Chapter Two

The next day Mike and Lily met Don and Brian in a field for target practice. Lily was sitting in the back of the truck with Brian.

"We're dead" she heard Mike say.

"We're not dead, we just need to start throwing the ball." said Brian.

She heard Don mumble something then her brother "Dead."

"You guys need to lighten up a little," she said.

"Yeah" said Brian "Lighten up, we're 17."

"Do you feel 17?" asked Don.

"I don't feel 17." said Mike.

"We will win state." Then they started talking about getting out of Odessa, a permanent topic of conversation for the boys.

The next day she was once again at practice with the football players. The reporters were there again. This time they interviewed Mike again.

That day, Mike said he had to do something after practice and asked Don if he could take Lily home- without running it by Lily. She saw Mike get in the car and leave after practice was over.

"Don, what is Mike doing? He just left without me."

"He didn't tell you? I'm taking you home today. He said he had to do something and needed me to take you home."

"Oh, ok well that's fine, I'm ready when you are I guess."

The ride to her house was comfortably silent and when they got back, she thanked Don for the ride.

"Guess you're one up on me now."

He smiled at her, "Oh don't worry, I'll need a favor sooner or later."

That night, Coach Gaines came over to her house to talk to Mike. She just stayed in her room; she knew it was probably serious, so she didn't spy on them like she normally would have.

The next game was against Cooper. In the middle of the second quarter, Cooper was ahead 14-0. Wilson went down, injured forcing Chris Comer to go in. Oh God. However, Comer was just what they needed; he scored the first touchdown. Don even scored one.

"Yeah Donnie!" she screamed loud enough so she was sure he could hear her.

He looked back and pointed to her, putting up two fingers. She had no clue what he was trying to say, but figured she would find out after the game. She waited outside the locker room like always, and the boys came out in the same order as always.

Mike was first, she grabbed him in a hug "You did it; I told you everything would be ok! I told you!"

Then Brian, "You were great out there, fantastic!"

Finally, Don, he picked her up and spun her around "Donnie I'm so proud of you and that touchdown too. I told you everything would be ok."

He set her down "That one was for you Lil, now you owe me two."

The next days were filled with people treating the team like celebrities, and the team rolled over the competition in the next games. But the Midland-Lee game was coming up, and Lily was a little worried that Chris's inexperience could hurt the team. Homecoming was also weighing heavy on everyone's minds. It was their senior homecoming, Lily had been on court every year, and everyone knew it was between her and Karen for the spot of Homecoming Queen. When they marched on the field, Lily had Mike as her escort, and Karen had her father.

Lily knew, just as everyone else did, that Karen had spend at least $500 on her dress, hair, and makeup. Her dress was the latest style and was covered in sequins, it was a bright silver color.

Lily however, found her dress at a vintage store. It reminded her of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's, one of her favorite movies, it was simple and black. Nothing too fancy, just like Lily. The truth was, Lily idolized Audrey Hepburn for her effortless beauty, not just that though, knowing what Audrey had come from gave Lily hope for her own future.

To Lily, it seemed like Mike was squeezing onto her more than she was squeezing onto him. When they finally got through announcing everyone's names, it was time to announce the queen. Since Lily was in the running for queen, Coach Gaines allowed the seniors to sit on the sidelines and watch the crowning before going back to the locker room for a pep talk.

Then came the moment, the crowd fell silent as the announcer called out "And your 1988 Homecoming Queen is… LILY WINCHELL!"

Donnie and Chavez were watching from the sidelines as Karen's face melted into a scowl.

"Look at Karen," Donnie said.

"I know," said Chavez, "If looks could kill…"

Karen's scowl was quickly replaced with a smile, a forced smile, but a smile nonetheless.

Mike grabbed Lily in a hug "Congrats, I knew you'd win, I knew it." Seeing his sister's big grin, he smiled too.

"Why Mike Winchell, is that a smile?" she grinned

The queen from the previous year placed a tiara on her head and handed a bouquet of red roses. Lily smiled and waved to the crowd before waving to the team before they went into the locker room. At the end of this game, waiting by the locker room, not only was she congratulating the boys for their playing, but they were congratulating her as well.

