My Best Friend's Boyfriend

Choices

It started with a buzz.

     I heard the buzzer go off behind me and practically jumped out of my spot on the cold metal bleachers.  I quickly reassembled my flute and carefully placed it back into its plastic case.

     "Kadyn, what's wrong?"  Jacey, my good friend, asked from next to me on the bleachers.  

     I lightly tossed my flip folder onto the ground below us.  "Because!  We drove four and a half hours to watch our boys play a good game of football, not to watch them get their asses handed to them!"  I yelled, I was infuriated.  I looked over at the score board.  14 to nothin'.  I shook my head and tried to take a deep breath.

     "Kade,"  Jacey placed a hand on my back as we walked up the steps of the bleachers, "it's just football.  It's not that big of a deal."  We continued to make our way to the concession stands.  

     I scoffed, dramatically.

     Any other game, we would be warming up with the rest of the band to perform at halftime.  However, since Mountain Home is a four hour bus ride from home, we took a pep bus, which only consisted of about twenty percent of the entire band.  

During regular games, we prep at the beginning of halftime, perform, and then whatever time is left over of half time, and then the entire third quarter we have to eat and rest and get ready for fourth quarter. 

     Jacey and I stopped at the back of the line.  It seemed ridiculously long.  She tried to figure out what she wanted to snack on while I continued to bitch. 

     "Maybe if our Refs would get their heads out of their asses, and do their damn jobs, maybe, just maybe, we could get some numbers on that board --"  Jacey nudged me with her elbow, "What?"  I turned to see that a group of our football players were passing us.

     "I couldn't have said it better myself."  One of the boys -- the blonde one -- spoke with a smile.  I subtly looked him up and down.  He was about my age, his hair was long and messy from being on the field all night.  He was about five foot nine, and maybe weighed about a buck fifty.  The tights from his uniform showed off the toned muscles in his calves.  Needless to say, his Lions uniform did his body justice.  His brown eyes lit up as he smiled.  He handed his helmet to one of the guys he was with and asked if he'd take it back to the track.

     "What?"  I finally sputtered, realizing I wasn't being quite as subtle as I thought.  I blushed.

     His smile widened.  "You seem to know a lot about football."  

     "What of it?"  I scratched the back of my head.  Why was a hot football guy talking to the obnoxious band geek? 

     "Not a lot of girls do."  He shrugged.  "Especially not the pretty ones."  A small smile played at the corner of his mouth.

   I tried not to blush again as Jacey snorted next to me, rolling her eyes.

   "Well,"  I cleared my throat, "I mean, I guess that's what happens whenever you grow up in a house full of boys who love their football."  I chuckled, nervously, avoiding eye contact.  The line moved, and Jacey and I awkwardly followed. 

    I sneaked another look at the boy behind us; he was still standing there.  I quickly looked back forward.  

     Jacey attempted to cover the side of her mouth in discrepancy, "Dude, he's totally into you."

     I also covered the side of my mouth, mocking Jacey, "Dude, this doesn't make it a secret."  

    I heard him chuckle from behind us and winced.  I turned and looked at him again, and he reached out a hand.  "My name is Krys, by the way."

     "Kadyn."  I shook his hand, unable to control the smile that took over my features. I already knew his name.  Everyone did, he was the football star, that also took drama, and skated with his friends after school.  He was the triple threat, every girls dream...  I pulled my hand back and subconsciously rubbed my arm, shivering slightly.

   At this point, Jacey  had already made it up to the window, and she was paying for her food.  

      "What can I get you?"  She asked me, and somehow Krys had made his way a few steps in front of me, and before I had time to react was already ordering.

     "A hot dog, a water, and a hot chocolate for the lady,"  He gestured to me, smiling warmly.

     "That'll be five dollars."  

     He handed her a five.

     I shook my head to protest as he turned around to face me,  "You don't have to do that--"  

     "Nope, it's too late.  I already paid for it,"  he chuckled.

     I internally kicked myself for the slight blush that warmed my cheeks.  "Thank you."  I smiled.

     I turned to ask Jacey how much time we had left, but she was gone.  I turned back to the boy, trying to not let my anxiety get the best of me.  

     It's not like I hadn't ever had any interactions with boys, or any of that other cliche bullshit you're constantly reading about, before this point or anything, because I had.  But, it was usually completely different.  Usually boys don't just walk up to me and start a conversation, especially not cute ones whom I had never actually spoken to before.  I don't really know why, but I just felt so uncomfortable standing there talking to Krys, but, at the same time, I couldn't bring myself to walk away from him.  There was just something about his eyes, and maybe even just the tone of his voice that intrigued me to no extent.  I just continued to smile and nod anytime he talked about the game.

     We walked next to each other after the lady handed him our order.  He handed me my hot chocolate; our fingers brushed for just a second.  
     We moved down the sidewalk and to the bottom of the bleachers, and back down next to the benches on the sideline.

     "Well, Kadyn,"  he looked out across the field.  I tried to brush the hair out of my face that the cold November wind kept pushing into my eyes.  "I don't normally do this,"  he chuckled, although, I could tell his complexion was hiding something.  "But, can I give you my phone number?"

   I laughed, but soon cleared my throat.  "Wait, you're serious?"  My eyes widened.

     I saw a flash of uncertainty in his eyes.  "Before you say no, I'm giving you my phone number, which gives you the option to text me or not.  That way, you have my number, but I don't have yours.  So, I mean, if you choose to continue to talk to me, that's all on you."  He rambled, forcing  a smile.

     I grinned, biting my lip in contemplation.  After a moment, I pulled my phone out and opened it to the contacts and hesitantly handed it to him.  He entered his number and gave it back to me, his hand lingering in mine. 

     "It was nice to meet you, Kadyn."  He smiled again before pulling away and turning to walk back towards the field before I could even respond.

     I looked down at my phone and chuckled at the name he saved his number under:  "Your Choice."  

     I made my way back to the band stands and sat back down next to Jacey, grinning from ear to ear. 

     "What the hell is that look?"  Jacey chuckled.  "I left you with a scowl on your face."  She had her flute case in her lap, and was reassembling it.

I stared out at the field, still grinning.  I watched as Krys stood on the side line, talking to his other teammates.

     "Hello?"  Jacey waved a hand in front of me.

     I looked at her, and then back down at my phone.  I bit my lip, shrugging, "I mean,  I guess I have a choice to make." I giggled at how ridiculous,   yet giddy I felt.