Football Games

The fall air bit into the thin sleeves of Leslie’s Armani jacket. Originally, she planned on wearing her brother’s wrestling jacket, but the look Shelby gave her was very persuasive. Shelby St. Cinn had been Leslie’s ‘best friend’ since the day she was deemed worthy of the popular crown. Or rather the popular ring seeing as the Queen was, and would always be Shelby. That didn’t stop the jealousy that dripped from Shelby’s pores.

Why? What did Shelby St. Cinn have to be jealous of? Well, there was the fact that Leslie was beautiful. Shelby would of course, never admit to anyone she thought Leslie was prettier than her. But it was true. Shelby, herself, was quite attractive. But Shelby had to work to make herself pretty.

Where Shelby had short thick brown hair that flared out like an angry chameleon if it wasn’t treated correctly, Leslie had golden wavy locks. Several times Shelby had imagined herself ripping those perfect waves out. The girl was just too perfect, and it was irritating. But the civil thing to do was befriend the pretty girl. Give her a spot among the kingdom and hope that she didn’t steal the crown.

The two girls entered the football stadium and heads turned like they were connected to wire and Shelby was pulling the strings. Leslie was always amazed at the ability Shelby had to turn heads. Surely, it wasn’t her who was capable of such magic.

Almost immediately, Shelby was latching onto Leslie’s arm and dragging her over to an unfamiliar looking group. Though when Leslie glanced questioningly at Shelby, she answered with two very familiar words. College boys.

Leslie didn’t understand what it was about college boys that drove every girl her age insane. But Leslie played along. She wouldn’t let her lack of interest in these older, drunken, druggie boys cause her to be shunned. Throughout her entire childhood she was the awkward little girl who ate glue and thought animals could speak. She had been shunned enough.

As Shelby and a few other girls Leslie knew flocked over to the group of smoking boys, Leslie hung back avoiding eye contact with the boys as well as the other familiar faces around her. She quickly scanned the premises looking, well, she wasn’t exactly sure what.

But what she did see froze her eyes. Standing against the fence, his face pressed against the bars like a little kid seeing something exciting for the first time, was Tracy Horner. Leslie couldn’t help the small smile on his lips. The admiring gaze Tracy was giving the football players…or maybe that wasn’t admiration. She couldn’t tell because his face was in the same concentrated gaze it always seemed to be.

A million possibilities raced through her mind at that moment. Maybe Tracy really was gay, and he was in love with one of the football players? Maybe he was seeking revenge on the jocks for bullying him? Or maybe he was genuinely interested in the game? The last seemed like such a rare impossibility, but she was so engrossed in the reason why Tracy Horner would be at a football game that she didn’t notice the smoking college boy trying to hit on her.

She turned abruptly as Shelby grabbed her arm and shook her out of her daze. “Sorry, sorry,” Leslie muttered absently, before glancing up at the boy who had been staring her down. He reminded her of a wolf on a hunt. She felt as if she was about to be eaten. She smiled slightly, and spared a glance in Shelby’s direction.

She was good at hiding her true feelings, but Leslie knew her well enough to know that look. ‘Do not screw this up.’ And Leslie wouldn’t. She wouldn’t risk the world for her reputation. Not even if it meant screwing some boy just to keep that rank. Leslie was a sad case, indeed.

Reviews

[Jill Wallflower]

This is really good. I love the storyline and how you've written it.

[smalltownsympathies]

i love the way you write.

[KAREN]

Oh what we will do to keep our friends happy! And it sounds like Leslie will do whatever it takes to make Shelby happy! Great read and write!

[Michael Jarrell]

Great description of Leslie. Poor girl. I hope she doesn't give everything about herself away!!