The Homecoming game was a nail biter between the Bulldogs and the Titans. Tyler wasn't wrong when he said the Titans quarterback was talented or that it would be a tough game but regardless nothing seemed to rattle him. You never would have guessed that Tyler was remotely anxious earlier based off how cool and collected he appeared all game. He looked totally in control, like this was what he was destined to do. The mark of a truly great player as my dad and brothers would say.
The score was tied near the end of the fourth quarter. We all thought the game would go into overtime. The stadium grew quiet in expectation as the seconds ticked down. Suddenly, Tyler faked to his wide receiver before spinning through the defense covering him. Seeing an opening he changed course, bursting forward. He ran faster than I've ever seen him move, easily leaving any opponents in his dust. He rushed the entire remaining sixty yards into the end zone for a touchdown as the time clock hit zero! Everyone went completely insane, including myself! The student section hopped the fence around the track to rush the field along with what felt like most of the town as well.
Tyler, being the star of the night, was bombarded by a sea of people congratulating him that seemed to never end. There was such a chaotic mob of people surrounding him at all times I never got the chance to get close enough to tell him congrats myself. Believe me, I wanted to, but he was so busy and I didn't feel like it was my place to interrupt his big moment when he clearly had so many other people wanting his attention. Selfishly, I wished Tyler would notice me amongst the crowd of people, stop what he was doing and come talk to me, but I realize that is an unrealistic way of thinking. Even so, I couldn't help but feel a little sad when I packed up my bag to leave the stadium as he continued to speak with tons of fans.
"You coming with to the Dairy Barn?" Payton calls to me when I start walking out of the football stadium. She'd hobbled off to find Jake right after the game ended.
"I think I'm gonna pass tonight actually. I'm pretty beat. See you tomorrow though." I say back, trying to sound light.
"Alright....I understand. I know this week was stressful for you. But hey, you did an awesome job!" Payton gives me a hug. "Make sure you get good sleep tonight, because tomorrow......you better be energized and ready to dance the night away!"
I laugh at Payton's ridiculous grin. "Deal."
"You're still coming over before to get ready, right? The limo's coming at five to pick us up."
"I'll be there." I say with a tired grin. "Night Pay."
"Night!"
Because she can't do anything halfway, Payton hired a limo bus to take our group of nine around town for pictures before the dance. She said it makes the night feel "classier" if we arrive to the dance in a limo. I've never been in one before so I can't say if it effects how "classy" we'll feel but it sounds like fun none the less.
Thinking about getting to hang with all my closest friends, cruising around town before the dance almost makes me forget that I'm the only girl in our group without a date. Payton is with Jake, Kelly with Chase, Claire with Brady and Rachel with Mason. I mean we all hang out together as a big group pretty often, but I usually get to hang with Tyler when they pair off into couples. Without him coming along with us I'm a little worried things could feel awkward. I'm trying to tell myself not having Tyler with us is for the best though. I'm sure he'll look incredibly handsome in his suit and I don't need any more reasons to pine after a guy that's clearly not as interested in me as I am in him.
When I arrive home from the game I immediately collapse into a hot bath. My brain and body are both exhausted from the week and all I want to do is soak everything away in strawberry scented bubbles. I stay in the tub completely still until after the water gets cold. I finally decide to get out so I can change into my favorite oversized sweats and crawl into my soft, warm bed. I'm just getting under the covers when my phone starts ringing.
"Hey! I'm surprised you actually picked up.....Is that you? My long lost sister!" Charlie greets me with his big goofy smile over the FaceTime call.
"Very funny...... I've missed you too, Charlie."
"You're a hard girl to get a hold of these days. I was starting to think you were too busy for your dear ole' brother...."
"I will never be too busy for you." I give Charlie a big cheesy grin with tired eyes, my head is laying on my pillow while we talk. It's true though, I haven't had much time to catch up with Charlie lately. We've only sent a few texts here and there the last couple weeks which isn't normal for us.
"So..... fill me in. How's life? I'm gonna be honest, I didn't expect to see you in bed already on a Friday night. I figured you'd be out with some of your friends."
