Accidental Crush (8 page)

Sid and I
are trying to push our way through the throngs of people to get to Shane. Well, Sid is going to see Shane, I’m more interested in seeing Todd. When we finally get to them, they are surrounded by the football team and cheerleaders congratulating them on their performance. All of the juniors are still celebrating their victory.

"Is there something you'd like to tell me?" Sid
asks Todd and Shane in the middle of the chaos.

"Aw
e, Sid, we're sorry. Principal Marks swore us to secrecy," Todd says as he pulls her into a playful headlock. They’ve been doing this for as long as I can remember. Shane looks at me and winks, we both can’t believe we actually kept this a secret.

"I guess I forgive you
, but only because you guys sounded amazing!" Sid smiles as she pulls away from Todd.

"You guys sounded amazing!"
I’m in an I-can't-believe-how-hot-Todd-is daze until Sid gives me a what's-wrong-with-you look and I realize I just repeated exactly what she said. "I mean you really were great! Are you excited for the game tonight?" I’m reaching for anything as I try to save face.

"Yeah! Speaking of
, let's go eat," Brian says as he cuts into our semi-circle and leans his elbows on Todd and another player’s shoulders. I wasn’t even talking to him, but before I know it, everyone is walking away.

"Bye
, guys," they call back as they’re almost out the door. It’s as if the room suddenly goes into slow motion as I watch Todd leave. His jeans hug his butt flawlessly, the back pockets are worn-in to perfection; it’s like pure Heaven!

"Good luck
," I say under my breath as the echo of the door closing rings through the gym.

Chapter 7: Game

The
bright lights of the field light up the black sky and their glow is reflecting off of the freshly cut grass.  The newly painted white lines pop off of the deep green and you can tell the field has been meticulously manicured for our Homecoming Game. The metal bleachers are bursting with black and gold; excitement and energy is pouring out of every direction of the Easthaven side.

Shane
has a surge of new found popularity after the pep rally. People he doesn’t even know are coming up to him at the game and congratulating him, complementing him and asking how long he’s been playing the drums. Some people even mention how much he reminds them of Roger, which I’m sure is bittersweet.

I’m
always really cautious of bringing up Roger. Mostly because I don’t know what to say so I always let Shane do the talking. He seems to take it in stride, but he rarely opens up about it.

We
are in the middle of the homecoming game and it’s a lot closer than anyone wants it to be at halftime. The score is tied seventeen to seventeen. Our team is usually a second half team, but I know how important this game is to Ryan and I really want them to win.

Halftime
is the usual parade of the homecoming court, basically it’s the most popular people from each class in their semi-formal dresses and suits on the field. Well, except for the players who are still in uniform since they’re in the middle of the game. Of course all three boys were voted on the court, but since they are only juniors, none of them could be voted Homecoming King. Since Ryan is playing and he was voted on junior court, my parents are here, too, but luckily, they have a parents’ section far away from the students’ section. It is nice to finally, officially be in the student section! 

We
’re so used to seeing our brothers out there, who needs to watch? So Sid, Shane and I see this as the perfect opportunity to go to the snack stand. Normally, I'd try to make an excuse to stay and watch Todd, but as luck would have it, he’s paired with RTS for the junior court and I've had just about enough of seeing them together.

"I have a question
; who came up with the name Sour Lollipops?" I ask as we devour our hot dogs. I've been meaning to ask Shane since I heard the name.

"Todd."
Shane says with a mouth full of hotdog.

"Of course! He’s said since he was a kid that if he had a band
, he'd name it Sour Lollipops because they are the perfect food." Sid laughs and then practically chokes on her hot dog.

"Who knew he liked sucking on things so much
," Shane cuts in.

Both Sid and I
give him a look like that was uncalled for, but I know that comment was intended for me, so I secretly smile at Shane.

Once
the king and queen are announced, the homecoming court is replaced by the school marching band for their big halftime show.

"I'm glad you didn't join the band
." Sid puts her arm around Shane.

"Was I thinking about it?" Shane
asks, genuinely confused.

"Let me take this one
, Sid. Her theory for the drumsticks was that you had joined the band to impress Stacy Roberts.”

Shane spit
s out some of his soda. "What? That is the most insane thing I've ever heard. Wait, is that why you were always asking me how band practice was?" It all seems to suddenly click and he can’t hold back his laughter. "Stacy Roberts? Really? Wow,” he says a little more hurt than I think either of us expected.

"What's wrong with Stacy? She's cute
," I say as I spot her out in the middle of the field. 

