His Smirk ||

16: Connections

Frankie  grabbed one and opened it, offering it to me. I’m already out of place. I shouldn’t make it worse. I accepted the beer and took a sip of it not wanting to make him regret inviting me so early on. He opened his own and started to drink it.

“Here I’ll introduce you to some people.” He offered and again I obeyed just following him like a lost puppy. As we walked so many people greeted him that I started to feel as though I’d misplaced him. Maybe he wasn’t socially awkward. Maybe just I was.

We neared one of the bonfires set up and one of the guys instantly stopped the loud story he’d been telling the group the second he saw Frankie. “Ey Frankie you made it!” he practically bellowed as he made a huge “come here” motion with his arm.

He chuckled and leaned in towards me. “Vingsil’s Varsity football team.” He informed me softly as his hand rested on the small of my back to guide me forward alongside him. “They’re first in their district.”

I nodded, grateful for the information. “Been ages. Last time I came you weren’t around.” The loud boy said as we molded into their group around the bonfire. It consisted mostly of boys in varsity jackets and a few girls clinging to their arms.

I glanced behind me as the two talked for a few moments. I noticed that the cheerleaders for this school had their own bonfire that they sat perched around drinking and gossiping about the rest of the crowd.

“And who’s your lady friend?” the guy asked and I turned my attention back to where I stood, smooshed up against Frankie as some guy pushed his way through.

Frankie smiled and set his hand on my shoulder nearest him. “This is my friend Rein.” He said as he took a drink from his beer.

“Nice to meet ya.” The boy said. Never giving m his name. He eyed me for a bit as Frankie filled him in on the recent talent they’d scouted for next year’s varsity.

The boy listened, nodding when appropriate but his eyes remained on me. I was actually glad for Frankie’s friendly hand on my shoulder and I took a few more drinks of the beer as I listened to him talk. Everyone seemed genuinely interested as he laughed, recounting one of the more disappointing boys who had shown up for tryouts.

“Say, I’ve never seen you before.” Loudmouth boy said the moment Frankie had finished his story leaving the other guys laughing and shaking their head. “You a cheerleader?”

My heart paused. I’d been discovered so early on! I had no place here among these people. How could I explain my presence?

“No she’s got too much respect for that.” Frankie winked at me and I smiled grateful for his answer. “This right here-“ he paused and switched from his hand resting on my shoulder and instead slung his arm around my shoulder and pulled me towards him. Had he not had a beer in his hand I wouldn’t have put it past him to ruffle my hair as he’d done so many times before. “-is the reason me and the gang haven’t been showing up as of late.”

“I didn’t steal them from you on purpose, I swear.” I said trying to actually speak for the first time since I’d met this boy. Sociable. I had to be sociable.

He eyed me again. “What dose she have to do with your boys lot if she’s not a cheerleader?”

Boy was he ever blunt.

Again Frankie answered before I could. “She’s Pharkerson’s new sister.” He said using Kale’s last name.

As if I suddenly had changed shape the boy looked at me with a more interested eye. “Is she now?”

“Yes I am.” I responded for myself. Did he know I could hear him?

“Kinda like our mascot.” Frankie offered and again pulled me a bit closer to him. I held in a scowl and finished my beer. Mascot my ass.