Page 6 of The Second Kiss
Jacob is back. What would it be like to see him again? Does he even remember me?
I reach for the locket, then remember it's gone. I force my hand to my lap and my attention back to the game and my boyfriend on the field.
Brad makes a great play that ends in a touchdown. I jump to my feet and scream. Everyone around me turns and stares at me. The rest of the crowd is yelling too, but in the group I’m with, I stand out and sound too loud.
When I sit down, I’m embarrassed, but my heart is bursting because that was my guy who made the touchdown. My Brad.
“Do you get this game?” Shel asks. “What just happened?”
“Yeah,” I gesture to the field. “It’s pretty easy. The Badgers were trying to—"
“I don’t know football, but I get what just happened,” Lexie cuts in. “Brad just scored. Big whoop. That happens all the time.”
“No,” I dare to contradict her. “It was a great play. The other team started out with the ball, but they had a terrible field position, right next to our goal line. Brad read the play and saw that they were going for a pitch sideways. He intercepted the pass and made the touchdown because we were only a few yards from our goal.”
“What you’re saying is Brad saw a chance for an easy score, so he went for it,” Lexie says. “Like I said, big whoop. That happens all the time.” Her green eyes bore into me, and I’m not sure we’re talking about football anymore.
I sit back and try to ignore Lexie and concentrate on the game. She’s whispering something to another girl in her crowd. I immediately wonder if they're talking about me. Amazing how that pixie-perfect face can hide such a monster. I’m positive she was the one who stole my phone. Her comments about Brad are just another way to get to me. If Jaz were here, she’d tell me whatever they're saying isn't worth worrying about. I wish I had her confidence. Jaz doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her.
She does a split jump on the sidelines. The roar of the crowd drowns out whatever cheer they’re doing, but I can imagine she’s saying, “Don’t let her get to you.”
Before the game ends, I make my way down to the sidelines. Technically, Brad isn’t supposed to talk to me right after the game, but I want the chance to at least tell him “good game” or something. I wait behind the chain-link fence as the team passes through. When he sees me, he leaves the line of players, pushes through the gate, and kisses me.
“Excellent game,” I say when I catch my breath.
“Thanks.” He nuzzles into my neck. Sweat from his hair brushes against my check. “You taste good.” I know the entire team is watching us. My face glows red in the stadium lights.
“I won’t be able to make it to the party for a while—showers and post-game stuff, could you get another ride and I’ll meet you there?”
I start to say that I don’t mind waiting, but the coach yells, “Wilson!” So I don’t get the chance.
“See you at the party.” He kisses me once more, picks up his helmet, and then trots after the rest of the team.
As the wave of spectators makes its way out of the stadium Taryn catches up with me.
“Great game,” Taryn says.
“Yeah.” I feel guilty that I deserted her, but it wasn’t like she was alone; she had the whole band.
"Brad made a couple of good plays." Her devil horns are twisted, and she has something yellow—mustard?—on the sleeve of her shirt.
“Yeah.” I look around for Shel or Lexie or any of the group I was sitting with. I’m not used to feeling awkward when I talk to Taryn, but I’m glad when Jaz finally joins us.
“Can you take me to the party?" I burst out, before she can say anything.
“The party?” Jaz twists her cheer bag. “What party?”
“The party. The after-game thing,” I say.
“Oh yeah, that.” She puts her bag over her shoulder. “I’m not going. I have a prior commitment.”
“A prior commitment?” My heart sinks.
“With who?” Taryn asks.
Jaz turns towards the football field. “You see number twenty-three?”
“Ryder?” Taryn gasps. I’m the only one who knows she’s had a crush on Ryder since we were freshmen.