Before he
can answer, the announcers come back on over the loud speakers and the players for both teams run back out onto the field. 

The cheerleaders promptly
go into a cheer to get the crowd up on their feet. "Let's Go, Trojans! Let's go!”

Everyone in the stands has a new sense of determined seriousness; collectively, the entire stadium starts paying attention again.

We get the ball first and Brian looks like he is all business. That’s one thing that I have to give him credit for, he is a really good player. He has an awesome arm and my brother has this sixth sense, he always knows where Brian is going to throw the ball. Together they are almost always unstoppable. Although I want to see our team score, I’m secretly hoping we'll get down just far enough to go for a field goal so then I'll get to see Todd kick!

Brian
brings the ball all the way down the field and it is like watching a perfect dance with Brian and Ryan. I feel bad for some of the other players because it is almost as if they aren't even there. Occasionally, someone will run with the ball to throw the Hornets off, but for the most part, watching Brian and Ryan weave in and out is like a well-synchronized tango. 

We
are on the two-yard line and Brian does a great fake then passes it to Ryan. It is perfect because the other team isn't expecting it and Ryan makes a beautiful catch for a touchdown. Bam! He gets hit hard and I hold my breath because he got hit on the same side as his surgery and he’s not getting up. I grab Sid's hand and squeeze it.  Is he ok? I quickly scan the parents’ section to see if I can see my mom.

“The Trojans take the lead and it’s twenty-three to seventeen with a beauty of a catch from Ryan Taylor. Oh, it looks like he might be down on the field, the trainers are coming out to check on him.”  The announcers voice echoes.

I close my eyes and tell myself to breathe. He finally gets up after what feels like an eternity, but is actually only a few seconds.

The entire Trojan side
is up and on their feet screaming, “RYAN! RYAN! RYAN!” It is overwhelming! He got hit right where he had surgery and he is fine; I feel like I can breathe a little easier for the rest of the game.

To make things e
ven better, Todd comes out to kick the extra point. It’s as if all sound is muted; people are screaming, but I can’t hear anything. All I can see is Todd. The entire field is empty and I’m the only person in the stands; it is just him and me. He kicks the ball and it rotates in slow motion right through the uprights.

“And the kick is good by
number eighteen, Todd Hamilton,” the announcer’s voice rings in my ears and snaps me back to reality. Everyone is back on the field and the crowd is roaring with excitement. The scoreboard finally has us in the lead, twenty-four to seventeen, yet our defensive players aren't quite as strong as our offense and the Hornets make it within field goal range on their next drive. We get our stride back and we’re able to hold them off on their next few plays so they don't get a touchdown. Their kicker comes out to attempt a field goal.

“And the kick is good! The Hornets are catching up with a score of
twenty-four to twenty,” the announcer’s voice rings through the stadium.

Brian and Ryan
are back out on the field. They get us in field goal range, but they can’t get passed the Hornets for the touchdown, so Todd comes back out to kick.

I look at Sid
who is biting her nails. This time, she grabs my hand and squeezes it. “I can’t look!” she says as she buries her head into my shoulder. I can't
not
look. He looks incredible in his uniform.

“And the kick is GOOD!”
Sid and I both start jumping up and down screaming! The cheerleaders are tossing girls up in the air and everyone in the crowd is up on their feet. The score is twenty-seven to twenty going into the fourth quarter, however all the Hornets need is a touchdown to tie the game. I don’t like it. As I watch the time left tick away, my stomach starts turning over. I’m so nervous for the team that I feel like I’m out there on the field myself.

We
keep shutting them down throughout the fourth quarter and we are able to maintain our lead. I really want this game to be over now so we can keep our lead and win! Our defensive players are getting tired and they’re starting to let things slip.

There
is a minute left on the clock and it’s the Hornet’s last chance to tie up the game. Their quarterback throws a long pass, hoping they’ll get a Hail Mary touchdown. Out of nowhere, Darren Smith—one of our players—jumps up and intercepts the ball! The stands go absolutely crazy! I’m screaming so loud that I barely have a voice left.

Brian and Ryan
are back out on the field. All we have to do is hold on to the ball to keep our lead as the clock ticks down and we’ll win the game! After a few plays, we get pretty far down the field and I guess Brian doesn’t want to just hold onto the ball anymore because he throws a long pass to Ryan. Once we see the ball launch into the air, Sid and I look at each other in shock. We don’t love football the way our brothers do, but we want to win. 

“What is he doing?” I scream
.

