Thursday night I'm sitting in the bleachers, a blanket wrapped around me.
Watching the twins play their final round of districts, constantly shivering since the cold November weather finally decided to show up.
I wore black leggings and a red cropped sweatshirt, hoping my blanket would be enough to keep me warm. Ella's teeth chatter nonstop from the cold. She freezes in the summer time so the winter months are pure torture for her. Saffron sits in her lap, offering up as much warmth as her tiny body can offer. Stella's on the other side, sucking on a lollipop, completely unbothered by the freezing weather. I suppose with a soul of steel nothing can bother you.
The game is tied in the beginning of the third quarter.
I never did anything about the boys coach, knowing that no one of importance would take me seriously enough to do anything about it.
"Where's Ashton and Sage?" Ella asks, wanting to know when her personal heater would arrive.
I roll my eyes at the thought of my brother and personal annoyance. They had an extra practice tonight before the big game tomorrow.
Sage and I made up almost immediately after our fight. Tuesday morning he made me breakfast in bed and packed the lunches, offering me an apology. I understood why he was upset but I don't regret my decision. I also never told him about my attack that night and I have no plan to. Somethings are better left unknown. It was a minor one.
"Speaking of Ashton, when are you two going to date?" Stella asks, taking a lick of her lollipop.
I choke on my hot chocolate. "What?"
The pair just stares at me in complete seriousness.
"I mean come on, Scar." Stella starts, "He's literally all over you."
"So not true." I counter, but I think about the past few days. Sure, we have five classes together. He walks with me between classes, even the ones we don't share. He still sits with us at lunch and constantly rejects Avery's advances.
Thank God.
But he's still Ashton. He winks at girls in the hall and acts like he's a God among mortals. He continuously finds new ways to push my buttons, today it was learning how long he could say the word boo before I got annoyed. I lasted five minutes.
"So true and you don't even mind it." Ella states.
He's nice.
It's nice to have a person who has no knowledge of my past. I'm not damaged or a freak with Ashton. He makes me laugh even though he annoys the ever loving crap out of me.
"You guys are crazy. I give mister big shot two weeks before he's dating some mindless brat." Half the girls in our school would love to date Ashton and the other half would be ok just doing other things with him. Gross.
"Or he's dating you." Ella mutters as she points towards the two boys walking towards us.
She's wrong. No one stays around after they find out my baggage.
"What are we talking about ladies?" Sage asks, taking a seat on the bleachers behind us. Saffron gets up from Ella and moves into my lap, allowing the two to be alone. Ella leans back into Sages warmth, his head resting on her own.
Gag.
Ashton sits down beside me. "Me, hopefully."
Yes. "In your dreams, McClain." I shoulder bump him, ignoring the glances of Ella and Stella.
"Come on, Sweetheart, You know I'm pretty amazing."
I roll my eyes. "Pretty arrogant, now be quiet I'm watching the game." I hush him. Saffron lets out a round of giggles at our conversation, his attention falling on her.
"And who is this pretty lady?" He asks with a smile on his face so unlike his usual smirk.
Saffron looks up at me, silently questioning if it's ok to talk to him. She hardly talks to people, never really feeling comfortable.
I nod my head and she turns to face him. "I'm Saffron." She extends her hand out for a handshake.
His eyes light up in amusement, taking her tiny hand in his own as he smiles. I can't help but notice he actually has a really nice smile, to bad he rarely uses it. "Well, hello Saffron, I'm Ashton."
She readjusts herself in my lap. "I know, you're Scarlett's boyfriend." She states very serious, almost proud of herself for remembering such information. I'm so going to kill the girls when this is over.
Everyone laughs at the very bold statement my sister made. I begin to die a little inside, sometimes it's hard to remember that she pays attention to the conversations we have.
The sly smirk reappears within seconds. "Is that so? I wasn't aware of the advancement of our relationship Sweetheart. Not that I have any complaints." He leans closer to me and I forget all the words I was going to say.
Somehow he still smells really good.
I recover and tug on Saffron's newly braided hair. "It's a good thing you're cute Squirt."
I glance over at the jerk. "And there is no relationship here, she misheard an earlier conversation and turned it into something it wasn't."
