"Everything okay?"
"Yeah, just a little situation. All is well now—" Lacey couldn't help the smile that crept into the corner of her mouth.
"Hey—" Phoebe squinted at Lacey's cheek, "Isn't Danny number ten?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Well, your face just says number one now—"
Lacey cringed and fished for the tiny mirror in Phoebe's bag.
"Shit."
"Wow." Phoebe shook her head and kept her thoughts to herself.
The game was close. Lacey was absolutely dazzled by the show the Orangemen put on for their first home game. Danny proved vital in his punting abilities and helped his team continue their forward momentum and win the game.
Danny wasn't just the punter who made an appearance less than a handful of times, he was a team player. He galvanized his teammates, encouraged them, screamed at them, motivated.
During halftime he was absorbed into the spirit squad as one of their center bases, helping them through some dangerous routines. The crowd was wild about him. Something about watching him clap and smile and cheer alongside the squad in his full football uniform just made her feel warm inside.
Lacey could tell he had taken their conversation to heart. Danny was relaxed yet focused. To put it simply, today his head was in the game. He was in his element. Somehow Danny's lifestyle off the field made even more sense to her now that she had seen him work.
Lacey thought about what soccer meant to him. If this is how Danny was during football season, she tried to imagine him playing the sport he loved the most.
Syracuse won 14-7. Duke being shut down after a very exciting game. The dome emptied faster than expected, with everyone eager to begin their post game celebrations. Lacey and Phoebe stayed behind, Lacey hoping to make good on her promise to introduce Phoebe to some of the guys.
Danny was approached by a few gentleman in suits. Lacey stayed away, wondering if they were the scouts. She lost track of Danny after that, assuming he had gone to shower and change with the rest of the team. When he didn't resurface she let it roll off her back, thinking the guys were probably ushered to whichever after party awaited them. They hadn't made plans.
After quick conversations with some of the spirit squad, the girls determined that everyone typically met up at the Sigma House after a home game. Lacey was aware of the hugely popular Greek life at SU. Unfortunately, she had no time to explore it. Danny wasn't part of it either, however, his townhouse sat right in the heart of the frat house neighborhood.
"Want to take a walk, see what's up?" Lacey asked Phoebe eagerly.
"He didn't come to talk to you after, how do you know he doesn't have other plans tonight?" Phoebe asked, supremely worried for her star struck roommate.
"I need this night off from school. I also need to find a way to be fine with Danny's preferences. Maybe if I finally get to see him with someone it'll take the edge off."
"You're deranged, just so you know. Let's go." Phoebe sighed.
The parties spilled out of every house they passed en route to Sigma. Lots of people raised their beers to Lacey and Phoebe as they walked by. Lacey realized that they all recognized her because she had been seen with Danny.
"Not too bad for an art geek from upstate. Who knew I'd have this completely unwarranted popularity?" Lacey said sarcastically, "I feel dirty."
Phoebe just laughed, "Well keep your shit together until I find a hook up. So not fair."
You could hear the music coming from Sigma House well before they made it there. People were everywhere. The squad had been correct, the entire football team dotted the lawn and sat along the porch. No Danny.
Lacey and Phoebe slipped inside easily, finding themselves drinks and mingling with each other for now.
"Hey!" Some tall guy greeted her, "You're Lacey, Danny's new friend, right? I'm Archie." He bellowed above the music.
"Hi, yes I'm Lacey." She yelled back, "Great game today."
"Thanks, you here with Danny tonight?" He asked carefully.
"No."
Archie couldn't help checking her out. The alcohol reducing his will power dramatically. He caught himself though and Lacey smiled at him.
"I'm sorry." He looked down at his drink, "You're absolutely gorgeous. Danny's a lucky guy, you know?"
"We're not together." Lacey shrugged.
"Well yeah, but, you're friends." Archie said it like it meant something else.
"Yeah, we're just friends. So what?"
"When Danny says he has a new friend, we all know she's off limits, you know? Danny has seriously thinned the heard, I'll tell you that." Archie was rambling.
This admission caught Lacey off guard. Danny wasn't possessive, quite the opposite. He was all about free connections, fluidity. Why would all of his 'friends' be off limits to other people?
"Interesting. How many 'friends' does Danny have?"
"I lost count." He admitted honestly.
Lacey looked up into Archie's blue-green eyes, he was so handsome.
"Can you point them out?"
"Yep, that's easy, it's all the ones I can't touch. You, for example." Archie started pointing, "Her, the girl by the couch, the girl in the blue skirt, this one, the one walking by you right…now—"
"Okay, okay, never mind. Don't do that." Lacey grimaced at the handful of girls Archie easily pointed out.
"Want to know a secret?" Archie asked her.
"Sure."
"Danny and I fought over you."
"Archie, how many drinks have you had?"
"I told him I was interested, but he got you. That old Desai charm I guess." Archie said with a touch of sadness.
"I'm not with Danny." Lacey reiterated.
"I just want you to know that there are other people who find you breathtaking. Take care of my boy."
"You know who's not friends with Danny? Me." Phoebe nudged her way into the conversation, "Hi, I'm Phoebe." She smiled brightly.
Archie smiled at her, throwing out his elbow for her to hold, "Let's get you another drink."
Lacey smiled at her roommate as Archie led her toward the beer kegs. Lacey walked through the house, smiling and chatting with the few people she recognized before a group began dancing in the large sitting room at the back of the house.
Lacey hadn't had dinner and after guzzling two large beers she was feeling warm and relaxed. A few of the girls began dancing next to her and Lacey joined in, bouncing and grinding with the people around her. She watched Phoebe slip upstairs with Archie, making a mental note to check on her later.
By the second song the group really got into it. The beat was fast and everyone was screaming along with the words. The guys from the team had made their way into the writhing sea of girls and Lacey found herself sandwiched between two very handsome players.
Lacey had her hands above her head, the guy behind her pulling at her waist as he swayed with her, the guy in front of her had his hands around her back pulling her forward. Lacey didn't care about either of them and just enjoyed her dance, feeling free.
She tapped out for another drink shortly after the song ended. As she made her way to the keg station she caught sight of Danny, descending the staircase hand in hand with a girl she vaguely recognized. Where had she seen her before? The three of them met at the bottom of the steps at the same time.