"Way to make me feel like a grandma!" I chuckle lightly. "Everybody is probably still at the Dairy Barn. I could have gone, but wasn't feeling up to it after the game. It's been a busy week. I don't think I ever even text you that Payton got hurt a couple days ago which meant I had to take her place in the routine. Talk about big shoes to fill. I was basically freaking out, but I'm happy to report I did not fall on my face during any stunts at the Pep Assembly or game tonight." I pause and give a confident smirk. "So basically between all the extra practices this week, learning all of Payton's material and also trying to keep up with Tyler on our English project that's worth half our grade I've been swamped." I say with a big sigh.
Charlie laughs "Sounds like you have a full plate. You know I'm just teasing and am happy you are fitting in and getting adjusted...... Now go back to the part about some Tyler guy. Who is he and why is he working on projects with my little sister? Charlie raises his eyebrow at me in question.
Of course that was all he heard out of everything I just told him.
A small blush rushes to my cheeks before I can say anything.
"Are you blushing?! You better start talking...." Charlie keeps teasing me. He's laughing and light hearted but I don't miss the slight look of concern that lingers in his eyes. Once the overprotective brother, always the overprotective brother I guess.
"Stop Charlie. It's nothing. He's just a friend." I say unconvincingly.
"If you say so.....looks like you wish he was more than 'just a friend' to me."
"Whatever.....it doesn't matter." I reply, a little embarrassed. "It's not like Tyler see's me like that anyway. We're just English partners and friends. I mean he's Payton's brother anyways. Don't read too much into it." I try to sound nonchalant.
"Whatever little sis, this dude totally wants to be more than friends with you." Charlie scoffs.
"How could you possibly know that? You haven't even met him, you know nothing about him!" I laugh in disbelief.
"Because I'm a guy Lila! And believe me, no guy is asking to be your partner in school if he isn't into you. I used to pull crap like that all the time when I was in high school." Charlie states matter of factly.
Just then I hear some light tapping on my window coming from outside.
"Uh hold on Charlie." I throw my phone on my bed and walk over to my window. Standing down below in the dark is Tyler with a handful of pebbles. I crack my window open and whisper-yell down to him.
"What are you doing here?!"
"You weren't at the Dairy Barn after the game so I came to check on you. Payton said you went straight home. You ok?"
"Um yeah.....uh.....hold on a sec, I'll be right down."
I close my window and run back to my bed.
"Uh sorry Charlie, gotta go. I'll call you tomorrow."
"What?! We just started talking....Who were you talking to? Is that boy there?! Lies, don't you dare hang--"
Click.
I end the video call. I'm sure I'll have to pay for that later but there's no time to dwell on it right now. I can't believe Tyler freaking Johnson is actually at my house, to check in on me. Deep breaths Lila.
I run down the stairs as quietly as possible. My parents are in the living room half asleep watching a movie on the couch. If they hear me I risk having my mom come out and embarrass me. After the way she acted the other day when Tyler picked me up, I don't want to take any chances.
I step out onto my front porch and close the door silently behind me. Tyler is leaning against the hood of his Jeep. He looks handsome and effortless in his hoodie and jeans; his hair is still a little damp from showering. The crispness in the air makes me shudder when I walk over- or maybe it wasn't just the air.
"Hey." Tyler smiles at me.
My heart skips a beat involuntarily when he looks at me.
"Since I never got the chance to tell you earlier, that was such an incredible game. You guys played really awesome, you especially....... but I think you already know that based off the hundred other people that already told you that tonight." I say sarcastically.
"Thanks. It's actually two hundred....but who's counting?" Tyler's arrogant smirk lights up his face even in the dark. "I looked for you after and couldn't find you."
"Yeah sorry.... I tried to wait around for a little while but you seemed super busy and I didn't want to bother you so I left. Plus my bed was calling my name." I laugh a little embarrassed. Hopefully Tyler doesn't think I'm as much of a grandma as Charlie did.
"Don't be sorry. I totally get it, I know it's been a long week for you. The thing is, there was only one person I really wanted to see after the game and I couldn't find her....." Tyler's dimples peek out when he gives me his shy smile. It's one of my favorite smiles he has.
