Waiting on Forever

by Ashley Wilcox

  Holy shit, I’m going to meet his family today!

  Throwing my pillow over my head to not only shade out the light that’s making my head ache even more, but to hide myself from the world and reality that I’m meeting Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs in just a couple hours, too.

  Ahhhhhhhh…

  “What’s got your panties in a bunch?” I hear Kayla ask from her side of the room.

  “Nothing. I’ve just got a headache,” I answer in a grumpy tone, the pillow still over my head.

  I know that if I get into the whole Matt and me situation with her, and then add the meeting his parents today on top of that, I’ll get that ridiculously high pitched squeal she always does when she’s excited. But what I know will come next and sure to make me scratch my eyes out of their sockets, is the makeover she’ll insist on doing. This in return will equal me looking like a ninety-nine cent hooker. Although I’ve yet to let her come anywhere close to trying it, I’ve seen it happen to another poor soul that was stupid enough to give into her. So keeping Kayla in the dark about Matt for as long as possible is the plan I’m going with to save my eardrums, and my pride.

  “Are you hungover, Leah Bennett?” She asks like she struck gold. I can only imagine how far out of her head her eyes are bulging.

  “I may have had a few beers last night,” I admit.

  “Holy shit-balls! Has hell frozen over?” she asks, still shocked.

  Actually yes. Hell has frozen over, but not for the reason you’re thinking.

  She starts with the twenty-one questions. “Where did you go? Who did you go out with?”

  Fearing my head will explode, I throw my pillow at her, grab my bathrobe and shower caddy, and start for the door.

  “Seriously? I’ve been trying to get you out since we got here and you finally go out and get drunk, and I don’t even get details?”

  “Nope,” I dryly respond, opening the door to go take a shower.

  “Ugh. Not fair, Leah!” she shouts out after me.

  Stepping in front of one of the mirrors, I almost gasp at the person looking back at me.

  I look like shit!

  My face is as pale as a ghost and the circles under my eyes are so pronounced that I look like I’ve been punched. Even though I’m not much of a make-up wearer, I’m thinking today may be the exception.

  After scrubbing my face clean and brushing the cotton ball taste from my mouth, I take a nice warm shower, ridding myself of the gross bowling alley smell coating my skin and hair. Stepping out of the shower, I already feel less disgusting and more like a person. My headache is still lingering, but nothing a little Motrin can’t fix.

  “Your phone has been beeping like crazy,” Kayla notifies me as soon as I walk in the door.

  My stomach flutters, hoping one of the beeps is from Matt, but noticing the time on the clock it’s already 10:30 a.m. so I highly doubt any are from him. Putting my dirty clothes in the hamper and my caddy back in my closet, I pick up my cellphone to see three missed text messages waiting for me. Opening them up, I have two from Collin and one from Matt.

  Yay, Matt!

  Of course, I click on his first.

  He got me a shirt?

  Weird as that may be, at least I don’t have to worry about picking out something to wear today. I’m hoping Matt knows me well enough that he wouldn’t choose anything crazy for me to wear, so I’m going to trust him that it’s something suitable for my wardrobe.

  I click on the messages from Collin.

  Holy shit, 11 a.m.?

  Noticing the lack of time I have, I text back a quick, “Yup, that’s fine.” before throwing a t-shirt and jeans on. Grabbing my blow dryer, I quickly dry my hair and apply some cover-up under my eyes, and mascara on my eyelashes. Doing a quick look in the mirror, I decide this will have to do.

  “Whoa, are you actually going to the game?” Kayla chimes in while applying her loads of make-up.

  “Yup,” I answer, short and sweet.

  “I seriously need details. Something has clearly happened to you.”

  “Maybe later,” I wink, picking up my cellphone and jacket before practically running out the door.

  Surprisingly, I make it to Matt’s with two minutes to spare. When I walk in the house it’s again like a ghost town with all the guys already gone. Hearing voices in the kitchen, I dust off my shoes before making my way in that direction and find Summer and Collin sitting around the kitchen table eating.

