Chapter 25

One Step Closer

Odessa Texas

When we got to Odessa it was a little after two. I unpacked my belongings and took a shower then got dressed and sat down at the kitchen table. I looked through the big pile of mail that accumulated since we were gone, then read through the article in the newspaper from New York again. I was already bored.

I wanted to see my friends so I decided to walk the few blocks over to Nicole's house. I threw my hooded sweatshirt on then walked towards the front door, when I opened it I was shocked to see Brian standing there with his hand up, just about to knock; "Uh hey" he laughed; "I was….just going to knock"

"Beat you to it" I said, awkwardly and stepped outside; "What's uh…what's up?"

"Not much. Just wanted to come by and see how your trip was. Welcome back"

"Thanks"

"Did you just get home?"

"Yeah about an hour ago. I'm going to head over to Nicole's"

"I don't think she's home" Brian, said stopping me.

I looked at him, confused; "Why do you say that?"

"She's out with Winchell"

"Oh" I laughed and sat down on the front stoop; "They get married yet?" I laughed.

Brian sat down next to me; "No not yet"

"So since you seem to know what everyone is up to…where's Donnie?"

"Home. We're all meeting up at Buddy's Burgers in a little bit" he said, looking down at his watch; "I can give you a ride over there if you want"

I looked at Brian's car that was parked on the street outside my house. It was the car. That's where all the Permian High School drama started and where Donnie and I had sex together for the first time; "Sure" I laughed; "What the hell"

Brian laughed and shook his head; "So how was New York?"

"Hold on a second, I'll show you" I said and ran inside and grabbed the newspaper and brought it back out to Brian; "Well that happened"

Brian took it and looked it over; "You know them?"

"Yeah, my best friends back home. I was hanging out with them earlier that day and was supposed to meet them later but I didn't go"

Brian skimmed the article; "Good decision" he smirked and handed it back to me.

"Yeah. You can say that again. So what about Odessa? Anything happen while I was gone?"

"I wouldn't know, I've been at football practice every minute of every day" he laughed; "Coach is riding us pretty hard, we need to win the next two games - to get to state"

"Nervous?"

"No. I know what's going to happen" he stated, calmly.

"What's that?"

Brian stared at me for a moment; "We're going to win"

I've heard Brian say those exact words before; "I know" I smiled.

"Listen we should uh head over there, Donnie said he was gong to meet me at three thirty" Brian suggested, looking at his watch again; "Ready?"

Of course I was ready to see Donnie (and everyone else) after almost a week apart; "Yeah! Let's go!" I said excitedly and jumped up out of my seat, and got into his car - the front seat this time.

Brian pulled away from my house and for a few minutes the ride was quiet and awkward, until Brian spoke up; "Listen, there's a reason why I came by your house"

I smiled; "Yeah, I kind of figured"

"I wanted to talk to you before you saw everyone else"

"Why is that?"

"Well…since you've been in New York the school has been talking about…us"

"Us?"

"You know, we've hung out a few times and I've walked you to class and I guess people started talking and think we're together"

"That's crazy! Everyone knows I'm with Donnie!"

"I know" he laughed; "Listen, don't let it bother you. It will probably blow over by Monday anyway, after we win this weekend"

"So you wanted to hang out with me to tell me the school is talking about me again? I could have just found out on Monday"

He shrugged his shoulders; "And... there is something I have to get off my chest"

"What's that?" I asked and looked over at him.

Brian is always the cool, calm, collected one and not one to get nervous or hide his true feelings, and today was no different; "Well, Kelly. Truth is, I've had a crush on you since we met" I burst out laughing at that point. I knew something was going on and seeing how serious Brian was taking this conversation was humorous to me; "Why are you laughing?"

"Because I knew something was up"

"Well I'm serious Kelly! But, you know, after you and Billingsley got together I had to let it go. That's why I get so pissed off when he treats you like garbage. But I wanted you to know so it's one less thing I have to think about. I just wanted to tell you so I could clear my head"

"Okay" I nodded; "Well…thanks? Awkward…"

We both laughed, and he stopped at a stop light just a block from Buddy's Burgers; "Just don't tell Donnie anything, alright? He doesn't need to get the wrong idea"

"This conversation never happened. Are we cool?"

