Cheeseburgers & Sweet Tea

F O U R

F O U R

I should have known that
When you said I was the moon and
You were the stars

That the moon is soon replaced by the sun

              - j.f

..............................................................

Going to school the next morning is pretty much impossible.

Only four weeks into the year, and I've already had more shares of bad days than good.

I try to rake a brush through my hair and end up with a blonde frizzy mess identical to a lion.

I'm pretty sure my good hair days are over. Scratch that. I'm pretty sure my good days are over.

I huff and throw my hair into a bun (if you could even call it that), stuff my failed Calculus test underneath my mattress (because let's face it: no one has time for that) and grab my book-bag (got to put snacks somewhere).

I rush down the stairs and to Lucy's parked car.

"Girl," she turns down Luke Bryant's voice. "We need to have an intervention." She makes a grand gesture to my attire, trying not to laugh.

Rolling my eyes, I hop into the passenger seat. "I'm officially done with school. Might drop out, might become a stripper. Who knows? The possibilities are endless."

I realize the car is quiet and Jackson is nowhere to be seen. "No Jackson today?"

Lucy's mid-sip of her black-roast coffee and gives me an unreliable Mmmmhmmm.

I've been getting a Iot of Mmmmhmmm's from Lucy where Jackson is concerned.

My eyes narrow my eyes at her. "Lucy May Jones, I've had a pretty crappy month not to mention morning. My hair looks like a bird's nest, I don't have a clue on what's going on in Calculus and I'm certain I'm getting the Freshman Fifteen and I'm a senior! So it would probably benefit you, not to mention, me, if you tell me what the heck is going on with McCall!"

Lucy pulls into the school parking lot. "Jensen, you know I love you, but give that boy a rest." She gets out and heads inside.

I groan and make faces in the glass window of her car. "I love you, but I'm about to ruin your life. Give Jackson McCall a rest blah blah blah freaking blah!" I mimic to my reflection in the glass.

A knock on the driver's side door scares me out of my childish state.

"You having fun in there?"

I look at the culprit and am momentarily speechless; partly from awe and partly from complete and utter embarrassment.

"I'm fine." I snap, color filling my cheeks as I get out of the car.

He jogs to meet me as I speed walk up to the school, wishing I hadn't 'slummed' it today and actually put some effort into my hair.

"I'm Will." He sticks out his hand and gives me a million dollar smile.

Good lord, you're hot and I'm going to go.

I turn my back and practically run into first period.

I always embarrass myself when I talk to any cute guy that isn't Jackson. I get rude and mean even though I don't mean it. It's the worst defensive mechanism out there known to mankind.

.....

Lucy's already sitting at our lunch table with Camden who's blowing straw wrappers at her along with Jackson who's...well...just sitting there staring at his plastic wrapped tuna sandwich.

I sit down, expecting Jackson to make some flirty comment about me, but when he barely acknowledges my existence I'm ecstatic.

Met a cute guy, Jackson's not talking and I got the last Italian sub in the cafeteria: today might actually turn out to be a decent day!

I un-wrap my sandwich and take a bite as I chatter about the new guy I met this morning.

"OMG, Luce! He was tall, maybe 6'2, with a killer smile! Wow, what I would do—" I'm interrupted with a jab to my ribs. Luce gives me a look. "I mean, but he was totally not my type. Nope, not one bit."

She silently jesters to Jackson who could care less about what's coming out of my mouth. I roll my eyes and direct the conversation to him.

"So Jackson, how was your day?" my voice is filled with dryness.

He doesn't say anything. He just continues to stare at his uneaten lunch.

"Well this is a very brain-stimulating conversation, but I have to go!" I pick up my trash and leave.

.....

Will is standing with a group of football guys when he sees me walking to fourth block. He throws his hand up and comes over.

Cool, calm, collected, open and nice. I repeat in my head.

"Hey, again." He smiles, no dimple but the crinkles at the corner of his eyes are present.

"Hey, sorry about earlier. I was just having a pretty rough morning." I scratch my head.

"No, I totally get it." He waves it off. "However, if you really want to make it up to me, you can go to the football game and I can take you to dinner after."

I'm about to answer, but our bonehead football players decide it's time for their guest appearance.

They whistle and hoot and one of them shouts, 'You better watch out, that's McCall's girl!' and 'You can't have em both, Jensen!"

My cheeks flush and I send them all an icy glare that could freeze the sun over twice. They finally stop and head to football practice.

Focusing my full attention on Will, I answer with a "Fine, deal, but you're paying and no steakhouses."

.....

If there's one thing that I love about Texas football, it's the attractive men, minus Jackson McCall, in tight pants.

Lucy squeezes in the bleachers next to me and shoves a tray of nachos into my arms before fishing around for something in her bag.

"Ha!" she pulls out a pair of binoculars and peers out across the field. "Dang, number 27 is looking hot tonight!" she yells. "Will turns around, lifts his helmet and winks."

Man. You gotta love Luce.

The game starts and there's a whole bunch of cheering, fight songs, whistles and the smell of sweat that continuously lingers in the air. By the time halftime rolls around, I'm wondering why I even came in the first place.

It's not like I'm actually a fan of football anyways, but watching Will in tight pants. Yeah, I'm definitely a fan of that.

At the end of the night, the score ends up being 61-24.

I wait by the locker-rooms for Will, when Jackson comes up.

"Finally waiting for me, I see." He rubs his wet hair with a towel and grins. "Couldn't get enough of me, could you." He tries to hug me but I push his chest.

"In your dreams." I wipe an invisible speck of dust off my shorts. "Actually, I'm waiting for someone."

Jackson leans against the lockers. "Might I ask who?"

Just as soon as I'm about to say 'no', Will walks out looking yummy as ever.

"Ready for our date?" he pulls me to his side and I laugh. When Will spots Jackson, he nods. "What's up, dude?"

"Nothing much." He mumbles. "Except for the new guy trying to steal my girl." He brushes past us and lucky for me, Will didn't hear the last part.