The Butterfly Effect - Joe Burrow

0.2

The week went by in a flash, and Sierra was standing at the edge of the field with Liv in the skybox used by celebrities, with the plans of joining the girl later. Sierra was chatting up and taking selfies with the cheerleaders.

Having her best friend as her stylist was helpful because Liv knows what Sierra likes and is comfortable with. Since it was cooler outside and a less formal event, Sierra dressed casually: a simple Bengals shirt, waisted black skinny jeans, and skinny high heels. She had a heart-shaped locket with the last family photo her family took when she was eight years old sitting against her chest, and she wore her mother's watch on her wrist; it didn't tick, but it was too old to get fixed.

She wore a simple septum piercing that went in through her septum instead of hanging down so she didn't look like a bull.

She glanced up at the skybox and saw Liv waving down at her. She nodded, and someone walked over to her, instructing her to start walking to the makeshift stage in the middle of the field as the announcer spoke over the speakers. "Please rise for the national anthem sung by Grammy award winner Sierra McCoffree!"

She had help climbing onto the stage because the heels, while fashionable, were just a bit too skinny to be walking on a football field, and she stood in front of the microphone. Someone handed her an electric guitar, and she smiled as a thank you, putting the strap over her shoulder. She took a deep breath and began playing the first cords of the simple song.

She let all her worries fall through the cracks, the song, the expectations, the stress, everything as she sang, looking up at the clear blue sky as the lyrics poured out of her.

As she was performing, there were no thoughts in her head but the song; she said every word right, hit every high note she wanted to hit, and as she opened her eyes back up for the last line—

"And the home of the brave."

The crowd roared with applause. She didn't know if it was for her or if it was for the game officially starting, but she didn't care, not when she was making direct eye contact with number 9, who was standing a few yards away, dead center in front of her. She was nudged out of a trance by an official grabbing the microphone; she broke eye contact and started walking away from the field, handing the guitar off to someone else.

She couldn't shake the buzzing in her stomach, even when sitting next to Liv in the skybox, watching the game below. Sierra was a football fan, watching any chance she could and making time for the Super Bowl each year, and even though Axel tried to raise her to be a New Orleans Saints fan, she was drawn to the Bengals. She had been a fan long before Number 9 had been drafted.

She couldn't get his blue eyes out of her head.

She blinked, shaking her head to focus on the game; now was not the time to fangirl over a football player. Though she couldn't take her eyes off him during the game, Ian joined Liv in the skybox just as her performance started, and he glared at her the whole time.

"Don't do that." He snapped, making her look over at him, blinking.

"Do what? Watch the game?"

"You know what I mean. Football players, off limits." He shook his finger at her, and she rolled her eyes.

"You don't have to worry about that. I am chronically single and will be for the rest of my life, which is why I can't write a love song for shit." She crossed her arms over her chest, looking back at the game.

"Don't say that--" he was interrupted by Liv,

"This girl has never seriously dated anyone in her life; I tried, but there's no hope for her."