What is Home

Chapter Nine

Football game day came. Friday night under lights seemed to be this school's prime entertainment. Every person in the school showed up dressed in school colors. Even the least expected people participated. Reece made sure I followed in suit while I got ready for school. He provided me with his away jersey while he wore his home jersey, just so I could be one with everyone else.

"You should feel lucky sis; this should be Harlow's." Harlow was Reece's crush. Apparently she wore Reece's jersey every Friday. He had to break the news in last period that I had to take the honors for this week. She was a cheerleader just like Ally, so it wasn't a huge deal. She was supposed to wear her uniform anyways. The girls on the cheer team with significant others or crushes normally wore their jerseys over their uniforms just to show support.

I rolled my eyes at him while I threw the jersey over a white shirt I had put on for the day. I coupled the jersey with blue jeans that I had worn the day before and white sneakers. White sneakers that were definitely more brown and falling apart than they were white.

We had family breakfast again. I had started to feel more comfortable around everyone in the house. I even got to meet the family dog, Lula. She was the friendliest animal I had ever met in my life. I was showered with plenty of doggy kisses upon entering the kitchen for breakfast. I was enjoying the family routine this life was giving me. After one day it had felt like a lifetime of knowing everyone.

Upon arrival at school Reece's entourage showed up just as they had before. As we both opened our doors we were greeted with good mornings. Every single person had a jersey on, we all matched.

"I see you've found yourself a jersey to wear Charlee." Grayson spoke to me. "I thought I would offer you mine." I looked through the crowd looking for Pierce who had his arm wrapped around Ally. His face got an angry expression as the words left Grayson's mouth. He didn't want me to have anything to do with Grayson. His face said it all. There was no hiding his feelings, or if he were trying, he sucked at it. "But I guess I don't have to now."

"Reece is letting me-" Reece cut me off before I could continue.

"Charlee you should switch mine out for Grayson's." I watched Pierce's face get even more upset by the comments from his friends. It took me agreeing to wear Grayson's to push him over the edge.

I knew that Reece wanted Harlow to wear his, so I saw no issue. It's just a piece of clothing. To Pierce though, it was moving onto someone else in front of his eyes. Something he got to do without me around. He got to do it in private. It was a lot easier that way. He took off with Ally towards the school as I switched jerseys.

Being the new girl and already getting to be in someone's jersey pulled eyes. Everyone seemed to be staring at whose jersey I had wrapped around my body. Apparently, this was a big deal to everyone. It wasn't just a piece of clothing like the way I looked at it. Some girls gave me the jealous look, something that I didn't understand. I was nothing to fear.

I was dreading going to lunch. Knowing that I had to deal with Pierce's angry looks all period, broke me. I didn't want him upset with me. The person that I felt at home with was breaking, and that broke me.

So, when we walked into the cafeteria and I saw Pierce sitting next to Ally, I paused before I approached. I went to sit down across from Pierce when I was stopped by his voice breaking the silence between the two of us. "That seats taken." His voice was harsh and cold. It was a way he had never acted towards me. It stung deep.

"Oh," I looked at him with hurt eyes holding my breath for a second, "Sorry I just thought-"

"You thought wrong. Harlow's sitting with us today. That's her seat." He looked away from me clearly not caring about my feelings. All of this was over a stupid jersey.