"Yeah. We're good"

We waited at the stop light in silence. I kind of wished Brian never told me that he's liked me since he met me. It makes sense, but I could have gone the rest of my life without knowing that. I just hoped it wouldn't make anything awkward when we all hung out together.

I tried to focus my thoughts on Donnie and how excited I was to see him again. A smile crept on my face and I knew that I was back home where I belonged in Odessa with my crazy friends. Brian, "The Mexican" as I have officially nicknamed him, who just admitted to me he likes me, Mike who holds a grudge with me because I don't like the idea of him marrying my cousin, Nicole who was the best friend, and cousin, one could ask for, and Donnie. Donnie was my everything. All I needed to be happy in Odessa was in Donnie and I couldn't wait to get my hands on him.

When we got to Buddy's Burgers I got out of Brian's car quickly and walked through the crowd looking for Donnie. I finally spotted the back of his black jersey, he was sitting a table with a bunch of other guys around him, they were talking loudly and laughing. Mike and Nicole were sitting at a separate table next to him, they noticed me, but I motioned for them to keep quiet. I walked up behind Donnie and put my hands over his eyes; "Guess who?" I asked, cheerfully.

Donnie laughed and turned around in his seat, engulfing me a big hug; "Hey baby" he kissed me and pulled me into his lap, then I sat next to him; "Glad you back" he said, rubbing his hand on the inside of my thigh.

"Oh yeah?" I asked, playfully.

"Hey Billingsly we'll see you at practice" one of the guys Donnie was talking to before I showed up, said and everyone left the table.

"Later guys" Donnie yelled after them and took a sip of his soda; "You just get back?" he asked, taking a bite of his cheeseburger, and Mike and Nicole joined us at the table.

"Yeah, got back a little bit ago"

"How was it?" Nicole asked, excitedly.

"Cold" I laughed; "But it was nice. Just hung out. What did you guys do?"

"Well we had the fire department at my house" Donnie laughed; "My dad can't cook for shit, especially after he's been drinking"

We exchanged stories of our Thanksgiving's, all the while Donnie couldn't keep his hands off of me and I knew he only had one thing on his mind after a few days apart; "So you have practice tonight?" I pouted. I was hoping we could spend the rest of the afternoon and night together, alone.

Donnie nodded his head; "Until nine"

"Nine?" I groaned; "That sucks"

"Gotta get ready for the game tomorrow"

"I know…but still" I laughed.

"It's not funny. We need to be perfect" Mike said, glaring at me.

Nicole and Donnie looked at me, knowing that Mike and I no longer got along and were worried that I would snap at him; "You guys are already perfect" I stated, coldly.

Nicole looking at Mike, and back at me, cautiously; "Are you going to the game with me tomorrow? It's in Irving. About six hours from here"

"Yeah I want to go, if it's alright if I get a ride"

"That's fine"

Mike, who getting more annoyed as every second passed that he had to sit across from me, spoke up; "We should go Donnie. Don't want to be late" He kissed Nicole goodbye, then quickly got up, threw out his garbage and hustled to Donnie's car.

"Really wish you two would work out your differences" Donnie laughed; "He hasn't exactly been the easiest person to get along with lately"

"One day" I said rolling my eyes, then Nicole read my thoughts and we both said; "After the season" at the same time.

Donnie smiled; "Well anyway, I'll see you…" he kissed me goodbye "After practice"

He took his red hat, that I had worn to New York, off my head and put it back on his; "Love you"

"Love you too too"

Nicole and I stayed at Buddy's Burgers for about an hour catching up. She told me that Mike and her have been attached at the hip recently and he's been sneaking into her house at night, or they've been getting hotel rooms at night so they can be together; "Our behavior is starting to mirror each other's" I laughed; "Who would have thought?"

"Well it's the only way we can really be together. He won't let anyone stay at his house and my mom wouldn't let me even he wanted me to"

"So your using the imaginary friend excuse, aren't you?"

"Well your back now, so I can say I'm at your house again" she replied; "You know, It's going to be weird when we're married and both still living at home. I don't want to sneak around to see my own husband" she laughed.

I glared at her; "Can we just go watch the practice, now?"

After another grueling practice I met Donnie at his car in the parking lot; "Hey sexy" he said, pressing his sweaty body against mine as I stood at the drivers side door; "You ready?"

"Ready for what?"

