(Monday)
"Hey, Little Street. What's goin' on?"
"Um-not much?" Kelsey replied, quirking a brow as she shrugged out from beneath her newfound companion's arm, and veered towards her locker to grab the books she would need for her next class, "Did you need something, Smash?"
"Nah, just checkin' in on ya."
"Did Jason put you up to this?"
"What makes you think that?"
"Just a hunch."
"Yeah, well, looks like your hunch is wrong."
"And you're never going to let me forget it?"
"Damn straight," Smash confirmed, leaning against the locker adjacent to Kelsey's, and sending her a megawatt smile despite her apparent skepticism over his intentions, "You got plans after school?"
"Probably this funny little thing called homework. And dance practice," Kelsey informed, laughing at the face Smash made in response to her remark, and leaning up on tiptoe to reach for the last of the books she would need for the afternoon of classes ahead, "Why?"
"Figured you might want to go with the rest of us to get somethin' to eat after school."
"You mean after practice," Kelsey amended, knowing full well that the idea of any one of her brother's teammates skipping practice was preposterous, to stay the least, and finding that her suspicion was rather readily confirmed with a nod and a sheepish smile, "Not this time, Smash."
"You sure?"
"Positive. I think I'll hold off on another attempt to convert me into a football addict 'til after the game Friday."
"Now how would you know that's what I was goin' for?"
"It's always what you're goin' for, Smash. You think I haven't figured that out by now?"
"A man can dream, girl."
"Yeah? Best keep dreamin' then."
"Anyone ever tell you that you're hidin' a cold, cold woman under that sweet lookin' smile?" Smash questioned, shaking his head at Kelsey's answering nod, and looping an arm around her shoulders once again after she had closed her locker, and moved towards the direction of her next class, "Somethin' tells me you're proud about that."
"Maybe I am."
"I'm gonna change your mind though. You just wait. Smash doesn't fail."
"Keep tellin' yourself that," Kelsey teased, disentangling herself from Smash's arm as they approached the biology classroom, and shaking her head in response to the flash of determination that passed across his features, as though he was suddenly equating the task of bringing her into the fold just like the rest of the town appeared to be as far as it pertained to football to landing a scholarship and going pro, "This is me."
"Alright. Catch you later, Little Street."
"Yeah. Catch you later."
Entering the classroom, and taking a seat at the lab table with a smile aimed at her partner, and best friend, Kelsey had to admit that, even if she never intended to allow Smash to succeed in his endeavor to turn her into as big of a football nut as everyone else in Dillon, she would have been a fool to pretend she did not appreciate the sense of inclusion, anyway…
Whatever else could be said about the football team, her brother and his friends had certainly never done anything other than make her feel like family, whether she understood their obsession or not.
…
"What did Smash want?"
"Just the usual," Kelsey shrugged, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, and opening her notebook to the next blank page, her fingers idly toying with the pencil she held between them while she turned in her seat to look her best friend in the eye, "Nothing new."
"He still hasn't given up on that?"
"Don't think he ever will."
"Think you'll ever just give in?"
"Come on, Matt, how long have you known me?"
"Had to ask," Matt murmured, one corner of his mouth turning up in a smile as he glanced towards the classroom door in time to note the entrance of their teacher, followed closely by a familiar blonde that had a sudden rush of nerves twisting in his gut, "Think-think Simmons'll give us a pop quiz today?"
"Probably," Kelsey confirmed, noting her friends sudden change in demeanor, and following his gaze towards the girl that had entered the classroom behind their teacher, a knowing smile tugging at her lips as she leaned towards Matt, who was now studiously examining his textbook as though it were the most fascinating thing in the world, "You know, if you just went up and started talking to her, she wouldn't bite your head off. She's nice."
"She's the coach's daughter, Kels."
"So?"
"So I can't go there. Ever."
"Is that some sort of rule that's etched in stone, somewhere?" Kelsey pressed, offering a smile in response to the blonde's ready wave before she took her own seat, and then turning back towards her own companion, and taking his stubborn silence as further proof for her point, "No. Didn't think so."
"You know what I mean," Matt grumbled, rolling his eyes in the wake of Kelsey's insistent grin, though the gesture was half-hearted, to say the least, "She probably ain't even interested, anyway."
"Now how would you know that, if you've never even tried to find out?"
"Let's just call it a lucky guess."
"Would you mind if I said I was going to do everything I could to prove that guess wrong?" Kelsey inquired, aware of the sound of the bell signifying class was about to begin, and yet refraining from turning her gaze forward in favor of waiting for her friend's reply. She knew, on some level, that he was not likely to believe her, having spent the better part of their junior high years trying to break him out of his shell, with little success. But even with that awareness it would have been a lie for her to pretend she did not want to persist in trying, regardless, a resigned sigh escaping as she recognized the lingering doubt apparent in her friend's expression, and tried her best to avoid the frown that wanted to mar her expression in response to his almost imperceptible shake of the head.
If he didn't want to believe in himself, then she supposed she would have to take over the task, herself.
…
Hello there! And welcome to another new story idea that grabbed hold of me and wouldn't let go (many thanks to ChiTown4ever, because I probably never would have even noticed FNL without a gentle nudge or two in that direction to begin with). I hope everyone enjoys this little expositional chapter! And of course I cannot wait to hear what you think!
Until next time, loves...
MOMM