me, texas, and the popular boy

chapter 10

I'd never felt stupider than when I woke up that Friday. I'd been lead on, and the object of amusement for the junior and senior boys. It was game day. I was no longer going for Matt's sake at all. I had still promised Porter I'd go. That relationship was one thing I had going for me. He was genuinely interested in me, and I was growing fonder of him every day. I went to school wearing my East Sunfall t-shirt, which was the extent of school merch that I owned. I would've stuck out like a sore thumb had I not been wearing the school colors. The day dragged on, everyone was going to the game that night.

At the end of the school day, I went to the bike rack like I always did. Except there was someone standing in front of my bicycle. As I drew nearer I realized who it was. Porter Manchester was standing there with his Ray-Bans on and a color block Nike windbreaker. He smiled when he saw me.

"Skip!" he stood up straighter.

"Hi, Porter," I gave a shy smile, "Whatcha doin'"

"Well, Molly said you rode your bike to school every day, and I just don't think that's right."

I started to defend myself, "I really don't mind, Porter. I mean I enjoy --"

"Sweetheart," he interrupted me, "I'm going to give you a ride home now. I don't think it's something you'd want to argue, unless I've severely misjudged our relationship."

I laughed a little, "Alright."

I unlocked my bike and Porter picked it up like a dog. He had left his Range Rover running right next to the bike rack so he would be able to pick me up. He opened his trunk and put the bike in. I climbed into the passenger seat of his car. He got in a couple of seconds after me. He turned on the radio, he had auxed to a rap playlist. The volume was up so high it made my ears hurt a little. He pulled out of the parking lot. "So Skip, you excited for tonight?" he had to yell to be heard over the music.

"Uh, yeah, a little I guess," I was actually excited to experience my first Texas high school football game.

"You know what you're wearing?" he said as he placed his hand on my thigh. My cheeks turned visibly red.

"Um, kinda," The theme for the night was Hawaiian, "Probably just one of my dad's Hawaiian shirts and these shorts," I motioned to my jean shorts.

"Really?" he sounded a bit disapproving.

"Is that not okay?" I began to feel a bit self-conscious.

"I mean it's fine, I guess. It's just that most girls wear bikini tops with jean shorts."

"Oh, I'll probably wear that then," I didn't want to stick out.

"Yeah good plan," he smiled at me again, affirming my decision. There wasn't much time left in the ride, but we didn't talk for it. He rapped along his music a little, and he would occasionally squeeze my thigh a little tighter. I pointed my house out to him once we were on my street. He pulled into my driveway.

"Thanks for the ride," I said as I left his car.

"Yeah no problem, I'll text you later, yeah?" He put his hand on the seat I had just gotten up from.

"Sounds good," I said when I closed the door. He drove off almost immediately. I went up to my bedroom and looked in my dresser drawers. I wasn't really sure what bikini to wear. I didn't really want to wear one, but if that's what everyone else was doing. I decided on just a plain red top I'd gotten from Aerie, and I kept my blue denim shorts on. It was about 6:30 and I was just on my bed scrolling through Instagram. Then I got a text.

Unknown Number: hey skip. its porter.

Me: hi porter

Porter: you decided what to wear yet?

Me: yeah just a red bikini top and the shorts i had on earlier lol

Porter: yeah that what most girls will wear i think

Me: it is? I just dont want to dress up like this and be dressed up wrong

Porter: send pics

I stood in front of my mirror and took a picture of my outfit and sent it to him.

Porter: that outfit would look better on the floor of my bedroom (;

He was bold.

Me: i personally think it would look better with a shirt over it

Porter: im just playing skip. the fit is good. is your dad home?

Me: yeah he just got home, i think he about to take a shower

Porter: okay imma roll up lmk when hes in the shower

Me: lol why

Porter: so you can skrrt out while hes in there

Me: why do i have to leave while hes in the shower lol

Porter: i dont deal with dads

Me: ok well i just heard the water turn on.

Porter: k almost there, meet me out front.

I thought it was weird that he didn't even want to risk talking to my dad. It's not like my dad would've bitten him. Maybe southern dads were just weird like that. I walked out to the end of my driveway. I felt very exposed. It was warm out, but all my neighbors would be able to see me in a little risque bikini top. I sat out there for at least five minutes. It was probably more, but I gave Porter the benefit of the doubt. Then I saw his headlights slow down to a stop in front of me. I stepped into his car.

He was wearing an open Hawaiian shirt and board shorts. He had the same Ray Bans on as he did earlier. He stared at my cleavage as I climbed in, "Anyone ever tell you you are the most attractive person in the whole world?",

I buckled my seatbelt in, "Only everyone I've ever met."

"That really just isn't surprising to me," Porter drove fast. It seemed a little reckless to me, but then again, if I were as wealthy as Porter I might drive just so recklessly.

"Are we gonna win tonight?" I thought to change the subject.

"Uh, are we gonna win?" Porter said in a mocking tone, "We just do not lose. And it's only a challenge when we play West. And we're playing Ridgeview."

I felt a little silly for asking, I kinda already knew we had a really good football team, "Oh, that's exciting then."

"Yeah, it'll be high energy," he started turning into the school, "First game always is."