When Football is Life

Chapter 14: Texas

The next week was full of finals. I spent most of my time in my room eating junk food and glancing at a few notes now and then. Brett was really focused on exams. I hadn't seen him since the Sunday I dropped him off at the stadium. We text a bit but it was only to say "good morning" and "goodnight". With chocolate on my face, I fell asleep the night before my last exam. 

I woke up the next morning in fear that I had missed my 8AM exam. I looked at my clock to see that it was 7:30. My final was in a building on the other side of campus. I jumped up and grabbed a pencil and ran out of my apartment and to the bus stop. I hadn't cleaned my face or brushed my hair. When I sat down in class, out of breath, the girl in front of me turned around and looked at me. 

"You look like a legit lion." She chuckled as she handed a ponytail tie to me. 

"Good looking out," I said, taking the hair band from her hand and putting my curls on top of my head. 

"Good luck." She whispered as the professor began to pass out the exam. 

"You, too." I sighed, sinking down in my seat. 

After I turned in my last exam, I walked slowly to the local ice cream shop that sold ice cream every season of the year. 

"Chocolate, two scoops, cake cone, please." I ordered. "I'm using Hurricane Bucks for this."

"Done with exams?" The girl asked as she scooped the ice cream. 

"Yes, praise God!" I rejoiced. 

"You're all set for Christmas break then." She smiled. 

"Crap, I still need to pack." I groaned. 

"Going back home?" She asked. 

"Nah, Texas," I sighed. "my boyfriend's home."

"Oh, well have a Merry Christmas!" She said, handing the ice cream to me. "See you in January!"

"Thanks and Merry Christmas." I smiled as I licked my ice cream. 

I walked back into my apartment to see Raeshawn coming out of Cecilia's room with her suitcases. 

"Yo, what's up?" He greeted me. "How were exams?"

"So glad to be done," I said, crunching down on my ice cream cone. "Cecilia making you do all the heavy lifting?"

"Always," He said. "looking forward to this drive home." Raeshawn was from Georgia, too. 

"Drive safe!" I smiled, sitting down on the couch. 

"When are you leaving for Texas?" Cecilia asked when she came out of her room. 

I shrugged. "He hasn't text me yet. I gave him the money for the plane ticket."

"Well, we're hitting the road now. Have a Merry Christmas, see you in the New Year!" Cecilia said as her and Raeshawn walked out the front door. 

After I finished my ice cream cone, I laid out on the couch for a nap. 

"Ally," I felt someone nudging me a few hours later. I looked up to see Mia. 

"Just saying goodbye." She smiled. 

Mia was spending her winter break in Russia for an internship. 

"Did you pack warm clothes?" I stretched. 

"Yes, of course!" She smiled. 

"Don't freeze while you're over there," I joked. "the warm weather will miss you."