Donnie just laughed and kissed me; "I'm pretty sure I won't be able to keep my hands off you the whole drive back to my house"

"So what do you uh…suggest?" I said, sliding my hands under his shirt and caressing his chest; "A rendezvous at the pit, maybe?"

"I like the way you think" he said and kissed me; "Get in"

Donnie drove like a madman up to the pit and we made it in record time. We got out of the car in a rush and Donnie opened the trunk and rummaged through it in the dark; "What are you looking for?" He didn't answer me, and instead pulled out a large blanket; "The ground?" He nodded; "It's cold!"

Needless to say, Donnie's good looks and smooth talking got me undressed and laying on the ground ready to accept him; "You know…maybe just once we could have a romantic night in a hotel room or something?" I joked; "Where it's warm!"

"Can you uh…wait until after the season is over?" he asked, in-between loud grunts and moans. The on going joke of "after the season is over" was growing old, but it was the last thing on my mind right now. One of the positives about being out in the middle of nowhere was that no one could hear you scream in ecstasy. We hadn't been with each other in a few days and we were both already turned on so it didn't last long, which was fine by me because there were a few rocks and sticks poking out from under the blanket.

After we cleaned up and got dressed Donnie and I sat on the hood of the car wrapped in the blanket together; "I really missed you while you were gone, Kelly"

"I'm pretty sure I missed you more"

"No, you weren't back her watching Mr. and Mrs. Winchell twenty-four, seven"

"Be that was fun" I rested my head on his shoulder and he leaned his head on mine.

"So what's up with you and Brian?"

His question took me off guard and for a moment I was speechless; "What do you mean?"

"A few guys have been telling me you two spend a lot of time together"

"Not a lot of time together. Just a few times hanging out after school. He's walked me to class. That's all" I said, truthfully.

"You two showed up together earlier"

I wanted to know how he knew that, since I had a hard time finding him at Buddy's Burgers, but I figured one of the guys on the team told him at practice; "He showed up at my house then gave me a ride"

"Why?"

"Maybe you should talk to Brian about that"

"What is that supposed to mean?" I was surprised that Donnie wasn't getting angry, and was instead very concerned and gentle with his questioning; "How did he know you were home?"

"I don't know" I replied, sighing; "But he's your friend, if you have a problem with him hanging out with me just tell him"

"Do you have a problem with it? Because if you do i can handle it"

I smiled up at him; "No. No problem. Just kind of weird you know? I wanted you to be the first person I saw when I got back"

"That would have been nice" He cleared his throat; "I'll talk to him about it tomorrow on the way to the game"

"Are you nervous about tomorrow?"

He shook his head; "Stressed about it. Coach Gaines is really putting a lot of pressure on us. You know, everyone wants us to win, just hoping we don't let anyone down"

"You won't. You just have to know you went out and did your best you know? Who cares what everyone else thinks?"

"It's just my last chance, you know? Our last season, last chance to make it"

"You'll make it. I know you will"

"Thanks baby" he kissed my forehead; "I'm glad you'll be there"

"Wouldn't miss it"

Donnie cleared his throat; "So I was thinking…" he trailed off then squeezed my hand that he was holding under the blanket; "Do you think…Kelly…."

"Yeah?" I asked, laughing; "What is it Donnie?"

"Well you know how Mike and Nicole want to get married?"

"Yeah"

"And you said it was a bad idea?"

"It is"

"Well…would it be a bad idea if you and I got married?"

I could feel my face burning from blushing so much, and I couldn't control the large smile on my face; "No, unlike you and I, they are getting married so Nicole can get out of Texas. You and I love each other"

"I want to Kelly. I want to marry you. One day"

I cuddled up with Donnie even closer and moved my arm to around his waist; "Me too. One day"

We stayed at the pit for a while longer, until both of us were passing out on each other. It was a long day, and an even longer one followed tomorrow.

Nicole and I, and other devoted fans from Odessa, followed the Permian Panthers to Irving Texas to face off against the Nimitz High School Vikings. They were ranked sixth in the state, but weren't good enough to beat the boys in black. We won forty-one to seven.

The following Saturday Lamar High School visited from Arlington Texas and returned home knowing they wouldn't be making it to State. Permian won twenty one to seven, and would be advancing to the Texas State Championship.

In fifteen days the team, the school, the town, hell…the entire state of Texas would be watching as the Permian Panthers face off against Carter High School Cowboys from Dallas.

We made it. Now all we had to do…was win.