Page 49 of Bending Under Pressure

“What’s the point in having a car if I don’t drive it half the time?” Keelan asks. “Because you know Cameron wouldn’t want to ride with me all the time.”

“Oh, you make sure to drive that car more than you should.” She raises an eyebrow at him and my heart stalls. Is she referencing his racing? Does she know about that?

I glance to Keelan and I think the same wheels are turning in his head. “I don’t mind at all,” I blurt out in response to her original question. It’s true, too. I like his parents a lot. Well, I like his mom. I haven’t been around his dad too much.

“Good.” She smiles and turns to face forward again.

As I’ve come to expect, his parents ask me questions about school and tennis to catch up on what’s happening in those areas of my life since the last time I saw them. When we get to the stadium, Octavia and John refuse to let me pay for my admission. The same goes for the drink I get from the concession stand. Keelan locks his fingers with mine as we walk up the little ramp to begin our search for seats in the bleachers. I will the blush on my cheeks to go away, but it doesn’t.

“Keelan, third section toward the top,” I hear Octavia say to him from behind me.

He nods and leads the way. I end up between Keelan and his mom once we take a seat.

“Is it weird to watch when you’re usually the one on the field?” I

ask him.

“Not really,” he shrugs. “It’s cool to see how they are shaping up since they’ll be on varsity soon.” A slow grin begins to appear. “Is it weird for you since you don’t know who to watch now?”

I laugh, but Octavia is quicker on her feet and replies for me.

“She doesn’t watch you. She’s too busy talking to Jess to pay attention.”

“Yeah, what she said,” I agree.

“You don’t watch me play?” He mocks feeling hurt, a hand going over his heart. His lips pout.

“Only when Jess isn’t distracting me.”

The noise from the crowd rises as they scream, shout, and stomp their feet on the bleachers when the players run out onto the field. We all stand for the national anthem. As the game gets underway, I feel as if I’m part of their family while doing something as simple as chatting and watching football. Can people have a homey feeling to them? You know, like you walk into a place where you feel so comfortable and relaxed, where you can be yourself, where you feel the most at home? His parents feel like that. It’s odd to think about in that way, but it’s true.

At half time, we have a small lead. Octavia and John stand to walk to the concessions stand for snacks.

“I have something to tell you,” Keelan says in a quiet voice as he leans closer to me.

“What?” I ask in the same tone.

“Midnight, I’m picking you up.”

I grin with excitement. “Really?” Then I frown. “It’s Thursday. Why are we doing it today? I thought it was always on Saturdays.”

“There was a cop patrolling last weekend, so we’re just covering ourselves.”

Which reminds me... “Does your mom know?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Are you sure we need to go tonight? After last weekend?”

“I haven’t gotten you in trouble yet, have I?” He grins.

“Yet being the key word.”

He laughs. “Don’t worry so much, Hales. I got you.” Keelan bumps my shoulder, and I shake my head at him. “Do you know what I think?”

“What?”

“I think you’re not as worried about getting caught as you pretend to be. I think you only bring it up because on the rare possibility that it does happen, you’ll be able to tell me you told me so.”

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