Game Changer (The Field Party)

For the most part, we had the place to ourselves. Momma would make random drop-ins, but other than that, it was quiet. My siblings were all in their rooms with instructions from Momma that they must stay out of the living room. She had come a long way since the spring. I wasn’t sure if it had been the fear of losing me the way they had my sister, or if it had been the death of someone my age in town that reminded them of how easily life could change. There were still moments when Momma would snap back into drill-sergeant mode, but they were brief. Nothing like before the night I’d left them for only a couple hours.

I wasn’t a fan of The Lord of the Rings, but Brett loved it, so we were making our way through the series or trilogy or whatever it was. I had put him off all week when he’d asked me to do something. Deep down, I’d been hoping to hear from Asa. Our night at Nash’s had been good, I thought. Great for me. I couldn’t remember ever having so much fun. Asa had brought me home that night, and I had also thought he might kiss me. He hadn’t.

So, here I was almost a week later, having jumped every time the phone rang this week and facing the fact Asa hadn’t enjoyed things as much as I had. It was disappointing, but my going over it in my head trying to figure out what I did wrong was pointless. In the end, I’d answered Brett’s call today and agreed to a movie night. I wasn’t leading him on. At least I was trying not to lead him on. This felt friendly. Kinda. Maybe. Ugh. I was totally leading him on.

He knew we were going in two different directions in a couple months. That wasn’t a secret. If Covid didn’t screw that up too. I needed out of Lawton. I needed to find some friends. I needed a life. Daydreaming about being close to Asa in the fall was stupid. We were currently in the same town, and he hadn’t made any attempt to contact me and ask to do anything.

“Listen to what Gandalf says here,” Brett said in an excited whisper.

I wasn’t sure who the heck Gandalf was since I hadn’t been paying any attention. The weird ears were disturbing me. I nodded anyway and listened to what the old man with a lot of hair was saying. He must be Gandalf. However, nothing he said made any sense to me.

Before Brett could say more, the doorbell rang and saved me from having to comment on the confusing content of the movie. I stood up to go get it.

“Want me to pause it?” Brett asked.

I shook my head. “That’s okay. Keep watching.” The more I missed of it, the better.

Opening the door, I expected it to be someone who was in need of fuel or something from the grocery area. That happened often on weekend nights. People were out later, and when we were closed, they came to ask to get something. Momma always helped them. She wasn’t going to miss a sale. Everyone knew that too.

What I hadn’t expected to see was Asa Griffith.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey,” I managed to croak out. I had been waiting to hear from him all week, and this was the time he decided to just show up at my house?

“A few of us are headed to get burgers. Want to go?”

Was he serious? Yes, he was obviously serious. He was at my door. Asa Griffith was at my door asking me to go with him and his friends to get a burger. It wasn’t exactly a date, but he was here inviting me. I glanced back at Brett, who had paused the movie, I realized, and was watching me. I had to tell Asa no. He’d come to my house, and I was going to have to turn him down. This was unfair. Life hated me.

“Uh, I can’t. I’m, we’re, I mean I’m watching a movie with, uh…” I was stumbling all over my words. Why couldn’t I just say it clearly like a normal person instead of babbling like an idiot?

Asa stepped inside the front door then and took in the scene behind me. I wanted to shove him back outside before he could see, and that was silly. I wasn’t doing anything wrong. Heck, he’d had all week to call me or stop by like this. He hadn’t. So now someone else was here.

“Hey, Brett,” Asa said in greeting.

Brett’s brow was creased in a frown like he wasn’t sure what the hell was happening. “Uh, hey, Asa,” he said slowly, and then his eyes cut to mine. I lowered my eyes to stare at the floor. It was just easier.