The football field was so green, the sky was so blue and the white from the players’ uniforms was so bright. The colors were so vibrant it was amazing. I could almost taste the freshness of the air, and I could feel my hair fluttering around my face. There were no adults watching us to make sure we were appropriate and responsible. It was just us, hanging out, doing absolutely nothing productive other than watching the guys do drills and comparing the thigh muscles of each one.
There was a lot to compare, and it was awesome.
I leaned back on the bleachers, grinning as we chatted about boys. Since when was I the type to cut practice? I wasn’t, but I didn’t feel like I was doing anything wrong. I felt like I was living! I was on the verge of getting myself a real boyfriend. I was such a rebel, and it was the best feeling.
Erin nudged me. “See number ten? That’s Keith. Is he cute or what?”
I studied the field and got a vague glimpse of the number ten before he disappeared beneath a slew of grunting bodies. “I like his helmet,” I offered. It was the best I could come up with. Did she really think I could tell if he was cute when he was at the other side of the field and wearing a helmet?
Delilah pointed at the pile. “That’s Jeff at the bottom.” She sighed. “He’s not that hot, plus he’s getting squashed. I really think I should tell him I can’t go to the semi-formal with him.”
“You have to go,” Erin said. “He’s best friends with Keith and Hugh, and if you don’t go then they might not ask us and then—”
“So, which one’s mine?” I was risking the wrath of Miss Jespersen and my parents because my friends had sworn that the guys had a friend who needed a date for the semi-formal. I was there to meet him. I was on a mission. This was my one chance to get my life on the right track, and I was going to make it count.
Since Inverness and St. Mary’s hosted the semi-formal together, the guys were going to get dates if we didn’t snag them first. I had to move in today for the kill or risk missing the dance entirely, since my “boyfriend” Rafe was still unable to attend.
If I got a date, then maybe my friends would forget about Rafe. They hadn’t stopped grilling me about him so far, forcing me to make up lies constantly. As of this moment, Rafe and I had been dating for three months, had gone to six movies and he’d given me a stuffed animal for our three month anniversary. He was sixteen, birthday in March, and had written a song about me. Unfortunately, he was not available for the semi-formal, but was now okay with me going without him. What a guy.
My plan for the moment was to start to date this Inverness guy, whoever he was, fall in love and then “break up” with Rafe. Or something like that, so long as it ended with Rafe out of the picture and no one realizing I’d lied about him being my boyfriend.
“I don’t know which one’s yours,” Erin said. “His name’s Lesley or something like that.”
“Lesley?” I grimaced. “That’s a girl’s name.” Unlike Rafe. He had a great name.
“Obviously it’s not a girl’s name,” Delilah said, rolling her eyes. “At least he’s got to be cuter than Jeff.”
The boys broke out of their huddle around the coach, and three guys headed toward us, jogging toward the bleachers. I sat up. Oh…was one of them Lesley? The future love of my life? Or at least my ticket to the dance? My stomach did a sudden belly flop and my mouth got dry. A football player was on his way over to me. To meet me. To talk to me. What was I supposed to say? Should I mention the semi? Or just wait for him to bring it up? Crud! I was so not ready for this…
“Hi Keith,” Erin said, beaming at the boys.
I clutched her arm, starting to panic.
Delilah leaned into my other side as she let out her breath. “Jeff actually looks pretty good with mud on his face,” she whispered. “Doesn’t he?”
“Yeah, sure.” I wet my lips and stared at the boys coming toward us. Number ten was apparently Keith, so he wasn’t Lesley, but which of the other two was mine? They both had muddy faces, and they were both pretty cute. Not Rafe, but good enough to be seen in public with.
Then I noticed one of them was looking right at me, and I knew it was him. The connection was too vivid, too direct. He was checking me out, and it was no casual inspection. It had to be my date. I quickly gave him the once over. He had light brown hair that was cut short. Mud on his cheek, brown eyes, nice straight nose. He smiled at me, and I grinned back, my breath catching in my chest. Okay, yeah, this was going to be okay.
He came to a stop in front of me. “You must be Lily.”