  “Can I just say that I’m loving Matt with a girlfriend?” Collin says between a mouthful of food.

  Girlfriend?

  “What Collin is trying to say is that he’s never seen Matt go out of his way for a girl like he does for you,” Summer says with a smile.

  Wait. Girlfriend? I’m still stuck there.

  Maybe this is the information I’m lacking that Collin and Summer know and I don’t. I could tell by their faces yesterday that they know more about Matt’s and my story than I do, but girlfriend? He refers to me as his girlfriend? Not that I’m complaining. Hell, I’m ecstatic, but it would’ve been nice to fill me in on this.

  “When did he tell you I was his girlfriend?” I just come out and ask as I take a seat next to them.

  “Um, this mornin’… before he left he peeked in our room and said “Breakfast is on the table, make sure you leave some for my girlfriend.” Judging from how he’s talked about you, and after last night, I’m assuming you’re the girlfriend,” Collin responds with a smirk and shrugging his shoulders.

  “Of course she’s the girlfriend,” Summer chimes in, giving Collin an irritated look. “Did you not know this?”

  “Uh, no. I mean, it’s fine. It’s not a bad thing. He… or we, have just never talked about it, is all,” I answer, stumbling on my words.

  “Well, he’s definitely head over heels,” Summer adds with a grin.

  Head over heels? Seriously, when did this all happen?

  “Alright. Are you girls gonna eat or what?” Collin interrupts.

  We don’t have much time left before we have to leave, but I can’t deny the grumble called starvation in my stomach, so I put the questioning on pause with a smile. This conversation is far from over, though. I need to know what Matt has said to them, since he clearly fails to talk to me about us.

  Chapter 12

  Walking up to the stadium, my stomach knots seeing the hundreds–thousands–of spectators gathering and filling in the stands. There’s no way on god’s green earth that I’d ever be able to stand center stage with that many people looking at me. Last night was bad enough just having Matt, Summer, and Collin watch me bowl. Before today I was well aware of Matt’s popularity status and the fact that he’s a good football player, but witnessing this crazy chaos in front of me makes me feel like I’m going to a pro football game that my boyfriend is the star of.

  Suddenly I’m feeling a little uneasy wearing the long sleeve t-shirt that he left me, Cortaga Jug on the front and Team Jacobs on the back. This morning when I was rushing to Matt’s house, I was thanking the lord above that he graciously provided us with an abnormally warm fall day. I was not looking forward to sitting out in the cold for the duration of the game, but now I’m wishing it was cool enough to cover my Team Jacobs shirt with a jacket. When Summer told me that the sorority girls make these for the football players to give to their special person, I was floating on emotions that I had been his special. Now, even though I’m still excited to be given it, I’m worried that every person known to man will be looking at me wondering why this nobody is wearing a Team Jacobs shirt.

  “This is insane!” Summer shouts in an excited tone as we make our way to the gate.

  My thoughts exactly.

  “Right?” I respond with a half grin.

  Once we reach the gate entrance, one of the many pledging sorority girls is standing there collecting money and stamping hands.

  They obviously didn’t think this out, having a sorority girl handle the money and being expected to make change.<
br />
  “We have reserved tickets under Leah Bennett,” I tell her.

  Flipping through the stack of envelopes, she pulls one out with my name written on the front. I try to sneak a peek, seeing if there are any other envelopes that say Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs, but of course I can’t make any of them out.

  Giving me a once over and a haughty look that I’m sure to get all day, she hands me the three tickets and tells me to go towards the left to get to the family section.

  “I love seeing snotty bitches faces go blank when they find out who their one and only has been claimed with,” Summer comes beside me, loops her arm with mine, and whispers in my ear with a devious laugh that makes me smile.

  “I know, right? I think she just shit her pants,” I laugh back.

  And just like that I go from sour and scared shitless to proud girlfriend, ready to watch her boyfriend kick some Ithaca ass.

  Taking our seats in the section labeled “reserved” that is front and center to the field, I skim the people around us wondering which ones are Matt’s parents. Realizing I have no clue what I’m looking for–maybe an older looking Matt or a female version?–I give up and just come out and ask Collin.

