Page 114 of Finding Fate

26

Homecoming

After Izzy had left to meet the dance team in the girls’ locker rooms, Tucker walked with Annie and Emma over to the stands and had to stop several times on the way for their friends to complement the girls and wish them luck.

He joined in with some lighthearted banter about how strange it was to see Annie in a dress, and when he overheard someone suggest it probably would have been Izzy if she hadn’t been knocked up, Tucker chose not to comment, thankful that neither of the girls had overheard. It was likely true after all, and he wasn’t in the mood to cause a scene.

Eventually, the girls left to find their seats with the rest of the homecoming court, and Tucker worked his way through the stands. He stopped to chat with some of the guys from track, but after a few minutes, he told them he’d catch up with them later. He had something to attend to before the game started.

After making a quick stop by the announcer’s box to update them on the name change in the homecoming ceremony that Emma was still hilariously clueless about, he searched the still growing crowd for any friends he might join.

He caught sight of his family a few rows down from the top, a couple sections over. He waved when his mother’s eyes caught his and made his way down the steep, metal stairs as quickly as possible without knocking into anyone.

Since most of his main friends were on the football team, he’d normally find somewhere to sit with Annie and Emma, which was often with some of their track friends, Emma’s volleyball friends, or near a guy the tiny blonde might be crushing on. But since the girls were both required to sit with the court tonight, and the stands were going to be overly packed for the big game, he figured he’d go sit with their families for a change.

He ran into a few more people from school on his way over, stopping to talk for several minutes to each one of them, except for one group of girls who were doing a poor job in their attempt to flirt and convince him to sit with them. Uninterested and annoyed, he walked off, not wanting to do anything that might encourage them. He and Izzy had been together for six months now, and they were deluded if they hadn’t figured out that his heart was off the market yet.

When he finally made it over, it was just in time for the national anthem. After going through all the pregame traditions, he settled down on the bench next to Tyler and Chris, joining in their conversations between plays. They did catch his attention during one play in the second quarter when they started pointing and snickering in Tabitha’s direction.

He turned to see what the big deal was and saw her smiling shyly over at the neighboring section. Checking it out, he saw a boy turning his head back down towards the field and was glad Jet wasn’t there to comment, remembering how he had been when the twins told him his little sister liked a boy. Tucker wanted to agree with the twins that Jet had overreacted but couldn’t truthfully, knowing he wouldn’t like it if his sisters wanted to get dressed up for a movie with a boy either, group thing or not.

Tabitha continued to send shy looks in the boy’s direction throughout the game. Between plays and their younger siblings’ chatter, Tucker scrutinized the boy for his friend. He’d expect Jet to do the same for his sisters.

He could have sworn he knew the kid from somewhere and racked his brain to place the face, but it wasn’t until he saw a familiar afro come up the steps and squeeze into the row next to him that he realized it was Cory Peter’s younger brother.

He smirked to himself and wondered what Jet would think of that as he turned his attention back to the field to watch rest of the game, yelling with enthusiasm each time the Sharks scored.

* * *

When it was time for the game to start, Isabel followed the dance team out to the field but waited on the track while the rest of the team lined up for the football players’ entrance. She understood why she wasn’t directly involved with everything anymore, but she still hated it. What was the point of being on the dance team if she couldn’t dance? At least, she still had her winter recital with Leo coming up before dancing was truly on an extended hiatus.

The only positive thing she could think about being on the sidelines was that she was still warm in her jacket while the rest of her teammates were freezing their butts off on the field. It had been chilly that afternoon with Tucker on the beach, but the frigid December air was expected to drop into the low forties past sunset.

She was a little happier once the game started, knowing that she’d at least be able to participate in the team cheering up here in the stands - even if the atmosphere most of her teammates presented her with was nearly as cold as the weather.

Several of the girls on the team were uncomfortable with the fact that she was pregnant and pretty much steered clear of her. That wasn’t such a big deal, but there was a good handful of them that were not afraid to express how disgusted they were that Isabel had managed to take Tucker off the market entirely, along with sticking him with a baby that could potentially ‘screw up his game.’

That was fine, though. She could handle it. Most of those girls had been out with Tucker before or wished they had. She chalked it up to jealousy and took a seat with Casey and Dinah, two of the few team members who were still on good terms with her.

Between cheering, the two asked her questions about the baby, and they took turns chatting about the guys that had given them their mum for the Homecoming game, a tradition Isabel and Annie hadn’t bothered with. Isabel because she insisted Tucker not waste his much needed money on the overly priced flower with ribbons, and Annie because she found them annoying.

When halftime approached, they lined up on the track for their part of the show. Isabel stepped off to the side as she had before the game began but was tugged back to the line as Casey and Dinah caught sight of the Homecoming court.

They gushed with her over Annie’s new look until it was time for them to head out, and Isabel leaned back against the railing to watch the show, giving Annie and Emma a smile and a wave. Jet and Emma’s mystery escort weren’t with them yet. She felt her curiosity prickle. Who could the guys have gotten? Emma was pretty and tons of fun to be around. It could be anyone.

* * *

Jet made it to the locker rooms with just enough time to change and talk to his friend before the coach called them over for the team pep talk. He knew the guy was still in denial of his feelings, or at least pretended to be, so when the initial answer was no, he wasn’t discouraged.

He pressed on, playing the cards of the situation to get the answer he needed. The girls would not be happy with him if Emma had to walk out empty armed at halftime.

“Come on, man. I could really use your help. I told the girls I knew someone who’d do it.”

“And that’s my problem, how? I never promised them anything.”

“Well, if you won’t do it to save my butt, at least do it to help Emma. It’s not her fault she got canceled on last minute.”

Jet could see his friend’s resolve weakening at this point, and knew he wouldn’t take too much more convincing. He just had to spin it right…

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