The Unfortunate Occurence at Shenandoah High 2020 - 19. Chapter 19

“Where’s your green and gold?”

Keisha pulls into my driveway at a quarter to seven. Tonight’s the big homecoming game which I’d totally forgotten about until Finn reminded me this morning when he picked me up for school. Frankly the last place I want to be tonight is back at school watching a bunch of mildly-hot meatheads smash into each other over and over for a few hours.

“Believe it or not I own not one piece of green or gold apparel.”

Keisha waits for me to fasten my seatbelt before she backs her Honda out of my driveway.

“What about your PE shirt?”

Keisha has the air on at full blast despite it being a crisp September evening. Keisha will literally cut my hand off if I adjust the temperature so I turn the vent facing me towards her.

“Oh please,” she says “The girls are not about to fit in itty bitty thing.”

Keisha gestures to her extremely ample bosom which is contained in a Atlanta Falcons jersey.

“At least I’m paying homage to football.”

It’s way to soon when we are pulling into the parking lot across from the football stadium. The parking lot is packed and someone’s mom is collecting five bucks as a parking fee. She assures us 100-percent of the proceeds will be going to the athletics department. Shocker ...

“As if the athletics department needs anymore money,” Keisha says as she unfastens her seatbelt. “Sheldon told me it was like pulling teeth to get money for the play. And we still don’t have enough.”

“I take it you and Sheldon are back to being okay again?”

Keisha shrugs her shoulders and pushes open the driver’s side door.

“Eh - we’re stable at the moment. We still have a lot of issues to work through. I’m so used to being the emotional one in the relationship. Apparently his last relationship was an absolute disaster and he’s still dealing with that.”

The two of us start moving towards the field. The stadium lights are so bright it feels like the middle of the day.

“Is he even ready for a relationship?”

“I did ask him that,” Keisha says. “He says he is but his actions say otherwise. I’m like so close to pulling the plug on this whole thing but I’m worried about how it would affect the play. I just don’t want things to be awkward.”

“Keisha - you can’t keep dating Sheldon because you’re worried about how it’ll affect the play. This is our senior year. We can’t afford to waste even one second.”

“Yeah, yeah - I know. I’m going to do some thinking this weekend. I’ll have my answer by next Monday.”

I put my arm around her waist and pull her into quick side-hug.

“No matter what happens, you know I’ll be here.”

“I know - however, you need to focus on that beautiful man of yours. Speaking of, did he mention where he’s sitting?”

I look down at my phone and say, “He says he’s sitting where we usually sit during lunch.”

“Oh great,” Keisha groans. “Of all nights to wear six-inch heels.”

The two of us have no issue locating Finn in the sea of green and gold. I’m a bit surprised to see Chase Darling and Kane Matthews with him. I can feel Keisha tense up next to me.

Way back when circa junior year, Keisha and Kane dated for about four months. Kane was a senior and while he wasn’t exactly a bad guy, their relationship didn’t rank very high on his list of priorities.

Kane looks a lot different since I last saw him. He’s got dreds now and he’s packed on a lot of muscle. When he sees us, or rather Keisha, he smiles and suddenly I remember why Keisha fell for the guy in the first place. Kane Matthews is hot.

Finn scoots over leaving a gap between he and Kane and gestures for Keisha to have a seat. Keisha hesitates for a moment and then makes a move for the spot between Finn and Kane. I settle into the spot on Finn’s right and inhale his cologne. Of course he’s wearing his letterman jacket but I see he’s also wearing a black button down, a pair of blue jeans and some Timberlands. It’s no contest. Finn Montgomery is the best looking guy in this stadium.

“Glad you made it,” he says.

“Me, too. Although I hope you’re prepared to explain to me what’s going on because I don’t know anything about football except for the that the uniforms are hot.”

Finn gives me an awkward smile and says, “Well, the game hasn’t started yet. Basically you wanna cheer for the guys in the green uniforms.”

“Okay. I can definitely do that.”

Fifteen minutes into our arrival at the game, the game officially starts. There’s so much telling and screaming around me, I feel like my ear drums are going to explode. At one point Finn jumps to his feet and roars something unintelligible to who I have no clue. I’ve never seen him so ... is passionate even the right word?

