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Another voice from the back adds his comment, “I can show you an offer you can’t refuse.”
I need to shut it down and I’m about to when I see Jordan stepping out the glass sliding door on the back of the house with two blonde girls, one under each arm.
I thought he had changed that last year in high school, where he had given up his man-whoring ways to concentrate on his football.
How wrong could I be?
If he thinks that is the kind of guy I’d be interested in, then he can think again. Turning back to the group in front of me, I say, “Maybe I’d like to check out the menu before I pick my poison.”
The roar of laughter is deafening.
“You’re my kind of chick, Nat!” Lonigan looks down at me, and I know I’m playing with fire as the glow from the first drink is starting to take effect on my sensibility.
“It remains to be seen if you are my kind of guy.” Again, it gets the cheers from the crowd.
“Okay now, let’s just get this all straight here. Me, big brother… you all play nice.” Xavier drags me toward him and out of Lonigan’s grasp, making sure everyone understands that the banter is fine, but any more than that and they may have a problem.
Tonight is already becoming too much.
Jordan who just can’t seem to understand I’m doing this for him.
Xavier who is pissing me off, treating me like his five-year-old sister.
And a set of blonde girls whose eyes I want to scratch out.
I’m just not like this at all. This is bringing out the worst in me.
Too many emotions are swimming inside me, and I want to crawl into a hole and ignore it all.
“Lighten up, man. We’re only playin’ around. Any friend of Jordan’s is a friend of ours. So let me get you both a drink and we can talk about what an awesome game I had tonight. Sound good?” Slapping Xavier on the shoulder, Lonigan starts heading to the keg set up over in the corner of the yard.
I’m actually smiling a little and I can’t help it. This guy’s actually just a big friendly giant, all talk but really probably a decent guy underneath it all. His confidence in his little spiel starts me laughing. First, I’m just laughing to myself, but then he turns around, halfway across the yard and yells back, “Don’t laugh, you know it’s true. I’m the best player on the team. No one gets past these guns.” He walks backward with the biggest grin while he lifts his arms in the air, pumping up his muscles.
I can’t help but let all the anxiety out in the loudest laugh.
I haven’t really looked at many guys in the last few years since I started college. Partly because I’ve had my head stuck in the books and the other part just trying to forget a certain guy who I’m now ignoring for tonight.
Maybe it’s time for me to just move on, like I have been hoping Jordan had.
If I can manage to do that, is Lonigan the kind of guy I might look for? Who knows? But I should probably start trying.
God, I don’t even know his first name. What is it about football teams where everyone is called by their last name? I’ve never been able to call Jordan by his surname, Brandon, like the rest of them do. But it’s certainly a guy thing and they love it. Almost beat their chests with their fists with pride on people calling them that.
Watching Lonigan retreat across the yard, I see the set of eyes that I’m trying to avoid fixed firmly on me. His lips are in a straight line and his jaw clenched tight. The blondes hanging off him might think they have his attention, but they’re not even close. He’s trying to make me jealous, but I’m not sure who is hurting worse right now. Me or him?
All I know is he certainly doesn’t like the attention I’m getting or that I’m laughing and appear happy. Appearances can always be so deceiving.
Not taking his eyes off me, he grabs Lonigan by the neck as he gets closer to him. He says something in his ear which gets him a shove from Lonigan, who proceeds to fill up cups from the keg.
Xavier startles me a little, dragging me down into a seat next to him.
“What the fuck are you doing, Nat? You don’t need to go from zero to one hundred trying to have a good time. You know football players aren’t the smartest guys and don’t always see things the way you do. Be careful playing with fire here, with guys we don’t even know.”
Leaning my head on Xavier’s shoulder, I say, “It’s okay, I’ve got this. I’m not silly. I won’t take it too far. Besides, we’re only here for one night so no point starting anything I can’t finish. You would do well to remember that too, big brother.”
We both have a little snigger together just as Lonigan returns with our beers and the conversation starts back up. It doesn’t take long before Jordan is standing at the side of the group, joining in. He’s talking to Xavier and going through the game, as well as other things that have been happening in their lives, which I get, because it’s the whole reason we came here. So the two of them can catch up.
I’m just sitting listening to all the stories around me and occasionally joining in when I’m asked questions. Things are settling down and I can tell the adrenaline of the team is starting to subside and they’re relaxing a bit now. The night is starting to get a little bit more enjoyable. I can tolerate Jordan being so near as long as he ignores me and I ignore him—well, him and his clingers—then we’re both okay.
