Love Me (The Love Between Us Book 1)

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Out of all the seats for Julia to pick she just had to pick these. I’m at a point I wouldn’t object to sitting near the pep squad, I might even stand up and cheer with them. I’m afraid to look back, worried that if the Andersons’ caught a glimpse of my face they would see right through me and know what happen earlier. What I allowed to happen with one of their sons.

Breathe in, breathe out, I look straight forward keeping my focus on the field in front of me. I had been doing so good since I had gotten home this afternoon to forget that stupid, still can’t believe kiss with Chase. But now it’s back in the present and I’m fighting not to show everyone the guilt in my face.

I watch has the football players start to form a runway down the middle of the field, the announcer asking for everyone attention to the field for the presentation and crowning of 2013 homecoming queen. On the other side of the track the four candidates get into position with their escorts and right on the dot at six-thirty the announcer begins with the first candidate and tells all of her accomplishments as she walks down the middle with the two football players she chosen.

When it comes time for the third girl, Megan’s name is announce along with what feels like a five minute speech of all she achieved through her time in high school. “Overachiever”, passes through my mind when the guy over the speakers finally finishes. But when I look at her escort on the left my thoughts on Megan’s achievements disappear and all my attention is set on the number fifty-four with blues eyes staring right in my direction.

All four girls have been announced and are standing in front of the stands waiting for one of their names to be announced. Chase’s stare is still set my way in the stands. Hope from me is that he staring at the two people behind me, but with the intensity he sending my way that hope deflates.

There’s a pause before the announcer names the winner of homecoming queen, but once Megan’s name is announce the stands fills with cheers and whistles from the crowd. The crown is placed on a very excited Megan and she turns her head towards Chase to wait for his kiss. However, the kiss isn’t presented to her because at the moment Chase eyes are still on me.

The cheers go silence as they wait for Chase to tune in and finish the job that he tasked to do. I watch has Megan elbows him in the side to get his attention to her, but it doesn’t seem to faze him one bit.

“What the hell, it’s like he has stage fright.” comes from Julia, “Who is he staring at?” comes from Kari the other girl sitting with us.

“His parents.” I say in a panic, which causes Julia to look at me and sends me a silent question. “What are you trying to hide?”, “nothing” with a shrug of my shoulders and turn my gaze back to Chase while narrowing my eyes, pleading to him to stop, now is not the time for this.

“Kiss her already!” comes from the crowd, but Chase stands is ground and doesn’t remove is eyes from mine.

The smile falls from Megan’s face and in place is a, “What the f**k are you doing?” look instead. I notice Carter saying something to Chase trying to get him to look in his direction. When Chase doesn’t budge I watch Carter follow is brothers sight and notices when he sees me. He sends a smirk my way and then grabs Megan’s chin bringing her face towards him and giving the crowd the kiss they’ve been waiting for..

The stands holler and celebrate as Carter gives Megan a quick kiss, when the kiss is over the football players start to run down towards the entryway to prepare for the run-in to start the game. However, Chase remains in the same place staring up into the stand where I sit, until he receives a push from Carter finally gets him to start to moving with his teammates.

“Well that was interesting.” Julia comments from beside me.

“I wonder why he didn’t kiss her, I thought they were together again the way she talks about him.” says Kari.

“She probably thought it was a guaranteed they would get back together. But with his performance tonight I would say it’s a big no.” I can feel Julia staring at me has she replies back to Kari, but I keep my gaze facing forward.

“What do you think Bree, why Chase didn’t kiss Megan?” Julia ask.

“I don’t know, I barely know anything about their relationship. Maybe they got into a fight before the ceremony and that’s why.” I say back to her, hoping I’m able to convince her and halting any further questions about Chase and the subject can be dropped.

“Hmm, maybe you're right. But I think…” Julia starts to say, but Kari’s voice cutting in to announce the players are running through the run-in to start the game. Which causes Julia to stand up to cheer along with the crowd.

“The run-in banner looks amazing, y'all did a great job on it.” I tell Julia.

“Thanks, I do have to say it is amazing seeing how it is my art design. But you really think it look good?”

“Yeah, Julia you have a talent. Just like basketball is my talent, art is yours.” My plan to distract Julia from any further questioning seems to be working. But in all honest Julia’s art work is always amazing to me.

“You know my parents are always telling me that I need to think of my future. But I can see myself doing art has my career so thanks for the compliments. Now do I need to explain the game or tell you who plays what for you?”

“You do know I watch football with my dad and brothers. So I think I will be able to follow the game on my own.” I tell her with an eye roll.

“I just wanted to make sure, didn’t want you sitting here with a confused look on your face during the game.” Julia says back with a laugh in her voice.

Truth be told I love to watch football, I just prefer to watch it with my family. And if some one ask, I could even tell you that Chase and Carter play wide receivers, Brady is the star quarterback, Logan is the area leading rushing back, and Ford is a linebacker. But judgement was passed at the beginning of the year before I could explain that I don’t hate or think the football team is actually stupid.

