Chapter 4: Drew - Love On Time

My bathroom mirror is fogged up from the hot shower I just took. I smudge a clear path with my hand, quickly brushing my teeth and combing a little gel through my hair. After a swipe of deodorant and a spray of cologne, I pull on a pair of jeans and a plain white T-shirt before throwing my hat on. Today is the first day of junior year, which means it’s also my first official practice as the varsity football captain. There’s a mountain of pressure on my shoulders to lead the team to a winning season this year, and the weight of it is already sitting heavy in my chest.

I head into the kitchen and swing open the fridge, looking for something quick to eat. My mom is already on shift at the hospital. She's worked endless hours ever since my dad walked out a few years ago. We moved into this house a little over a year ago, forcing me to transfer high schools. I never complain, my mom has been through enough, and I actually really like it here, with my best friend and teammate only next door. I take a few bites of an apple before tossing it into the trash, the nerves of today's practice suppressing my appetite.

I grab my black Jansport backpack, sling it over one shoulder, and head out the door. Leaning against the hood of my car, I wait for Cooper and his sister Camille to come out so I can drive us all to school. It’s Cami’s first day of high school, so I'm sure she is running a little behind schedule.

The front door swings open at the Bensons’ house, and Cooper flies out, leaving his sister in the doorway.

“Mom, that's enough,” she whines as her mother smothers her in hugs and kisses. I can't help but smile at them.

Cami walks towards the car with her head down, long brown hair covering her face. Probably feeling nervous and embarrassed by her mom. She has her clarinet case in one hand and her backpack slung high around her shoulders.

“Hi Drew!” Mrs. Benson waves at me from the front door. She is such a nice lady, and she instantly took me in as her own when we moved in next door, befriending my mom and baking us cookies.

“Good morning, Mrs. Benson.” I wave back.

“Have a great day, kids!” She calls one last time before shutting the front door behind her.

“Here, let me get that for you,” I say, grabbing Camille's clarinet so she can crawl into the backseat.

“Thank you.” She whispers so quietly I almost miss it. She looks up at me for a split second, and my heart does a little squeeze. I've never noticed how blue her eyes are. She always keeps her head down and her eyes hidden behind her black-rimmed glasses. I give her a soft smile and shut the door for her.

Cooper is already settled into the passenger seat by the time I hop in and start the engine, driving us toward the high school.

“Dude, are you so excited for practice later?” Cooper asks, throwing his phone in the cup holder. “Coach says we have a seriously strong roster this year.”

“Yeah, man, I'm hyped. It’s going to be a great season.” I say. My eyes drift to the rearview mirror, checking on Cami. She’s staring out the window, her small hands rubbing together nervously in her lap. I can see the anxiety written all over her.

We pull into the school parking lot, which is already bursting with teenagers. The second we step out of the car, we get ambushed by guys from the team and a few of their girlfriends, all shouting and trading high-fives with us. I try to look over the crowd of shoulders, searching for where Camille went. Finally, I spot her a few paces ahead, adjusting the heavy straps of her backpack.

“Hey Cami!” I shout, jogging her way and leaving my group of friends behind me. She spins, looking up at me, big blue eyes wide. “Do you need help finding your classes?”

Cooper comes up behind us. “She went to Freshman Orientation, I think she knows where to go.” He says, eyes glued to his phone.

“Yeah, uh, I think I'm good. Thank you, though.” She whispers, pushing her glasses up, grabbing her clarinet, and walking off toward the freshman building. I watch her walk away all alone, and a sharp ache zips through my chest.

“Dude,” I smack Cooper across the chest.

“Ouch, what was that for?” He complains, rubbing the spot I just hit.

“It’s your sister's first day of high school, can you be a little more mindful? What if she needs something?” I say, low and irritated.

“Chill, I told her to text me if she needs anything, she will be fine.” He says as the five-minute warning bell chimes over the loudspeaker.

The day passes by in a blur. During every single passing period, I keep my eyes open, searching the jam-packed hallways for a glimpse of Cami just to see how she’s holding up. No luck. If I knew what her schedule looked like, that would be a big help, but I'm in the dark. I even look for her during lunch, but the school splits the lunch hour. Most first-year students have A-lunch, while upper-level students have B-lunch. I carry a knot of nerves in my stomach all afternoon, wondering if she’s sitting alone or having a hard time adjusting.

The final bell rings, school is over. I spot Cooper up ahead in the hallway, navigating the crowd toward the gym locker room to change for our first practice.

