Bethany asked again. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Alicia starting to tune into their conversation, her head angled towards them.
"No," Emily looked down at her feet, refusing to meet Bethany's gaze.
"No?"
"No." Emily said firmly, turning her gaze back to the game.
