Only Time Can Tell

I shifted in my seat. These damn metal bleachers can be a real pain in the ass...literally. It probably wouldn't be a big a pain if I actually had someone to talk to and distract me. This was the first football game of the season, and my first football game as a Gateway High School Panther. My friends decided we should all go to the first football game together. Our first high school experience. Unfortunately, I had no one to talk to. Everyone was talking with each other. I pulled my curly brown hair into a ponytail and then waved at my friend, Jackie, who was on the cheerleading squad.

"Isn't this fun, Alexis?!" my friend Hiram Cabrera exclaimed. We've been friends since sixth grade. He isn't very good at picking up obvious clues, unfortunately. He could hardly tell when I was using sarcasm.

"Go Panthers!" I fake cheered.

He whooped before turning to some of his friends. His brown hair was spiked today and still had the blonde tips that he did last weekend.

I sighed as I looked at my surroundings. I felt isolated in my group of ten friends. I didn't understand football, so there was no real point in paying attention. All I knew is that our team sucked. It wasn't even halftime and we were down by seventeen points. Go Panthers, I thought sarcastically. I looked down the bleachers and noticed a guy I've known since seventh grade: Zach Richmond. We never really talked. I recall only talking to him once and that was at the eighth grade dance. He looked kind of depressed and my friend Brittany asked what was wrong. He said nothing and walked away. I always regretted not saying anything to him. He looked kind of depressed right now actually. Figuring that I could make up for it now and noticing he was alone too, I slid over to the very end until I nudged him.

"Something bothering you?" I asked, nudging his arm.

He gave me a small smile, not looking away from the marching band. I looked up and saw the black and red marching band uniforms. I tried to figure out who he was looking at and realized it almost immediately. Jodi. She's been my friend since third grade. She was tall and lanky, but cute. Her big green eyes stood out most on her narrow face and her golden brown hair was hidden under her marching hat. She was playing trombone. No wonder he liked her. She was Miss Perfect. Perfect grades. Perfect family.

"Why are you staring at her?" I asked.

"What?" He asked, caught off guard. "I'm not...why would you-?"

I raised my eyebrow. "What is it?"

"I kind of like her," he mumbled, looking down at his hands.

"Really?" I asked, always interested in secrets. "Then what's the problem?"

"Her douche of an ex Michael," he said sighing.

Michael and her went out although she wasn't actually allowed to have a boyfriend. One day her brother saw them holding hands and told their parents. As soon as she got home, they had her call him and break up with him. It only makes sense that they might still have feelings for each other after such an abrupt end to their relationship.

"Don't worry, Zach," I said comfortingly. "He's such a man whore. He's got nothing on you. "

He smiled and looked up at me. I didn't realize how green his eyes were and the golden flecks near his pupils. "You really think so?"

"Hey, guys!" Jodi exclaimed, wrapping her arms around both of us. "It's halftime. Band gets a break. I'm starving! Let's eat!"

I laughed and got up with those two. It didn't take anymore than two minutes before I was the third wheel again. Great. I wanted to talk to him and now he's all over her. He likes her, I thought, trying to get over it. He wants to talk with her. Let him. It'll cheer him up after all his moping tonight. We approached the concession stand and saw it mobbed by the marching band all wearing their uniforms, although the hats were off.

"I'll get you two something," he said, pulling out his wallet. "What do you want?"

"I'm fine," I said, surprised at his politeness. How often do you meet a guy who's willing to buy a girl he's just talked to for five minutes a burger? "Thanks, by the way."

He wasn't looking at me. His eyes were only on her. I felt a twinge of jealousy.

"I know you're hungry," he said, smiling. "What would you like?"

"A burger and a coke should be fine," she said, smiling. "Thanks."

He nodded and glanced at me before pushing his way to the front counter.

"So..." Jodi started. "I saw you and Zach talking. That's strange for you. You never approach people."

"Yeah, I know," I agreed. "We just clicked is all. It's like we've known each other for years. He's so easy to talk to."

"Since it seems like you two have known each other for a long time," she said, shaking her hair from its bun. "What'd you talk about? Anything interesting?"

"What's with the prying?" I asked. "It seems like you-" I stared at her. "You like him, don't you?"

She slowly nodded. "Is it that obvious?"

"Um...of course not," I said, slightly unhappy with this new turn of events. I didn't know why.

"Do you think he likes me?" she asked desperately.

"He does," I said, faking a smile. "He told me tonight, actually."

She squealed with excitement, throwing her arms around me. "That's amazing!"

"What's amazing?" Zach asked, handing Jodi her burger and soda.

"That I have my food now," she said, uneasily. "I'm going to get some ketchup."

She hurried away to the concession stand hoping that Zach didn't see her blushing.

"What was that about?" He asked, taking a bite from his burger.

My stomach growled loudly.

He laughed. This was the first time I heard it but I liked it and hoped to hear it more. "Want me to get you something?"

"No," I said, slightly embarrassed. "I'm fine."

"I'll get you something," he said, smiling. "Wait, do you want my burger?"

"No," i said, pushing away his food. "I wouldn't let you do that."

"Fine then," he said stubbornly. "I'll buy you something then."

He turned towards concessions and stopped. Following his gaze, I saw a guy hug Jodi from behind. It was no one else than Michael. I groaned and turned towards Zach who was already walking away.

"Where are you going?!" I shouted, chasing him. I pulled him by his shirt.

"She obviously doesn't like me," he said, still walking away.

"Just give her time!" I said, still pulling him. He abruptly turned.

"I'm sorry, I just-" he looked back at Jodi and Michael who were still talking. "I'm gonna go."

I nodded grudgingly, knowing this was the last place he wanted to be. He looked down at me, like everyone does when you're my height, and wrapped his arms around me, catching me offguard.

"Thanks for listening to me complain," he said. "I'll see you at school Monday, right?"

I nodded. "We have second period together. We can talk more then."

He flashed me a quick smile before turning and pulling his cell phone out of his pocket, heading towards the parking lot. I felt a little down. He was the only person willing to talk to me and that's only because he was feeling a little out of it. I dragged myself back to the concession stand where Jodi was waiting for me. She looked over my shoulder although she could have just looked right over my head.

"Where's Zach?" she asked, confused.

"He left," I said. "He wasn't feeling too well."

"Oh," she said, disappointed. "I've got to go back to the stands...Hamlin will get mad if I'm not there."

"Okay," I said, looking at the parking lot. I could see Zach standing by the front, waiting for his mom to pick him up. "I'm actually gonna go too. I've got bad cramps."

"I guess I'll see you at the next football game?" She said, knowing we have no classes together.

I gave her a quick hug before rushing to the front of the school. When I was halfway there a car approached and Zach jumped in. I sighed and slowly walked to the front. At least I can talk to him more at school.