Sparks Fly

The streetlights were just beginning to flicker on as Kandi walked across the parking lot, shoving her hands in the pocket of her hoodie to shield them from the chill wind. Though she could see the silver Rav4 at the edge of the parking lot, it felt as if it were miles away. And even though the parking lot was crowded, she’d never felt more alone.

Fans of the visiting team cheered as they passed her on their way to their own cars, and a few even hurled insults towards the team. A couple of guys jeered at her, waving their annoying navy blue flags in her face as they trash talked her boys to her face. If they hadn’t been in the locker room changing, she was sure the guys would’ve kept their mouths shut.

While the team was still changing, the rest of the staff was wandering back and forth. The trainers were wrapping ankles and making ice packs, and the coaches were gathered in the hallways with their families. Kandi had been the first to leave because she just couldn’t stand it anymore. She didn’t want any of them to see her break down, so she escaped.

The headlights of the SUV flashed on as she approached; Logan had been waiting for her in the car while she helped clear the field. Though she was happy to see a friendly face, she wasn’t exactly up to pretending to be okay for him. It was one of those moments where she really wished she was alone.

“Hey,” he said softly as she climbed into the passenger’s seat, offering her a faint smile. His fingers lightly drummed against the steering wheel; she didn’t even protest the fact that he was driving her car.

It wasn’t like she could focus on the road at that moment anyway.

She looked over at him, her lips trying to form a smile, but all she could feel were the tears welling up in her eyes, so she immediately turned towards the window.

It was odd that a few months ago, she didn’t know shit about football, didn’t care how well her college was doing in the polls. Since she’d gotten a job with the team, college football had became her life, and in the sort span of knowing the guys, she truly felt like she was a part of their surrogate family. For the first time in her almost two years at the college, she felt like she finally belonged to something.

The lost that day had ended their run in the playoffs and ripped everything away from her.

She appreciated Logan’s silence, and the hum of the radio lessened the tension between them. Kandi wished that there was someway she could make him understand how devastating this was for her, that it wasn’t just a “stupid game,” that she’d invested so much time into the sport and the team that it made her sick to her stomach to see it all come crashing down.

It had made her so proud to see him up in the stands, his face painted as one of her brother’s mascot shirts hung off of his smaller frame. He’d been working out of town for all of the other games, so he didn’t know any of the team, but he cheered them on nonetheless because he knew what it meant to her.

Unlike her mom, he wasn’t trying to make small talk or crack meaningless jokes to take her mind off of things, he just gave her the space that she needed to process the mixture of emotions churning in her brain.

As the car slowed to a stop at the red light, Kandi kept her eyes focused on the taillights of the car ahead of them, trying so desperately to keep the tears from streaming down her face. She hated the feeling of crying, hated to admit that she was that weak, hated the raw sting of saline against her skin.

Her breathing was begin to hitch as she tried to hold back the whimpers in her throat, resting her head against her arm propped against the door. As she inhaled, she felt a soft touch against her fingers as Logan loosely took her hand in his own, tugging it from her lap onto the center console between them. The familiar sparks radiated throughout her body, and she realized she was glad that he was there with her.

The warmth of his touch meant more than any words he could’ve said.

When they finally made it to her apartment, he walked her to the door, wrapping his arms around her as they stood in the doorway.

He rested his chin on the top of her head. "Do you want me to stay over?"

She looked up at him for a moment before responding. "No, I think I'm fine."

A grin formed on his lips as he slowly shook his head, running a hand through his short dark hair. "Good. Sweet dreams," he said as he backed away. "Call me in the morning."

"Good night," she said softly, watching as he walked down the steps and out of her sight.

A sigh escaped her lips as she pulled the door close behind her.