Fallen Elements

by Heather McVea

  “Understatement.” Nicole laughed. “It’s the perfect excuse for otherwise sane people to drink at ten in the morning.”

  “I love me my day time drunks.” Greg chimed in. Nicole laughed and Greg smiled, clearly pleased he had amused the woman.

  “Greetings, fellow Fluffy Box of Kittens teammates.” Philip Baird waved to the three as they began putting their bags and water bottles down near the side of the field. Philip was a British transplant, and had only been in the States for a little over a year. He was in his mid-twenties, with curly blond hair and a perfectly chiseled jaw line. Much to Nicole’s, and most of the other women on the team’s chagrin, Philip was not only a dedicated bachelor, but gay.

  “You think he’s really committed to that?” Nicole had asked as they sat around Kislings after their first game together.

  Ryan rolled her eyes at her roommate. “Are you seriously asking me that question?”

  Nicole had sheepishly shrugged as she drank her pint. “There’s such a thing as bisexual.”

  Ryan shook her head. “Then he would have said, mates - I’m bisexual. But he said gay.”

  “Isn’t mates Australian?” Nicole had teased. She had moved past her initial doubt and infatuation when a drunk Philip had coined the team’s name, and insisted their team t-shirts be fuchsia.

  Philip nodded toward a set of bleachers. “Ryan, a woman asked after you. She wanted to know if she was at the right field. She’s up there with her friend.”

  Ryan shielded her eyes from the morning sun as she looked up. Leah was sitting near the top of the six row bleachers, next to a brown haired woman Ryan didn’t recognize. She had on a pair of slim cut jeans, a gray cable knit sweater, and burgundy colored scarf. Ryan continued to be amazed at how beautiful Leah was.

  “Who’s she with?” Nicole followed Ryan’s gaze.

  “Don’t know.” Ryan looked at Nicole. “Makes sense she wouldn’t come on her own.” The woman looked older than Leah, or more accurately, she looked like her chronological contemporary. Ryan had to admit she was attractive. Her hair was cut short and stylishly messy. She had a heavier build than Leah, and her curves filled out her dark jeans and burgundy sweater perfectly.

  Greg put his arm around Ryan. “Are you going to introduce everyone?”

  A wave of nervousness washed over Ryan, and she was regretting that she had invited Leah. It wasn’t because she didn’t want to see her. Somehow, though, the introduction of Leah into her social circle, even if it was just for the afternoon, made the relationship not only more real, but more intimate.

  “Of course. Come on.” Ryan was impressed she had managed the casual tone even though her insides were doing somersaults.

  Walking up the bleachers, Nicole and Greg in tow, Ryan reminded herself she had asked for this, and mustered her courage accordingly.

  “Leah.” Ryan smiled as she stood in front of the two women. “You’re here.”

  Leah looked up, an immediate smile spreading across her lips. “Hey, good to see you again.” The woman stood, and to Ryan’s delight, hugged her.

  “Who’s this?” Ryan smiled at the woman who now stood at Leah’s side.

  “I’m sorry. This is my friend Pamela Nollner. She’s down from Boston on business, and I thought she might enjoy a bit of sport.”

  “A very little bit of sport.” Greg smiled as he extended his hand to Leah. “I’m Greg Matthews, and this is Ryan’s roommate, Nicole Wright.”

  Leah laughed as she took Greg’s hand. “Leah Brewer - and I did look up the BSSC divisions, and I assume you are in the - what was it - super extreme social division?”

  “It’s sanctioned day drinking. It’s like coming home every Saturday.” Nicole shook Leah and Pam’s hands as the group erupted in laughter.

  “Then my trip isn’t a total waste.” Pam joked.

  “We’ll do right by you.” Ryan winked and the group fell into a casual back and forth conversation.

  As Greg was explaining how Leah and Pam should join them after the game for the ceremonial outing to Kislings for beer and wings, Ryan was trying to figure out if Leah and Pam were seeing each other.

  Midway through her scrutiny of the two women’s body language, Ryan realized Leah was looking directly at her, an amused expression on her face.

  “Sorry, what?” Ryan felt a flush of embarrassment.

  Leah nodded toward the field. “I was saying we won’t miss you out there, you’re practically glowing in the dark.”