Mike came out of the locker room first and engulfed her in a huge hug, lifting her off the ground, "Look at you Miss Homecoming Queen, does the tiara and sash remind you of your old pageant days?"

She looked at him and grinned, "Mike I mean this in the best way, bite me," she said sticking out her tongue. "Oh and great job out there."

Then came Chavez. He hugged her in the same way Mike did. "Look at you gorgeous! We had a bet going that if Karen won, one of us would take her out so that you could be the winner."

She laughed, "Thanks, great job out there by the way." They hugged once more before he headed out towards his car.

Don came out of the locker room and squeezed her so hard he nearly squeezed the life out of her.

"Donnie… I can't breathe," she said only half joking.

"Oh right, sorry. It's just that I'm so proud of you. You're the most beautiful Homecoming Queen in Texas," he said grinning.

She gave a mocking sigh, "Only Texas?"

"Let me think about that," he said circling her, "Nope, definitely the whole world."

"Well you, Donnie are probably the best football player in the whole world who is not my brother," she said smiling. "Now how about you walk the queen to her chariot," she joked.

"Gladly," he said smiling.

The Midland-Lee game was the biggest game in the regular season. The stands were filled, just like they were ever Friday, but it was different, the atmosphere was electric. Even the cheerleaders were pulling out all the stops, the biggest stunts, the best tumbling, everything. The whole town knew what would happen should the Panthers win, they would go to state. Everyone also knew what would happen should they lose, their place at state would be decided by a coin toss, it would be up to fate. Lily was on pins and needles, her stomach was in knots, and she felt like she was going to pass out, puke, or both.

When Billingsley face masked someone on the other team, she knew something was up. Coach Gaines knew she was the only person who could talk him down when he was upset so he looked at her and motioned for her to come over.

She sat on the bench next to him. "Hey, what's wrong? I know you're worried about state and your dad and everything, but getting thrown out of the game is not going to solve anything."

Donnie wouldn't look at her.

She grabbed his hand and continued to talk to him soothingly. "Donnie, don't worry about what everyone is going to say, if you give it all you've got and leave it all out on the field then you'll know in your heart that there was nothing else you could have done. You're angry, I understand that, but you need to use that anger to kick some ass out there, not to start a fight and be thrown out. Use it to win Donnie. If you give it everything you've got then you are perfect, that perfect that Coach Gaines always talks about."

With that, she got up and went back to her spot. At half time, she snuck to the locker room and listened to Coach Gaines yell at the boys. When she got back she walked over and told the cheerleaders that they needed to get it together and yell as loud as they could to give the boys energy. She kept hearing Boobie taunt Coach Gaines until he finally got his way and went in the game. She saw him go down on his first play, Lily cringed and held her breath, willing for him to get up. When he finally got back to his feet, Lily let out a sigh of relief. Maybe he'll be ok after all, she thought. Unfortunately for Boobie, and the team, Lily spoke too soon. On his second play he was hit hard, she knew instantly that his career was over. Lily tried to keep positive, knowing that every so often one of "her boys" would look at her.

She said a silent prayer begging God to somehow allow a miracle that would permit the boys to go to state.

Lord, please let these boys make it to state. The town needs this, the team needs it, especially my boys. I swear if they make it to state by winning this game I'll go to church more, I'll make the boys go too. Please God, they need to make it to state. Amen.

The boys started to rally for a last ditch effort to win the game. Mike threw a pass for the last play, but it was too high and they lost the game.

She knew that they still had a chance of the playoffs, though, but it was up to chance, literally the flip of a coin. She waited outside the locker room again, knowing that the boys would be devastated with the loss.

When Mike came out, he hugged her, he was crying "I'm sorry Lil, I'm sorry."

"Shhh, you have nothing to be sorry about Mike, you played hard out there. You still have a chance at the playoffs."

"I'm riding with Coach to the coin toss"

"Ok, I'll drive myself home."

Then Brian, "Hey" he said.

"Hey, you guys will still make it to the playoffs, I can feel it. No worries ok?"