"Whatever you say, Sweetheart. Either way, you were talking about me." He sends me a wink, causing me to roll my eyes and turn my attention back to the game. Not wanting to admit that he was right.
The other team is in scoring position, all three of the boys on the field.
"What numbers are we watching for?" He whispers to me.
"Sterling is 23. Silver is 32. Sam is 55."
The twins picked the numbers in reverse order so they could match. In a way it showcases how they're different but the same. Sam chose 55 because it's the sum of 23 and 32. They're truly the best of friends.
The ball is snapped and the other team's quarterback runs with the ball. Sterling and Silver split different ways. One goes ahead of the kid, the other goes around the back. Sam charges from the side, locking the quarterback in place.
He's done for.
The kid runs out of play before making it to the end zone. We all cheer. The referee blows his whistle and holds up the touchdown sign.
"What the hell!" I shout before remembering where I am.
Parents eye me with looks of varying looks of distaste. Great.
I try so hard to go unnoticed at these events to ensure that I'm not the gossiped about "parent". There's always that one mom or dad that none of the others can stand. Sadly, Karen's son also plays on this team and she would love nothing more than to make me that person.
If you guessed it then yes, Karen's son, Conner, bought his spot on the team. There's a running occurrence in that family with money.
I begin to shrink into my blanket, watching as the coaches and referees argue about the call. The twins heard me and they look like they want to die of embarrassment. Well that makes three of us.
My blanket shifts and Ashton gets under it, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. I tense momentarily before relaxing and shrinking into him.
"Don't do that." He whispers.
I look up at his face. The cold added a blush to his nose and cheeks, making him seem more animated, his eyes more defined in the stadium lights. He looks really hot. Snap out of it Scarlett.
"Do what?"
"Hide, like you did something wrong."
I wave my hands around, gesturing to where we are. "Um, I did."
He chuckles, the vibrations shaking me. "No, you spoke your mind. I like it."
For the past four days, class with Ashton has proven to be decent. He sits with me in the back of class, attempting to get words out of me. He pokes me, plays with my hair, and kicks my chair.
A real charmer.
He's also learned about my absolute hatred of being heard. I was quiet and I liked it.
I feel a blush spread across my face, the warmth welcomed against the cold. I don't say anything but I stick my tongue out at Ella and Stella, both giving me an I told you so look.
The touchdown gets called fair and I let out a huff of annoyance. This time the majority of the fans agreeing with me. To no surprise, their half ass coach does nothing to further challenge it.
"Good play boys!" I holler at them. Yes, I am that person.
The six of us watch the surprisingly intense game, brought out of our focus by Ella squealing. "This calls for a picture."
Four of us groan and Ashton looks at me confused.
"Why a picture?" He asks quietly.
Ella gets up to ask one of the parents to take the picture. "She's a photographer so she enjoys having important life moments captured. Sometimes she enjoys having all moments captured, like tonight."
He nods in understanding, Ella walks back over with a reluctant mother in tow. We all lean into each other to fit into the frame. I ignore the extreme closeness of Ashton to me, his face pressed against mine.
"Say Cheese!" The mom calls out, snapping the picture.
After the picture is taken he leans to my ear. "I don't think this is a pointless moment." A new path of goosebumps form on my arm as his breath tickles my ear.
I spend the rest of the game with Saffron in my lap and Ashton next to me, chatting with him from time to time about the game. The boys end up winning the district title 28-27. No thanks to their coach.
Unlike high school football, where they can play all the way to a state title, the middle school ends with districts. They get medals and shirts. Oh, and bragging rights to win the ladies as Silver likes to say.
We all rush onto the field to congratulate the boys. After hugging all three boys, the start of a billion pictures are taken. First as a team and then Ella demands a million more. She brought the good camera just for this and I quote, she will stab who ever tries to take away from this moment.
And we say she's the nice one.
As she takes pictures of just the three boys, I begin to feel myself tear up. I think back to middle school, my parents cheering on Sage at all three years of his games. Me cheering on the sidelines of the first two. We still have the picture on our mantle of the win my 7th grade year. Sage and I both in our uniforms. The twins wearing team jerseys, anxious for their day to come. Saffron just a li'l tyke with a red bow on her head. My parents smiling fondly at the camera, tears of joy in their eyes. That was a good day.
