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Alexi was going in. He’d kick for the extra point. Her heart pounded and she moved down the track so she was closer to the end zone.
Mia screamed encouragement, and the crowd yelled with fierce Friday night enthusiasm. She rolled her pompoms in line with the other cheerleaders while the stadium started a low, rumbling cheer. “Goooooo…”
Alexi took several steps back and to the left of the tee.
“oooo…”
Mia held her breath.
He moved forward, planted his left foot, and connected.
“Dragons!”
With a thump, the football sailed into the air and through the goal posts. Her heart stopped and then pounded double-time, the thrilling rush of victory smothering fear. The audience surged to their feet, their cheers drowned out now by the yells.
Lauren threw her arm over Mia’s shoulders, screaming, and they bounced together, pompoms in the air.
Alexi jogged back.
Several guys slapped him on the shoulder. “Good job, A.”
That was new. Like he needed another nickname. Alexi removed the tight-fitting helmet as soon as he neared the sidelines and looked over at her. Sweat dampened his hair, but he looked invigorated.
Mia edged closer. They were limited in their interactions due to coaching restrictions. Coach liked his guys watching the game when they weren’t in it, not interacting with the cheerleaders.
They had to stay on the track and off the grass.
“Well, not six points like I scored, but it’s something.” Quinn passed Alexi on his way out to the field.
Alexi bounced his helmet against his leg without responding.
If Quinn had gotten the team together sooner, their score would’ve been much higher. Ah, well, 7-6 in their favor. She wouldn’t complain if they won.
No one would. Coach had even let Quinn keep the purple streaks in his hair. Even though it was against school dress code. He called it school spirit.
The final whistle blew, ending the game with 7-6 as the final score. Alexi went through the good game gauntlet then jogged over to the sidelines. Mia ran and jumped into his arms. Catching her with his arms around her waist, he swung her around.
“You
were so good,” Mia said. “I’m so proud of you.”
***
After the game, they went out for victory TexMex. On the short drive to the restaurant, Mia leaned toward her sister and held out a palm. “May I see the camera?”
Hope handed it to her. She’d taken several photos of their celebration. Classic Americana. Mia flipped the menu button to review the shots. Her thumb went still when she got to the celebratory game photo of her with Alexi. They looked close. Alexi’s expression…well, it was one of the reasons she liked him. He maintained his privacy and only let a select few people in. And, of those select few…she’d never seen him wear that intimate expression with any of them. She forwarded the photo to herself and then deleted it.
At the restaurant, the team sat at a long wooden table in the middle of a room that had pink adobe walls and pictures of spunky donkeys and traveling men in sombreros. All the guys grabbed seats on one end and the cheerleaders on the other. Niko and Hope joined the parents sitting at the surrounding tables.
Mia passed Alexi, torn between patting his shoulder in another show of congratulations and just giving him a smile.
Alexi grabbed her arm. He waved at the waiter. “Another chair please.”
She was supposed to sit with the girls. Joseph and Jake each grabbed two handfuls of chips from the red chip bowl, leaving only crumbs behind. She’d rather eat away from the food-shoveling linebackers, but she always wanted to sit by Alexi, especially when he tasted real TexMex for the first time. She sank into the chair beside him.
Alexi eyed the mural on the back wall. A life-sized, busty señora draped in a poncho knelt before a cactus with a rosary clasped between her hands. “Are you going to try and sell me on the art?”
“Not tonight.”
