Friday Night Lights (#TKBMovieContest)

Friday Night Lights

     I walk into the stadium as the JV football game ends and I see the crowd already buzzing for the varsity game. The student section is filled to the top of the stand and I begin snapping pictures to capture the wild fun. There are students in Hawaiian shirts, hula skirts, straw hats, and just about everything you could think of to represent tonight's theme of Hawaiian night. Beach balls fly in the air as the crowd roars, anticipating the entrance of the team.

     I make my way onto the track past the cheerleaders and dancers while they hype up the night along with the band, who plays the school song. I get into position and sure enough, Ryder Beckett leads the boys onto the field. With that, my work as  yearbook photographer begins.

     It's down to the last few minutes in the fourth quarter of the game and the score is all tied up. The boys get into position, ready to take the win against our rival team. I watch as the teams collide and players weave between each other. Somehow through that mess Ryder breaks through with football in hand and is running towards the end zone where I'm located.

                                                                   "TOUCHDOWN KNIGHTS!"

                      Half the crowd cheers while the other gasps at the collision on the field.

     I really can't tell you what happened. One moment I was taking pictures and the next I'm on the ground with a pounding headache and Ryder Beckett on top of me. Great, now I'm going to be Maya Anderson, the school joke. Ryder takes off his helmet and his messy, dark brown hair emerges. Looking frightened, he apologizes and helps me to the athletic trainer's table to get checked out.

     If I wasn't grumpy enough after being tackled, my mood sure went downhill after finding out I had a mild concussion. As soon as we won the game Ryder came back to check on me and said he would drive me home since I couldn't drive with the concussion. This night keeps getting weirder by the minute.

     We arrive at my house and I'm about to get out of the car when he stops me.

"Would you like to go out for dinner sometime? I feel really bad about the concussion and I want to make it up to you."

     I sit there stunned, and probably looking like an idiot, wondering to myself, "Is hallucinating part of the concussion package?"

     However I find myself agreeing and the night ends with mixed emotions. Little did I know though, that apology dinner would be the start of our many dates.

    After the dinner I thought I couldn't possibly be falling for Ryder because he's not my type and I'm not his. But as time passed, I found my worries fading away and admitted to myself that Ryder Beckett tackled my heart. Literally. We've been dating for a couple months now and I can say I'm extremely thankful for the Friday night lights...

     and concussion.