Under Different Circumstances

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"You're a Bears fan too?" Jay asked excitedly.

"Well yeah, obviously. Kinda have to be as a true Chicagoan!" I exclaimed as I began cleaning up the takeout containers.

"I'd love to watch the game, but Will said no screens, remember?"

I had forgotten about that. "Right. I'll just listen and only look when something exciting happens, then," I concluded and headed over to my couch.

Jay plopped down next to me and snatched the remote out of my hands.

"Wha..." I started protesting and reached for the remote, but he grabbed my wrist and held up his index finger, indicating for me to hold on.

I chuckled and waited patiently, watching the beginning of the game as he searched through the TV settings. He wasn't familiar with my TV or the remote control, so it took him a while, but eventually, he found the right setting and dimmed the screen brightness to low.

"There," he concluded, satisfied with himself and set the remote down on the coffee table.

"Jay, we can barely see anything anymore," I laughed.

"It's good enough for me. This way you can watch too. Seems fair to me," he smiled.

Still chuckling, I got up from the couch and turned off the ceiling lights and turned on the floor lamp in the corner of my living room instead.

"Much better. Now, I can at least see the ball again," I remarked with a chuckle and made myself comfortable on the couch.

I lay down on my side with my head propped up on a pillow and my legs resting on Jay's lap. He placed one hand on my ankle and absentmindedly let his fingers of the other hand brush up and down my thigh. The touch sent warmth radiating through my body.

"The material of these leggings is amazing," he noted while keeping his eyes on the TV.

We mostly watched the game in silence, occasionally commenting on someone's play or a decision made by the officials. During halftime, we struck up an intense but fun debate about a mistake the quarterback had made. When I jokingly told Jay that he had no idea what he was talking about, he started pinching my thigh just above the knee, sending me into a laughing fit.

"Take it back," he demanded in between pinches.

"Okay, okay," I giggled, squirming at the intense tickling sensation. "Ow, stop! I take it back, I'm sorry! I take it back!" I tried to pry his hands away from my knees to catch a break and a breath.

He chuckled and let go of my legs.

"That's not a very fair way to win an argument," I mumbled a little breathlessly, pretending to sulk.

"So I won, huh?" he asked, grinning widely.

"Whatever," I jeered but failed to wipe the smile off my face.

By the beginning of the last quarter of the game, it became clear that our team would lose. When the opposing quarterback was on his way to our end zone, I couldn't lie down anymore. Nervously, I sat up, hoping that someone would tackle and stop him. He scored the touchdown, and Jay and I slumped back against the back of the couch, and he let out an annoyed breath.

"Well, this is frustrating," he groaned.

"Eh, we'll win next time. This game isn't that important anyway," I replied casually.

"You're optimistic about everything, aren't you?" he commented.

I shifted on the couch to face him and propped my elbow up onto the backrest and pulled my legs up to my side. "I try to be. Makes life more enjoyable."