When the game is about to start, Lacey joins the rest of the cheerleaders on the field. They stand at one end where the players will run out. Lacey and Andie hold a large blue banner, one on either side, that readsGOKNIGHTSGO!Rowan drops down on the seat next to me. “I thought you were grounded.”
“I am.”
“Weird. I thought that meant no extracurricular activities or fun, but what the hell do I know? I’ve never been grounded.”
“Never?” I ask, abandoning my Lacey-watching to look at my friend.
He shakes his head. “Never. My parents don’t really believe in that kind of punishment.”
“Do they take your phone away?”
“No.”
“Truck?”
“Fuck no.” He laughs. “Then they’d have to drive me places.”
“What do they do if you’re in trouble?” I ask, genuinely curious now. Dad hasn’t grounded me often, but I’ve lost phone privileges or video games many times. Rowan doesn’t talk about his home life much, and I know his parents are never around, but I just assumed he faced some sort of punishment from time to time.
A shadow crosses over his face, but then his easy smile returns. “You’re assuming I get in trouble, Cap. I am a perfect child.”
I huff a short laugh, and we fall back into a comfortable silence as the pregame festivities start. Our football team isn’t great, but the games are well attended anyway.Probably because so many other clubs are involved, and the town is good about showing up to support the school.
The cheerleaders stand along the sideline getting the crowd pumped up, the band plays slightly off-key, the color guard tosses their blue flags into the air, and the spirit line dances in beat to the music.
Football games have good atmosphere. Soccer games are less showy, but I like it that way. All the focus is on the players on the field. I thrive in that environment. Or I did. Another gut twist reminds me that my season might be over.
I get back to work on studying. It doesn’t feel as awkward as I thought it would. No one is really paying me any attention as I hunch over my notes and books. I glance up occasionally when the crowd cheers or when Rowan groans next to me, but otherwise I’m in the zone.
At the start of the second quarter, Lacey abandons her squad to join me.
“How’s it going?” she asks. Her body is warm as she sidles up next to me, and I’m temporarily distracted by the flush in her cheeks.
“Good,” I say when I realize I’ve been staring at her unspeaking for too long. “I’m through the first two sections. Three more to go.”
She gets in my space again, as she seems to have gotten comfortable doing. Lacey leans over to check my work, nodding along. She looks up at me finally and aims one of those big, happy smiles at me. “You’re doing great. These are all correct.”
My skin pricks with the compliment and the back of my neck heats. “Thanks.”
Rowan leans over from my other side, knocking me out of my trance.
“Are you doing the new routine tonight?” he asks her.
“Yep,” she says with a hint of pride and excitement in her voice.
“New routine?” I ask.
“Yeah, for the half-time show.”
I nod as she stands and heads back down to the field. She hadn’t mentioned anything to me about a new routine. Then again, why would she? Our time together is spent studying. We aren’t friends. Not really. Still, for some reason, I feel jealous that Rowan knew and I didn’t.
Lacey grabs her pom-poms and falls right back into the cheer like she was never gone. She’s loud and enthusiastic. Her ponytail bounces around. Each time she lifts her arms, the top of her uniform shows off more of her toned stomach and her pleated skirt moves with each bounce and kick.
When the cheerleaders turn and start a new cheer facing the crowd, our eyes lock.
“Knights fans, catch our spirit. When we yell blue and white, fight, let’s hear it!” The cheerleaders start the familiar cheer.
Lacey’s smile pulls higher as neither of us looks away. “Blue and white, FIGHT!”
