Beverly Lights

27

There was no doubt the win from the first round of play offs had Beverly High's moral through the roof. The following Monday morning as Juliet and Jordan walked from his car and through the front doors hand in hand, he was immediately stopped and congratulated. It took them five minutes just to make it half way to their lockers.

As they passed by JJ and a few of the other guys from the team, Jordan stopped to talk to them. Juliet freed her hand from his and continued on. If she wanted to make it to class on time she was going to have to get to her locker.

As she was grabbing her books for the first few periods, Spencer walked up next to her with a wide smile. "You're boy over there seems to be enjoying the limelight."  She followed his eyes to Jordan and let out a laugh, "He sure is."

When she looked back to Spencer there was an envelope in his hand that he was holding up to her. "What's this?" She asked as she took it. When she pulled the card out she saw that it was an invitation to Dillon's birthday party that Saturday.

"He would love if you could make it."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

She put the invitation in her bookbag so she'd remember to take it home and turned back towards Spencer who was watching his teammates just down the hall. "About Friday night.." She quietly said to him.

"Jordan told you?" His face dropped.

"Are you okay?"

"Of course I am. I have to get to class though. I'll catch you later, aight?"

Before Juliet could get another word out, he was gone. He was good at avoiding conversations he didn't want to have.

All day during her classes and even lunch, Juliet worried about Spencer. From what he had said about his father she knew that Spencer had a lot of built up hostility and aggression. He couldn't understand how a grown man could leave his family without even looking back. He wanted answers, but was scared of what those answers would be at the same time.

As Juliet and Jordan walked to his car after practice, he saw the envelope sticking out of her bookbag, he immediately noticed how it looked like the one Spencer gave to the Bakers the night prior. "Dillon invited you to his birthday?" He asked. "Sure did." She laughed.

"Sweet, we got an invite too, maybe we can ride over together?"

"Yeah, that would be great. So uhm.. has Spencer mentioned anything to you about his dad?"

"No? Why?"

"I don't know, I guess I just wasn't sure how he was doing."

"He's blowing it off. Acting like he doesn't even care he's here. Which, is for the best if you ask me since the second round of play offs is Friday. He needs to be in the right headspace-"

"It's his dad, Jordan. Have some compassion."

"I have loads of compassion. Just not if it jeopardizes our shot at a championship."

Juliet rolled her eyes as she laughed at her boyfriend. It was clear he meant when he said that he had his eyes on the prize.

"What are you doing tonight?"

"Well, it's spaghetti night, so I'm going home."

"What? Spaghetti night? Do you know how long it's been since I've had Julietta's Banks homemade spaghetti?" He asked in an Italian accent as he held his hand up.

"I assume too long?" She chuckled.

"Way too long."

"Well would you like to come over for dinner?"