Inner Demons

7. Because She Knows How Much I Like You

That night, the energy in the stadium was contagious. Even though it was an away game, there were tons of fans there from Peachville. So close to the field, the smell of freshly mowed grass was in my nostrils. The roar of the crowd on both sides was deafening. I was so close to the action. I never realized just how exciting it could be to be down here so close to the game. I found myself really getting into the atmosphere of it.

I had no idea what most of the plays were called, but I could tell when Drake threw a great pass, and I obviously knew when the PHS Demons scored a touchdown. Drake was fantastic. He controlled the dynamic of the team. It was as if he were made to play football. I knew I should feel like the luckiest girl in the world to be dating him, but I still hadn't decided if I really liked him or not.

As for my cheering, I didn't do half bad. Not that I could really take all the credit for it, of course. The Demons walked away with yet another victory, making the team 5-0 for the year. By the looks of it, we were the team to beat.

After the game was over, Brooke and several of the cheerleaders grabbed our bags and loaded up onto the football players' bus. Luckily, they'd all taken showers in the guest locker rooms after the game and it smelled faintly like soap and deodorant spray. Drake led me to a seat at the very back of the bus where it was dark and cozy. When I sat down and scooted over to the window, he pulled a blanket out of his bag and handed it to me.

"What's that for?"

He smiled, mischief dancing in his eyes. "I think a blanket is typically used for warmth. You use it to cover your body, see." He sat next to me and situated the blanket around my legs. "There. I don't want my girl getting cold."

Every time he referred to me as his girl I felt a little sick to my stomach. He was one of the most gorgeous guys in the entire school, but there was something holding me back. I felt so much pressure when I was around him.

Under the big blue velvety blanket, I felt his hands caress my knee. I swallowed nervously. It wasn't like I'd never been touched by a boy before. It was just that I had a feeling Drake wanted more from me than just a touch on the knee, and for some reason, I wasn't sure I was ready to give more. We'd been dating for several weeks now, but we'd never gotten past kissing and the occasional over-the-clothing groping.

I shivered despite the blanket.

Drake's hand was warm against my cold skin. When I was out on the field, I'd barely noticed how cold I was, but now, my skin felt dry and frozen.

"Wow, you really are cold." Drake put his arm around me and pulled me close to him. We slumped down deeper in the seat and put our knees up on the back of the seat in front of us.

"I felt fine on the field, but now that I'm sitting still, I'm freezing."

The engine started up and a few more players made their way onto the bus. Drake leaned over and kissed my neck.

"You looked amazing out there tonight," he whispered. "I could hardly take my eyes off you."

I didn't know how to respond to that. "You did great, too."

He leaned in and covered my mouth with a soft kiss. His lips were so warm and soft. I melted into him, but when his hand slipped up my thigh, I jerked away.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry," I said. "I didn't mean to pull away. It's just... I don't know about taking this relationship to the next level on the back of a bus filled with stinky football players."

He laughed and kissed my cheek. "We all took showers."

I rolled my eyes. "That's not what I mean."