All the Little Lights(72)

“The managers signed waivers, just like the rest of the team. This is different.”

Elliott took my hand. “I’m just telling you now, if we can’t get hold of Mr. Thornton or the superintendent . . . if you can’t get the clearance and you decide to leave them here, I’m staying.”

“Youngblood, you’ll be suspended, and you won’t be able to play. Sit down!” Coach growled.

“Me too, Coach,” Sam said, standing next to Maddy. “We can’t leave them here, and you know it.”

“Me too,” Scotty said, standing.

“Me too,” another player said from the back. Soon every player on the bus was standing.

Coach Peckham’s hand slid down his face. “This is ridiculous. Fine. Girls, sit in the seat across from us. Mrs. Mason, you’ve got the aisle seat. All athletes, move a seat back. I want one full empty row behind me and the girls. Do it!” he barked. “Now!”

Mrs. Mason facilitated the move, and the boys did so without complaint, quickly and quietly. Mrs. Mason directed us to sit across from her, and Elliott stopped before making his way to the back.

“It was the right thing to do, Coach.”

Coach Peckham looked up at him. “Elliott, when you’re an adult, right and wrong isn’t so black and white.”

“It should be,” Elliott said, walking back to his seat.

Coach sat, directing the driver to leave.

Madison’s phone was the only light on the dark bus, shining in Coach Peckham’s face when he saw the text from her dad.

Thank God the bus was still there. Tell Coach Peckham thank you for making sure you got home safe.

Coach Peckham nodded, appearing ashamed. Mrs. Mason patted his knee and relaxed, smiling as she spoke to him.

Madison doodled on the frosty window with her finger, and I pulled the blankets over us, trying to stay warm in the drafty bus. The hum of the engine and road noise made my eyelids feel heavy, and I drifted off, knowing I was surrounded by a team of boys who would do anything for Elliott, and Elliott would do anything for me.





Chapter Twenty-One Elliott

Sam and I sat two rows behind Catherine and Madison. It was so dark, I could barely see the silhouettes of their heads poking above the seat. At first the girls were looking out the window and at each other as they talked, and then I could tell when Catherine had nodded off, because her head was wobbling back and forth until she finally settled against Madison’s shoulder.

I felt half-frustrated, half-cheated. Catherine would have been much more comfortable sleeping on my shoulder.

“Hey,” Sam said, nudging my elbow. “You finished staring at her yet?”

I breathed out a laugh and shook my head. There was no point in denying it. Sam already knew I was stupid in love with that girl. The bus was driving painfully slow, and I was finding it more and more difficult to be so close to Catherine without being able to talk to her. School was bad enough. This was torture.

The raindrops flittering against the wind on the windows created glowing specks as they magnified the headlights of cars passing for seconds at a time. The windshield wipers swayed back and forth, and together with the hum of the engine and the road noise vibrating the dark bus, a soothing rhythm made it almost impossible to stay awake. Usually the bus was abuzz with celebration and energy on the way home from a won away game, but aside from a few deep voices murmuring somewhere in the back, it was eerily quiet.

“There’s a keg party at the dam,” Sam began, but I was already shaking my head. “C’mon, Elliott, why not? It’s the best way to get back at Presley and them, anyway. They were hoping Tatum would get some alone time with you, and they could spread another rumor. If we show up with the girls and they find out they rode all the way back with us on the bus? They’ll be livid,” he said, chuckling.

“Catherine has to get home.”

He elbowed me. “We can sneak her out.”

I looked out the window. “Nah, man. You don’t know what she goes through.”

“Her mom’s pretty strict, huh? Well, you can still go. With Madison and me there, at least the Brubitches can’t say you did something you didn’t.” When I shook my head again, Sam frowned. “Why? You haven’t been to a party since school started.”

“And I won’t. Not without her.”

“Then talk her into it. A little guilt trip never hurt no one.”

“I can’t do that, Sam. You don’t know how hard it was for me to win her trust back. I came here with no idea if she’d forgive me or not. I spent two years away from her, and I felt like I was going to suffocate right up until she spoke to me for the first time. We’re just getting back to where we were before I left. Maybe even better. I’m not ruining everything I’ve worked for over a party. It’s not more important to me than Catherine.”

“Is there anything that is? Football?”

“No.”

“Your camera?”

“Nope.”

“What about food?”

I chuckled. “If I had to choose, I’d starve.”

“I mean, I’m crazy in love with Madison, so I get it, but . . . I don’t know about all that.”

I shook my head. “Then you don’t get it.”

“Explain it to me.”