I Found a Reason

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I stood in frozen silence just like everyone else. You could hear a pin drop on the field, it was so quiet. Even us cheerleaders, who had been pumped and screaming the entire duration of the game, were looking on with rapt attention now.

Defense was closing in. They had everyone covered, Tim had no one to throw the ball to. There was 40 seconds left in the game, and we were down three. We were in field goal range, but that would only tie the game, and everyone in the crowd knew a touchdown was what we needed. Normally everyone would have been screaming their heads off, stuff like “COME ON, PANTHERS!” and other variations. But not now. It was the first game of the season, and everyone was still sizing up our new homeschooled quarterback, wondering if he had enough skill to get us out of this mess.

He was stuck, no one was open. And then the next thing I knew... He was running. The quarterback was running at lightning speed, more like a running back than a quarterback.

And he did it. The defense never saw it coming, and the final touchdown to win the game was ours, was Tim Tebow's. The crowd suddenly roared, all that pent up energy finally being let out in overabundance. I was screaming loudest of all, which should have been impossible over that crowd, but to me I was louder than any of them.

I wanted to run out to the field and congratulate the players (okay,
one player in particular). I looked over at Madeline, who was looking at me, and I could tell she was itching to get out on the field too. We had rules though, and we all started screaming again as the football players ran to the sidelines.

I knew there was no way we could really talk to any of the players yet—especially because they all had to go back out to the field to high five the other team and stuff, it was just something they did, win or lose, to show good sportsmanship—but all I really wanted to do was congratulate Tim and ask him if he was going to Don, the tight end's, big party. And, in essence, if he would be my arm candy at said party (of course I wouldn't word it like
that to him...)

Madeline was apparently reading my thoughts as we watched the boys run back on the field and fraternize with the other team they'd just beat. “How are things going with Timmy?” She asked with a smirk.

I frowned. I could see the other cheerleaders—trying to be inconspicuous, but I was way too perceptible—leaning in to try and hear our conversation over the din of the crowd. Of course, no matter how much of a team the squad was in our own right, it was the goal of every girl on the squad to date the quarterback every year. Anyone on the team was fine, but every girl wanted the quarterback most of all. I, on the other hand, had different motivations for going after Tim. They all just wanted the status of being the quarterback's girlfriend, and yeah, while that was great considering I was in this circle, it was him as a person rather than the title that I was enamored with.

It was also common knowledge among the squad that I had seen him first and therefore I had first dibs; they just didn't know how close or far I was to scoring him yet.

I grinned. “Isn't that the burning question everyone's dying to know?”

“Don't play coy with me, Fos,” she winked. “It's okay to kiss and tell.”

“Maybe I'm not that type of girl anymore.” Madeline snorted at this. “Look, I'm working on it,” I said. “I'm bringing my A-game. He's just... not the easiest guy in the world. It's almost like he's immune to charm completely.”

“Don't I know it,” she said, and I shot her an almost-death glare. “What?” she shrugged. “It's not like he's yours...yet. He's completely fair game right now. But watch him have a little girlfriend at church or something. Still, I've never met a guy able to resist either of us...”

I snorted. “He doesn't have a girlfriend at church. I know that much. He's waiting for 'the right one'.”

“And you're going to show him you're 'the right one',” she finished for me.

“Exactly.”

“How? You've been going at it for a while, and he's not budging...”

“He will.”

“Look, Foster. You're my friend. I know you like this game, you like hunting him, and you want nothing more to than to win. Just don't get hurt, okay? You know, if he stays stubborn.”

This was the deepest thing I'd ever heard come out of her ditzy blonde mouth. And it made me furious. Because she obviously was just trying to get rid of me as competition; some “friend”.

“Thanks for the warning,” I said in a tone that stated the conversation was over.

The boys were finally making their way back off the field, and since I felt snubbed, I wanted to show all those girls. So I ran out, meeting Tim halfway, throwing my arms around him. It surprised him so much that he caught me when I reached him, but I think the hug surprised him even more.

“Congratulations!” I cried enthusiastically, and he smiled down at me. But he let me go, and with an inner sigh, I took the hint. I was tempted to leave my arm around his waist just for more show, but he'd already made his stance very clear. He wasn't looking for a relationship. He would be friends with me. But I had to stop throwing my self at him (he didn't exactly say that, but I'm not dense). So, sure,I would play it down, but I was going to get him, maybe not soon, but when I set my mind on something, I didn't stop. I'd heard what the other guys on the team were whispering to him, that I was one of the “hottest girls in school”—“I don't go to school here,” he'd remind them—and that he should jump at the chance because I wasn't like the other populars and I didn't date just anybody and I obviously wanted him. That boy was just so innocently stubborn. If it wasn't so endearing it would have been extremely annoying.

“Thanks,” he said, still beaming.

“How does it feel?” I asked as I kept pace with him to the sideline.

“It's just...wow,” he said, still at a loss for words I was sure. He was still breathless too.

“It's more than wow,” I said. “We have a chance at being like, the best team now. Who knew you could play like that?” For once I was being truthful without being flirty. And he smiled at my praise.

“Not bad for a homeschooled kid, huh?”

“Not bad at all,” I joked back, wishing the smile on my face would go away, but also kind of liking it.

“Hey, are you going to Don's party right after this?” I finally asked for the information I'd been wanting to know.

Tim wasn't smiling now, and he looked up at the bleachers, no doubt searching for his family, who probably wasn't even up there but was probably already making their way down here. I knew he was excited his dad and brothers had come down to watch the first game. “Probably not.” I had expected this. I realized now he didn't think he was better than everyone else, he just didn't like being in that kind of environment. People were starting to come up to him to flood him with praises as I had, so I knew my time was limited.

“You should. It's not like you won't know everyone there. And it's not like anyone expects you to drink or any of the typical party stuff, ya know?”

He smiled wryly. “Parties just aren't my scene, Foster.”

He'd told me this before. “Okay, then what would you say to hanging out with a few friends after this to celebrate? Go get pizza or something?” I wasn't the biggest fan of pizza, but hey.

“Friends?” he said with a knowing smile.

“Okay, a friend. There's this hole-in-the-wall parlor, Dave's, but the pizza is fantastic, and I'm assuming even though you kind of 'live' here now you don't get out much, so consider it not only a celebration but your first stop in being shown the ropes around Ponte Vedra. As friends, in case you're worried I have some ulterior motive. I just don't think you should go be all alone and just celebrate with family after your first big win.”

He looked at me with those piercing blue eyes, then smiled, the skin around his eyes slightly crinkling as he did, and I realized I loved that I'd made him smile so much tonight. Whoa, wait, actually
falling for him wasn't part of the plan. This was my game, he was just a chase. But...

“Sounds good,” Tim said.