Across the Field


"But you're just not going to give up now, are you? When you're so close?"


Fourth down, and it all comes to a field goal for the win.

Just three points separating you between loss and victory.

Everything's really loud and tense, but quiet and lingering for a few moments. You can drown the world out, and the pressure, and the glares. You know the everyone in the stands at Kennedy High thinks this game is in the bag. Sure, you helped make a comeback after halftime, but the score is still 46-44 in their favor, and yeah, it boils down to this.

Steve sets the ball up, and you toe the grass with your cleats for a second.

"…good luck tonight on the game."

You line up and run into a sprint, lifting your leg into one well-placed kick.

"And…it's good; field goal Grant!" The announcer says over the intercom and you're pummeled by hands on your helmet, you shoulder. Coach is grinning, pointing at the scoreboard, and you may've been beat at home last week, but it feels damn good to hand out the same punishment somewhere else.

And it's always kind of weird winning somewhere else because unlike winning at your own school, no one but the team, the band, and the cheerleaders are really happy about it. It really boosts spirits from earlier in the afternoon up, but Jesse still rubs his knuckles against your temple as you aboard the bus, "Seriously, man. Why couldn't you say, 'let's share the bus with the cheerleaders?'"

You laugh at that, and when you look up, Amy's laughing with a girl behind her. She sits forward again and you don't want to sound cocky or anything, but you swear her eyes light up when she spots you.

The overhead lights on the bus shut off as soon as the door closes and the engine starts, and you sit down beside Amy, no Michael in sight. "How'd you get lucky enough to get a window seat by yourself?"

"Some of the band caught rides with some of the cheerleaders that drove here," Amy shrugs.

You look in front of you. "Huh." And see, that's not fair. You've practically begged Coach to let you and some of the guys drive to away games, but he insisted that unity meant riding in the same vehicle to and from games to build camaraderie, or something like that. You look back at her, and she's looking out of the window, but you're sure she was just looking at you. "Why didn't you go?"

Amy sighs, and faces you again. "It's Friday, and Ricky has John, and I guess that I just didn't really feel the urgency to go home because it's not like he's going to be there, so... the bus just didn't seem like a bad idea."

You nod. "So, do you need a ride home?"

"I was going to catch a ride home with one of the girls."

"What about a bite to eat?"

"What if I'm not hungry?"

You scoff. "You blow into a horn for more than an hour, and you're not hungry?"

She smiles and shakes her head, russet hair framing her face. "Okay, maybe I'm a little hungry." Then she looks at you with a slightly hardened expression. "I meant what I said before."

You put your hands behind your head and lull back against the seat. For a second, you forget what she's talking about, but then it hits you that she means she doesn't want to be in a relationship. Then again, it's not like you're asking her to be exclusive either. "Did you really?" You ask quietly.

It takes her a minute, and out of the corner of your eye, you see indecision. "I don't know. To be honest with you, I'm still trying to figure you out."

You shut your eyes, a little weary. "What's there to figure out?"

"The sudden interest. I mean, Grace…Adrian," she says with a hint of disdain, you're sure. "And not to mention Madison, who's my best friend, and any other girl you may've been with. Do guys just…jump around to the nearest girl and hope for the best, or is it just about sex for you? Because if it is, then-"

She was going to brush the hair in front of her face back, but you push it back for her behind her ear. She was probably so wound up in what she was saying that she didn't realize that you opened your eyes to look at her. Her eyes widen and her mouth remains open in surprise, not expecting the intimate contact, and you guess that your fingers probably linger on the shell of her ear longer than they should, but you think it's because you were distracted by how soft and smooth her hair is. "Sorry, I just…" You just what? Wanted to brush back her hair?

She snaps out of it, and looks at you reproachfully. "No, it's okay."

It's really quiet again, just like earlier.

"…I am actually hungry."

"Dairy Shack?" you suggest.

"Everyone we know will probably be there."

That's true, and rumors spread quickly at school. Way too quickly. "So, we'll just go somewhere else."


As soon as the bus pulls into the school lot, you and Amy head over to your SUV. Your mom raised you with manners; so naturally, you open the door on her side and close it once she gets in before you drive off.

You kind of cycle through places to eat: Dairy Shack being immediately out. Geoff's? Too formal. Poppie's Tacos? Too much of a dive.

The outlet by the mall still has that Hot Dog Hut place, and it's relatively close to where you are, so you pull in there because you know that no one from school is really going to be there.

Amy scrunches up her face. "Do you know what's in the food here?"

You squint your eyes as you lead her in, "Says 100% beef hot dogs on the outside."

"They're definitely not 100% beef. If anything, they probably don't even really have beef in them. It's all just false advertising to get unsuspecting customers in the door." She sits in the seat you pull out for her, and you get a feeling that she's not just talking about the hot dogs anymore. You sit down across from her, and yeah, maybe you do owe her an explanation. You gotta admit, she's holding up her resolve pretty well so far, but in a way, it just makes you want to try even harder.

A waitress comes over and smiles at you and Amy. "Can I get you guys anything?"

