Just Like That

"prologue"

      Breanna Michelle Santana

CLICK! The light from my camera flashed and when it did, I waited a second before observing the photo I just took.

Of course it was good, I bragged internally about my natural talents.

"Perfect! Get some shots of the players for the atheltics department," my mentor told me. We had been walking around the soccer game taking pictures of the crowd, cheerleaders, and the showboating players. None of them, though, caught my eye unlike number 11.

Aim. Focus. Click.

I snapped a shot of the overly confident forward, a smile lingering on my face when we made eye contact.

His name was Grayson. Grayson Reid Jansen, to be specific, and he winked at me.

======

To no surprise of his or my own, Grayson scored the game winning goal. It was a huge game so it was a whole spectacle - lights, confetti, Gatorade being poured on the head coach, Sports Center coverage - the whole nine.

Even I couldn't contain my excitement, joining in on the cheering for my fellow U of O Wolves.

Jansen ran around the field, beaming, as he hugged and rejoiced with his teammates. He slid on his knees, scraping them more, and peeled his dark grey with a hint Carolina blue, black and white detailed jersey off to wave it around like a flag.

The rest of the team lifted him, their captain, in the air and carried him off the field, towards the tunnel where I was standing, waiting to snap some team pictures.

Understandably ecstatic, though, they raced past me and went straight into their musty locker room, shouting like banshees.

I exhaled a discouraged sigh and let my camera fall around my neck.

"Hey, you," Kaign approached me, grabbing my empty hand.

"Oh, hey," I tried smiling up at him.

"Why the long face," my boyfriend asked me with concern.

"Think my camera's broken," I made up.

He looked down into my green eyes and pouted. "Well, there's more important things - like this party at Dylan's house," Kaign tried cheering me up.

"Do we have to, we're always at Dylan's? Don't you wanna, I dunno, fool around for once?" I tried hinting at getting some alone time as we never seem to have any since Dylan's always tagging along. Kaign didn't take to my idea and just poked his thin bottom lip out at me, swiping his thumb along my chin.

I didn't wanna be a total bore so I did in fact cheer up and let him take me to that party after all, but not before the sound of someone calling my name stopped me in my tracks.

"BREA!" I turned around, knowing exactly who's husky voice that was - Grayson's. He always lost his voice at games or practices, all that yelling really did permanent damage to his vocals, it was still voice attractive nonetheless.

Looking up at Kaign, he nodded to give his permission so that I could go speak to my friend. I let his hand go to amble over and meet Grayson by those uncomfortable, cold bleachers.

"Say cheese," I whipped my camera back out and stole a picture of the star athlete.

Grayson walked towards me with his soaked jersey over his shoulder, disheveled hair that was wet and stringy, and sweat dripping from his top lip to down his belly button.