“So how does Alabama look for us today?” Quint asks, leaning back in his seat and getting comfortable.
“They’re not our rivals, but they’re a close second,” I say without thinking. “We usually go one and one with them each season. They win one, and we win one. We won against them at home already this season. Two to one, so today ought to be a good game. We just have to watch out for number nine, Karim Dredsen. He’s the one that scored their only goal the last game.” I finish and realize it’s totally quiet in the car. I look over at Quint and see he’s grinning like a Cheshire cat. “What?”
“You’re a special breed, Tessa Parker.”
I frown. “I sound like a dog.”
“That’s my bestie,” Evie says, claiming me from the front seat.
“So, Tessa, are you going into sports journalism or broadcasting or something like that with all the brain power?” Quint asks.
I laugh. “No. I’m a history major.”
“Really?” Quint asks, looking puzzled.
“Yeah.”
“Why?” he asks.
I turn to him. “My stepdad is a high school teacher, and my mom teaches history at two different middle schools. My older brother was a history major; it just sort of runs in our blood.”
“Huh. I just thought you’d do something sports related.”
“Nah, I love sports, but it’s just for fun.”
He drops it after that, and I listen contentedly to the conversation around me. I can feel myself getting to that stage where everything is starting to get hazy around me. I last about another hour and then finally crash. When I wake up, we’re getting off the highway. I glance at my phone and realize I slept for about three hours. “Are we getting close?”
“Hey, Sleeping Beauty,” Quint says with a grin.
I stretch and try to get the kinks out of my back. “Hey, be nice. She didn’t get any sleep last night,” Evie says in my defense.
“Reid, you awake back there?” Zane asks.
“Yep.”
I glance over my shoulder. “Good game last night, by the way.”
He gives me a small smile. “Thanks.”
“I watched the score updates on my phone,” I tell Evie when she looks back at me. “Reid was the high scorer. That wasn’t on the updates; that was just the highlights after the game...which I also watched on my phone.”
Quint laughs. “Tessa, it’s so good to have you with us. You're our own personal hype squad. Who needs cheerleaders when you have a Tessa?”
“That’s a slogan,” I laugh.
Thankfully, we get to the stadium in time to make it through security and with enough time to go to the bathroom. “Oh man, I didn’t think I was going to make it,” Evie says as soon as she sees me.
“Yeah. That was a long stretch.”
“Zane is definitely not used to traveling with me. I have to stop for snacks; I can’t do these long stretches.”
“You’ll have to teach him,” I say with a laugh.
“I hope we can find food stat; I’m starving.”
“Me too.” When we get out of the bathroom, we find Zane waiting for us. I watch as his eyes light up when he sees Evie, as if he didn’t just see her minutes ago...or didn’t just spend five hours in the car with her. I love that about him; I love that for my best friend.
“Can we please find something to eat? I’m starving,” Evie tells him as he wraps an arm around her and pulls her close.