"A basket of fries, a hotdog with mustard, and a Coke," Amy says, giving her the menu back without really glancing at it.

"I'll have two hotdogs with relish, onion rings, and a Coke too," You nod as you give the menu to her, and she walks away with the ticket. Amy's looking out the window beside the table, blinds slightly shading her face, and you sigh. "For the record, this wasn't some sudden interest for me."

"So you're saying you liked me?" Amy looks back at you finally with a tilt of her head.

"I'm saying that you were either busy, or were with a guy, but yeah, I was interested. Still am," you shrug because it's true.

"And by 'busy', you mean pregnant and having a baby?" Amy purses her lips.

"…Yeah." It's not like you weren't busy either, trying to be a good big brother to Duncan and focusing on the team, and yeah, you definitely had a few girls that you dated, but none of them were really substantial, and if they were then the girl was either a) too old for you or b) saying that having sex with you killed her dad. That kind of messed with your head for a while even though you know that there's no way it could've been true. "Remember that time when you were on the staircase and I asked you if you wanted a chocolate bar, and if you needed help selling that wrapping paper for Band?"

Her brow furrows for a moment, but then you see that it looks like she seriously remembers. "Freshman year?"

You smile, "yeah."

She nods. "Okay, what about it?"

"Maybe if you didn't call Ben to buy you some candy, I could've had a shot at asking you out."

Her jaw drops for a second, and it's cute. "But I was so pregnant back then!"

You shake your head, and run you hand through your hair. "It didn't really matter to me back then. I mean, I know you were pregnant, but between Ben and Ricky arguing about you, I figured I didn't stand a chance, so I just didn't say anything, but…yeah. I thought you were the prettiest little band geek I'd ever seen." You look her in the eye when you say that, and the place isn't the best lit place around town, but you're sure you see her face get red, framed by that straight brown hair, and yeah, you definitely still feel that way.

Amy bows her head when the waitress arrives with the food a second later, but you keep your eyes on her, long after the waitress leaves you alone again. She dips her fries in some ketchup, and when she looks at you again, there's a hint of your favorite smile on her face. "I thought you would've wanted to go celebrate at the Dairy Shack."

"You didn't really seem comfortable with that, and I really wanted to celebrate with you."

And it's not a date, just two teenagers celebrating the first win of the season. And you know this, but you still can't help feeling like you don't want to screw this up. Like there is something now to screw up. And maybe there is, you keep hoping that there just may be.


You take her home, and you park against the curb, and you get out the car before she can protest to let her out on her side because you are a nice guy. Or at least, you can be, and you really want to be. It's not a date, just good manners.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier," Amy says as you walk her up the sidewalk. "You really didn't deserve that, and I shouldn't have just assumed…it's just that with everything that happened with Ben, and the custody mediation with Ricky, I just- I don't really know how I feel about this right now. And I don't want to lead you on."

"You don't have to apologize, Ames," you say earnestly.

She lets out a little laugh. "Ames. Only my parents really call me that."

"Sorry."

"Don't be, I like it." And before you know it, you're facing her at her front door. "I had fun."

You nod with your hands stuffed in your pockets, "Thanks for celebrating with me."

You weren't really expecting her to, but she grins when she wraps her arms around your neck and holds herself against you. You take your hands out of your pockets, wrap them loosely around her waist and she pulls her head away from your chest but doesn't really get from out of your grip. Her eyes are hazel-green under her porch light, and you spot an eyelash on the crest of her cheek. You sweep the pad of your thumb against her skin until the lash is swept up, and what began as a playful hug becomes quiet and lingering, and damn, she's more than just this pretty little band geek at the bottom of the staircase. Amy Juergens is stunning.

"What took you so long to get home- and who's this guy?"

You and Amy back away for each other, and the guy at the door with the surly expression and receding hairline is who you remember to be her dad. "Hi, Mr. Juergens. Jack Pappas." You hold out your hand, and he looks at it, less than impressed.

"Amy, I thought you said you were done dating right now," George frowns.

"I did, and I am," Amy rolls her eyes. "Can you give me a minute?"

"Not another second, young lady. Do you know what time it is?"

You wince because yeah, it's definitely really late, like past one. "I'm sorry for bringing her home so late, time got away from us."

"Yeah, yeah," George drones, and then squints at you in recognition with a finger pointed in your direction. "Hey, aren't you that big guy who's dating Grace Bowman?"

"Jack, thanks for the food, I'll see you at school," Amy cuts her dad off with a smile, and practically pushes her dad inside. "Goodnight."

You grin, "Night Amy."


To everyone who has reviewed, faved, or alerted: I seriously thank you for your support. A few questions I want to answer:

Ben and Adrian are still going to have a baby in this universe, that's coming soon. This will only be limited to Jack's POV, with the exception of the quotes at the beginning of each chapter, which are more aligned with Amy's POV. No, those quotes are not from the movie this was inspired by. Yes, I am willing to make a smut chapter. And yes, haters, you can keep away from my review section, though critics are always welcome, like dyanna who called me out for being full of it because I was. I learned my lesson, no promises. Thank you once again to those who were here, and those who are here now~

DAC