AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Number 70, right?”
“Yep. That's him over there,” I answer, my eyes landing on him amongst the group of players across the field waiting for their time to run through the banner the cheerleaders are setting up.
“How old is he?”
“Sixteen. Hey, do you have siblings?” I just realized she's never said.
Ryan shakes her head, my eyes drawn to her shoulder. It's only a shoulder, but her skin looks so smooth, and I wonder if it's as soft as her hands. My las
t relationship ended about six months ago, and my few dates since never made it to sex. This girl, especially with her body, has me thinking in fast forward. I'm not that guy though. Yet the fingers of my right hand dance up her arm, slowly dragging across shoulder, pushing hair out of my way as I go. When I reach her neck, I return to where I started to begin the process all over again.
Hoots, hollers, and applause starts as the announcers introduce our team. The players run through the banner to the music of Who Let the Dogs Out, as they are the Bulldogs. Ryan claps as well, and then I have to pull my fingers away from her lovely skin. It's time for the national anthem. We all stand and dutifully, Ryan places her hand over her heart when the music starts.
When it's over, my brother turns around, searching the crowd for me, his helmet in his hands. I stay standing, and he quickly spots me with a grin. I give him a thumbs up before he has to turn around for the start of the game, finally putting on his helmet.
“He's cute,” Ryan tells me when I sit down and she scoots between my legs once more. She says it more as if he's a little kid and not a teenager. “It's obvious you're brothers. Y'all have the same curly brown hair.” Without bumping into the people on either side of her, she turns to tug on one of my curls with a grin.
“Yeah, the men in my family all have an uncanny resemblance. However, my older brother doesn't have the curls because his hair is so short.”
Ryan faces the field, but asks, “What's his name? How old is he?”
“Keith. He's thirty-three. Hey, do you want anything from the concession stand?” I can't believe I haven't asked yet.
“Maybe right before halftime? Unless you want something now then we don't have to wait?”
“No, I'm good.”
As the game really gets underway, Ryan gets lost in it. She may watch it occasionally, but she still doesn't know much of what's happening. She'll tap my knee and ask me about something, so I explain it to her. If it happens again, I'll point it out to her to see if she caught it. A few times, she points it out to me before I can. She's really paying attention, and I like it.
Owen is doing great tonight too. Halfway through the second quarter, we're up by three touchdowns. Ryan makes a few comments about how well he's playing. She even mentions some of the plays I explained to her. There's a sliver of pride that runs through me that she's not only asking about what's happening, but she's absorbing it.
“Sorry you have to explain this to me, Gabe. I've never had anyone around who knew what they were talking about to do it. Honestly, when I watch, most of the time I'm checking out the players. I'm getting the hang of it though.”
I laugh. “It doesn't bother me. I'm enjoying it actually.”
At this, she turns to look at me, a playful smile on her lips. “You like teaching me things? What else would you like to teach me?”
Ahh! I've been doing well at keeping my mind out of the gutter since the national anthem played, and then she goes and says that. Before I can stop myself, I lean down to whisper into her ear, my lips brushing her earlobe. “There are many, many things.” I feel her shiver from my touch, and I smile. I can't help the kiss I place on her neck before I go back to how I was sitting. “What would you like from the concession stand?”
Ryan asks for chili cheese nachos and a Sunkist, if they have it. If not, a bottle of water is preferred. I tell her to stay put to save our seats. I end up being gone longer than I wanted because I run into people I know from high school or people who know me through Owen. Plus, I get stopped on the way back to our seats by even more people thanks to it being halftime. At this rate, everything will be cold when I get back to Ryan.
“I was about to come look for you,” she says as I take my seat behind her.
“Sorry. I kept getting hung up with people who wouldn't quit talking.”
“It's okay. You can make it up to me later.” She's not facing me, but I know by her tone that she's smiling.
Ryan eats her nachos, and I eat my hot dogs in silence while the band performs a pitiful halftime show. That hasn't gotten any better since I was in school that's for sure. Some high schools had fantastic bands. We had an okay one, and it doesn't seem to ever improve. Once we finish, I have just enough time to go throw our trash away before the third quarter starts.
The quarters pass quickly, especially when Ryan asks about little things here and there, and she's leaning into me with her arms resting on my legs as her fingers draw circles on my knees. Our team wins and people start getting up to leave. It's about ten thirty, but I'm hoping to see Owen for a quick second.
“Do you mind if we see my brother before we go?”
“No, that's fine.”
She takes my hand as we walk down the steps of the bleachers before heading towards the field goal where the players are gathered. We stand along the sidelines with other parents while we wait for their coach to finish talking to them. Ryan leans into me, holding onto my arm. I move to wrap an arm around her waist. Owen catches sight of me, grinning wider when he sees Ryan. Their coach wraps things up, and Owen heads straight towards us. He's too cool for a hug around his friends, so I hold up a fist for him to bump.
“Good game, Owen. You may even be better than I was.”