  “Are Matt’s parents here yet?” I ask.

  Collin gives me a confused look before responding, “No, they won’t be here.”

  My stomach knots seeing the sad expression on Summer’s face and it dawns on me that they either never come to his games or they don’t exist at all. I know that no matter how much shit I’ve put my parents through, they will always support me. Feeling my heart break in two, I look back and forth between Collin and Summer in question, hoping that they will elaborate.

  Collin stares at me with an unreadable expression. “He hasn’t had it very easy–”

  “…And let’s hear it for our Cortland Red Dragons,” the commentator announces over the intercom, interrupting our conversation to announce the football player’s entrance to the field.

  As much as I want to hear the rest, my eyes are immediately drawn to number twelve leading the pack with the quarterback, Justin Phillips. My heart is pounding in my chest as a wave of chills spread throughout my body, seeing Matt’s perfectly sculpted butt in his uniform.

  Sweet Jesus!

  “The image never gets old,” Summer softly says, nudging my arm with a grin.

  “Not at all,” I answer, eyes still glued.

  My heart skips a beat when he spots us in the crowd, giving me his signature smile that never gets old and a wink that makes me melt as he jogs towards the home team benches seated right in front of us. I never imagined I’d be the lovestruck girlfriend in the bleachers eating up any glance or acknowledgement from her sexy, hot shot boyfriend. If someone had told me just last week that I’d be sitting in the family section at Cortaga Jug cheering for my now boyfriend, Matthew Jacobs, I’d have told them to crawl back into the hole they just came from, because there wasn’t a chance in hell that that would ever happen.

  How much things can change in just one week!

  I’ve learned two valuable lessons so far today.

  One, being at a sporting event is much more interesting than watching it on TV.

  Two, the anxiety I feel when I actually know the person in almost every play is enough to make my blood pressure rise, putting me at high risk for having a heart attack.

  The score is still zero, zero at the half. I have witnessed Matt tackled, manhandled, and pile drived over and over. My stomach has dropped at least a zillion times and I’m wondering if getting a hotdog like I planned is such a great idea.

  “Coming?” Summer asks after the team makes their way back down the tunnel to the locker room.

  “Yeah,” I respond, following behind her and Collin to the concession stand below. Afraid to lose them, I grip the back of Summer’s shirt as we weave in and out of the swarm of people.

  “Leah!” I hear a familiar bubbly voice shout from behind me.

  Closing my eyes, I realize I was just caught. I take a deep breath, knowing that the detailed story that I bypassed earlier is not going to be avoidable now.

  “Team Jacobs?” Kayla says with big eyes when I turn around.

  Yup, here it comes!

  “Please tell me you’re screwing Matthew Jacobs?” she shouts without a care in the world for who can hear her.

  Looking around, I check to see if she’s welcomed any added drama to my life and provided the entire student body with the million dollar question of who Matthew Jacobs is now screwing.

  “Um, no. I’m not screwing Matthew Jacobs,” I answer in a more appropriate tone.

  “Don’t you lie to me, Leah Bennett. You’re wearing a team Jacobs shirt. Only girls lucky enough to get in their pants gets those shirts.”

  “Sorry to break it to you, but I’ve yet to get in his pants,” I respond, matter-of-factly.

  Yikes! That didn’t come out right.

  “Yet? Does this mean you will? Are you guys flippin’ together?” And here it is, twenty-one questions.

  “Kayla, I promise you I’ll fill you in at home, but I’m not gettin’ into it right now,” I promise her with a smile.

  “So you are?” she continues with a huge grin.

  Letting out a chuckle because honestly, it’s hard not to laugh when talking to her, I say, “Yes, Kayla. Matthew Jacobs is my boyfriend.”

  “Oh my frickin god. This is insane. I totally underestimated you!” she practically cheers.

  “Okay,” I laugh. “I’ve gotta go.”

  “Oh my god, I’m so excited for you. My frickin roommate is dating Matthew Jacobs! Squee!”

