Page 6 of Quarterback Sneak

“Mean,” Stephanie supplies. “She’s mean.”

“What she said,” Tessa says.

“She’s been nothing but nice to me.” I know I haven’t known Sam for very long, but I feel like I need to stand up for her. She really has been nice to me.

Stephanie shrugs. “Well, I’m glad she’s nice to you. Where are you from, Evie?”

“Loveland, Colorado.”

“Oh wow, it’s so pretty there,” Tessa adds to the conversation.

“Have you been there?” I can’t help but ask.

“A few times. I love the weather there. No humidity,” she says with a sigh.

I can’t help but agree, especially if this is how it’s going to be every day here. “Where are you both from?”

“I’m from a small town in New Hampshire that nobody’s ever heard of,” Tessa says.

“And I’m from South Carolina, outside of Charleston,” Stephanie adds.

“Yeah, so she’s used to this heat and humidity.” Tessa fans herself as she says the words. “Thank goodness for air conditioning.”

“Seriously. What year are both of you?”

It’s Tessa that answers. “We’re both freshmen.”

“Really? I am too.”

“We should do some things together,” Tessa offers.

“That would be really great.” Relief floods me at the idea of having a few friends to be able to navigate college life with. I know I just met them both, but I feel like we’re going to be good friends.

“Are you going to the big game?” Tessa asks.

“What game?”

Her eyes widen. “The football game.” She says the words distinctly, like I should know this.

“Not everybody is into football like you are, Tess,” Stephanie says with a shake of her head. “This girl lives, eats, and breathes sports.”

“I do not; well, okay. I do. Anyway, the big game is in two weeks; but we need to get tickets now if we want to go. We should reserve tickets together. It’s going to be a great game. It’s the first game of the season!”

I shrug. “Sure.”

Tessa raises her hands in victory. “You’re going to love it!”

____________

I find myself at the football game two weeks later, squeezed between Tessa and Stephanie and thousands of other screaming fans. “This is insane,” I yell to Tessa.

“I know! Isn’t it great?” she yells back, her eyes alight with delight. “Can you believe we got seats this close to the field?”

“Yeah. It’s awesome.” I turn to face her. “Can you explain to me how the game works exactly?” I ask her.

She turns to me. “Okay. See that end of the field?”

I laugh. “I’m just kidding.” She rolls her eyes at me and then elbows me and grins. I eye the stadium with nearly a hundred thousand screaming fans. It really is insane.