“I have no idea
,” Sid shouts back.

The ball
spins through the air and Ryan jumps up, making a beautiful catch right in the end zone.

“TOUCHDOWN!
With less than a minute to go, the Trojans make a fantastic play to seal the deal,” the announcer screams into his microphone.

I’m surprised the bleachers
don’t fall down we’re all jumping up and down so hard. Todd comes out on the field to kick the extra point and my heart starts to pound. I’m not sure why, whether he makes it or not doesn’t matter, but I desperately want him to make it even if it is only for him. I want him to be able to end the game on a huge high note. My fingers are crossed as everyone gets in formation.
Please let him make it.
Sid must be feeling the same way because she grabs my hand again and squeezes it. I squeeze back. Todd always does this little jump when he kicks the ball. All I want to see is his little jump. He runs into the kick, does his little jump and the ball is soaring through the air.

“The kick is GOOD!” the announcer
shouts. “The Trojans have done it. They’ve won the game, thirty-four to twenty.”

The stands
go wild, people are hugging people they’ve never met; even the players can’t contain their excitement down on the field. I see Gretchen run up and hug Ryan. The coach has a strict no PDA on the field rule so all the players are very careful. Hugs are acceptable, but nothing more or they will pay for it at the next practice. I quickly search the field for RTS to see who she is hugging, hoping it is anyone but Todd. As luck would have it, Todd is surrounded by players and RTS is clear across the field. Brian, however, is talking to Blythe over the fence. Wow, maybe he really does like her! 

“What’s up with Blythe and Brian?” Sid
notices at the same time.

As soon as I got home last night I texted Sid and told her who Shane and I saw
 Brian making out with at the bonfire. We all came to the conclusion that it was a product of the bonfire and nothing more, but maybe we were wrong.

“Word on the field is
, Blythe and Brian are going to the dance together,” Shane says as he comes up from the lower bleachers. It’s almost as if he knew exactly what we were just talking about. We all just look at each other with disbelief. Could Brian finally really like someone?

Chapter 8: The Dance

Every year our school has their homecoming dance right down the street from school at the town
’s country club, which sounds much fancier than it really is. It’s called a country club, but really, it’s more like a Town Hall.

Brian, Todd, Ryan and their dates
are all meeting at our house before the dance. This is amazing because I can see Todd in his suit and tie before the dance and horrible because I’m also going to see RTS posing for pictures with him. Everything about this is perfect except for RTS. Maybe she’ll break her leg on the way over and she won’t be able to go then Todd will realize he really wants to go with me. WHY didn’t I think of this before? I could have really planned something out. Suddenly, images of me organizing a cheerleading “accident” flash through my mind; I’ve officially gone insane. 

Sid
is coming over early so we can get ready for the dance together, and luckily, Todd is driving her here. Even more luckily, they are both spending the night. This is why no one can ever find out my true feelings. If my Dad knew, he would never let Todd spend the night. EVER. 

“Sid’s here
,” Ryan calls up from the bottom of the stairs. HOORAY! Because that also means Todd is here. Not that I don’t want to see Sid, but seeing Todd is like the cherry on top of the sundae! I run out of my room and practically slam into him.

“Hey
, Ashley!” he says in his beautifully deep voice.

“Hi
, Todd. Where’s Sid?” I ask, trying not to look as flustered as I feel.

From behind him I hear a squea
l as Sidney runs up the stairs. “It’s our first Homecoming Dance, can you believe it?” She hugs me so tight, I can’t breathe.

“Sid is a little excited
,” Todd says, explaining her behavior.

“I can see that
,” I reply while Sid is still attached to me with my arms pinned to my sides.

“Geez
, Sid, Ashley can’t breathe,” Todd chastises as he sort of pries her off me.

“I can’t wait to see your dress on you, it’s such a pretty color
! I’ve got mine right here. Come on, let’s go get ready,” she says all in one breath as she holds up a garment bag and starts pulling me toward my room.

I just look at Todd
, shake my head and smile. He smiles back, which makes my heart instantly react. We both know exactly what the other one is thinking. Unfortunately, it has to do with Sid and not about how much he loves me. So I guess he doesn’t know exactly what I’m thinking.

In the seclusion of my room, Sid immediately
starts to dump all of her make-up out on my bed. “Okay, Ash, I’ll do your make-up and you can do mine!”

I look at her like she
has lost her mind. “Do you really think that is a good idea? Letting me do your make-up could be disastrous! Don't you remember what happened last year?”

