Cry Me A River

Chapter Three - Football and Car Troubles

{Dakota}

I pulled my hair up into a bun and looked in the mirror. I looked decent enough to go to a game, but I definitely wouldn't stand out. At least not by myself. Being with Landon at the game is a different story. I've only known him for one day, and he's already affecting my life.

Just then my phone buzzed on my nightstand. It was a text from Elle.

Elle: Are you coming to the game?

Me: Yes, part of my yearbook class... Landon and I are partners in class and we have to go.

Elle: Sounds fun.

Me: Oh yeah, I'm thrilled.

Elle: Lol. Well good luck. I'll see you at the game. The group will be there too.

Me: Isn't Pierce playing? (;

Elle: ...maybe :)

Me: See you there.

I wasn't totally sure what was going on between her and Pierce, but it didn't matter. So I slid my phone into my back pocket and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. Then I picked up my keys and headed for the door. My camera was already in my car, so all I had to do was drive to the school.

"Mom, I'm leaving!" I yelled as I walked down the hall and turned into the entryway.

"10:30! No later!" she replied from her office. I nodded, even though she couldn't see me, and pulled the front door closed behind me. I headed out, nervous as to what would come.

**************

"Pick up the phone, asshole," I mumbled, pacing the length of the front of my car. My car, with my great luck, crapped out halfway to the school. Landon wasn't answering his phone, and neither was Elle, whom I called first. I was twenty minutes late and starting to freak out when I saw a motorcycle coming toward me. The guy on it slowed and pulled to the side a bit ahead of me. I stood there, confused, as the guy got off and walked over to me, pulling off his helmet.

"Landon?" I asked when I saw who it was. "Why aren't you at the game? And why didn't you answer your phone? Besides the obvious." He set his helmet on the hood of my car and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"Well I'm obviously late, so I didn't answer because I thought you were there and probably mad at me. And I don't do well with angry females. But what happened here?" he explained.

"Angry females?" I quoted. He ignored me.

"So what happened?"

"Alright ignore me, but I don't know. It just stopped working," I replied. He carefully placed his helmet on the ground and nodded at me to pop the hood, which I did.

He then slipped off his cliché leather jacket, handing it to me. I looked at him.

"Just take it please," he asked quietly. I was taken aback, but took it. He leaned down, his back muscles prominent under his dark blue t-shirt.

"Well?" I asked, averting my eyes from his back to his face, which wasn't much better. He was still too good looking. We sighed simultaneously.

"I know what it is, but I don't have the tools to fix it here. I'll call my coworker and he can come get it. I can fix it tomorrow after school," he answered. I nodded and thanked him as he closed the hood. I handed him his jacket back. "So on that note, looks like I'll be giving you a ride." I looked over to the motorcycle as he pulled his jacket on.

"On that?" I asked, pointing to the death trap. Landon chuckled.

"Yes, and don't worry, my baby rides smoothly," he promised, getting a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Oh, your baby?" I teased. He stopped walking when he reached his ride and tossed me a helmet.

"You coming or not?" he asked with a smirk. I sighed and grabbed my camera out of the backseat, slinging the strap over my neck before getting on behind Landon. I wrapped my arms around his waist tightly.

"Damn, loosen your grip. You're not gonna die, Kota" he told me, moving my clasped hands further down his waist. Kota is a new nickname; no one has ever used it before. He started up his motorcycle and we sped off, at least 30 minutes late to the basketball game, and with multiple possibilities of death racing through my head.

**************

When we got there, I was overwhelmed. And not just by the amount of people, but by the amount of stares I was getting for arriving with Landon Hudson.

"This way. They're probably over here," he said, placing a hand on the small of my back and leading me toward the bleachers. The glares from surrounding girls intensified.

"I see them," I mumbled, rushing ahead to get away from Landon and all the eyes.

"Hi!" Elle said happily. "You guys are late."

"I know, I know. Long story," I told her, sliding onto the bleacher next to her.

"So what's this assignment I heard about?" Andi wondered from behind me. I turned back to look at her, only to find Landon sitting next to her, directly behind me.

"Some stupid thing for yearbook. Myers paired Kota and I up and we have to go to her choice of event and take pictures and notes, and then later they're gonna be put in the yearbook," Landon explained, his eyes never leaving the field.

"Yeah, that," I stated.

"Sounds fun," Andi decided.

"I'm gonna get food." Landon got up and walked off. I turned back to the game.

"So how'd you get here? I heard something on my way back from the bathroom..." Grace wondered from next to Elle.

"My car died so Landon gave me a ride," I explained, getting up and snapping some pictures.

"You rode on his motorcycle? His baby?" Andi asked, surprised. I nodded, snapping a picture of the guys.

"Lucky," May mumbled.

"Why?" I wondered, confused. "My car broke down and we were late. How is that lucky?"

"She's just jealous because you're like the first girl to get a ride on his baby," Dillon snapped, intently watching the game. I was going back and forth between sitting with them and walking along the aisle in front of the bleachers, snapping pictures. Landon was either off getting snacks still, or he just didn't want to come back.

"How am I the first?" I wondered, crouching and getting a picture of Pierce with the football barely out of his hand as he passed to another teammate. I rested the camera on my knee and watched the rest of the scene play out. The ball twirled through the air and was caught by another player just as he landed in the touchdown zone. The crowd erupted into cheers because that was the winning pass. It'd been tied the whole game, and Pierce just won it. The opposing team shook hands with Pierce and his boys as everyone behind me got up. Pierce ran over, wrapping Elle in a hug and picking her up, spinning her around. I chuckled and snapped a picture.

"You guys wanna go back to my place and swim? It's a heated pool..." he tempted.

"I'm down" Elle said. A chorus of agreements went through our group.

"I gotta do something first, but sure," Landon agreed, coming up behind me and scaring the crap out of me. I jumped and smacked his arm. "What?"

"Don't do that," I warned. He poked my side. "Hey!"

"I'm just screwing with you, South Dakota," Landon told me.

"Dakota?" Dillon asked, interrupting everyone else's conversations. I checked my phone. I had about an hour and a half until I had to be home. I looked around the group of people in front of me. Everyone had expectant and hopeful looks on their faces, even Landon, although it was faint.

"Sure, why not," I decided, swallowing the lump of anxiety growing in my throat. Pierce grinned and we all headed out. I got a ride with Elle instead of on the death trap.