Danna looks at me wary. “What did you guys do?”
“Well, he took me out to a fancy restaurant, and things kind of got heavy in his car for a bit.”
Bryce laughs. “Did you guys bang in the back seat of his car?”
I wave my head no. “My gawd! I wanted to though.”
I look out into the field. Hillview Academy is up by five points. I spot Jaxson in the field. He looks even hotter in his gear. His ass in those white pants looks amazing. Does he do squats all day?
Danna spots me almost drooling. “Only you could go out on a date with a guy like Chase and come to a game to grab the attention of the star quarterback.”
Bryce finishes his last bite. “Now if Elle makes the rounds with Chase and Jaxson on the same night, that’s a story. Danna, that should inspire you to write again.”
She waves her head no and looks at me. “Not worth it.”
In the field, Jaxson tosses a long pass to a receiver, who runs twenty yards or so and gets a touchdown. Ryland is now beating Hillview. The crowd is cheering Jaxson’s name. The receiver takes off his helmet and raises the football to the cheering crowd.
Over a speaker an announcer says, “Touchdown Ryland! Number eleven, Nathaniel Wise! Let’s go Lions!”
The crowd begin to chant the receiver’s name. I squint and look at his face, which is easy to do from our prime seats. My face instantly sours.
“Where’s your team spirit?” Bryce asks.
I point at the receiver. “That’s one of the fuckers that pie’d me. He tried for a head shot but got mostly my hair.”
Jaxson runs over to me and takes off his helmet. “I was hoping you’d make it.” In the distance, I hear his coach yelling at him. He doesn’t seem to care. “Big game. Big touchdown, but I need some luck.” He leans in and kisses my cheek.
I smile at him. “You missed my lips, quarterback.”
“I won’t later tonight.” With his whole team yelling and waving him over he runs back and joins them.
Danna looks at me with her mouth gaping. “How the hell do you do it? Honestly!”
I have no fucking clue. I wish I could figure it out myself.
The game continues. We cheer and chant with the crowd. Jaxson continues to kill it on the field. I don’t know much about football, but his confidence on the field amazes me. He seems like a natural leader. A few more touchdowns by each team, and suddenly the game feels like a coinflip on who will win.
With a win tonight superstitiously determining the whole season for both teams, the crowd is getting loud and anxious. Jaxson manages to find a receiver for another long pass. The receiver gets a touchdown. The crowd, and us, are going wild. Everyone is up from their seats going ape shit.
I don’t let the fact that it was Nathanial Wise who scored the touchdown bring me down. The offense on Hillview doesn’t have a chance to catch up. The clock ticks down, and Ryland Academy wins.
Almost immediately after the win, Jaxson runs up to us again. Bryce and Danna slap five with him. When he gets to me, he just looks at me. The look he gives me is one I haven’t seen on him before.
Is it too cliché to say that he wanted to score again later tonight?
He wants me, bad. I’ve seen guys give me this look before. With his adrenaline so high, I feel like he could throw me over his shoulder, and we do it in the middle of the field, audience and all. With me being caught up with the crowd and the star quarterback, I almost would let him.
He asks if I need a ride tonight to the party, but I tell him I’m going with Danna and Bryce and would see him soon.
“Can’t wait.’ He says with a smile.
When he leaves to join his cheering team, Danna grabs my hand. “I’m pretty sure you’re scoring tonight.”
Bryce laughs. “The question is how many touchdowns in one night.”
“That’s so cliché.” I say.
All three of us want to freshen up for the party. I’d like to not wear the school uniform to my first party as well.
Danna drops me in front of the guesthouse. She says she will be back around nine to pick me up for the party.
I walk towards the front door. Even with the sounds of Danna driving off, I can hear the distant sounds of shouting through the dark. It seems like it’s coming from Cain’s mansion. I tell myself to just go inside the guesthouse and mind my own business but fail miserably.
I reluctantly get closer to see what’s happening. In the dim light on the back patio I spot Arthur Cain talking to Lance. Lance is looking out towards the dark sky, staring at the full moon, ignoring his father. His arms are stretched out over a decorative stone wall. His father is behind him, his arms folded, and a cigar entrenched in his mouth.
Arthur Cain puts a hand on his son’s shoulder. “Just listen son, you don’t know what I pulled to get you here. Don’t let me down.”
Lance doesn’t turn and continues to look out into the dark sky, towards the full moon. “You seriously thought I would just go along with this, didn’t you? You know what, fuck off.”
Arthur Cain takes the cigar out of his mouth and flicks it into the back yard. “You have none of me in you. I let your mother coddle you. That was my mistake.”
Lance turns his head slightly. “Don’t you fucking talk about her. You didn’t even love her. You can’t love anything.”
Arthur shakes his head. “You know nothing, son. Clear your mind. Be useful. Don’t disappoint me.” Arthur leaves without giving Lance a chance to respond.
Lance turns his head and continues to look
