Falling in The Endzone

“So, how big is this tailgate going to be today?” I asked my dad on the ride down to the meadow lands for a Jets game, the first preseason game of the season.
    I always loved going to Jets games with my dad in the meadow lands. It was our thing that we had been doing together for about four years since I was about eleven. He always tried to take me to one or two games a season. My favorite part was the tailgate before the game. Cooking for everyone and chilling in the trunk of my dad’s big Ford Explorer.
    “There will be about ten people us included. Remember we’re making breakfast because Frankie is going to be here this week. He’s also bringing his seventeen year old nephew Kenny so be nice Allison.” My dad told me while laughing at me. I was normally the only kid there, so, this was going to be an interesting experience.
    “Aren’t I always nice dad?” I asked as we started to pull into the meadow lands parking lot.
    I handed my dad his parking pass and we slowly entered the parking lot. Ignoring the people waving us to the side because we didn’t want to go the way they wanted us too. My dad and his friends always parked in the same place so that they could tailgate and cook on the same wall. The security guards always wanted my dad to go around the long way and he thought that was ridiculous. So, we just rounded around everyone and drove a little more and backed into our space.
    Mr. Stage my dad’s lawyer and friend was standing on the wall to tell the rest of the cars where to go. Behind my dad and me there were another three cars. One with Frankie and his nephew, another with Mr. Stage’s brother-in-law and son, and the last had two people that were sitting in Mr. Stage’s seats, but I wasn’t quite sure who they were exactly.
    Now I knew exactly who was coming to this tailgate. My dad, Mr. Stage, his nephew, his son, his brother-in-law, Frankie, his nephew, two people I didn’t know, and me. That sounded like a great group to me so it was going to be a great day. Frankie’s nephew Kenny was new to the whole Jets game and tailgating thing and I was closer to his age than Mr. Stage’s nephew Kevin so I was obligated to be nice to him, but I knew that if I didn’t truly like him I could just hang out with Kevin and try to ignore him as much as possible. In the game when he sat with us I could just look too interested.
    I got out of the car slowly to see Kevin emerging out of Mr. Stage’s car the same way. I grabbed all my stuff out of the car and put my hat on with my ponytail out of the back. I put a sweatshirt on, on top of my jersey and waved at Kevin. He smiled and headed for me.
    “So, I see you’re here at the first game, like usual.” He told me and a little laugh slipped out of his lips.
    “Yeah, I see you’re here too, but not like usual. Did you hear about the new kid around these parts?” I asked him trying not to let the same laugh slip out of my lips like it had his.
    “Yeah, I have. Let’s hope he fits in with you seeing as you’re closer to his age and he’ll be sitting next to you in the stadium not me, sucks to be you if he’s a pain in the a*s.” Kevin told me and he laughed again. I couldn’t help but smile. This was one place I always felt I belonged, in the Jets parking lot. I grew up a Jets fan but this was one of the only places Jets fans were accepted because the Jets sucked for the longest time.
    We stood there for awhile just smile and watching what was happening around us and then my dad motioned for us to head over to him and help him with the EZ up. Mr. Stage and my dad grabbed legs and then Kevin and I did the same as Frankie set up grills and everyone else watched. I could tell that Kenny seemed a little out of place so I decided that after I was done helping I’d go over to introduce myself. I knew Kevin wouldn’t follow me when I went over so the minute I separated from the pack I was on my own, maybe even for the rest of the day.
    The EZ up went up real easy. After that no one looked at me to give me another job so I wandered over to lonely Kenny. He was in a Jets t-shirt not looking like he really liked it, jeans, and white Nike’s. He was big but not as big as Frankie and he wasn’t huge for his age. The first thing that actually caught me about him were his blue eyes. They were ice blue but they had a loving look to them, I could tell even from where I was standing. They weren’t cold; they had a sort of hidden warmth to them that I tuned in on automatically. He was pretty tall but everyone was to me at my height of 5’1. I was thinking maybe about 5’8.
    When I reached him I waved guessing that he already knew who I was and he looked down at his shoes and kicked at the ground a little. Apparently he was shy and my dad forgot to mention that. He had now became my mission, by the end of the day I would make him fit in with us by choice or by force. The guys, my dad’s friends had broken me out of my shell at my first game so I decided I would do the same for Kenny, he would definitely benefit from it.