"Is that so?" I'm thankful we are standing in the dark so he can't see the blush that's forming in my cheeks.
"It is..... It didn't feel right celebrating our big win without seeing you after." Tyler's voice gets softer, more vulnerable. "I hope that's not weird." Tyler's eyes dart to my lips then back to my eyes looking for reassurance.
"No, it's not weird....." I trail off.
My heart is beating like a hummingbird's fluttering wings. Am I imagining this or is Tyler thinking about kissing me?
In true Lila fashion I begin to panic. I've never been kissed and I definitely don't know how to handle myself in romantic situations. Even with how much I've been crushing on Tyler I feel drastically unprepared for this moment. Not knowing what else to do I break eye contact with Tyler and look anywhere but at him.
"So yeah...uh.... thanks for coming over. That was sweet of you to check in on me......but I'm pretty tired, I should probably be heading in." I start fake yawning and baking away from him. The safety of my bedroom where I can over analysis our conversation for the next three hours is calling my name.
"Oh....uh, yeah. You're right, it's getting kind of late. Sorry for keeping you. I'm glad you're ok and I could see you for a few minutes." Tyler straightens up.
"Yep all good here." I give two awkward thumbs up."
Abort Lila! Abort! You're making this worse!
Tyler laughs to himself. "Alright. Night Bruiser.
******
Tyler's POV:
I could have kissed Lila tonight. When she snuck down to my Jeep in the dark wearing her sweats and messy bun she looked so cute it was hard to resist grabbing her right then and there. After I finally was able to leave the football stadium I went to the Dairy Barn assuming Lila would be there with the rest of our friends. When I got there though, Payton told me she had gone straight home so I immediately got back into my Jeep and drove to her house. I had to see her. It didn't matter if it was late. My night felt incomplete without getting to talk to Lila. She doesn't know how much her advice at the Pep Assembly really helped to ground me during the game or how much she has come to mean to me.
Speaking of the game, playing the Titans was a battle. We had to execute every play perfectly to get the W. I trained myself to not look over at the sidelines in between plays so I wouldn't see Lila and lose focus. One glimpse of her long blonde hair or her perfect skin peeking out from her cheer uniform would send me into a tailspin. I had a job to do tonight and my teammates were counting on me to get it done. It was such a relief when I was able to run the last touchdown into the end zone to win us the game. I stood there all alone for a moment, relieved we had done it. Of course the first person I looked for in the crowd was Lila. I watched her jumping and cheering in celebration alongside her teammates. She looked so genuinely happy it was adorable. She has no clue her smile can light up an entire room, or in this case, an entire stadium. Seconds later my whole team rushed the field and dog-piled on top of me followed by most of the student section and rest of the crowd. The rest of the night was a blur of different faces and words of congratulations from everyone in town. Everyone besides the one person I wanted to see the most that is....which is what led me to tossing pebbles at her window praying she was still awake.
I've never met a girl as insanely beautiful inside and out as Lila Daniels. She's the only girl that doesn't want me for all the superficial reasons that most other girls want me. Girls like Quinn Davis who are only skin deep. There was a time in my life when a girl like Quinn was exciting but not anymore. Lila sees me as a whole person and not just the star quarterback. She understands me without having to try. There's an indescribable feeling of comfort I get when I'm around her. At the same time, Lila also challenges me in ways no one else ever has. I want to be a better person because of her. It's crazy we have only known each other a few weeks because she has easily become one of the most important people in my life.
That's why I'm kicking myself for not asking Lila to be my date to the Homecoming dance. I wanted to ask her a million times to go with me. I was finally going to the night I took her to my favorite spot but I chickened out at the last minute. Lila is way out of my league and I started overthinking everything. What if I've been misreading how she feels about me because we have become such close friends really quickly? I can't chance messing this up. Lila isn't someone I can afford to lose. She isn't like any other girl I've dated before that when stuff ends I'm not all that effected. Lila is the first girl I've ever felt this way about so I'm in uncharted waters.