Three Things About Me | Ongoing

7. The Touchdown, Friday Nights, & High School Parties

No pressure at all, right?

I look straight ahead to see I'm almost at the end zone. I look over to the right and who do I see? Lilianna Grace Welt crouching down on the track with a Canon EOS R5 camera in her hand.

It's at that moment I know I have to get this touchdown for Lilianna. Everything and everyone else disappears from my mind and suddenly I'm only doing this for the girl trying to get a winning touchdown photo, the girl I've known since I was nine. The girl who means the world to me.

She looks up at me, making eye contact just as I pass our end zone scoring a touchdown for Lopelle, only a second before the clock touches zero. The scoreboard changes to 21-14.

We won. I get my touchdown, and she gets her photo.

See, Lilianna I told you I'd win this game for you.

The bleachers, cheerleaders, and my team go crazy, but all I'm looking at is her. I fumble with the ball, letting it drop onto the turf and I desperately wish I could run towards her. Unfortunately, I have to go back to the team to line up to do handshakes with the Quinton High players.

Once our team is done shaking all fifty-two players' hands, I head directly to Lily. When I reach her, I waste no time wrapping my arms around her waist and her arms fly to my neck. I pick her up so her feet are off the floor and spin her around.

Once I set her down, I lean into her and whisper in her ear. "See, I told you I would win the football game for you." I back away and she looks into my eyes with a smile. Before she can get a word out, we are interrupted by none other than Raven Johnson.

"Yo, captain, get over here!" he yells at me.

"You better go attend to that," Lily says with a giggle and her signature smile.

"You can come walk over with me," I point out and she hesitates for a second until I finally pick up on what she is trying to say. "Don't worry, they won't pour ice over your head. They already did that to Coach," I say pointing to the ice particles that are now on the green turf and Coach's wet shirt.

Lilianna just laughs and starts walking to the other side of the field with me.

"What?" I question

"Nothing, it's just that that is such a football player thing to do."

"Darling, what do you expect? You are at a football game."

"Yeah, yeah go see your teammates Mr. Captain who-scored-the-winning touchdown," Lily remarks.

"Damn right I did. On the first game of the season too. And you better have gotten a picture of it, or I will bring all these people back into the stands and the players back onto the field so we can do it again," I say, sounding like the world's cockiest person ever. She must think I'm not joking because she starts laughing again.

"Yes, Cole. I got a few pictures of it actually."

"Good-"

"Cole! Stop kissing up to Lilianna and get your ass over here!" Raven yells again. I swear this dude has no concept of patience.

"He doesn't have to kiss up to me, Johnson. I'm his best friend," Lily replies for me.

I don't know what it is, but something inside of me was hoping she would say 'girlfriend'. Which is ridiculous because she's my best friend and has been for seven years. We're nothing more than friends.

"Well hurry up, Welt. I want to talk to my boy Cole," Raven shouts. At this, Lilianna crosses her arms in front of her chest and turns to shoot daggers at Raven with her eyes.