A collective groan filled the stadium as the field goal attempt went wide. Matt Eckert's shoulders dropped when he looked at the scoreboard; losing repeatedly was taking its toll. The Wolverines had done so well during the last football season, but this season, Matt's last, had been a total bust.
"You must be so cold," Matt said as his girlfriend, Erica, put down her pom-poms and headed in his direction. He reached out to her and ran his hands down her arms, they were icy cold.
"I don't feel it until after the game," Erica replied with a smile. "I'm going to change into something warmer while you get cleaned up." She shivered slightly, her blonde ponytail swinging. "I'll pick you up out back in a few minutes." She kissed him quickly before running to catch up with the rest of the squad as they headed to the locker rooms.
Up in the stands Lucy Whitlock was still gathering her things and stuffing them into her bag. Occasionally she would slowly shake her head and mutter under her breath. Every time she did this her best friend, Zoe Clark, bit her lip to keep from laughing.
Finally Lucy looked up at Zoe. "Well," Lucy said with a huff. "That was a disappointment." She shook her head again, her long, coppery red hair swinging over her shoulders.
"That," Zoe said pointedly, "is because your brother graduated last year." Luke was Lucy's only sibling and the best quarterback the Wolverines had seen in a few years. Now, he was playing college ball for the Cornhuskers. "How is he anyway?" Zoe asked as the two girls followed the crowd down the bleacher steps.
"He's good. He loves school." Lucy jumped off the steps, skipping the last two, and wrinkled her little nose at her friend. "How he enjoys Nebraska is beyond me though. What do people in Nebraska even do?"
"Watch football," Zoe replied with a shrug. "And then follow everyone else to the Pub & Grill like sheep," she added with a laugh.
"So, the same thing they do in Spokane?" Lucy laughed and followed Zoe to her car.
"Yes," Zoe replied in a matter-of-fact tone. She unlocked her car and looked over the hood at Lucy. "Come little lamb, I'm hungry and there are cute boys at the Pub & Grill."
"Baaa," Lucy said in a surprisingly good imitation of a sheep.
"You did your best," Erica said as she slid into a booth in the corner. Matt slid in next to her in the dimly lit bar. He didn't know why it was tradition to head to the Pub & Grill after every game, the food was only so-so and the place was always a little smoky. "That's all anyone can ask of you, right?" Erica added. She snuggled closer to Matt and laid her head on his shoulder.
"I guess so." Matt shrugged. Putting his arm around Erica he pulled her close. "Truthfully, I'm glad the season is over. Trying to live up to him," he pointed towards Jed, his older brother, "is too hard."
Erica sighed and sunk into Matt's embrace. "You don't have to live up to anyone, Mattie. Be yourself, that's who I love."
Matt kissed Erica on the temple and smiled. "I love you too."
"Where are these cute boys you promised?" Lucy asked over her shoulder as she side stepped around a dark haired guy with a beer in each hand. She was leading Zoe to their usual table through the dark, smoky bar when suddenly someone grabbed her around the middle, pinning her arms to her sides and lifting her off the ground.
"What do you need cute boys for, Lu?" The voice belonging to the mystery person was deep and friendly and very familiar.
"Danny!" Lucy laughed as she waited for her brother's best friend to put her down. When it didn't happen she tried to squirm out of his grasp. "Come on, Danny. Put me down," she wiggled again but he was too strong.
"All right," Danny conceded as he set Lucy down. Immediately she turned to hug the boy who had always been like a second brother to her. "Hey Zoe," he added, noticing the brunette standing off to the side.
Zoe smiled and glanced at her feet before responding. "Hey Danny." Just as a slight blush was creeping across Zoe's cheeks the room was plunged into complete darkness.
For a split second all noise in the bar ceased, then suddenly it returned twice as loud as before. Danny reached out blindly until he grabbed Lucy by the hand. Lucy called for Zoe and felt their hands meet in the blackness. Holding tightly to each other they followed Danny outside, bumping into furniture and people along the way.
Once outside Danny turned to the two girls. "I want you to go straight home," he said sternly.
"Come on, Danny," Lucy said, rolling her eyes. She gestured around at the light-hearted atmosphere. "It's not a big deal," she added.
"She's spending the night at my place, which is pretty close," Zoe said.
Danny smiled thankfully at Zoe, who blushed again. Lucy noticed her friend's pink cheeks and grinned to herself. "We'll be alright," Lucy said, causing Danny and Zoe to break eye contact.
"Good," Danny said, wrapping his arms around Lucy in a tight hug. "I told Luke that I would look out for you while he was gone."
Lucy sighed contentedly into Danny's heavy jacket sleeve. Luke and Danny had done their fair share of protecting Lucy over the years and she was grateful for it, so she didn't say anything else. Finally, she pulled away from Danny and turned to her friend. "Alright, let's go," she said.
"So, Danny looked good tonight," Lucy said with a little grin. She was sitting on Zoe's floral bed spread with her legs crossed. She pulled her wavy hair over one shoulder and started braiding it. Zoe was pulling something out of the top drawer of her dresser and her hands paused when Lucy spoke. Lucy bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing. "I mean, he's practically my brother, but I can appreciate the way he looks."
Zoe resumed digging through her dresser and tried to speak. She opened her mouth but only a squeak escaped. Clearing her throat, Zoe turned around with a t-shirt in her hands. "Found it," she said, tossing it to Lucy.
"That's where that went," Lucy exclaimed, holding up the loose fitting Aztec print shirt. She folded the shirt and stuffed it in her backpack with the other things she had lent Zoe. "So, don't you agree with me? About Danny, I mean?"
"Lu," Zoe said, her tone one of warning. Lucy held up her hands in defense, her green eyes wide. "Don't play innocent," Zoe said. She sat down next to Lucy on the bed and pulled her legs up to her chest. "I know what you're doing."
"I just wanted to know if you thought he was cute," Lucy said with a smile.
Sighing, Zoe picked at her thumb nail and tried not to blush again. "We should sleep if you have to leave so early tomorrow." Lucy tried to protest but Zoe threw a pillow at her. "Fine! I think Danny's cute. Happy?"
Grinning, Lucy laid back on the bed. "Very."