‘I’m not sure. I’m just telling you things so you won’t be surprised if he says something about it to you.’ I hear someone saying something in the background. ‘But look, I have to go. I just wanted to give you a head’s up.’
‘Thanks,’ I mumble, then hang up the phone, leaving my forehead pressed against the window. There’s no way Luke would do that. He hates his mother. And he said he loves me. But all those years of being passed around through foster families are making me doubt this so called thing known as love. All the foster mothers and fathers who took me in, to take care of me, but then got sick of me and booted me to the door.
‘Violet, we’re here.’ Greyson’s voice rips me from my daze and when I look around I realize we’ve arrived at the stadium. It’s absolutely insane how many cars are parked there and how many people are walking around decked out in the school colors.
‘Holy balls,’ I say, not sure if I’m disgusted or impressed.
Callie, Seth, and Greyson all laugh at my reaction then hop out of the car. I follow them, the loudness of their enthusiasm slamming me in the chest as I get out. The sun is peeking through the clouds and drying up the puddles on the asphalt, but the air is still ice cold.
As we make our way through the chaos and toward the shiny steel stadium, Greyson links arms with me and Seth, then Seth links his through Callie, so we’re kind of this human chain. I don’t even know what to make of it. Never in a million year would I have ever of thought that I’d be doing this with three other people. But here I am, going to a freaking football game. I get lost in the atmosphere, the buzzing enthusiasm, the amount of people that we have to maze our way through.
Just when I think it can’t get any more chaotic, we enter the stadium. My jaw just about drops; at the massive size of it, how packed it is, and how glowing and amped up everyone seems to be.
‘Jesus, it’s like a bubble full of enthusiasm, isn’t it?’ I say with wide eyes, wondering if I should back away because I clearly don’t belong here.
Greyson must feel me trying to slink back from him because he tightens his grip and shakes his head. ‘No way. You are so doing this. If nothing else, for Luke.’
Okay, he’s got me there. ‘Fine. You’re right.’
‘Awe, I know your soft spot now.’ He grins at me and I flip him off as I follow him to our seat, our arms still linked so it makes it super awkward and pretty annoying for the people passing us, which makes it entertaining for me. Every time someone huffs in frustration when they have to either wait for us to pass or squeeze by us, it makes my grin grow bigger.
‘See.’ Greyson waggles his eyebrows at me from over his shoulder. ‘Fun, right?’
I shrug, but there’s a smile tugging at my lips. ‘Perhaps.’
He rolls his eyes, but then grins as he continues up the stairs. ‘I’ll tell you what? If you promise to try and have fun, I will bake you an entire batch of cupcakes for yourself.’
‘How old do you think I am?’ I say, as we drop down in our seats, which are about halfway up the bleachers, giving us a decent view of the field and team benches down below. Callie and Seth are sitting on the other side of Greyson and I have two vacant seats beside me for Luke’s dad and Trevor.
He gives me an accusing look as he reaches into his pocket and takes out a pair of gloves. ‘So you’re saying that you don’t want them?’
I think about what he said, but not for very long. ‘Will you make them look like turkeys?’
He slips on a glove. ‘What?’
I zip up my coat. ‘For Thanksgiving.’
He chuckles as he puts the other glove on. ‘Sure, I think I can do that.’
‘Fine, then I will try to have fun.’ I draw my hood over my head to keep my ears warm.
Smiling, we both turn and look in the direction of the field, tucking our chins and mouths under the collars of our jackets to protect our skin from the cold. We’ve got a decent view, but Seth still brought binoculars and Callie brought a camera. While we’re waiting for it to start, Seth and Callie make a snack run and that’s when Luke’s father and Trevor join us. They sit to the side of me and I make introductions.
‘Greyson, this is Trevor and Mr Price.’ I gesture back and forth between them.
‘Please, call me James,’ Mr Price says as he shakes Greyson’s hand. ‘And you too Violet. None of this Mr Price stuff.’
I nod and then Seth and Callie return with their hands full of popcorn, soda and candy bars, so I have to introduce them as well. Seth gives James’s hand a shake then gives me a bag of M&Ms, which I’m thankful for, before he plops into his seat and starts giggling with Callie about something.
‘You know, I’m going to risk looking stupid here, but I totally don’t get football,’ Trevor says almost shamefully as he buttons up his jacket.
‘Me neither,’ I reply, way less ashamed.
James grins proudly as he takes a sip of the coffee he brought up with him. ‘Well, then, you two are in luck, because I just happen to know a ton about it.’
Trevor nudges him with his elbow. ‘Maybe that’s because you played in high school.’
James laughs and goes into this big speech about the rules and stuff, talking animatedly with his hands, seeming to enjoy the topic. I don’t understand ninety-nine percent of it, but smile and pretend I’m listening. He stops talking, though, when the team comes out and starts clapping a cheering with the rest of the crowd, yelling at the top of his lungs, his breath foggy in the air, but everyone’s is, really. I’m totally not into it, not understanding what the big deal is, until I spot Luke amongst the players. It’s not like I become some sort of football junkie or anything the moment I see him, but it still causes my heart to do this little flutter inside my chest that’s only happened a couple of times. I must be grinning or something too, because Greyson pokes me in the side and gives me this big cheesy grin.
‘See, not so bad, right?’ he says still clapping while Callie and Seth jump up and down, laughing.
‘It’s alright.’ I say, but my lips have become traitors and can’t seem to stop grinning like a ridiculous idiot. And as silly as it seems, for the first time in a while, I sit back and momentarily enjoy life without worrying about anything, really.
I end up waiting for Luke after the game with Callie. I wasn’t going to but I guess it’s a thing or something. After every game, Callie waits for Kayden, and I guess now that I’m with Luke and am coming to games, I’m expected to wait for Luke with Callie, at least that’s Greyson’s theory. When I don’t agree at first he threatens me with cupcakes, so I stay behind, but deep down it’s not really about the cupcakes.