Chapter Two: Friday Nights
I look up at the scoreboard. Thirty seconds left on the clock, fourth quarter. This is it, were down by seven at the thirty yard line.
I look around at my teammates, were huddled up and they're waiting for me to say something. I take a deep breath. "Let's kick some ass."
"Panthers on three, one, two, three, Panthers!" We all chant and then get into formation.
A few seconds later I felt the ball in my hands, I take a couple steps back and look for my open man. I hold my breath as I throw the ball to Colby. I watch the ball spiral through the air, into the end zone and into Colby's hands. Touchdown.
I hear the crowd go crazy, and I jump into the air, celebrating. One more point. I'm a little worried when the coach says we're going for two, but I know I can do it.
Five seconds on the clock and I wait for the snap. I feel the ball in my hands once again and I know what I have to do. No one's open for me to throw it, so I run. I feel a tug at my jersey, but I break away and run into the end zone. We did it, We Won.
GENERALHOSPITAL...
I shower and throw on some jeans and my PC Panther t-shirt. My mind is racing, I'm hopped up on adrenaline and I feel the proudest I've ever felt about myself.
"Hello?" I answer my cell. "Hey, dad!"
"Yeah, thanks. Alright, you guys have fun, tell mom I love her."
"Thanks for being there, it meant a lot."
"Kay dad, love you too, bye."
I walk out of the locker room and see Chloe waiting for me. She's rocking back and forth from her heels to her toes. She has her cheer bag hung on her shoulder and she's talking to a older guy. I don't recognize him at first, but as I walk closer I recognize him.
"Let's go, Chloe." I don't make eye contact with him.
"Oh, hey!" She turns to me. "I was just talking to, what did you say your name was?"
The older guy looks at me. "Liam Spencer."
"Oh." She looks at me. "Beau, I didn't, I didn't know who he was."
"It's alright, Chlo." I take her bag and put it on my shoulder. "Let's just go."
She nods and we start to walk away when I hear him speak. "I'm not going anywhere, son."
I turn around and look him in the eye. "Go to Hell."
GENERALHOSPITAL...
I sit on a lawn chair, self medicating with a beer while the music booms and people celebrate around me. I drink my beer, then another and then another. I'm not close to being drunk, and after the third beer I stop because I'm driving Chloe home.
I look around the back yard of whoever it is that's actually throwing this party. There's people everywhere, playing beer pong, dancing, and socializing.
I spy Chloe from across the lawn. She has a plastic red cup in her hand and she looks pretty wasted. I walk over to where she is and see a guy getting a little to touchy for me.
"Beat it, kid." I say and he doesn't challenge me. I watch him stumble away and I turn back to Chloe.
"You ready to go?" I ask taking the cup from her hand.
"Why?" She smiles. "Are you not having fun?"
So she's not as drunk as I thought, at least she's speaking clearly.
"I'm just tired." I tell her. "So you wanna go?"
"Sure." She smiles again.
"Can you walk?" I ask.
"I don't know." Chloe laughs.
"Alright, come on." I put my arm around her waist and help her walk.
"QB one!" I hear JT's voice. "Where ya goin?"
He has a beer in each hand and a girl on each arm.
"Home!" I yell back over the music. "Great game, catcha later!"
I help Chloe into my Jeep Grand Cherokee and then get in the drivers side.
We drive in silence for a few minutes until she speaks. "Don't take me home."
"What?" I turn down the radio. "Why not? Where do you wanna go?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, I just don't want to go home, okay?"
"Alright." I don't pry, at least not right now.
I pull into my driveway and put the jeep in park. I help Chloe out of the passengers seat and into the house. We go straight to my bedroom and I sit her down on my bed.
"You can stay here tonight." I tell her. It's not that unusual for Chloe to stay the night and I knew my parents wouldn't care. My parents know Chloe and I are just best friends and that nothing would happen.
"Here, Chlo." I pull out a PC Panther sweat shirt and toss it to her. "Sleep in this."
She smiles and starts to take off her cheer uniform, I don't know why but I watch her. Her tops on the floor and before she slips on my shirt she looks up at me.
"Oh, sorry." I turn away, my cheeks are red, but so are hers.
I turn around when she's finished changing. My sweat shirt's so big it goes down past her mid thigh.
She crawls underneath the covers and I shed my shirt and change into some flannel pajama pants before I do the same.
"Tell me why you didn't want to go home tonight." I say as I turn off the light. Her back is to me, and the only light is the moon shining through window.
"My mom's working late and I just didn't want to be there with Glenn."
Glenn. Her mom's on and off again boyfriend. He's scum if you ask me.
"Oh." I swallow.
"You know how he is, he's mean when he drinks."
I put my hand on her arm and a few seconds later I feel hers on top of mine.
"You can stay here anytime." I tell her.
"I know, thanks."
She rolls over and faces me. Her finger runs along my jaw line, sending goose bumps down my spine.
"Chloe." I say with a slight quiver in my tone.
"ssshhh." She says softly and through the darkness I watch her move her face closer to mine. I feel her lips touch mine and for a few seconds I feel like I might want to take this kiss further, but she pulls away. "Good night, Beau."
A/N: Thanks for Reading and please Review!:)