Sid must have blocked out the memory of me doing her make-up for our
eighth grade dance. We were an hour late because she had to wash it all off and start from scratch.

She
thinks about it for a second in what is her first breath of silence since she got here and then she shivers, remembering. “Okay, you’re right. I’ll do our make-up, but we’ve got to hurry."

I
don’t usually wear a ton of make up so I haven’t quite mastered it yet. Sid not only does my make-up, she also helps me with my hair. She works a hair miracle with a little help from over half a bottle of hair spray and a flat iron. The end result is a loose half up-half down do.

“O
-M-G, I love this dress on you.” Sid helps me zip it up. I
love
this dress, too. It fits me perfectly, right above the knee and it has a few rows of small ruffles at the very top which really help enhance my nonexistent chest. I’m on the shorter side, so the fact that the length fits perfectly is huge and the amazing coral color looks great with my olive skin.

“Thanks
, Sid! You look incredible, too. I really love that color on you.” Sid’s dress is a beautiful, deep metallic-blue that makes her pale skin sparkle.

“Thanks
, Ash! I can’t believe we’re getting ready for our first high school Homecoming Dance, can you?”

I
grin back at her, there aren’t even words; I feel amazing! I am on cloud nine. It is our first homecoming, Todd is in my house and spending the night, and I love the way I look! It’s fun to dress up for once. Sid is still getting ready but I really want to make the most of the little time I have with Todd before RTS gets here. As I walk out of my room there are a million butterflies in my stomach at the thought of seeing him at any second. I head down my stairs, the same stairs I’ve walked down a million times and never thought twice about, but this time I am really concentrating on each step so I don’t fall down and make a fool of myself. When I get to the bottom, I finally look up and there is Todd, sitting on our couch and looking perfect in his dark grey suit, crisp white shirt and a red and blue stripped tie.

“Wow,
kiddo, you look really beautiful,” Todd smiles and I try to read his expression because I think for sure he’s kidding, but he is completely serious. My stomach drops as if I’m on a huge roller coaster.
SPEAK
, I internally scream at myself. 

“Thanks
, Todd. You, too.” Wait did I just tell him he looks beautiful? Thankfully, the doorbell interrupts us and my dad walks in. 

“I’ll get it.” He
does a double-take and stops in his tracks. “Wow, Ashley, you look incredible. My little baby is all grown up.”

“Thanks
, Dad,” I say as I look down at the floor, a little embarrassed because Todd is witnessing this conversation.

“Hi
, Brian. Girls,” I hear my dad say from the other room. Gretchen, RTS and Blythe all drove here with Brian. I'm sure he loved every second of that drive, too. My moment alone with Todd is over, but he did say I look beautiful; unfortunately, he also called me kiddo.

“Hey
, Todd,” they all say as they enter my living room. RTS runs up and gives Todd a hug as if no one else is standing right here. How rude! What am I, invisible?

"Hi
, date!" she says as she stands on her tip-toes to give Todd a kiss on the cheek. Geez, does she have to rub salt in the wound from the second she gets here? 

“Oh
, hey, Ashley, I didn’t even recognize you.” Brian finally acknowledges that there is someone else in the room.

“Thanks
, Brian. You look great, too.” I make sure it is overly sarcastically. 

“You look so handsome
; I love your suit!” RTS says to Todd, still completely ignoring the fact that anyone else is in the room. I’m standing right here, not to mention this is MY house!

“You look really pretty, Rebecca
,” Todd responds. 

Man
, I’ve gotta get out of here.
“I’m going to go up to check on Sid and Ryan,” I shout over to them as I run up the stairs. I find Sid in the bathroom, still primping with Ryan, not so patiently, waiting in the hall outside.

"Sid
, you look amazing; let's go. Ryan, Gretchen is downstairs." I’m not about to go back downstairs without at least one of them. 

"I'm just waiting for Sid so I can go to the bathroom." He
is clearly a little irritated.

"Come on
, Sid," I say, sort of pleading with save me undertones, yet she’s completely oblivious. I start to pull her out by the arm.

"
Okaaay." She’s annoyed, but it works. She finally puts down her makeup brush. "I mean, it's not like this is the only bathroom in the house." She says looking at Ryan as she walks out.

"But
this is
my
bathroom, Sid," he says as he shuts the door, relieved he finally got in.

