Hopelessly Devoted

Chapter 7- Get'cha Head in the Game

I carefully pull up to the school building, parking as far away from the main doors as possible so as to maintain a low profile. I'm worried that, if people find out that this is my car, they'll key it or something. It's really my dad's car, so unless I want to spend the rest of my life paying it off, I need to take really good care of it.

I'm wearing a simple pair of jeans and a casual t-shirt. I wanted to just look like one of the guys so as not to embarrass Sean, but now I'm regretting not bringing a jacket. Who knew Ohio in September could get cold?

Walking up to the door to the gym, I take a minute to appreciate my surroundings. It's not often that I'm able to leave the house for anything other than school. I basically had to pledge my soul to the Devil himself in order for my Dad to let me out of the house tonight. It's just nice to enjoy being a teenager and not needing to constantly be on your best behavior.

Although, now that I think about it, I've kind of been getting that feeling when I'm at Sean's. Sure, hanging out at home with Beth is great, but my Dad's still there, making sure I don't lose my virginity in his house or something. 

Hah, imagine my gay self losing my virginity to the very lesbian and very in-a-relationship Elizabeth. Yeah, when pigs fly.

When I'm a Sean's house, though, I just feel free. I can be myself. I don't have to worry about some snooty 40-year-old man barging in and yelling at me for trying to "turn" his son. Instead, I get to talk about stupid people and stupid high school trends with Sean.  I said that choir has always been my favorite part of the day, and while it still is, there's almost nothing I look forward to more than those 2-3 hours I get to spend with Sean.

I walk up to the ticket booth in front of the doors. I say booth, but it's really just a pizza-faced freshman sitting at a table with a moneybox.

"Tickets, please." The small boy says in a voice that tells me he'd rather be literally anywhere else.

"Uh, I believe you have my ticket reserved? It should be under Jackson?"

Cursing me under his breath, the kid opens the moneybox and fumbles around with it for a second before pulling out a single ticket.

"Yeah, here we are. One plus one reserved under Sean Jackson." He takes out a hole puncher and snips the ticket before returning it to the box. "You've been a shit ton of credit for the snack bar, as well. No limit. Lucky bitch..." He mumbles the last part under his breath.

I fight the urge to blush. 

Why would Sean do something so nice for me? This ticket was DEFINITELY for someone else. Maybe a girlfriend?

I thank Pizzaface and head into the school. Surrounding me are a bunch of parents and students standing in the lobby right before the gym. I stop at the snack counter to pick up a bottle of water and a bag of Hot Cheetos. I mean, it's free so why not?

Stepping into the gym, I'm immediately reminded why this is the first basketball game I've attended since arriving at this school. Testosterone permeates the air, the smell of sweat and raging hormones smacking me in the face as soon as I enter. It's extremely loud as every sound imaginable seems to be competing to see who can be loudest. At least 200 people, mostly teenagers, shout their every word as they try to hold private conversations. The referees are testing out the buzzers before the game, meaning the blaring sound goes off every couple of seconds. The sound of the players' shoes squeaking against the wood is constant and very annoying. Already, I'm nervous.

Do I sit up top so I can use the wall as back support? Do I sit at the bottom so I can leave quickly? Do I want to blend into the crowd or do I want Sean to see me?