Page 110 of Kickoff

We were nestled deeply in each other’s arms, swaying to the music playing inside that was barely audible from here.

“Mase.”

“Mel.”

“I’m not sure it’s a good idea.”

“Why not?”

“Because.” She glanced down. “You know…”

“Is it about this morning or our earlier conversation?”

She swallowed, and even in my tipsiness, I heard every ripple of her throat. “Both.”

I leaned back and placed my hands gently on her cheeks. “Tanya and every girl before you were mistakes. A lack of judgment on my part. I have a history, but I don’t want to go there ever again. I’m sorry I hurt you. It was never my intention. No one else means anything to me. But you? You mean everything.”

She said nothing, and I let go of her face. She buried herself deeper in my arms, her head positioned against my throbbing heart.

“If we make it to State in two weeks, will you come to see me play?”

“Isn’t it like a three-hour drive from here?”

I nodded. “I checked. You don’t have a meet that weekend. I long to see you in the bleachers, cheering on me.”

“Maybe I can come. I’ll check my work schedule. Paige said she would be going. If it works out, we could ride together instead of riding the buses the school provides.”

“Good. I-I…huh…I wanna ask you a favor.”

Melinda raised her eyes to mine, waiting.

“Will you wear my jersey?”

Her lips parted. “You want me to wear your jersey? Isn’t it like something only girlfriends do?”

“Yeah, so? Will you? It’s kind of important to me if you do. I swear I’ll play better if I see you wearing it.”

Her heart banged in her chest, every thump reverberating through me.

“Mase, what are we?”

“Bound by fate.”

“You really believe it?”

“More with every minute we spend with each other.”

“I like that.” She repositioned herself against me, and I wrapped my arms tighter around her body as we danced the night away.

Lying on our backs on top of the mattress in one of the bedrooms, fully dressed, we linked our fingers together, barely exchanging a word, our energies doing the talking. Melinda said nothing after my earlier confession, but she stuck by my side all night and agreed to share a bed with me. “As long as we keep our clothes on and our hands to ourselves,” she had said. It was meant as a joke, but I could tell that was what she wished too.

“Hey, Mel?”

“Yeah.”

“Thank you for today. Well, yesterday now…I think. Anyway, it was the best birthday I’ve ever had. Because we spent it together.” She remained silent next to me, and I wondered if she had fallen asleep. “Can I hold you, or does that count as touching you?”

She flipped to her side and pushed her ass against me. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her closer to my heart. I had turned seventeen with a smile anchored to my face. One I hoped would never be flushed away.