  Ryan frowned. Pink was never her color, and with the cold weather she had been forced to wear a pair of black sweat pants, and a black thermal shirt under her team jersey. She felt incredibly frumpy. “I’m not sure what my signature color is, but I can effectively eliminate magenta.”

  Leah and Pam laughed as Leah absently squeezed Ryan’s shoulder. “You’re positively radiant.” The blonde teased.

  “Let’s go, Kittens!” Philip yelled from the field.

  Greg and Nicole said their goodbyes, with assurances Pam and Leah would be joining them after the game. Ryan turned to follow her friends down the bleachers and was stopped when Leah grabbed her hand. “Thanks for inviting me.”

  Ryan looked at their hands. Leah’s touch was warm in spite of the chill in the air. “Thanks for coming.” Not wanting to be rude, Ryan looked up at Pam. “Ready to see how we do it in Baltimore?”

  Pam laughed. “Impress me.”

  Ryan trotted down to join her team on the field. Everyone was handed a flag belt with three flags each, and the referee called Philip, the Kittens’ captain, and the captain of the opposing team, Touchdown My Pants, to the center of the field for the coin toss.

  “She’s attractive.” Greg was standing next to Ryan as they waited for the outcome of the toss.

  “Yea, she is.” Ryan struggled to sound casual.

  “Is she with Pam?”

  The idea of Leah being with anyone made Ryan feel possessive. She hated that was where her head went, and she worked hard to push the irrational irritation out of her voice when she answered Greg. “I’m not sure. You should ask her after the game.”

  Greg’s eyes narrowed. “Would I be asking for me - or for you?”

  Ryan chewed nervously at her lower lip. “Think of it as killing two birds with one stone.” Not waiting for what she was sure would be a pithy and sarcastic comment, Ryan ran out on the field and took her position. She casually glanced up at the bleachers. Leah and Pam were talking, and to Ryan’s dismay, not paying any attention to the field.

  Don’t be a petulant child. The game hasn’t even started yet. Ryan chastised herself.

  The whistle blew and in lieu of a kickoff, the Touchdowns threw the ball into the Kittens’ backfield. Henry Lancaster, a twenty-something who drove a delivery truck for FedEx, caught the ball, and ran forward only to have his flag pulled near the fifteen yard line.

  The Kittens huddled up, and Greg, who usually quarterbacked, instructed the team. “Ryan and Henry, you two go long. Let’s start off with a bang.”

  The players took their places, Ryan breaking into a sprint as the ball was hiked to Greg. The football came spiraling toward her, and catching it, Ryan ran the remaining length of the field to score the game’s first goal.

  Applause and cheers erupted from Ryan’s teammates and the spectators. Ryan looked up to see Pam and Leah standing, both women clapping furiously.

  “Great job Myers!” Several of Ryan’s teammates high-fived her as she jogged off the field.

  The game moved along, the Touchdowns scoring, and then the Kittens countering. It was near the end of the game, the Kittens were down by a touchdown, and Greg had decided to run the same play as their first.

  Ryan blew into her hands to warm them as she waited for the ball to be snapped. She was pretty pleased with her performance. She had scored the opening touchdown, and had racked up a fair number of yards. She looked out of the side of her eye, hopeful Leah was enjoying the game.

  Pam and Leah sat huddled toget
her, the temperature having dipped slightly during the game. Catching Ryan’s eye, Leah waved and gave Ryan a thumbs-up. Imagining what it would be like to date Leah, Ryan nearly missed her cue to run down the field.

  Sprinting as she had at the beginning of the game, Ryan pulled deep breaths into her lungs, her legs working overtime. Unlike the first play, a Touchdowns player kept pace with her. Slowing down and turning to see the football spiraling toward her, Ryan and the other player both jumped simultaneously into the air.

  A hard jolt, followed by a stab of pain across the lower half of her face, sent Ryan crashing to the ground with a loud thud. The wind had been knocked out of her, and for a split second, Ryan thought she was going to pass out.

  “Ryan! Are you okay?” Nicole was gently rolling her over, a concerned look on her friend’s face.

  Ryan coughed, and a rush of air filled her lungs. “What happened?”

  Greg and the rest of the Kittens were now gathered around. “You missed the ball.” Greg kidded. “Oh, and you took an elbow to the lip by the looks of it.”

