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I filled her in on his injury, what the last three years had been like, watching him heal, watching him struggle through therapies, having strangers come to our house every day to take him to the day program. And eventually the brochure that still rested in my backpack, heavier than any book inside.
Sadie wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “You’re so strong, April.”
The crazy thing was, I felt weaker than ever, letting these people in. Depending on them. But I thanked her anyway. Because this friendship thing? This vulnerability thing? It was scary, but she made me feel like it was worth it.
We were quiet for a moment, and then she said, “So how are we feeling about the game tonight? Do we still like Diego or are we back to hating him again?”
I bit my lip, holding back a thousand-watt smile. “We like him. Especially considering I’m his girlfriend now.”
She screamed. “What!”
I nodded excitedly. “We made it official after class today.”
“Oh my gosh, you have to tell me everything he said.”
She continued driving while I went over all the details. Even how he kissed me after our classmate saw us. Like he really wanted people to see us together—he wasn’t embarrassed of me in the slightest, and it was making me feel so good about myself. I knew my worth couldn’t come from a guy, but he was just reaffirming all the things Mom had told me throughout my life. Proving them to be true.
“We should have brought a Diego sign like his family has,” she said. “We at least need to make one by homecoming.” She tapped a few buttons on her dash, and soon her mom was agreeing to have us come over and make one the following week.
“What about you?” I asked. “Anyone you’re hoping will ask you to homecoming?”
She snorted, pulling into the football stadium parking lot. “I eat lunch in a locker room. Even if there was a guy who I wanted to ask me out, he wouldn’t know I existed.”
It wasn’t exactly an answer, but she was already getting out of her car, conversation over.
I pushed open my door, stepping into the chilled night air. Even though it warmed up during the day, the cool air coming off the ocean made the temperatures drop at night.
Music drifted over the parking lot—the pep band was playing a song I recognized but didn’t know the name of. Then the scent of popcorn hit my nose, making my mouth water. “Snacks?” I asked.
Sadie nodded, looping her arm through mine. “Didn’t I tell you? I’m just here for the food.”
I laughed. “That’s my girl.”
Forty
Diego
Xander slappedmy shoulder and pointed toward the stands. “There’s your girl.”
I followed his finger, instantly spotting April. Her brown waves spilled from a white beanie, and she wore a blue shirt with a black jacket and leggings.
I could write a love song for those leggings and the way they hugged my favorite part of her.
We locked eyes, even from this far away, and she raised her hand in a wave. I pretended to kiss my hand and throw it to her like a football. She shook her head, and I could only imagine the blush she was wearing.
I kissed my hand and threw it again. This time Sadie shoved her. April’s smile was so much brighter than any of the stadium lights. She caught my kiss, holding it to her heart.
We were the kind of couple I usually made fun of, but I didn’t give a crap. It felt good to know I was the one she was looking at, the one she’d cheer for during the game. That she’d be at Waldo’s Diner with me tonight and my date to the homecoming dance next week.
“Diego,” Coach barked. “Quit playing kissy face and warm up.”
“Yessir,” I said, not even a little embarrassed. I went back to the line where we were running passing drills and jumped in, reenergized. Each catch came that much more smoothly, each tackle was full of that much more fire, because my girl was watching, and I was going to make her proud.
The team finished warming up, and when the game started, I gave it my all from the first second to the last. I glanced toward the stands every so often, and when I did, April was there. For me.
I finally understood why the guys on the team would lose their minds in a relationship. Because I’d given mine away to April, along with my heart, and we’d barely started dating. We didn’t have a history, like some of my friends did with their girlfriends, but we would have a history soon. We’d make one.
In the locker room after an epic win, Coach pulled me aside. “Diego, whatever you did tonight, keep doing it. Got it?”