  “Bye, Kayla,” I say as I walk away, ignoring her ridiculously annoying high pitched excitement.

  Rolling my eyes, I spot Collin and Summer in line at the concession stand and I push through the crowd to meet up with them.

  “Sorry, my roommate,” I briefly explain.

  “Sorority girl, huh? Lucky you,” Summer says sarcastically.

  “Pledgee,” I add.

  “Ugh, even better,” she laughs.

  “Yeah, tell me about it. Last week she came home at two in the morning covered in BBQ sauce, Rice Krispies, chocolate syrup, and powdered sugar,” I continue in an annoyed tone.

  “What? Why?”

  “I have no frickin clue. Something about having to be ready whenever and wherever and as long as it doesn’t cause any harm to their body they have to do anything their sisters tell them to do if they want to be sworn in,” I explain, rolling my eyes. “It’s seriously the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”

  “I’ve never understood sororities. On top of doing all this stuff to get in, you’ve also got to pay all these dues and fees. You’re basically paying for friends to treat you like crap before bringing you into their cult. Doesn’t make sense,” Summer says, shaking her head in disbelief.

  “Can I just say that I’m so happy you’re not one of them,” I admit to Summer. “I had it in my head that you were going to be another Kayla, and I wanted to tear my eyes out, thinking about having to spend the whole day with someone like that.”

  “Oh my god, no! I’d tear my own eyes out,” she jokes.

  Without even asking, Collin turns around and passes us each a hotdog and soda.

  “Thanks,” I say, taking it from his hands. “How much do I owe ya?”

  “Nothing. Matt would have my ass if I let you pay,” he assures me.

  “Well, thanks.”

  “No problem.” He winks.

  With only a couple minutes left in halftime, we make our way back to our seats to catch the last of the cheerleading routine. I notice Collin’s face cringe when he sees them out on the field and he does everything in his power not to watch. Obviously, Summer picks up on my confusion because she whispers to me, “His ex was just in a wicked bad cheerleading accident two weeks ago…still fresh in his head.”

  “He was with her?”

  “All the guys were home for the homecoming game, and she was t
here cheering,” Summer explains.

  “Is she okay?”

  “I think so. Collin has talked to her a few times online, and she said she’s doing better,” she says, shrugging her shoulders.

  “So they’re friends?”

  “Yeah, now they are. She’s got a serious boyfriend.”

  Huh? Interesting.

  Soon after the cheerleaders exit the field, the football team returns. Keeping my eyes on Matt, he shoots me a smile and a wink before taking a seat on the bench. No matter how many times he does it, I have the same reaction–pounding heart and a pile of emotional mush.

  Noticing our little exchange, Summer smiles at me and nudges my arm. I smile to myself as I get a feeling of fulfillment throughout my body. Not only have I never had a boyfriend, especially one as hot as Matt, but I’ve never had real friends before. For the first time in my life I can say that I’m truly happy.

  This is good. It feels really good.

  Ten seconds left in the game and we are down by four. We’ve just got a first down and are only a few short yards away from the end zone. My nails are completely chewed off and I’m on the edge of my seat. To say that my first football game is intense is an understatement. Never have I ever been so into a football game! But sitting here and rooting Matt on, I can’t help but be all in.

  Judging from the previous plays, I have a feeling that the ball is going to be thrown to Matt. After the snap, I see Matt running towards the end zone looking back over his shoulder and watching the ball flying in his direction. Telling myself that this is just too much, I close my eyes and cross every single finger and toe that he catches it.

  “Don’t close your eyes!” Summer shouts next to me, instantly making me open them. Just as I focus in on Matt, again, the ball falls right into his hands.

  Touchdown!

  Overwhelmed with excitement, we all jump out of our seats. Summer and I hug each other, jumping up and down like idiots. Turning back towards Matt, I watch as he takes his helmet off and says something to the sky, like he’s thanking the heavens above. Then taking me by surprise, he looks in my direction, kisses his fingers and points them to me. Feeling a rush of emotion, my heart jumps from chest and I have this sudden urge to cry.