Waiting on the Sidelines (Waiting on the Sidelines #1)(16)

We parked next to a tree and got out to stretch our legs. We followed a few of Calley’s friends who had pulled in just ahead of us as they walked a few yards towards a wash. You could hear the thumping of music from someone’s car stereo and, as my eyes adjusted, I started to focus on the 50 or 60 people gathered around some old picnic benches and large rocks. A few of the pick up trucks were backed up to the seating area and were filled with coolers of various alcoholic beverages. The informal rule seemed to be that if you were drinking alcohol, you needed to bring something to share, as I flipped open one of the coolers and found a mishmash of wine coolers, vodka, tequila and assortments of other liquor clearly swiped from parents and, more likely, the town’s various gas stations and convenience stores.

I was starting to panic, as every cooler contained only alcohol, when I finally flipped open a small one with two or three water bottles inside. “Found it!” I said, grabbing one and holding it over my head triumphantly. I grabbed one for Sienna, shut the lid and slid the cooler to the back of the truck, hiding it in case we might want more later on in the evening. Not that water was of an interest to anyone else that was there.

The party was pretty dull for the first 30 minutes while people just formed small groups and stood around talking. Sienna and I sat on the table of one of the benches just behind Calley and Sarah, who were talking up two upper classmen that they had been flirting with during the game. Jokingly, Sienna leaned her plastic water bottle sideways for me to ‘clink’ and say cheers. We laughed at our very unhip, straight-edge humor, and I caught Tatum rolling her eyes as she walked up to Calley.

“The guys should be here any minute,” she said, smiling. “I am so going to kiss Reed when he gets here. I’m so proud of him.” She was saying this just loud enough for my benefit, I knew. Sienna leaned into me with a nonverbal ‘sorry.’ I shrugged it off, knowing full well what reality was, but my stomach was sinking and I was starting to dread the hours ahead of us tonight.

When the second round of vehicles started rounding the dirt road, my classmates all started cheering and holding their various bottles in the air in a salute. Cole jumped out of the back of a pickup truck and came running over to the table of cheerleaders, picking two of them up and squeezing their rears with his hands as they laughed. Pig, I thought. More and more of the guys started mingling with the rest of the partiers, climbing the trucks and grabbing beers, shaking them and spraying each other and standing on car rooftops to beat their chests. Taken out of context, the entire scene was absurd. In fact, even in context it was ridiculous, I thought.

Just then, I felt someone lean into my other side. I jumped a bit and turned to see Reed. “Hey!” I said, bumping him back. This seemed to be an acceptable form of touching, and the warmth of his arm against mine, even in just that split second, sent chills through me.

“So, what’d you think? How’d I do,” he said, unwrapping a burger from some fast food joint and shoveling half of it in his mouth. I must have been staring because he felt the need to explain. “Sorry, I would totally share, but I ate one on the way here and I’m STARVING!”

“It’s ok, I’m not hungry,” I laughed. “And you’re game was great! I mean, you did great. So did the rest of the guys, but you were really good tonight.” I was gushing and needed to stop.

“Thanks! I felt really comfortable out there. Maybe you’re my good luck charm!” he said, bumping into me again and polishing off his burger. I let out a tiny laugh in response, but tucked what he said into that place inside where I was holding the words of his letter and any other sign of flirtation from Reed Johnson.

“Hey, you want something to drink?” he asked.

I held up my water and made a crooked smile.

“Ah, good. You found it. I threw a cooler in Sam’s truck because I know you don’t really like to drink,” he said. He seriously thought about me. I was part of his planning process.

“Yeah, thanks. I’m not too sure how I’m going to get home, because I know Calley is going to load up tonight,” I said, my face showing signs of my concern.

“Don’t worry. We’ll be here for a while, and it’s actually not that far from my dad’s, so worst-case scenario, you guys can walk home with me and crash at my house until the morning,” he smiled.

“Thanks,” I said, my mind turning to the thought of spending the night at Reed Johnson’s house.

Not missing a beat, Tatum came running over and plopped herself right on Reed’s lap, snapping me right out of my very pleasant daydream where she didn’t exist. She had her back to me completely, but I could hear their entire conversation. “Baby, you were so good tonight!” she fawned. I didn’t sound like that when I complemented him, no way.

“Thanks! What do I get for being so good,” he suggested. I was getting uncomfortable and flipped my feet to the ground to get up.

“Hey, talk to you later, Noles, kay?” Reed shouted as I walked away.

“Yeah, sure,” I smiled, realizing he was already busy making out with Tatum.

I found Sienna with her feet dangling from the bed of a pickup. I climbed up and sat next to her, kicking her feet at the same rhythm. She turned the side of her lips up in a small smile. “Kinda sucks, huh?” she said.

“Whatcha mean? The party? It’s not bad. I just don’t drink and I’m awkward and don’t really know what to do,” I responded honestly.