Equinox

When the Party's Over

The anticipation of Friday finally came to a head as the Homecoming game was finally there. It had felt like the longest month for everyone. Tragedy after another rocking their little sleepy town awake to awful truths and this game felt like a nice little escape from reality. Angela had never cared for any sport let alone football but she came to every game to support the team and because Mike was the quarterback.

It was freezing as she and her friends huddled together for warmth in their thick coats. She brought a thermos of steaming hot coffee that they sipped on throughout the game. Eric dutifully took photos with his camera while Tyler raised the banner he made that said 'GO SPARTANS, GO!'. They all cheered every time their team scored.

Even with losing their original coach and the missed practices, the team did well and won the game. They all screamed their hearts out as Mike smiled widely as his team raised him up and congratulated him for the winning touchdown. Angela was happy for him as she always was and remembered that little boy in little league games and how far Mike had come. He put himself into things he cared about and did well and a part of her could understand why he wanted bigger things for himself.

They'd agreed beforehand to meet up at Sully's for a post-game dinner and they all ate burgers and milkshakes and recounted the highlights of the game. Eric turned on his camera and pointed it to Mike.

"So, Varsity Blues, how does your win feel?" Eric asked. "Was it as easy as you thought it would be?'

"I wouldn't have been able to do it without my team and we all worked hard and brought our A-Game," Mike replied then grinned cheekily. "The other team could've done better. Maybe they needed to practice more..."

"Stop bragging, Newton," Lauren chided, flicking a French fry at him. Mike had caught the fry in his mouth and gave her that same smarmy grin. "This is why we broke up."

"You can't handle this much man," Mike returned. "Many women can't."

Lauren rolled her eyes. "More like you're too immature."

"There's also the fact that you're as cuddly as a polar bear," He remarked. "You would've eaten me for the winter if I didn't get out of that doomed relationship in time."

Jessica had become quiet and seemed more interested in stirring the straw around her milkshake then in the conversation. Angela made an excuse about needing to go to the restroom and asked Jessica to come with her. The restroom at Sully's was thankfully empty as they made their way inside. Angela took Jessica's hand and asked her if she was okay.

"I'm totally fine," Jessica tried to play it off. "Mike still likes Lauren, whatever."

"Mike doesn't like Lauren that way anymore," Angela tried to reassure him. "I don't think he ever really did. He probably didn't want to date someone he's known since kindergarten and Lauren was the closest thing to new."

"Yeah, but that just confirms he will never like me the way I like him," Jessica replied. "He thinks Forks and all the girls here are boring and he can't wait to graduate and go find some cool, sexy, tall girl in California and he'll forget all about me."

"Jess..."

"You're his best friend. You know him better than all of us," Jessica held her hand tightly in desperation. "Tell me, Angie. Does he like me even a little?"

Angela felt bereft, knowing the truth and how it would hurt Jessica but also knowing lying would hurt her friend in the long run. She was right about Mike and how he would hate to stay in Forks and settle down with a girl he's known since childhood. He wanted a new start with a new girl somewhere far away. And Jessica was the opposite of everything he wanted in life even though she was pretty, funny, and smarter than everyone in school.