    “I guess I haven’t already been pointed out to you. I’m Allie. My dad is right over there in the hat that matches mine.” I introduced myself and smiled and then pointed at my dad.
    He smiled back and it made my heart skip a beat. He took a step closer showing that we were instant friends.
    “Hi, I’m guessing everyone already knows who I am. I’m Frankie’s nephew Kenny Burke. Nice to meet you Allie.” He introduced himself back and my smile grew. His voice tugged on my heart and I had no idea why.
    “Allison! I have a job for you bring your new friend!” My dad yelled at me from the wall with the grills.
    I headed over to him and I could hear that Kenny was following closely behind. When I reached my dad he silently handed me a knife and a bunch of rolls. I knew exactly what he wanted. They always did stick me in the back of my dad’s car to cut rolls or buns of some kind. I guess he figured Kenny wouldn’t help because he only gave me one knife but I was perfectly fine with that. We could just talk while I cut everything up. I juggled the rolls and the knife in my hands and Kenny quickly took the knife out for safety reasons I guess. I giggled a little and led him over to my dad’s car.
    I lifted myself up and sat myself back against an empty cooler in my dad’s trunk. Kenny handed me the knife and followed in suit. Quickly we developed a system together. Kenny would hand me a role, I would cut it and then hand it back and he would put it back into the bag where the cookers needed it.
    “So, you know everyone here?” He asked me with a smirk.
    “Actually I don’t. Those two people over there, I have no idea who they are. I just know they’re sitting with him, Mr. Stage. Then you and your uncle are sitting with my dad and I.” I explained pointing my finger frantically around at different people.
    “So, what about him? Is he your football boyfriend? I saw your interaction with him earlier in the beginning, looked like there was more than just a friendship.”
    “Oh, Kevin will never be more than a friendship for me. He’s Mr. Stage’s nephew. He lost his dad when he was really little, before I was born. I grew up around him he’s like twenty-three and I’m fifteen. Just a little bit of a stretch” I told him and I couldn’t help but laugh. I could never imagine someone asking me if I was dating Kevin. I mean I guess you could think that from seeing us for the first time especially at a football game, where we felt most comfortable.
    We kept discussing the background of everyone there and quickly finished the rolls. I handed them off to my dad and him and Frankie started to cook. Kenny’s questions fascinated me because I just guessed he knew about everything he was asking about because Frankie was his uncle. I guess he really didn’t grow up around it like Kevin and I did.
    “Hey Allison, can you help me with something?” Kevin came around the corner of the car and asked me.
    “Sure.” I told him and hopped out of the car. Kevin led me over to Mr. Stage’s car and I got just a little confused. Then he grabbed a cooler and I realized that he needed my help carrying it over to the tailgate.
    “It’s not heavy I promise. I know you can’t lift much with your back. So, how is everything going over there with the new kid?”
    “He really isn’t that bad. He at first had asked if we were dating and I laughed. Now he’s just asking why we tailgate and who everyone is and where we sit in the stadium. Nothing really wrong with him yet and he’s really cute. Maybe there’s something there, but highly doubt it because Frankie and my dad will object to said something.” I told Kevin everything and we both just started laughing.
    After Kevin knew everything we lifted the cooler out of the trunk and set it on the ground to close the trunk. That’s when I realized that the cooler had a handle and wheels.
    “Did you really need my help or did you just want to ask away from him?”
    “Just wanted to ask, easiest way was to ask your dad if I could ask you to help me.”
    “You’re a terrible person!” I yelled at him jokingly and laughing and I ran back to my dad’s car.
    While running back to my dad’s car I was turned around still looking at Kevin. I wasn’t looking at where I was going at all and I ran right into Kenny. He caught me and then I started to slip clumsily. He held me up and our eyes met. I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out.
    “Allison!” My dad yelled for me ruining the moment if that even was a moment with Kenny.
    I shook my head to regain my thoughts and I walked towards my dad. He and Frankie asked me to do a few things to help with cooking and I quickly did what they asked.    

Author's Note

this is just the beginning i want reviews please

Reviews

[ken burke]

Honestly I posted this for my girl she wanted me to get reviews for it to see if she should continue. Allison is her nd kenny is me :)

[Robbie~xoxo~]

I like the slight hesitation at the end... The main character "Allison", is a likeable character that is relatable. I think this story is developing nicely. Good job!