After the Game(18)

I moved fast into the shadows. I couldn’t run for the road. Whoever it was would see me in the streetlight. So I ducked behind the hedges in front of their house and held my breath like they could hear me breathing. Which I know was silly because they were on the second floor.

The sound of the window opening made me cringe, and I didn’t move a muscle. That had been a girl. If Brady had a girl in his room, then he sure wouldn’t let her come to the window. He’d hide her. So who was it?

The cousin. Holy crap, I’d forgotten about the cousin. Mom had told me about his cousin moving in with them. Apparently she’d gotten his room. Why hadn’t I thought about that possibility? If you’re gonna throw rocks at a window just before midnight, you need to make sure you’ve got the right window. I was terrible at this.

The sound of the window closing calmed me some, and I let out the breath I’d been holding. I would need to stay here awhile until I was sure she’d walked away from the window before I made a run for the street. I tried not to think about the critters that could be behind this hedge with me. Staying put was the only safe thing to do here.

This was fate’s way of telling me that trying to be Brady’s friend was a bad idea. I got that now. I appreciate fate stepping in and stopping me from sure disaster. Now if only fate could make sure no animal bit me back here, that would be really awesome.

The front door opened, and I stopped breathing again. This was not good. I should have run when I had the chance. What if it was Brady’s dad and he had a gun? I could end up shot. Even if a squirrel decided to bite me, I wasn’t moving now. I preferred a squirrel attack to a gunshot. I think.

When I wanted a change and some adventure, this was not what I had in mind. I needed to get out of this alive. I had a kid to raise.

“Hello?” Brady called out, and I let out a small breath. It was Brady, not his dad, and I was sure Brady didn’t have a gun. I was going to live.

“Anyone out here?” he asked.

I could ignore him and let him continue his search, or I could come out of the hedges and announce myself. My goal had been to get Brady down here. That was what had happened. Hiding from him seemed silly now.

Instead of chancing the animal attack, I stood up and stepped out of hiding. This was embarrassing, now that I thought about it: coming here at night and throwing a rock at his window. My face was warm, and I was glad the darkness would mask my embarrassment.

“It’s me,” I said, and he spun around.

“Riley?”

“Yeah.”

“What are you doing? Are you okay?”

No, apparently I was warped in the head. This whole idea seemed terrible. I should have stayed at home in bed and not let my need for friends send me out on this wild chase.

“You, uh, changed bedrooms.” I couldn’t think of anything smarter to say.

He nodded.

“I didn’t know—”

“So you came here and threw a rock at my window because . . . ?”

I was an idiot. I needed my head examined. I was desperate and pathetic.

“I want to be friends.” There, I said it.

He didn’t respond right away. Instead he studied me a moment, then glanced down at his feet before shifting them.

“I believe you—I mean about the Rhett thing. And I meant what I said last night. But . . . we have the next few games and the championship hopefully in our reach. I can’t upset the team.”

Meaning, he had thought about it and he couldn’t be my friend. He was a habitual good guy, but his future was on the line. I could be mad, but I got it. He’d worked for this as long as I had known him.

“Oh, that makes sense. I get it. Sorry I bothered you.” I wanted to sprint for the sidewalk. Get as far away from here as possible. I didn’t think it could get any more embarrassing, but it just had.

“Wait! Did you walk here?” His voice sounded concerned.

I wish he’d just let me go. But he was, after all, Mr. Nice Guy. “Yeah,” I replied, barely glancing back over my shoulder and not stopping.

“It’s not safe for you to be out like this. I’ll drive you back.”

No, no, no. I needed alone time.

“I’m good. Really. Besides, someone may see you.”

He sighed loudly. “Don’t be like that, Riley. I meant what I said about being friends. It’s just better if we wait until the season is over. Then the team can get mad at me.”

I really did understand his decision. I got it completely. But I didn’t want to talk about it anymore. “Just let me go, Brady.”

I kept walking and only got a little farther before I heard him jogging up behind me. His conscience couldn’t handle this. There weren’t many guys like Brady Higgens on this earth.