LbA: Football

A/N:  Good news guys! :)  You can probably already guess, but I found my laptop.  Still no Internet, so like I mentioned before, I'll have to post once I get to work, but I can at least write, now!  ~A

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Sarah and I were linked arms, walking around campus, skipping and prancing along.  We were decked out in torn and tattered jeans, red Nebraska shirts, and our hair up and out of the way.  We also adorned red “N” fake tattoos on our cheeks.  It was Nebraska game day and we were heading down to tailgate.  Since, combined, we knew mass amounts of people, we didn’t have a set tailgate we were headed to, just going to “’gate hop.”

First we stopped by my aunt and uncle’s tailgate.  They, like my family, are very well off.  My uncle owns his own business, and they run a corporate tailgate every home game.  Whenever I go, we (me and whoever is with me) get lots of free (high quality) food and beer.  Sarah has been with me multiple times, and Bart and Nancy (uncle and aunt) have made her an “adopted niece.” 

“Bart!  Nancy!” I shrieked when I saw them.  I always get overly-elated on game days.  We all hugged, and cans of Bud Light were handed to Sarah and I.  I’m not much of a beer drinker (unless it’s Blue Moon or Miller Light High Life, Champagne of Beers!), but I’m never going to pass up free booze while tailgating.  I was just happy we wouldn’t be making the rounds to the student tailgates to drink the Natty Ice until I was well on my way to a sweet buzz.

We gorged on brats and burgers, pans of catered macaroni and cheese, potato salad, and baked beans, and more beer.  Sarah and I packed in the food for the long morning/afternoon of drinking, knowing we didn’t want to be too drunk and/or hungover tonight for our girls’ night out.

Before we left my aunt and uncle’s tailgate, they stopped me and asked how my dad was doing.  I knew it was more of a courtesy than anything, because they are close with my parents and I’m sure know how he’s doing.  “He’s getting stronger each day.  It’s kind of a waiting game right now, to see if they’re going to do another round of chemo and radiation.  But his hair is growing back.  And I know he’s hoping next semester to start teaching again, if he continues on this upward path.”

“We’ve been praying for him.  We’re going over to your parents’ house tomorrow for dinner.  You should come, too,” Nancy responded.

“We’ll see.  I actually have a date tomorrow afternoon," I said blushing, "plus, I have plans most of the day today and may have to do homework tomorrow night after my date.”

“Come on, kiddo, since when have you cared about getting your homework done before 4 a.m.?” Bart bellowed.  I grimaced.  He knew me and my antics a little too well.

Nancy inquired, "A date?  Bring him!"

I smiled, shyly.  “Yes.  But my parents don't even know I've been seeing someone, so please at least try to keep it quiet.  I want to see if it becomes serious before exposing him to you all!  And I’ll think about dinner tomorrow.”

I hugged them both before leaving.  Sarah and I each took a beer for the walk, and set off on the next tailgate we could find.

At the last tailgate, before we needed to head into the game for kickoff, I got caught up talking to a couple of girls from the tennis team.  When we needed to head in to the stadium, I scanned around, looking for Sarah.  I caught a glimpse with her off to the side, talking to a tall, rather cute guy.  I quietly (as much as a slightly intoxicated, high-fiving while loudly yelling Go Big Red with every person passed can be) made my way over to her, hoping to sneak up on her and surprise her and her male friend.

I was about to lightly tap her on the back to scare her, when I tripped over a cooler that I, of course, didn’t see, and literally fell into her, pushing her into said male, who managed to catch both our momentum, but also caught Sarah’s beer all over the front of him.

“Ooops,” I rushed, “I’m sooo sorry!”

Sarah was blushing and apologizing profusely, while wiping at the beer on his shirt with her hands.  It hit me then that this must be the elusive Matt.  I quickly stuck out my hand, “Hi!  I’m Aleah, you must be Matt!”

He smiled back and gave a raised eyebrow and quick side eye to Sarah, and shook my hand. “Hi, Aleah.  Don’t worry, she’s talked about you to me, too,” he teased.