They would be so proud of the boys tonight. My father probably would've been kicked out over the bad call made earlier. My mother would have had signs made for the twins. I watch as Ella pulls Stella and Sam together for their pictures.
"Why the tears?" Ashton asks, draping my blanket over my shoulders.
"I'm just proud of them for tonight. That's all." I brush my cheeks with the heels of my hands. He pulls me into a hug and I don't protest, to busy watching the scene happening around us.
Mr. and Mrs. Hollins rush up to their kids and Ella takes their family pictures. I smile at the sight, a small pang in my heart.
"Where are your parents?" Ashton asks and my smile falters.
"They couldn't make it." I tell him, thankful Ella chooses that moment to pull our family for pictures.
It's not a lie. It's just not the complete truth.
We're arranged a million ways before Ella decides she has enough. Surprisingly when Ashton asks to take a picture of all of us she agrees. She never lets anyone touch that camera. It was her birthday present and cost an arm and a leg.
Kim, Stella's mom, ends up taking a picture of all us kids. Not before giving me a thumbs up in approval of Ashton. I hope he didn't see that or my moment of embarrassment that came after. I don't really have to wonder where Stella gets her honesty from.
In the end my face hurts from all the smiling but I can't stop.
"Can we go to Sonic?" Sterling asks, his blue eyes hopeful. Silver and Sam join in the begging. The three of them on their knees and their hands held together. It's a pitiful sight.
"Please. Please. Please." Ashton and Sage echo as people begin to stare at us. Dear God, they're all children.
"Are you guys for real?" I question in disbelief.
They all nod their heads seriously.
I think about it. It was a school night and the twins had a test tomorrow, but they did win. I throw my hands up in the air. "Why not. Let's go."
They all hoot and holler as they run to the cars.
*****
We pull into the Sonic to find that we aren't the only ones with the idea. Half the football team seated around to celebrate the victory. Snagging a table in the corner, we take turns ordering at the kiosk. Much to my dismay, Avery struts over to us, rocking a big number one on her shirt for her brother.
Yes, my cousin is number one. Nothing but the best for the Adams as Karen likes to say.
"AshyPoo! You watched my brother play tonight. That's so amazing!" Her whiny voice calls out.
"No, no, no." Saffron whispers, not excited to see her cousin. We all laugh at her unamusement as Avery reaches the table.
"Actually, Ashley, I didn't see your brother on the field." Ashton says, sipping casually on his milkshake.
"It's Avery." She deadpans, "And he didn't play."
I stifle a laugh. Who brags about someone not playing? My boys actually played so suck on that hoe. She narrows her eyes at me. I panic, making sure I kept that thought to myself.
"Now, if you don't mind, Ashley, we're in the middle of celebrating the real players so leave us be." He says. My jaw drops to the floor at his nonchalance.
She glares at all of us. "I'll see you tomorrow, AshyPoo, I can't wait to cheer you on." She winks before walking away.
Maybe she should sit on the bench with her brother.
"Can't she just take a hint?" Ashton cries, resting his head on the table.
Sage slaps his back, "I'm afraid not my dude. She has her sights set on you."
Ashton lets out a groan, "Why me?"
I sip on my shake, knowing the exact reason.
"Well, it's simple. You're new." Ella starts.
"And you're friends with Scarlett." Stella finishes.
It's freaky how they can do that. They've been friends since preschool and over the years they've created a telepathy that rivals the twins.
I take sudden interest in my shake, ignoring the bewilderment on Ashton's face. "It's true. She hates me. If you didn't talk to me she probably wouldn't be so persistent in her pursuit."
Ever since her birth it's been a competition. She's a month younger than me, her mother likely only got pregnant because mine did. School. Cheer. Popularity. Everything is a game. It's tiring to think about.
"Well that's just a small inconvenience." He states, throwing an arm around me.
I smile for the rest of the night, not even bothering to shove his arm off of me. Maybe he's not that bad after all.
*****
If you want to read the Boo scene, which is one of my favorites, and Ashton's interesting conversation with Saffron go check out Life in Search!!
HOLY CRAP WE HIT 120 READS!!
thank you everyone for reading this story.
I sat in the pouring rain for hours tonight to watch my brother and the high school team play. I'm now freezing and extremely tired.
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XO-Mo