  Ryan reached her hand up, and carefully poked at her lower lip. “Ouch!” She winced at the stab of pain, and her eyes widened when she pulled her finger back to see the tip coated in bright red blood. “Shit.”

  “Shit is right, my friend.” Greg took Ryan’s hand and pulled her to her feet. “Let’s get you to the sideline and get some ice put on that.”

  Ryan nodded, and lifted her head in hopes that a deep breath would clear away the lingering wooziness the collision had caused. “How’s the other guy?” She looked around, but before anyone could answer, Ivan Ferguson was standing in front of her.

  Ivan was a little over six feet tall, thin with closely cropped brown hair. “Christ, Ryan - I’m so sorry.” The worried look on the man’s face made Ryan want to comfort him.

  “No worries, Ivan.” Ryan managed to smile in spite of the pain in her lower lip.

  “Let’s wrap this up!” The referee yelled from the center of the field. The Kittens still had one more down to score on, and Ryan hurried to the sideline, not wanting to delay the game any further.

  Sitting down in one of the folding chairs that lined the field, Ryan reached for the cooler to her left for some ice.

  “Let me help.” Leah’s voice came from next to Ryan, the woman having crouched down near her.

  Ryan’s eyes widened. “Thanks.”

  Leah inched around so she was kneeling in front of Ryan. “Does it hurt?” She reached for Ryan’s face, but then seemed to think better of it, and let her hands fall to her side.

  “No, actually, but how awful did I look hurling myself through the air like that?” Ryan was working to squelch her embarrassment, along with the throbbing that was spreading across her chin.

  Leah smiled as she opened the cooler and pulled one of the premade ice packs out. Looking at Ryan’s swollen lip, she grimaced. “You don’t want to know.”

  Ryan laughed, amused by Leah’s candor. “I promised you and Pam a good show.” Ryan watched as Leah carefully wrapped the ice pack in a clean white towel. “Speaking of, where is Pam?”

  Leah handed Ryan the ice pack. “She had to use the ladies’ room, but don’t worry, she saw everything.”

  Ryan carefully placed the pack on her mouth. “Splendid.”

  Leah stood up, and looking down at Ryan, smiled. “You’re really very good. You know, up to the point of unconsciousness.”

  Ryan smiled from behind her block of ice. “The Myers women have always been creatures of extremes.”

  Leah’s smile faded, and she looked down at the ground. “Well, I’m glad you’re okay.”

  Ryan knew this was no place to start the conversation about her mother, but her brain seemed unwilling to let the opportunity pass. “Leah, did you -”

  “Hell of a hit you took there, Ryan.” Pam seemed to materialize out of nowhere, and the moment between Leah and Ryan passed.

  “I wouldn’t want you coming all the way down from Boston without a little bloodshed.” Ryan shifted the ice pack so it was resting on her lower lip and chin.

  “A woman after my own heart.” Pam teased.

  The referee blew the whistle, the three long shrill sounds signaling the end of the game, and the Touchdowns’ victory over the Kittens, twenty one to fourteen.

  The rest of Ryan’s team ran off the field, and gathered around her, offering their condolences. In spite of a rapidly forming headache, it became apparent very quickly Ryan wasn’t going to be able to beg off Kislings, as the consensus was that nothing cured a busted lip like copious amounts of alcohol.

  ***

  “Are you sure you’re up for this?” Nicole tilted Ryan’s head back, and looked closely at her swollen bottom lip.

  “It’s fine. The ice has already reduced the swelling.” Ryan managed a smile that sent a spark of pain across her lip.

  Seeing her roommate’s obvious discomfort, Nicole cringed. “My vote is you go home, take an Aleve and call it a day.”

  Ryan’s eyes shot over to the bar. Leah and Pam were standing near the farthest end, waiting for their drinks. “I’m fine.”

  Nicole followed Ryan’s gaze and grinned. “I see.”

  “You see what?” Ryan stepped back from her friend, and gently dabbed at her lip, relieved there wasn’t any more blood welling up.

  “I can see why you want to press on.” Before Ryan could respond, Nicole turned and made her way toward Leah and Pam.

  Horrified at what Nicole might say, Ryan trotted after her. Nicole came to a sudden stop ten feet from the other two women, causing Ryan to run into her.

