Chapter 3

Part 1

"Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the stars refuse to shine"

"So Cam, how have things been at school?" my dad asked bursting through the door to my dorm as he hugged me hello.

"Hello Daddy. Things are fine," I replied smiling as Kelly came bounding through my door to give me a hug of her own.

"Hey there Cam, miss me immensely?" Kelly asked smiling cockily at me.

"Always Kelly. Life's just that much more boring without you."

My dad wondered around the dorm for a second peeking into Megan's section of her bunk. "Where's Meg? I thought she'd like to go to lunch with us."

I smiled meekly at him. "Meg's going through a rough break-up. She's been at the gym for almost two hours now," I railed out wincing slightly at my father's pitying expression. "Don't worry she'll be at the game tomorrow night."

"Excellent," my father grinned the thought of a heartbroken Megan wiped from his mind and replaced by the image of football. "Good seats this year?"

I shook my head. "I don't know a friend got them for me."

"A male friend?" Kelly asked her ears immediately perking up at the very thought of a guy.

"Yes Kelly," I replied rolling my eyes, "he's a guy."

She grinned suggestively and wiggled her eyebrows.

I shook my head immediately. "No not that kind of friend," I stated bluntly before she could make any more assumptions.

"Could you make up a story pretending that he is because it makes me happy to hear of your exploits?" she asked grinning hopefully.

My dad slapped his hands over his ears and shook his head. "I'm not listening. I'm not listening."

I glared at Kelly. "That was uncalled for," I said pulling his hands from his head, "there are no exploits to be discussed and no I will not make any up because I'm sure Kelly has enough for both of us."

Kelly shrugged and winked and my dad didn't seem as effected by her silent admission as he was by my non-existent one.

Pre-game's a bitch.

No really it is. Everyone's adrenaline is pumping so much that guys just start hitting each other at random and it's considered socially acceptable as long as they roar or yell something violent about the other team while they do so.

Coach's face spends the entire time clouding over into "game coach" and we have to light candles and participate in all the other traditions that as a freshman, and even last year, felt so exciting but now just seem to be wearing.

I have to admit that despite being a forerunner in most of the ceremony I wish we could just skip it all and get right to the good old fashioned football of it all.

Or at least I thought that until there I was lighting my candle and reciting my mandatory Hail Mary's when I hear that horribly familiar laugh across the Grotto and there's Cam out of pure coincidence.

I have to admit I didn't even see her father or sister with her until after I'd walked up and put my hand on her shoulder.

"Shit," she quietly screeched turning back around to me. "Sean you idiot you just made me spill wax on my arm," she groaned grabbing her arm.

"God I'm sorry Cam, I didn't notice you had a candle," I hurriedly replied fumbling over my words in panic.

"Trust me it's okay," another said smoothly sliding into our conversation. "I'm sure she doesn't mind at all."

Cam glared at her as the girl ran her eyes up and down me like so many other girls' eyes seem to do. "Actually Kelly I do mind," she said pointedly then looked somewhat pathetic as she muttered, "It was really hot."

I grimaced as the Kelly girl ignored Cam and stepped in front of her extending a hand to me. "Hi I'm Kelly. Cam's little sister, well one of them, and you're Sean. No need for you to introduce yourself," she said raising her eyebrows and winking in a suggestive manner way past anything you'd ever see from Cam.

"Er, hi Kelly," I replied slowly shaking her hand and looking over her shoulder to where Cam stood rubbing her temples.

"So how do you know my sister?" Kelly asked brightly piercing her lips together concealing her grin.

"Um," I fumbled awkwardly, "our roommates used to date."

I saw Cam over Kelly's shoulder again but this time she appeared to be wincing and a strange older man suddenly appeared beside her. Kelly stepped aside looking slightly down-casted at what I could only assume would be because I refused to even look at her and had unknowingly skipped giving her the once-over that I always at least throw out for girls who seem interested.

"Daddy just say hi," Cam muttered loud enough so I could hear after he whispered something in her ear.

The man stepped forward with this half confident half reserved but all the while cool and collected demeanor that mirrored Cam so much that I had to smile. "You must be Mr. Harris," I said stepping forward and grinning as I extended a handshake to him.

"Yes, that's me, god I feel old now," he said wincing. "Mr. Harris, I'm practically 80 aren't I?"

Cam smiled and shook her head. "He's barely 50," she muttered to me, "he's having a mid of a mid-life crisis."

"So this is who you needed these tickets for?" I asked gesturing to her father and sister absently but not really taking my eyes from her.

She nodded as her father's face lit up. "So Sean Miller was the friend that got me a ticket!" my dad yelled excited. "We'll now you officially are my favorite football player."

"Oh please," Kelly said waving her hand about nonchalantly, "he already was your favorite so I don't see how it makes any difference. I however love you even more now that I've seen you without those bulky body pads," she added grinning mischievously as Cam practically fell to the floor in embarrassment.

I nodded slowly not really knowing how respond. "Right, well I guess I should get back with the team," I said meekly half hoping she'd ask me not to and a little scared that if she asked me to I'd ditch the team and watch the game from the stands with her.

"Wait," Kelly said stepping forward again, "you should come out with Cam and I tonight, after the game," she added no sense of propriety or blush about her and I bit my tongue.

"I'll try, the boys and I usually meet at Changing's after games to celebrate," I replied starting to back toward the team.

"Great!" Kelly yelled excitedly. "We'll meet you there!" she shouted right before Cam grabbed her mouth and began to chastise her with words I was too far away to make out.

holla new chappie! Grrreat.

Football Saturday! Go Irish!