I lean in, brushing my lips against hers. “I never said thank you for giving me the kissy face Mickey toy back.”
“I’m pretty sure you did.” Hannah laughs, our lips still touching.
“Not with words. I thought I’d lost it. I searched everywhere for it. Tyler can attest he was extremely put out with me over trying to find it.”
“I’m sorry. I should’ve said something. It was sitting on the counter the morning….” Hannah’s voice cracks, and she takes a breath. “The morning we broke up. I told your mom it was mine. She let me take it.” She presses her lips against mine.
“Do you know why I’ve kept that toy all these years?”
She pulls back so she can look at me. “Why?”
“It’s a reminder of you. You’ve always been the one girl who sees the real me, and that means something to me.”
“Ford.” She throws her arms around me, and I pull her over the middle console onto my lap. She straddles my hips as we kiss.
“Thank you for asking me to homecoming,” Hannah says between kisses.
I cup my hands around her face. “Thank you for saying yes.”
She rests her forehead against mine, and I sigh at the feeling. “I better go before my parents wonder where I am. I didn’t tell them what I was doing after cheer practice.”
We make out against the driver’s side door of her car until she gets a text message from Beth. I follow her to the main road, then text Jack, asking him to text me back when Hannah gets home so I know she made it safe.
When I get home, my mom asks if Hannah is okay, but she doesn’t push me for any more information. I’m grateful she’s giving me space and not pushing me for details about my relationship with her. It’s nice having my mom around more. I always thought I was indifferent to her not being around, but that’s not true.
I’m getting ready for bed when I get a text message from Coach Anderson telling me he wants to meet with me before school starts in the morning. I ask him if it’s about a college or a recruiter, and he texts no and tells me he’ll see me at 7 in the morning sharp.
I send a group text to Ty and Jack.Did Coach A. text either of you?
Nope.Ty texts immediately.What does he want?
No. Dave said he called the entire defensive line into his office after practice and yelled at them.Jack texts.
Perfect.I text my two friends.I have a lecture scheduled with him first thing in the morning.
For what? Being one of the top players in the country?Ty adds a laughing emoji to the end of his message.
Jack likes T’s text and adds,my guess is he’s feeling the pressure to win on all sides. Hopefully, it’s a pep talk and not a lecture.
I hope so.I text.But I doubt it.
We’ll meet you in the morning.Jack texts.
Tyler addsI’ll be there.
Me, Jack, and Tyler, we’ve been a three-man team since the eighth grade. We’ve got each other’s back no matter what. I wouldn’t be the quarterback I am without them. They lift me up and make me a better player. I can’t believe this is our last year of playing football together. It’s bittersweet, but there isn’t anyone else in this world I’d rather end my high school career with than my two best friends.
I toss and turn all night. Between my parents, Hannah, and our first football game, my mind won’t settle down. I get up at five and go for a quick run. I rarely run on game days, but I have all this pent-up energy and need an outlet.
I knock on Coach Anderson’s office at 6:55. My dad drilled into my head at a young age that early is on time, and on time is late. Being late for anything, especially a meeting, makes you look bad and puts you at a disadvantage. And I need all the advantage I can get this morning.
“Hey, Coach,” I say, knocking on his open door.
“Ford,” he glances at the clock on his wall. “I should’ve known you’d be early. Come in and sit down.”
“What’s up?” I ask, trying to fain nonchalance and not let him see how on edge I feel.
His eyebrows disappear under the brim of his ballcap. “We’ve got a big season ahead of us.”
