Page 42 of Second Down Fake

In hindsight, Becca might have been on the right track when she blocked me from playing video games.

As a kid, I assumed she simply loved making me miserable. Enjoyed the sound of my whining and complaining to our parents that it was unfair that she got to play for hours when I only got twenty minutes at our chocobo farm at the start of the game.

But, after abusing Diego’s hospitality and PlayStation, he’d unceremoniously kicked me out of his house. Well, not kicked me out. He’d softly suggested we both get some sleep. Sleep he needed more than me, judging by how soundly he slept on my shoulder for the better part of an hour, body heavy and breath steady. And I certainly didn’t mind having him on me. Despite what we’d told Becca, the evening felt so impossibly cozy and calm that I couldn’t help my mind from wandering to what it would feel like to date Diego.

Impossible, unless I somehow morphed into a person who had their shit together. A person with a job that took taxes out of their paycheck and an apartment they didn’t borrow from their sister.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have another shot at an all-night video game binge before the first game of the season.

Lena hadn’t been kidding about the pre-game restrictions. Other than a few quick texts, a reminder about the game, and when Lena would pick me up, Diego had gone radio silent. Still, anticipation for my first Breakers NFL game drowned out any disappointment at not seeing Diego, disappointment I blamed on a lack of Final Fantasy.

Besides, I’d been busy. Other than walking tours and bar shifts, I’d met a general contractor who occasionally needed a second pair of hands during one of my bar shifts. After Kendall vouched for him, I helped him install a bathroom vanity. Easy work and flexible.

I woke up late on Saturday morning, blearily turning off the alarm and peeling my body out of bed. Lena had picked me up promptly at one, her former roommate, Cici, in tow.

Lena’s preference for bubbly pals made Cici and I fast friends. A sales representative for lab equipment, Cici talked almost as much as me. By the time we reached the stadium, we were one-upping each other with dating horror stories and laughing so hard I struggled to breathe.

We hedged around the perimeter of the stadium, entering a gated parking lot after giving our names to a guard. The fans inside the gated parking lot looked similar to the fans outside, except instead of wobbly canvas tents and rickety grills, they had giant RVs with full size TVs and catered tailgate spreads.

“Sorry, Lena, I think Cassie’s the one who’s going to convince me to come to more Breakers games.”

Lena shot Cici an angry look as she pulled into an empty parking spot. “Some best friend you are.”

I stared out the window as we passed the tailgates, recognizing more than a few of the fans in attendance, singers and actors and late-night personalities. Lena navigated through the center of the parking lot to the tent butted up to the stadium. Even without Lena pointing it out, the spot was hard to miss. A giant Breakers blue tent covered a half-dozen parking spaces with a stand reading, “Coach Mack’s Pre-Game” beside it.

Lena pulled into an empty space and turned off the car. “Don’t worry about being photographed here. It’s all season ticket holders and they’re pretty chill.”

In contrast to Cici and I, Lena had been more restrained on the car ride and when we stepped out, her eyes wandered down to my jersey. Her lips thinned and a worried expression covered her face.

“You’re worrying too much,” I said, knotting the bottom of the oversized jersey tight around my hips. “Relax.”

“Yeah, relax.” Cici wrapped an arm around her friend. “Cassie’s a big girl.”

I took a deep breath and prepared myself for the next few hours.

With Lena and Cici, at least I’d have a good time, but Diego and I hadn’t exactly planned what would happen at the game. I’d make an appearance. And probably. No, likely, no one would notice.

I wasn’t Zoey Meyer. I wasn’t an A-list singer or celebrity. I wasn’t an international model. I was a nobody from New Hampshire, and other than a passing interest in Diego’s rebound, I doubted I’d see my face anywhere besides my bathroom mirror for the rest of the season.

Along with a dearth of wives and girlfriends for the Norwalk Breakers, the tailgate mostly included Coach Mack’s friends, all former coaches and all retired, a handful of former Breakers players, and one small child.

The girl ran up to Lena. A bedraggled woman with gray hair and two blue pom-poms followed her. She wrapped her tiny arms around Lena’s knees with a contagious grin. “You’re here!”

She pulled away, holding her hands out. She wore a blue and white cheerleader outfit with the number ’90’ embossed on the front and the name “Grant” on the back. “Did you see my new outfit? I have pom-poms too!”

Without waiting for a response, she ran back to the older woman.

“Thank god,” the older woman said to Lena as she handed over the pom-poms.

“Cassie, let me introduce you to Mila and Gloria. Mila is Rob Grant’s daughter. He’s on the defense, linebacker. Gloria is his mother.”

Rob’s face came to me immediately: handsome but all hard angles and glowering frowns. The resemblance between Gloria and Rob was easy to spot, a high forehead, square jaw and piercing brown eyes. The little girl, on the other hand, was soft, face round, and eyes a brilliant blue.

“Nice to meet you both,” I said, shaking Gloria’s hand and smiling at Mila.

The girl hid behind Lena, a tentative smile on her face. “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you,” Gloria replied quickly before turning back to Lena. “You’re an absolute angel for watching her. Rob will take her after the game.”

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