With the score 28 to 3 at half time Bucks up. And a promise from Kari to save our seats along with a request for a bottle water Julia and myself make our towards the concession stand.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you did back there at the beginning of the game Bree.”

“I don’t know what your talking about, what did I do?” I ask Julia as we stand in line.

“You tried to distract me with your compliments about my art work. I know you better than that Bree, and I know your hiding something from me.”

Damn, here I thought I got away with it.

“I don’t know what your talking about.”

“I saw the panic on your face, those smoldering blue eyes were set on you. Plus I also caught that smirk Carter sent your way.”

Well that’s just great, thank you Chase Anderson for this mess.

I’m not sure if I’m ready to tell her yet, I feel like I need more time to process what happen this afternoon. This is all new to me I’m not even sure if what it all means. And until I’m sure how to handle or even if there is anything to handle I know I can’t tell Julia about the kiss with Chase.

“I don’t think I’m ready to tell you, I mean I do want to tell you I just need time to figure some stuff out first. Please don’t be mad.”

“I knew there was something, listen I’m not mad and I understand, when your ready to talk to me I’ll be here.”

With the conversation over for now and our drinks in hand we head back to our seats just as half time ends.

Has the time runs down on the scoreboard and the celebration erupts in the stadium as the Bucks remain undefeated. I stand along with the other spectators cheering as well, I even cheered when there was an interception by Ford. After the marching band plays the high school song and everyone joined into to sing along we make our way to Julia’s truck.

“I’ll see ya’ll at the party later?” Kari ask as we move through the parking lot.

“What party?” I ask both Julia and Kari.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you when you called earlier about attending the game. That I was going to a party afterwards. I already told the girls when they asked if I would go, I told them yes.”

“So are you going Bree?” Kari ask, while I take in the pleading look Julia sends me to answer “yes”.

“Yeah, I told Julia I wanted to hangout with her tonight anyways.”

“Ok, I’ll see y'all in a little while then.” with one last wave to us Kari heads off to her car.

“If you don’t want to go to the party we can find something else do.” Julia says as we get into her truck.

“No, we can go it’s fine.” I tell her.

“I can’t believe this, your first high school football game, now your first party. How did I get so lucky to experience all these “first” with you?”

You weren’t there for one of my “first” today.

“Isn’t there a rule where you have to have some of your “first” with your best friend. So you can have those memories with you forever.”

“I think you right, I can not wait to teach you how to move the that body god gave you tonight. We are going to have so much fun.”

“I think I already know how to move my body just fine. And if you think I’m going to dance, yeah it’s not happening.”

“Party pooper” Julia mumble, while driving away from the stadium. “Well I plan to dance and for me to do that I need energy. What do you say we get something to eat before the party?”

“Sounds great, wouldn’t want you not to be able to dance the night away.” I tell her with laugh and Julia own laugh joins in.

Thirty minutes later and with our bellies full we make our way to the party. I try to think back when I met Julia’s other friends that she hangs out with when she not with me. They seemed nice when I met them before, but with the incident with the football players. I’m not sure they would appreciate me coming to the party with Julia.

“I think tonight the night I’m going to…” Julia’s voice brings me out of my thoughts but not in time to hear everything she said.

“I’m sorry what’s going to happen tonight?” I ask her.

“I said I’m going to talk to Ford. Rumor is that he is single again.” Her response takes me by surprise. Not the part talking to Ford, but that Ford will be at the party.

“Why would Ford be at this party?”

I catch the “Oh s**t” look cross over Julia’s face before she can compose herself.

“Did I not tell you the party is at the Anderson twins house.” She says with a nervous giggle.

“Nope, you didn’t provide that information.” I don’t want to sound angry but part of me is.

“If I told you wouldn’t have come.”

“Your right and for good reasons. The football team hates me Julia, even your precious Ford.”

With a frustrated sigh from Julia before she approaches her next comment to me “Listen we can go to my house and just hang out there if you want.” I see the happy face Julia was supporting moments ago fade and in place a sad depressed one takes over.

I want to tell her “yes, a hell yes” but I don’t. The look on her face has me realizing that I can’t do that to her. I made a promise to her that I would do more things she wanted to do and as of right now she wants to go that party.

“No, we’ll go to the party. Maybe they won’t notice I’m even there.”

“Are you sure Bree, I don’t want you to think I forced you to go.”

“I’m sure and your not forcing me, lets go have some fun.” I add a smile to give her reassurance that my decision is made.

As we approach the Anderson house cars are crammed into and around the driveway and by some chance Julia finds a place to park. The party is already in full swing with people crowding the steps into the main entrance of the house and music blaring from inside echos to outside.

“Listen, if you feel uncomfortable for one bit or when your ready to leave. Tell me and we are out of here.” Julia says has she links her arm through mind.

“Deal, so are ready to take me to my first highschool party Miss Evans?”

“You bet your ass I am, let me introduce you to what you have been missing while you were gone Miss Porter.”