What is Home

Chapter Fifty-Two

The phone on my bedside table began to buzz against the surface. I looked over to see the goofy face of a boy I spent hours laughing with the day this photo was taken. His tongue was out in annoyance at the jabs I had continued to throw at him. Jabs, that of course, were jokes that had us practically rolling on the floor laughing.

"Charlee girl!" His voice rang through the phone with so much happiness behind it.

"Hey Gray." I smiled as I heard the voices of all his friends in the background. They were on their way to the game which my family was leaving for soon.

"I know you said you wanted to stick to just friends but I hope you still wear my jersey today." A laugh escaped from his lips as the sound of his teammate's laughs filled my ears at almost the same time. I heard a commotion that followed the laughs letting me know that none of them were laughing at the conversation at hand, between him and I.

"I wouldn't even think about not wearing it. Don't worry, Coleman will still be on my back. I'll still be cheering for your dumbass until my throat is raw."

"From my dick." He joked. Even though we agreed on just staying friends, we still let the sexual tension between the two of us flow.

"I hate you." I laughed and he responded in the same way. "If you aren't leaving that field in pain you didn't leave your heart out there."

"I'll keep that in mind. If I'm not walking like you after sex, then I didn't give it my all. Mental note taken." I could literally picture in my head the smirk playing on his lips.

"And that is my cue to leave this conversation. Good luck out there babe!" Before he could respond I ended the call returning my phone to my bedside table.

In no time, we were headed out the door for the two-hour drive to the game. I spent the entire time locked with my nose in a book, while my parents and siblings sung along obnoxiously to the radio. The words on the pages of the book drowned out the atrocity that was their awful singing.

The time in the car did fly though. Before I knew it the car came to a halt as we pulled into a parking spot at the arena where the boys would be playing. The parking lot was already packed and the game still didn't start for another few hours. That just proved how much football was in the blood of everyone at Lincoln High.

As we began the long walk towards the entrance of the arena my phone began to buzz in the pocket of my jacket. I pulled it out, slipping my gloves off my fingers to read the words on the screen.

Hey baby girl. I love you. Can't wait to see your pretty little face in the stands. Talk to you after the game.

Good luck my forever. Play hard, but not too hard. I'd still like you in one piece. Sending kisses your way. Don't forget to delete this after you read it. I love you.

After waiting outside in the cold for what felt like hours, we finally were allowed into the warmth of the building. Luca and Lucy instantly asked for food in which they were rewarded. But the rest of us were too anxious about the game to eat. We got seats saved for our normal crowd and sat and waited for their rivals. The bleachers around us were packed full of people. Even looking across the field at the rival teams stands, they matched ours almost perfectly. There was no doubt that both teams on that field were going to put up a battle until death.

Our boys walked onto the field and I found myself focusing on both the boys that made me happy. Honestly, all three of the boys that made me happy, my brother being the add on. I, for the first time since entering this town, felt the most comfortable I had ever been. Everything felt like it was falling into place the way it was always supposed to happen. I felt free.