The Nerdy Girl

“Cal flirt later, play ball now,” his coach shouted at him.

“I gotta go. Going out with me after the game?” He asked. He was already walking away so he wouldn’t get into trouble. “Say yes,” he said. Dimples on full display.

“Yes,” I replied. Then I turned and headed back up to the stands to sit beside my parents.

Dad leaned around Mom. “I want to meet Cal before you go anywhere with him,” he demanded.

“Yes sir,” I replied.

Mom and I exchanged glances and smiles. She was happy for me. My first boyfriend. It didn’t hurt that she liked Cal.

Chapter 7

Our team won. Our boys looked like they had a mud bath because it had rained earlier in the day and the field was a mess. At the end zone near the exit, Dad shook Cal’s hand and introduced himself. I was embarrassed. Cal wasn’t.

Then Dad joined me and Mom. “You will be home on time,” Dad replied. “Or I will find you.”

“I will.” I rolled my eyes at Dad. He didn’t treat Tyson this way and if I had pointed it out, I would have gotten the lecture about Tyson being a boy, so I remained quiet.

“All right, you can go out with him,” Dad informed me. Mom rolled her eyes behind his back which made me smile. He whirled around hoping to catch her doing it, but he didn’t. Mom was too quick for Dad.

They were heading out to grab dinner in town. I kissed my parents then sat on a bench waiting on Cal to shower. He needed it, after the game, covered in sweat and mud. Some of the boys even had blood on them. I didn’t know how that happened. A bloody nose. A finger that got stepped on. Football was a dangerous game.

I had no clue what was going on during each play on the field and didn’t care to either. I was only here to support Cal and Tyson. The cheerleaders strolled by and snickered again. I chose to ignore them. Nothing was going to ruin my night. My first real date with a boy. Cal Cooper.

A gentle breeze lifted my hair around my face, and I brushed it back over my shoulder. The area surrounding the field was emptying out now as parents and students headed home. I was alone on the bench waiting for Cal to find me. I assumed that he should be able to walk out of the locker room and see me sitting here.

Aiden was first out. He strolled over to the bench sat beside me. “Cal will be out soon.”

“Thanks,” I said.

“Different look for you,” he declared.

“I’ve heard that already tonight,” I said. He had used the same words Tyson had.

“So, my boy likes you,” he admitted.

What was I supposed to say to that? I didn’t want to discuss my feelings for Cal with his best friend Aiden. I nodded. Mutism was an easier for me. The spoken word was still difficult for me because of my shyness. I nodded.

Then Luke came out and sat next to Aiden on the bench. I was with these guys every day at lunch this week. I shouldn’t feel so awkward, but I wasn’t socially adept at being a conversationalist.

Luke was blonde like my brother while Aiden was very dark like maybe part Hispanic or something else, I didn’t know. Three boys couldn’t be more different than Cal, Aiden and Luke.

“Has Cal told you about his Dad?” Luke asked. He leaned on his knees and looked across the football field while Aiden kept looking at me making me uncomfortable.

“No, he hasn’t.” I wasn’t sure that they should be telling me either. If it was something that Cal wanted me to know he would tell me himself.

“He’s an Army Ranger. Overseas a lot since Cal was born. He would be home for three months and gone for nine.”

I chewed on my lip then glanced over my shoulder looking for Cal. He hadn’t left the locker room yet.

“Hurts him, you know. His oldest brother, Sam has been more of a father to him than his dad. He’s thirty. Lives close with his girlfriend. They’ll probably get married someday.”

I nodded. I glanced at them then back towards the entrance where the boys were coming out. Two or three were laughing. Excited because they had won but no Cal yet.

“Sam was here tonight. I’m surprised he didn’t introduce you to him and his girlfriend Kelly,” Aiden said. “Man, she’s gorgeous.”

How could he? He was playing ball but then, my dad had met Cal. Maybe he was ashamed of being seen with the nerdy girl. So many excuses went through my head.