His Jersey

T W E L V E

Grayson Lake

Paul twists his geared up body, bringing the football back behind him. He launches it forward, the ball leaving his calloused fingers lastly. Everyone's heads look up into the dark sky, watching the football soar through the air. I jump up with the rest of the student section, pressed against the metal fence, holding us back from the field. #36 catches the ball and sprints down the field. The band starts playing our school song, beating the drums loudly. Everyone cheers.

I scream and start clapping, watching #36 dodge the players on the opposite team. Two players on the Terence Asher team run towards #36 at the same time. I grab Peyton's arm for support and hold my breath. #36 slides into the end zone. The student section goes crazy. Parents stand up and clap their hands.

The scoreboard reads 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Copper Wright has 26 points, Terence Asher losing by 19 points. I spin around and face Peyton. We grin happily.

"Holy crab cakes! We won the first round! We actually did!" I cheer. All the Copper Wright players run onto the center of the field and jump up and down on each other. A few guys peel their helmets off and start dancing.

The buzzer goes off. Three cannons go off, leaving streaks of smoke in the air only visible by the white stadium lights.

"Let's go on the field!" My eyes widen at what a senior yells out. Nobody is allowed onto the field during the game, but now, nobody really cares. I grab Peyton and Christine's arm and we run down the stands and around the fence.

"Hey stop!" A security man yells. He grabs a kid, despite the 30 that just ran past him. The three of us run in front of the local new's camera, Peyton waves into the camera. The cameraman rolls his eyes.

We make it to the center of the field and start dancing with the players. Hell, even a few of the coaches join in. I run up to the guy in a silver jersey with a #85 on the back.

"You played so well!" Paul pulls off his helmet revealing two very red cheeks from the cold and all the running. His hair is dripping sweat and he certainly smells like it.

"Thanks. What's my prize?" Paul smirks and throws his helmet on the turf. I grin, my heart threatening to pound out of my chest. With everyone cheering and the band playing, I'm sure Paul can hear it.

"Um, I think I have half a salad from earlier?" I tease Paul. He breathes heavily and glances at my lips. Suddenly, I forget how to breathe.

Paul leans forward, wrapping an arm around my waist. "That's not good enough." He tilts his head all the way down and looks at me, his eyes darting back and forth, a genuine smile on his face. He closes his eyes and kisses me. He smells like sweat, but I can't make myself care right now. I put my hand on his sweaty cheek and kiss him back, the edges of my fingers running through his hair.

"Paul, coach needs you," Andrew rages. Paul pulls away and bites his lip while staring at me. He looks to Andrew and sighs.

"I'll see you in awhile. I have an interview after this with the local news." I grin and watch him walk away with Andrew. I notice how tall Paul is compared to Andrew. Andrew turns around, squinting his eyes at me, almost like a glare. What's his problem?

---

"You ready hun?" Paul walks out of the locker room, the trail of players behind him. I scrunch my nose up at the smell of sweat and body odor. Paul has changed into sweatpants and a muscle shirt, with a towel tossed over his shoulder and duffle in hand.

"How'd the interview go?" I skip next to him on the way to his car. I told Peyton that Paul would take me to his house for some movies and spoons of Nutella.

"It was okay, lady kept asking about round two. I never thought I would ever say this, but I need to take a break from the stress of the game for a night." I nod. He walks to my side of the car and throws his bag in the back seat before opening the door for me. I thank him and lean my head against the window, feeling tired. Paul drives to his house. I can't stay out late tonight because I have Peyton's brothers wedding tomorrow. I don't even know what I'll wear.

I get out of the car and wait behind Paul as he puts the garage code in. We walk between two cars in the garage, a dim light lighting the path to the door. A cat purrs and curls around Paul's leg, stopping him.

"This is Cat. I found her trapped in a rabbit hole a few years ago. Never leaves the garage." Paul leans down and picks the black cat up. The cat itches his head against Paul's shoulder. I widen my eyes at the cuteness of a tall and big football player holding a cat right now.

"What's her name?" I scratch behind her ears and the cat closes its eyes, almost like it's smiling.

"Her name is Cat." I chuckle. Paul sets Cat down on a table and walks towards the door. I follow him and walk into his house. I've only been here once in first grade, for Paul's birthday party. That was back in the day when guys and girls didn't care about cooties. I never really noticed Paul till freshman year when he made starting QB as a sophomore. I wish I had paid more attention to him back then.

"Here's some movies. Pick out whatever. I'm gonna go tell my mom you're here." I nod my head and watch him walk away down a hall.

I glance at my phone. Should I lie to my parents and say I'm at Peyton's or just say the game ran into overtime or something? Oh well. I earn good grades, I don't do drugs, and I have manners. I don't know why I can't just be with Paul.

I glance at the movies. I instantly pull out Sky High from the younger years.

Paul walks into the room with a bag of steaming hot popcorn and a plastic jar of Nutella.

"Don't look at me like that, its a good combo." He sets down the food and takes the disk out of the case and puts it in. He sits on the couch and extends his arms on the cushions.

"You gonna stand for the movie?" Paul teases. I roll my eyes and sit down with his arm around my shoulders.

"So sassy tonight," I mutter. Paul laughs, his chest rumbling behind me. It's a good, comforting feeling.

10 minutes into the movie, my eyelids feel like ten pounds, I can't keep them open and I give up the battle. I lean more onto Paul and close my eyes.