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Maybelle glanced sideways and up to Trey, “Who is Penn?”
At the edge of the tailgate party a massive horde of football players and cheerleaders sat together, music blaring from a couple surrounding speakers, and a few of the players including Bear were serving hot dogs and burgers cooked on portable grills to the other players and cheerleaders.
Trey pressed his head into her hair, lips breathing past her ear, “I’ll introduce you to her tonight, I think you’ll like her.”
More friends, this really was just the best weekend ever.
As they entered the party of blue and gold, five football players stampeded over them hooting and hollering, tearing Trey from Maybelle and Williams from his sulking into a herd of men, leaving Maybelle to admire the spectacle from the outside.
It was a sight to behold, a bunch of men tackling, hugging, fist bumping one another with the biggest smiles and loudest greetings Maybelle had ever witnessed.
“Maybelle?”
A lilting voice called her from behind.
Maybelle turned to see fiery, long red hair, a bright smile, freckles, and big crystal blue eyes.
Before Maybelle could reply or even confirm that she was, indeed, Maybelle, the redhead had her pulled into a tight, spine crippling hug. Now, Maybelle was friendly, she loved people but random touches of affection from strangers, she now learned about herself, was a little outside the comfort zone.
She couldn’t return the embrace before the redhead pulled away still beaming with a familiar smile, “You probably don’t remember me! I was friends with your brother. My name is Penny Howell!”
And again, Maybelle was pulled in for another squeeze that stole the air from her lungs.
Still a little flustered Maybelle stumbled for a response as she broke the second hug, “Hi—hi, uhm, it’s good to meet you.” She had to shout in order to be heard over the football men, music and if Penny couldn’t hear her, she didn’t show it. Her smile was unwavering.
“Hey, Penn!”
Williams left the football fold to sweep Penny off her feet, spinning her around, landing her back to the ground and planting a smacking kiss to her cheek.
That wide smile twitched slightly.
“Hi Noah, I’m excited to watch you boys kick some booty this season!” Penny punctuated the statement with a very playful, very friend-worthy pat to the shoulder.
Maybelle had to bite her lip from busting out laughing like a total ass at the unmistakable friend zone.
Williams, to his credit, caught on quickly.
He stepped back and grabbed Maybelle into his side.
Damn, these people were touchy.
“You re-introduce yourself to Maybelle here?” Williams asked.
Penny nodded enthusiastically, “Yes, yes. I didn’t think she would remember me from— uh, graduation night so I made sure to— re-introduce myself.” Suddenly the tension was thick, and Maybelle felt suffocated by it.
“Yeah, don’t take me not remembering you personally, I don’t remember anything from that night, or any night before that.” Maybelle chopped out through an uncomfortable. slight grin.
Penny’s head whipped to her, “No way.”
Maybelle lifted and dropped her chin, “Yup,” She brought her finger to her temple giving it a quick tap, “doctor said it’s amnesia.”
Sadness passed over Penny’s still stable smile, “So you don’t remember Liam?”
“Nope.” She replied, probably too quickly with how Williams flinched and Penny’s smile finally fell and hard into disbelieving hurt.
Maybelle cleared her throat searching for a way out of the conversation she just brutally murdered with a dull, butter knife, “Where’s Trey, Noah?”
Williams took a second to react before pointing past her to where she had seen Bear grilling, “He’s over by the grills. Want me to walk you over there?”
