CAL:
“Hey...” Kayla whispers, creeping up behind me.
I ignore her and continue staring at the little crack on the wall.
“You okay?” she asks softly.
“Yeah, just peachy!” I mutter sarcastically.
“It’s recess...you should eat Cal...” she tries.
“Not hungry,” I mumble.
She nods her head and leaves me.
“You know what? Don’t leave me,” I beg. She turns towards me immediately and walks back towards me. She sits down beside me, and takes my hand firmly.
“I’m here,” she assures me. “You want to talk?”
“Nope,” I mutter, shaking my head.
“Oh...okay...I’m kinda hungry though,” she admits sheepishly.
I smile at her and pull her to her feet. “We’ll eat then. Come on,” I murmur, dragging her along with me.
We walk through the cafeteria, hand in hand, and people ogle. Yeah, yeah, get used to it.
“People are staring,” Kayla murmurs, stepping closer to me.
“Yup. So far it’s only been a rumour about us dating. Now everyone can see the rumour is true,” I mumble, my head far, far, far away.
We wait in line patiently and after an eternity, we finally get to the front. I grab a tray and take a bit of everything for Kayla. I pay, then carry the tray to the table furthest at the back.
“Hey Cal! Come join us!” the cheerleaders call.
“Nope, I wanna spend today with my baby,” I murmur back. I notice half the cheerleaders throw death glares at Kayla and she shrinks into my side. I can’t help but grin at that.
“Dude, over here!” Keith murmurs, gesturing to the single empty seat.
I point out Kayla and shrug.
“Hey Kayla,” Sam mumbles shyly from another table.
“Can we sit with Sam? Please? I don’t want her to be alone,” Kayla begs.
“Anything for you,” I shrug going to the seat opposite Sam.
“Hey Sam,” I greet cheerily.
“Hi Cal,” she whispers back, blushing. Ah, I see the crush isn’t entirely gone yet.
I push the tray at Kayla and her eyes nearly bug out. “Cal! I can’t eat so much!” she protests.
“Eat whatever you like. You’re too skinny anyway,” I mumble, shrugging.
She blushes but I can see the smile on her face.
“So...it’s the big game tonight,” Sam comments shyly.
“Yup,” I nod, still distracted.
“Wait! What big game?!” Kayla demands.
“Oh baby, have I ever told you how touching it is that you keep track of all the important events in my life?” I mumble sarcastically throwing her a wink.
She glares at me before turning to Sam. “What big game?” she repeats as if I hadn’t spoken.
“It’s the football teams first game against Ridgeway High,” Sam explains patiently, smiling at her friend.
“Seriously?! Is that why you’re so stressed out?” she asks, taking my hand.
“Oh, yeah...” I mumble distractedly.
Kayla shakes her head, and I can sense she’s getting annoyed. Yeah, yeah I haven’t been the most attentive boyfriend...but I’m kinda going through a crisis here!
“Oh, baby, will you wear my number?” I ask her, coming back to the present.
“Excuse me?” she asks curiously shooting Sam a look. Sam shrugs, her eyes wide.
“Pardon me, I forgot you chicks don’t speak sports,” I tease. “I mean, will you wear my jersey? Tonight? For the game?” I prod.
“If I wear your jersey, what will you wear?” Kayla asks adorably.
I can’t help it, she’s just too adorable.
I lean across the table and give her a quick kiss. “You’re too adorable, baby,” I whisper, kissing her again.
“I still don’t get it!” she pouts.
“Here’s how it works, you wear one of my spare jerseys. It’s just a show support kind of thing. Girlfriends usually wear their boyfriend’s numbers, you know? And if you don’t...then usually the head cheerleader wears the quarterback’s number. And I really, really don’t want Lizzie in my jersey! She might use her black magic and I may end up falling desperately in love with her vile self,” I explain lazily.
“Dork!” Kayla teases, smiling. “But yeah, I’ll wear your number.”
“Good! And after the game, it’s tradition for the quarterback to throw the victory party. So party at my place! You will come right?” I demand.
Kayla looks a little uncomfortable.
“Baby! You have to come! Sam’s invited too! And you have to come too Sam! And baby, you can bring Emma and Ivan and Sean. I don’t mind. Just come!” I beg.
She purses her lips, still trying to decide. I catch Sam throwing her a pleading look. Heh, looks like Sam is just as desperate for Kayla to go as I am.
“Will there be alcohol?” she finally asks, and I grin slyly.
“Well...it wouldn’t be a party if there isn’t, right? But not too much! Swear! And I’ve hired a couple of cars to transport the drunk people back home so no one drives drunk!” I insist.
“I donno Cal...I really don’t want to see you throwing up your guts again,” she mumbles.
“Come on Kayla! I won’t drink so much! Promise! You can keep an eye on me and limit my drinks if you think I’m going overboard, alright?” I continue, using the wide eye trick that always works.
Kayla finally sighs and nods her head.
“Great! Now it’s going to be a party! Anyway, eat up baby! I gotta go for training,” I murmur, kissing the top of her head as I head over to the jocks table. I sit with them for a couple of minutes, get teased for being such a sensitive boyfriend and finally all of us head off to the field to train up for the big game tonight.
***
“You alright superstar?” coach asks, clapping me on the back.
“Yeah, fine...” I mutter, shaking my head.
“Remember, you play well tonight and you’re back to captain of the team,” he reminds me.
“Yeah, but no pressure, right?” I joke.
“Pressure is good superstar! And don’t let me catch you getting distracted by your girlfriend,” he warns jokingly.
“Yes sir!” I call, grinning.
The school song plays in the background and I jump up and down a couple of times, trying to psych myself up.
In the next minute, my team and I jog out onto the field to the roaring of our supporters. It’s a home game, naturally we have more supporters than the away team.
I notice that the Ridgeway guys are already on the field. I played some of these players last year, they’re cake walk!
Our team captain, Gerard, walks to the centre of the field and shakes hands with the other team captain.
And in another five minutes, the ref blows the whistle and the game starts!
***
“Time out!” I call loudly.
The ref blows his whistle staring at me curiously.
“What’s this? Who’s that, Mike?” one of the game announcers asks through the mic.
I pull off my helmet and shake my hair, making sure to get rid of the whole helmet hair thing.
“Alex, that’s Cal Cafferty, quarterback for Warwick High.. He’s been off the team a while now, I wonder what’s going on,” the other announcer, Mike, calls out, his voice reverberating through the bleachers.
I grin up at Kayla who looks at me worriedly. She jumped up every single time I got tackled to the ground. Poor dear, I don’t think she has the stomach to watch my football games.
I jog up the bleacher steps right to the back where the two announcers are. I hear murmurs go through the crowd as everyone tries to figure out what I’m up to.
“Can I borrow your mic?” I ask quietly.
Mike and Alex nod their heads and hands the mic over to me.
“Kayla? Can you stand up baby?” I ask, my voice magnified by all the loud speakers.
Kayla stands up looking scared.
“Can I get a spotlight on her please?” I demand.
A light is immediately pointed at her.
“Baby, you wanted me to be romantic...so baby, will you go to the Formals with me? Please?” I whisper.
I can make out Sam shrieking in joy.
Kayla nods her head and I grin handing the mic back to the announcers. I run back down to the field, grinning like an idiot.