Sid and I make our way downstairs together and find that
Shane is here, too. Of course, he is the best-dressed person in the room. Well, maybe he’s tied with Blythe. He’s wearing a corduroy jacket with patches on the elbows and a sweater vest over a button down shirt. He paired it with a solid, light orange tie that matches the stripes on his shirt perfectly. Blythe is wearing something that might not technically be semi-formal, but it looks so cool on her that it works. Let's just say it involves safety pins. People with an eye for fashion really irritate me!

"Ryan!"
A symphony of voices greet my brother as soon as he appears at the top of the stairs.

"Hey
, guys!" he says as he does a kind of hop down the stairs. He walks right up to Gretchen and kisses her. "You look gorgeous," he whispers in her ear. "I'll be right back," he says, kissing her on the cheek. Unfortunately, I’m close enough to hear and see everything.

"Shane, where's my greeting like that? I mean you are my date
," Sid nudges him in the side.

"Um
, I'm Ash's date, too, and I need to balance the affection. I mean, I don't want one of you to get jealous."

"Wow
, Shane. Two girls? Who knew you were such a stud!" Brian smacks him on the back.

"Of course he is. Anyone with that much style must be fighting off the girls
," Blythe interjects. It takes a style guru to know one, I guess.

Ryan
chooses that moment to come strutting back in carrying a corsage from the kitchen. He gets down on one knee and gently places it on Gretchen's wrist. Ugh, I just threw up a little, again!

"Time for pictures!"
my mom shouts as she comes running into the room holding our giant, old, embarrassing camera. "The other parents are here! Come on, kids; let's go outside."

The next thing
we know, we are forced into ridiculous poses. My mom even makes Ryan and me pose together. I. Want. To. Die. Seriously, why doesn’t she just kill the tiny bit of a social life I have with one single picture? Not to mention, this certainly won't help Todd see me as anything other than Ryan's little sister!

It
is interesting to see the different dates together, though. I’m carefully watching Todd and RTS. I mean, not too carefully; I don't want anyone to notice. The only person here who knows is Shane and I want to keep it that way. Their body language definitely says “friends” so far, although parents are here so PDA is on pause for the moment anyway.

During the parental
photo session Ryan, Todd and Brian's limo pulls up in front of our house. Talk about humiliating, Ryan and all of his friends are going to the dance in a limo, but Sid, Shane and I are going to the dance in my dad's Volvo station wagon. Definitely not a limo.

***

"Dad can you drop us off a block away
, please,” I plead as we drive to the dance. All three of us are in the back seat, but that's about as close as we are getting to being chauffeured in a limo.

"I drove your brother when he was a freshman
, too. When you’re a junior, we can talk about a limo for you and your friends." Geez, even my dad doesn’t think I’ll have a date in the next two years. How depressing is that!

"Ash, these shoes are already killing me. I don't really want to walk a block to get there. I mean
, I'm sure other kids are getting dropped off," Sidney tries to make a case. Whose side is she on? I can't believe these words are coming out of her mouth. It’s bad enough Todd and the others saw us piling into my dad's car while they piled into an awesome limo, but now Sid actually wants the entire school to see us getting dropped off in a station wagon? I give her the look of death and all she does is shrug like I’m the crazy one. Shane, however, has been friends with us long enough to know to stay out of this one.

Sure enough
, when we pull up, limo after limo is dropping kids off.
I knew it!
There are limos everywhere and there is one, blue, Volvo station wagon and we are in it. Limos are in front of us and behind us without another parent’s car dropping kids off in sight!

I
sink down in my seat. "Sidney," I say through my gritted teeth. "Do you see any other cars that aren't limos here?" 

Shane
starts laughing.

"Oh
, who cares?" I gotta hand it to her, she really, truly doesn’t care what other people think. I wish I didn't!

"Well
, as long as your feet are comfortable," I say, not really caring about her friggin’ feet!

My dad
pulls up and I jump out of the car as quickly as possible.

"See you right here at
ten-thirty," my dad shouts as I slam the car door behind me.
Thanks for the reminder that I have to go through this again in a few hours, Dad!
Oh well, I'll worry about that one later.

Sidney is already limping as we walk in and I can't even try to hide my anger at this point.
"Really? Did you have to wear
those
shoes?"

"They look amazing and they are leopard print and they make me four inches taller!" She
does the Sid head shake/eye roll as if I am the stupid one here. My anger and embarrassment continues to bubble up until we open the doors to the ballroom. It looks incredible! There are black and gold balloons covering the entire ceiling. One of the seniors is DJ'ing, there is a table with a ton of food and a huge punch bowl. Multicolored lights are flying through the room. It is exactly like every dance I’ve ever seen in a movie.