When he finally lowers himself back into his seat, I reach out and place a hand on his thigh. The gesture somehow manages to have the opposite reaction I’m desiring. I feel the muscle underneath my fingers tense. I look up at Finn and the look on his face is dark.

I slowly pull my hand away and feel a chill travel down my spine. Oh shit. That’s right. We’re in public. We’re in public with Finn’s friends. Placing my hand on Finn’s thigh while we’re in the middle of a crowded stadium is so not okay.

I’m an idiot.

I want to disappear.

“So, this is where all the cool kids are hanging out.”

Colin McNamara is standing next to our row, his hands shoved into the pockets of his own letterman jacket. Does that mean he’s an athlete? Like Finn he’s wearing a button down and jeans but instead of Timberlands he’s wearing loafers. Like me, I can tell he spends a lot of time on his hair because not a single strand is out of place.

“Mind if I join?” he asks.

Before anyone has a chance to say anything I say, “Sure.”

If Finn’s gonna play hetero for his friends, I at least have someone to make this night more bearable.

“What have I missed?” he asks rubbing his hands together. Again, I notice the black band on his wedding finger.

“Oh, some guys ran into each other and everyone started yelling.”

Colin chuckles and it’s enough to make all the awkwardness I just experienced with Finn evaporate.

“I take it you’re not a football fan.”

“Not really. My dad and my brother love it. I always found it pretty boring.”

“You do know being in the south and not liking football is borderline blasphemous.”

“Well I know of a few other things I enjoy that’s borderline blasphemous around these parts.”

This time we both laugh. I feel movement on the other side of me. Finn is on his feet again.

“I’m going to the concession stand,” he announces a bit too loudly. “Anyone want anything?”

I shrug and Colin says no thank you. The others do as well. Finn squeezes past us without saying excuse me and charges down the stairs.

Colin turns to me, his brows contorted in concern, and asks, “He okay?”

Again, I shrug.

Colin leans in closer so his words can stay between the two of us.

“Trouble in paradise?”

I’m about to ask him how he knows when he beats me to the punch.

“Trust me I recognize a gay boy in love with a straight boy when I see it “

I sigh and lower my voice to a whisper.

“When it’s just the two of us, he’s very open and affectionate but he’s not ready to come out yet which I’m okay with.”

“Are you okay with it?” Colin asks.

“He should be able to come out whenever he’s ready.”

“I agree. But that doesn’t mean you have to wait until he does.”

“I know but this is what I’ve wanted for the last four years of my life and now that it’s finally happened.”

“You don’t want to mess it up,” Colin says.

“Yes.”

“Well - hate to break this to you, Tristan. If you can’t be yourself and he can’t be himself when you’re around the people you care about ... it’s already messed up.”

I want to rebuttal but everything Colin McNamara is saying to me is making so much sense.

“I’m not trying to get into your business,” he says. “It’s just that I did the whole romancing the straight-ish guy thing back when I was a student here and honestly it’s eight months of my life I’ll never get back.”

I want to ask him about his situation but I see Finn coming up the stairs balancing a tray of nachos and a Coke. He looks like he’s calmed down a bit.

“Hey, Tristan - I fly back to LA tomorrow morning but I’d really like to keep in touch. Mind if I get your email address?”

“I barely check my email.”

My email is pretty much Amazon purchase confirmations and spam emails about erectile dysfunction.

“Can I just give you my phone number?”

Colin grins and nods his head.

“Sure.”

By the time we exchange numbers, Finn’s tucked back into his spot between me and Keisha. I slide my phone into the pocket of the denim jacket I’m wearing and Finn pushes his tray of nachos towards me.

A peace offering.

My stomach grumbles as the smell of fake cheese and jalapeños wafts past my nose.

I forgive you, Finn Montgomery.

I pluck a cheese-covered corn chip from the center of the tray and quickly pop it into my mouth. Finn grins at me. There’s cheese caught in his light stubble but unfortunately it’s going to have to remain there.

“Having fun?” he asks popping another corn chip into his mouth.

I nod my head and say, “Yeah.”

He grins even bigger and looks back down at the field. In a week filled with many firsts - first kiss, first unofficial date, first heart emoji in a text message - it’s only fitting we end the week with yet another first.

My first lie to Finn.