“Do I have to? I don’t want to have to pack everything up. I’m settled here. I was just getting in my groove.”
Except I’ve totally been interrupted by her and getting back into my zone is going to be more difficult than it sounds—it’s not easy for me to stop working then pick back up where I was before I was interrupted; it’s the creative type in me.
“Of course you don’t have to—but I would love for you to. It would be good for you to get out, too. When was the last time you actually went to a school-sponsored event and had some fun?”
Honestly? A really, really long time—so long I don’t think I can even remember how long it’s been.
Maybe my freshman year?
She is doing an outstanding job of not only putting a guilt trip on me, but making me want to go and be social. I spend so much time holed up in our cute little house that perhaps I’ve forgotten there are other things in life besides schoolwork and my hobbies.
Reaching for my laptop bag, I unzip the top and begin putting things into it, packing up.
Across from me, my roommate’s eyes widen with glee, and she claps excitedly. “Oh yay, you’re going to come! I’m so glad! Now I don’t have to sit there alone, and you and I are going to have so much fun.”
“I could stand to be around people for a while,” I admit with a smile, taking my laptop and folding it closed. It slides right into the sleeve of my bag neatly. Next go the notebooks. My little alien friend and villain will have to wait until tonight.
The server comes with Kaylee’s latte, and I’m delighted to see that she’s put it in a to-go cup so we don’t have to sit and wait for her to drink it before we can leave. I place fifteen dollars on the table, which should be enough to cover everything I’ve ordered plus tip. I’ve been here enough times to know exactly how much I spend when I’m here.
I love this place so much.
“Thanks for the drink,” Kaylee says as we’re walking through the door, and I grin, happy that she’s remembered her manners.
She grabs us a car while we’re standing there.
It doesn’t take long before I’m dumping my things inside our kitchen and we’re locking up again, headed to the park where the rugby match is being held. While we walk, I google some information about how the game is played—ninety minutes with fifteen players on the field at a time.
No helmets. No other tactical equipment acceptable, just mouth guards.
How on earth these guys keep from getting injured is beyond me; Jack didn’t have a single scratch on his face the last time I saw him.
Kaylee and I were smart enough to bring chairs—two chairs we found in the back of the garage after sifting around through piles of wood, garbage cans, and old tools the owner of the house left behind when they moved. The original owner, not our current landlord. The chairs look like they’ve been eaten by rats, but they will have to do—it rained last night, and neither of us want to sit on the ground.
“God these are so gross,” my roommate says, opening her chair and gingerly lowering herself down into it.
I couldn’t agree more, cringing as I take my seat next to her on the sidelines. We’re close enough to the action but far enough away that we don’t look too eager. Kaylee wanted to blend in, not stand out.
There are a bunch of other girls here too, so we’re not the only ones gawking at the guys on the field. My eyes scan the giants, who are standing around during some kind of halftime? Or timeout? It’s really hard to say since we just got here and have seen none of the actual playing.
One thing is for certain: they are all filthy, covered in mud from top to bottom, some worse than others.
“Do you see him?” Next to me, Kaylee is whispering, craning her neck and looking around.
“Eh. They all look alike.” Plus, I haven’t seen Jack in a few weeks, so would I actually recognize him?
“No they don’t—Jack is way better-looking and far more distinguished.”
“Is he though? Rob Thorton is pretty darn cute.” I’m teasing her, obviously, but Rob is a player on the team, and actually someone I’ve met downtown at the bars before. I spot him with his arm around another guy as they huddle.
“Shut up, he is not cuter than Jack.”
She taps me on the arm to let me know she thinks I’m being ridiculous—no other men are ever cuter than Kaylee’s current crush, at least not in her opinion.
“No, he really isn’t,” I admit out loud under my breath. It’s fun to tease, and it’s easy with Kaylee—she takes everything seriously.