“Hey Coop, wait up!” I shout, catching up to him.

“Hey man!” He says. “How was your first day?”

Cooper and I only have one class together in the morning, but luckily we share the same lunch hour.

“It was good. Hey, have you heard from your sister?” I try to sound completely casual as I catch my breath.

His brows crease. “No, why?”

“No reason, just wondering how her first day went.”

“Well, she didn't text me, so I assume it was fine. She has marching band practice right now, so I'm sure we’ll run into her.” He says, pushing open the locker room doors.

An hour into football practice, I’m running the guys ragged. I make them sprint the bleachers until their legs are jelly before we even run a play.

“Good work, guys, take five for a water break!” I shout, wiping sweat from my forehead.

I'm at the hydration station when the gym double doors open, and the band team spills out onto the field. I scan the group looking for a familiar head of brown hair. There she is. Walking with another girl, engaging in conversation. My chest loosens with relief. She’s made a friend. Cooper jogs across the track, throwing his arm around his sister and pulling her into a hug. The girl next to Cami looks like she’s about to faint, her face turning beet red as she gapes at Cooper. A smirk tugs at my mouth. Cami looks over his shoulder, eyes finding mine. I give her a small wave. A sudden sting of envy hits me. Why do I feel jealous of my best friend hugging his little sister?

We finish up practice thirty minutes later. We are leaving the locker room when Cooper casually says, “I’m going to go to the library for a little bit and meet up with Emily.”

I stop dead in my tracks. “What about your sister?”

Cooper scratches his head. “She can call my mom.”

I let out a heavy, irritated sigh. “I’ll take her home, Coop.”

* * *

It’s the first home game of the season. It's a warm Friday night, pink and orange illuminating the California sky, the smell of fresh buttered popcorn wafting through the air. The stands are fully packed with spectators and students. The exact kind of thrill I live for. With fifteen minutes left until kickoff, Coach Jay has our team out on the field running passing drills. I glance toward the bleachers, spotting the marching band all decked out in their polished black and blue uniforms, instruments catching the light as they prepare for their halftime show. The referee blows his whistle. Game time.

Our team huddles up, the guys bouncing on their feet with anxious energy. “Stop worrying about the crowd and don't worry about that scoreboard!” I shout over the noise, looking each of them in the eye. “Go hard, run fast, and trust the teammate next to you. We got this, alright!”

By the time the halftime whistle blows, we’re up by three touchdowns. I am so damn proud of my team and how seamlessly our plays are coming together. As the guys head toward the locker room, clearing the field for the marching band, I linger at the back of the line to watch a minute of their performance. Spotting Cami in the second row, I watch her navigate the field formations while playing her clarinet, and it's incredibly impressive. These kids are seriously talented. But when I look up at the stands, a dull pain deepens in my chest. More than half the crowd has cleared out for the concessions, and the few people left in the bleachers aren't even watching. They’re all staring blankly down at their phones. I watched the band work so hard on this, and nobody is paying attention.

I jog back to the locker room to join the guys. “Good job out there. Keep this intensity up, and we’ll have our first victory of the season.” I tell them, drawing a round of cheers.

“Man, the band needs to hurry up so we can get back to the actual game.” Joey, one of our benchwarmers, mutters with his arms crossed.

I stop dead, heat flowing through my veins at his comment. I point my finger directly at him. “That band is a part of our team, Joey. You disrespect them, you disrespect me.” The entire room goes silent.

“Sorry, Cap,” Joey murmurs, instantly shrinking back into the crowd of players.

Cooper steps up beside me, patting my shoulder in a silent, grateful thank you for backing up the marching band. I give him a small nod, “Alright guys, let’s go win this!”

We finish the game, taking home a dominant 36-6 win. After changing, Cooper and I head out to the parking lot, where my mom and the Bensons are waiting. Cami is standing in the center of the group, wrapped in a proud hug from her mother. She has the sweetest grin on her face, and seeing it makes my entire night ten times better than the win itself.

“Congratulations, boys!” Ian Benson, Cooper’s dad, beams as we walk up. I give my mom a tight hug, then pull Cooper’s mom into one.

“You should be so proud, all three of you!” My mom chimes in.

We start heading to the car while Cooper runs off to sneak in a quick makeout session with Emily behind the bleachers.

I fall into step next to Cami. “You played really well tonight,” I say softly. “ I was able to watch for a minute.”

Her already sweating face starts to turn pink at the compliment.

“Thank you.” She smiles sweetly, “You played well too.”