  “Jesus, Ryan.” Nicole stumbled forward.

  Ryan grabbed her friend’s shoulder, and spun her around. “Sorry, but what do you think you’re doing?” Looking over Nicole’s shoulder, Ryan’s eyes darted back and forth between Leah and Nicole.

  “You’re paranoid.” Nicole smirked, and shrugging Ryan’s hand off her shoulder turned back around.

  “Hold up.” Ryan took Nicole’s wrist in her hand. “I’m not paranoid. I know you, and your proclivity for mischief.”

  Nicole laughed. “Proclivity? Is that an educated way of saying I’m highly skilled at kick starting your social life?”

  Ryan shook her head. “I hardly need a boost, friend.”

  Nicole’s eyes narrowed as she slowly nodded her head. “Right, Jenny.”

  What had started off as a lark was starting to annoy Ryan. “That’s right. Jenny.”

  Nicole’s eyes widened. “Okay, calm down.”

  “I am calm.” Ryan knew she wasn’t and hated that she tended toward paranoid and defensive where Leah was concerned. If she were honest, it wasn’t defensive so much as protective. She was loath to think too much about why it mattered what Leah’s impressions of her were. They were hardly more than acquaintances.

  “That lip doesn’t look so hot.” Leah’s voice broke into the tension that was mounting between Ryan and Nicole.

  Managing a weak smile, Ryan turned her attention to Leah. “Looks way worse than it feels.”

  “Thank heaven for that.” Pam stepped up next to Leah. “So where is this thing happening?”

  Ryan’s brow furrowed. “Thing?”

  Nicole shifted nervously. “Why break with tradition?”

  It took Ryan several seconds to catch up, but when she did a wave of dread washed over her. “We don’t -”

  Leah frowned. “Oh, but we should.”

  Pam took a drink of her beer, and nodded. “We must.”

  Nicole smiled broadly. “Then we shall.”

  Watching as the three women walked up the staircase to the second floor of Kislings, Ryan couldn’t imagine how she was going to manage the next hour.

  “Why - so - serious?” Greg was standing next to Ryan, a half empty pint glass in his hand.

  “It’s nothing.” Ryan shrugged, resigned to her fate and the inevitable embarrassment that was headed her way.

  “What? You didn’
t want to get filthy drunk via a raucous game of flip cup in front of a woman you are clearly attracted to?” Greg took a quick sip of his beer, and shrugged casually. “That’s understandable.” He walked toward the stairs, leaving a stunned, opened mouth Ryan standing in the middle of the bar.

  I don’t have to go up there. Obviously they are all getting along superbly without me. Ryan considered her options. In the end, though, she knew it would be exponentially more awkward to just disappear then march upstairs and own her shame.

  As she reached the second floor of Kislings, the sound of laughter and cheering filled the space. Over a dozen people, most of whom she knew from BSSC, were gathered around four small tables that had been slid together to form a large square table.

  “Ryan, you’re here!” Corey Buckman, who by day was a successful web designer, had taken on his weekend drunk-frat-boy persona as he used one of five Natty Boh pitchers to fill six red plastic cups that lined either side of the table.

  “Hey - you still know who I am. Drink more.” Ryan muttered.

  “How do we pick teams?” Pam was sitting on one of the round bar stools that lined the back wall of the room. She had her arm around an amused Leah’s shoulders.

  Ryan felt a twinge of envy at Pam’s proximity to Leah, and the obvious comfort the two women had with each other.

  “Okay everyone!” Nicole’s voice boomed above the crowd. “We’ve got sixteen here today; so let’s count one through four, like numbers are on the same team - four teams total.” She pointed to Corey. “We’ll start with you, fella. While you can still count.”

  Everyone laughed as a good natured Corey started the counting. Ryan watched as the group counted off. She had hoped to be on Leah’s team, but not only were they competing against each other, they were going to be directly across from each other during the first game.

  Ryan was partnered with Kim Reynolds, Henry Lancaster, and Pam. Kim was a mousy woman in her early twenties. She had joined BSSC the season before last with her older, and much more gregarious, brother Nathan. What she lacked in personality, she made up for in her ability to chug an ice cold beer in record time. Ryan remembered thinking when she first witnessed Kim’s flip cup prowess that it was always the quiet ones.