I looked over at Sarah who was staring at me wide-eyed.  Second oops of the moment.  “I mean... you know, she’s casually mentioned meeting you for dinner or something.  And don’t worry, she’s said only good things!  Uh... you know, like she says good things about all of her friends...” I trailed off.  Open mouth.  Insert foot.

Matt was looking at me amused.  “It’s okay.  I’m sure that when a girl goes out on a date with someone, she talks about it with her best friend.  I didn’t expect her to not tell you.”

I looked at Sarah again, and she was blushing, but this time happily.  I could tell she really liked this guy by the look she was giving him.  Not to mention everything she really did say to me previously.  “Hey, so I really am sorry about the beer.  And the running Sarah into you.  We’re heading into the game, and I spoke with my mom this morning and she and my dad aren’t coming in for the game today.  We have two extra seats if you and one of your friends would like to come?”

He seemed to perk up and looked expectantly at Sarah, “I wouldn’t want to intrude on you two...”

Sarah, a little too quickly, cut him off, “Oh no, you wouldn’t be at all.  I promise.  I’d really like it if you did!”

There were a couple people still left at the tailgate from the track team, so Matt asked some guy who I didn't know, also on the team if he wanted to join, and of course he did.

After getting to our seats, I checked my phone and saw I had two texts.  The first one I saw was from Chase.  My stomach did a happy flip flop as I read it: Have fun at the game today!  I’ll be looking for you in the stands on the tv ;)

I wrote back: I can go streak on the field if it’d help you find me!

I exited out and looked at the other text.  My stomach's flip flopping stopped, and my heart sped up.

Go Big Red!  Was what I read, from Zach.

Why was he texting me?  Especially after so long of not speaking to each other.  I sighed and shoved my phone back into my pocket, refusing to answer him.  For now.  It was almost as if he could sense that I was starting to really like someone else.  I pushed Zach to the back of my mind, and threw myself into the game, cheering wildly, and purposefully neglecting my phone the whole game.

After the big win, we all started heading back towards campus.  Before heading our separate way from the guys, while Sarah was saying bye to Matt, I checked my phone once more.  No more messages from Zach, but a response from Chase.  I mean, I wouldn't complain.  And would totally bail you out of jail!  I laughed.   

The alcohol had worn off, and Sarah and I were just tired now.  We weren’t going out until 9 or 10, so we had plenty of time to take an extended, much-needed nap and then start getting ready.  While walking back, I told Sarah that Zach had texted me.

She looked at me surprised.  “What did he say?”

“Go Big Red.”

“That’s it?”  She looked perplexed.

“Yeah.  That’s it.  Can you believe it?”

“Weird.  Maybe he’s wanting to reconnect.”

“Well, this is really poor timing.  I really like Chase, and want to undividedly be able to give him my attention without Zach coming in and ruining it!” I whined.

Sarah shrugged her shoulders.  “You know that I think you and Zach are soul mates.  But he’s already told you nothing’s happening until a long time from now.  Maybe you shouldn’t respond.  I’m sure every secret hidden fiber of your being is telling you to.  But at least wait until after your date with Chase tomorrow.  I can see you really do like Chase.  And I mean, come on, he’s hot.  You owe it to yourself to give Chase a fair shot, without Zach pulling you back in, and then letting you down hard again.”

By then, we were back in our apartment, spread out on our beds.  “I know,” I mumbled.  “It’s just so hard.  Because I love Zach.”  I started to tear up.  “What if I always love him, and can’t ever fall in love with anyone else because of my feelings for him?  But I won’t ever be with him again?”

“Aleah, stop.  Seriously.  If, and that’s a big if, you and Zach never reconcile, would you really want to live your life that way?  Living for something that may or may not happen?  I’m not saying Chase is ‘the one’ for you, but how will you know if you keep holding onto a thread of doubt because of something that for sure won’t happen in the next 1 to 4 years?”

I couldn’t respond.  Instead, I just rolled over and closed my eyes, contemplating everything Sarah had just said to me, until I drifted off.