“We’re playing LSU on Saturday. It’s a huge game.”
“Yeah, I heard. Goodluck,” she said with a smile.
“I want you to come.”
“You wantmeto come to the football game?” She couldn’t hide the surprised and slightly offended look on her face. “I don’t know one thing about football.”
“That’s okay,” he said, his smile sweet and understanding. “I bet you’d think it’s fun. There’s a section specifically for friends and family of players. I could get you and your roommates tickets.”
She thought for a few seconds and knew her roommates and best friends, Abigail and Amber, would absolutely kill her if they knew she turned down free football tickets. She looked up into his eyes and was surprised to see how eager he looked...almost desperate.
“Please?” He said, a small laugh escaping.
She took a deep breath and then stammered out her answer.
“Fuck, yeah, okay.”
“Hell yeah!” He said loudly, grabbing her small body and crashing it into his in an enthusiastic hug. She couldn’t help but laugh at his energetic and infectious aura. She also couldn’t help but notice how large, solid, and warm his body was against hers. He pulled back from the hug and held her at arm’s length, his hands on her tiny shoulders. “When I get home, I’ll send you the tickets to your email. You’re gonna love it Tess.”
“We’ll see,” she said giggling. She was very apprehensive and unsure about why he wanted her there so badly, or how out of place she’d feel in the stands of the huge stadium of Vanderbilt, cheering about a football game that she didn’t understand. But she was willing to take a chance. She was willing to do anything to see him smile like that.
CHAPTER 3
10 Years Ago
“This is so dumb,” Tessa said dryly, wrapping her arms around herself attempting self sooth. She was sandwiched between Abigail and Amber as they sat in the stands of the football stadium at Vanderbilt.
“God, lighten up,” Abigail said, giving Tessa a playful shove with her shoulder.
“Football games are supposed to be fun,” Amber chimed in, taking her phone out to take pictures of the field in front of them.
“I literally don’t know anything about football. The only thing I know is that my dad yells at the TV when the Eagles are playing and that’s it. I don’t even know why Tristan wanted me here, he knows all I do is read and write research papers and play my guitar.” She rolled her eyes and looked around the stadium apprehensively.
“Girl if you don’t shut up, I’m taping your mouth shut,” Amber said, turning her phone around and attempting to take a selfie with Tessa who only stuck her tongue out at the camera.
“Tessa, he obviously wants you here, and from what you’ve told us about him he seems like a fun guy. He probably just wants you to have a good time at a football game and do something other than study and write papers alone in your room.”
“That is not all I do,” Tessa said, her face scrunched up in offense. But who was she kidding? Abigail knew her better than anyone else on the planet.
The game was about to start, and the stadium was packed completely full. Tessa wore a simple black scoop neck shirt along with her jeans and converse shoes. The school colors were black and gold, making it easy for her to blend in with the crowd when she didn’t own even a single piece of merchandise from theschool. She decided to keep her hair curly again but had it up in a high but loose bun, letting some pieces of golden curls frame her face.
She felt so incredibly out of her comfort zone. All the people around her were screaming and already drunk. Most of them were guys with painted faces and half empty cups of beer spilling onto the floor. She truly didn’t understand why Tristan wanted her there, but his green eyes pleading with her wasn’t exactly something she was able to say no to.
The crowd began to roar as the stadium lights went on and the loud voices over the intercoms announced the start of the game. She watched as the LSU team came out onto the field first and was taken aback by the aggressive boos of the crowd. They genuinely looked homicidal.
“Why do people get so worked up about a stupid ball game?” Tessa asked her friends.
“You’ll see,” Abigail said with a mischievous smile. “I bet it will only take you to the second quarter to get into it.”
Tessa scoffed and shook her head. There was no way that was going to happen.
“Oh my God look, here they come,” Amber grabbed Tessa’s arm and pointed in the direction of the Vanderbilt team as they ran onto the field. The crowd’s cheers were so loud, Tessa had to resist the urge to cover her ears.
Her eyes scanned the huge bodies of players that came out onto the field. She had no idea what number he was or what position he played. She originally thought that every player was on the field at the same time, but Abigail had explained to her that there was an offense and a defense.
“Which one is he?” Amber asked.
“I don’t fucking know,” Tessa said, trying her hardest not to look like she was desperately searching for him, even though she was.