Don was the last person out of the locker room "Donnie, you played hard out there, it was just an off day for the team. Don't worry about it. Y'all are still gonna make it to state, I can feel it. I know your dad is gonna give it to you tonight, promise me you'll come over. Promise?" she pulled away and looked at him.

"I promise, Lil, I promise."

Then they walked out to the parking lot and went their separate ways.

Once at home, Lily showered and dried her hair, and got ready for bed, she pulled out the bottom bed. She couldn't stop thinking about Donnie and how worried she was about him, and about the team and how much state meant to them. After Don took his father home, he snuck out to go to Lily's just like he had promised.

When he climbed through the window, Lily let out a sigh of relief and ran up to him "Are you ok? Let me look at you." she noticed his face was stained with tears. "Hey come here," she sat down on the bed and hugged him "Don't let him get to you ok? You're a great person, one of the best I know; don't let him tell you any different. Don't worry about what he thinks of you, if it's any consolation at all, I think you're awesome." She kissed his cheek. "Now let's watch you guys get into the playoffs."

She turned on the small television in her room and turned to the channel just in time to see the coaches flip their coins. She grabbed Don's hand, squeezing it tightly and letting up when it was said that they were all heads.

Then when Cooper's coin turned out to be tails she looked at Don "Congrats, what's the first thing you're going to do now that you're going to state? Get a celebratory ice cream sundae, get wasted, what?"

He looked at her "Actually, none of those."

"Then what?" she said raising an eyebrow.

"This." he leaned in and kissed her softly.

She was shocked; too shocked to respond at first. But when he brought his hand up to the side of her face, she felt her hands automatically moving up to rest on his chest. He tangled a hand in her hair, the other resting on her side and tracing shapes into the little sliver of her skin that was exposed. When they finally pulled away, her eyes were still closed and she smiled to herself as she rested her forehead on Donnie's.

"What was that?" she whispered, her forehead still against his.

He finally broke their contact, "I just kissed you," he said with a smirk.

There was his attitude, Lily loved how cocky he could be sometimes but how sweet he was with her. She loved to pick on him when he got like that.

"Yeah," she said.

"Well?" he asked, looking into her eyes.

She raised an eyebrow, "I've had better." It was a lie, she knew it, Hell he probably knew it too.

He smirked, "Well coach says to be perfect," before placing his hand on the back of her head and bringing her lips to his once more. This kiss was much more intense. He pulled her closer, she was surprised at how gentle he was being with her compared to all of the rumors she'd heard. There was no space in between them now and her hands tangled in his hair as she struggled to kiss him just as fiercely as he was kissing her. He had a hand on the small of her back pulling her closer, the other was on the side of her neck. He was surprised at the intensity she was kissing him with, and even more surprised at how good of a kisser she actually was. He was totally caught off guard when she sucked his bottom lip between her teeth and pulled on it lightly before returning it back to its original position and trailed little kisses along his jaw line up to his ear.

That's when she pulled away and returned his trademark smirk.

"Well?" she repeated his words from earlier.

He smiled, "You're perfect."

She smirked again, "I know." Before pulling his lips to hers once again. They kept kissing, eventually Lily was laying down on the bed with Donnie propping himself up, practically on top of her.

After some time, Donnie pulled away, "I should probably get home…" he said, standing up, "Mike should be back soon."

Lily bit her bottom lip, "Yeah, you don't have to go though. I mean, I'm sure I can come up with a decent story."

"Well, I know my dad's probably passed out by now. And I should probably just go, but I'll see you tomorrow," he said.

"Alright," she said, standing up and hugging him. "Be careful, Donnie. Be safe."

He wrapped his arms around her, "I will. Promise." He kissed the top of her head and made his way through the window to his car. He stopped and turned back, going back to her window, "Do you want me to take you to practice in the morning?"

Lily grinned, "Alright." She kissed his lips lightly, "You'd better go before Mike sees you out here."

"Bye," he said, kissing her once more.

"Bye Donnie. Remember what I said, be safe," she said.

"I will," he said before running to his car.

As always, reviews are greatly appreciated! I hope you enjoyed this chapter... I'm not completely happy with it, and I have no idea how I'm going to continue, I've kind of written myself into a wall. But no worries, I'll figure it out!