Oh Brothers

Chapter 20

After school I sit and watch Ryder practice by myself. Carter went with Lucy and Lynn to help Lynn buy Clint's birthday present. Lynn wanted a guy's opinion. They asked me to go but I didn't want there to be nobody here to support Ryder in his first practice as captain. Thomas went over to a friend's house and Scott's in the library toiling away over college stuff.

I grab two gatorades from the vending machine and when the boys go on the field to practice I make my way down to the edge.

"Ryder," I call out to him. He notices me and jogs over.

"Everything okay?" he asks worriedly.

"Yeah, here this is for you," I toss him his favorite Gatorade. He looks at it and smiles at me, "thanks Ara"

"Knock em' dead," I cheer and head back to the stands.

I pull out the Scarlet Letter and try reading it for the umpteenth time but can't get into it. I love reading but his book is hard.

"The Scarlet Letter? Again?" I hear a voice ask and look up to see Cole standing there. I scoot over and make room for him on the bleachers. He automatically sits down and puts his backpack on the ground.

"Yeah, it's for class," I shut it and toss it unceremoniously into my own backpack.

"I take it you're not a fan?" Cole asks and I nod my head.

"I'd prefer to not read it," I sigh.

"Who's you're English teacher?" Cole asks.

"Ms. Mallin," I respond and Cole smiles.

"She's a great teacher, makes you care about the subject and not the grade which is rare," Cole appreciatively nods, "I have her again this year."

I look back at the field and watch Ryder and the other players in comfortable silence.

Cole clears his throat nervously "I um," he coughs, "was wondering if, I don't know if you're free, but if you wanted we could go to my house tonight to work on the portrait, or you know another night if you're free -"

"You're rambling," I cut him off and he sends me a sheepish grin. I pinch his right cheek, "it's adorable how nervous you are about your painting. Yeah I'm free tonight, we can go whenever."

"Can we go now? I can get us back before practice is over." Cole asks. I deliberate for a moment. I want to stay and support Ryder but know Cole still wants to be secretive about his artwork.

"Alright, let's go now," I decide and stand up, gathering my stuff. We walk over to Cole's jeep and throw our backpacks in the back seat. We buckle up and Cole pulls out of the school.

I fiddle with his radio stations until I realize he's preset stations will tell what his taste in music is like.

The first station is country and I look at him with a raised eyebrow. He notices my expression and shrugs.

"There's something relaxing and authentic about the way country music is sung," he explains. I click on the next station and it's classical music.

"It's peaceful and calming but so full of life," Cole explains. The next station plays rap music.

"It's so powerful and emotional l. you can feel the anger and the heat behind the words," Cole says.

The next station is broadway tunes.

"What can I say, I'm a fan of all the arts," he smiles and I click the next station and find indie singer/songwriter music - my personal favorite.

"This is what I mostly listen to, I love how genuine the music is," he explains.