Waiting on the Sidelines (Waiting on the Sidelines #1)(105)

“I know,” I whimpered, reaching out to my friend who just gave me the hug she knew I needed.

“God, why can’t Sarah be the one to give you the serious lectures,” Sienna joked, rubbing my hair while we hugged.

I laughed a little and backed up to look at her, rolling my eyes. “Sarah doesn’t do serious matters of the heart. Now, she’ll kick his ass. But psychology? No, that’s not her deal. That’s yours.”

Sienna laughed and nodded. She gave my arm a squeeze and I told her I’d see her at the lock-in after the game.

I walked out to the bleachers to find Sarah. I paid my entry and walked to the front of the bleachers to find where she was sitting and then I felt someone brush up behind me.

“Hey, I got snacks, want some,” it was Calley. She was sipping on a soda and had a tray full of candy and popcorn. Unf*ckingbelievable.

I nodded and just gave her a polite smile and led our way up to Sarah. We watched the game and I kept sneaking glances at Calley on the other side of Sarah. I wondered if she thought about what she’d done ever, if she knew I knew? She seemed oblivious, like nothing between her and I had ever changed or ever should, so I was pretty sure she didn’t.

Not able to keep my curiosity at bay, I leaned forward to look at her. “Why’d you come to the game, Calley?” I tried to keep it light and pleasant, but I was really fishing to see if she was here for Reed.

She finished chewing on a licorice and then leaned forward to look back at me. “Tatum has a new boyfriend. Can’t stand being in our apartment lately, he’s over all the time. Thought I’d just come home for the weekend,” she smiled a bit and then leaned back to keep watching the game. She seemed genuine about it, so I let it go for now.

The game was close, and we were losing by two with less than a minute to go. If Reed were in as quarterback, I know everyone would breathe a lot easier right now. But putting this in Kyle’s hands left everything up in the air. We were at our last down and 10 yards out from the end zone. I stood and held my breath, watching Reed watch Kyle. Reed was motioning with him, I could hear him yelling and Kyle released and the ball sailed to the corner of the end zone, about five feet too far.

The entire crowd fell silent. Reed threw his hat and kicked over a table, pushing his hand through his hair and screaming while he turned around to look away from his team. He was pure anguish and helplessness. Everyone knew the numbers. Yuma needed to lose tonight for us to make the playoffs, for Reed to play in a game his senior year that mattered. Everyone in the stadium was heart sick. I looked down and found Buck just motionless, rubbing his chin in disbelief.

I locked my eyes on Reed and fell into despair for an entirely different reason. This was killing him. And he was gone. Those last 10 seconds that ticked off were exactly how long it took him to shut the door on everything. His face was pale and blank. And I was going to feel the brunt of it all. I knew this, and I had only a few minutes to prepare myself for it all. And for what was likely to come after.

I stood to find Sienna in the crowd and when my eyes met hers she gave me a sympathetic smile, just nodding to show she understood and was here for me.

“Come on, let’s go get the gym ready. Not that anyone’s going to come tonight,” Sarah said, tugging at my shirt so I would follow her.



I sat at the entrance table with Sarah and Sienna finally joined us along with Micah. A few people started to stream in, which surprised us. They were mostly sophomores and freshman, students who didn’t really have anywhere else to go on a Friday night. The upper classmen would be in the desert, I was sure. Drowning their sorrows.

After about 30 minutes, a few members of the football team started to make their way in. I was feeling anxious and every time the door flung open, my heart leapt and my breath stilled waiting for it to be Reed.

It was about an hour into the lock-in and time to close the doors for good when it hit me. He wasn’t here. And he wasn’t coming. Sarah and Sienna sat still next to me. They knew it, too.

“Maybe we can wait a few more minutes,” Sarah said, trying to let me down easily.

I just shrugged and stood. “It doesn’t matter how long we wait and you know it,” I felt defeated. “He’s not coming. He’s f*cking not coming!”

I stood up and stuffed my hands in the front of my sweatshirt pockets, looking down at my feet. I was so mad at myself for letting this happen. I was putting off the hurt and I was enabling him to take his frustration out on me. “I can’t do this, guys. I can’t do this,” I was shaking my head, looking at both of them.

“I know,” Sienna said, coming up to me to give me a hug. Sarah sat still behind her.

“You know he’s at the desert party,” I did know. Where else would he be. He wouldn’t go home. He’d go somewhere to lose himself or sit in silence amid a crowd and throw himself a pity party.

“Come on,” Sarah said, pulling on my sweatshirt and grabbing her purse.

“Where are we going?” I asked, a little worried at her idea.

“We’re leaving. Sienna, can you tell Ms. H that I got sick and Nolan had to take me home?” Sienna nodded at her, knowingly.

“We can’t just leave, we’re in charge…” Sarah interrupted me.

“Yes we can, and yes we are. We’re going to go tell Reed to stop treating you like shit. Are you in? Or do I need to do it by myself? Because I’m going to do it no matter what,” she was unstoppable at this point.