When we get back inside, the girl is already sitting next to Haley, talking excitedly.
“Sasha was thinking you should do a cheer, Chase,” Haley says.
“A cheer?”
“Yeah, like one of those, I’ve got spirit. I’ve got class. Boys want to touch my—uh, maybe not.”
The girl, Sasha, goes, “Actually, something more like this: Say, hey, hey, my name is Chase. I am the greatest. And I’m looking for a homecoming date-est.
So, hey. Hey, hey, Lacey. Yeah, yeah, hey, Lacey.
You’re captain. And just gorgeous. And I think I need a little chorus.
And then, like, all the guys would start chanting with you, going:
Hey, hey, Lacey, Yeah, yeah, hey, Lacey.
He’s got roses. And a suit. Now, all he needs. Is you.
Hey, hey, Lacey, Yeah, yeah, hey, Lacey.
What do you say? Hey, hey, Lacey?
“And then you’d pull out a sparkly glittered sign spelling out Homecoming with a question mark.”
Pace looks at her in disbelief. “Did you literally just make that all up, like, just now?”
“Uh, yeah,” she says, blushing again.
“Girl, that’s the bomb. You’re amazing.”
“Thank you,” she says.
“That was awesome,” Haley says diplomatically. “We’ll let Chase hear all our ideas, and then he can decide. Damon, you’re up.”
“Oh, yeah, mine is awesome. It’s this.” He holds out a sign that he’s written: Hey, HO. COme with me? “Get it? The big letters spell out HOCO for homecoming.”
Sasha shakes her head at him and says very seriously, “That’s not a sign she could save to show her children. Let alone post on her social media, where her grandmother—or worse, her father—might see.”
“True that,” Ryder says, trying to sound cool.
It’s hard not to burst out in laughter.
Damon grins at me and then slaps Ryder on the back. “What do you think he should do?”
“I’d do it right after the cheerleaders do their halftime performance. Go out onto the field, in your full uniform but with your helmet off, and just stand in front of her, smile at her, and hold up the sign. Oh, and I’d probably take flowers. Roses.”
“Oh,” Sasha says with a sigh, her hands clasped in front of her. “It’s perfect.”
“Hay Girl, you’re up,” Damon says.
“Okay, so I was thinking of using your name,” Haley says. “Something like, I’m up for the Chase.”
“More like Chase-ing tail,” Damon mutters, which earns him a smack on the arm from my sister.
“It’s like an apology and a proposal, all in one,” Haley counters. “I heard she saw the photo I took of you kissing Dani. I’m sorry about that. I showed a friend, and that was a mistake. She’s also not my friend anymore, but whatever.”
“I like it,” I tell her. “Thanks, really. I love all your ideas.”
“Oh, wait,” Pace says. “We’ve saved the best for last.”
“We have?” Haley and Damon say at the same time.
“We thought you couldn’t come up with anything,” Haley says.
“That’s because I have been busy, working on my phone. Do any of you know what’s happening at the game on Friday night?”
“We’re going to kick Brookville’s ass?” Damon asks.
“It’s Senior Night,” Sasha and Haley say at the same time.
Sasha continues, “It’s a big deal.”
“That’s this week!” Haley says, getting excited.
“The tradition gets flipped, right?” I asks.
“Yes,” Haley says. “Instead of the cheerleaders and dance team lining up for your entrance onto the field, you line up for us, and we run out through the jaguar head and the streamer banner.”
“Exactly,” Pace says. “And the head cheerleader is always the first one through. That’d be Lacey, if you haven’t been keeping up,” he says, turning to Sasha and Ryder.
“And I’ll be standing there, waiting for her. With a sign that says, Lacey, I’m Chase-ing you. Homecoming?” I look at my little brother. He doesn’t know that Lacey told me she wanted roses. “And you’re right, Ryder,” I say, fist-bumping him. “I should have a bouquet of roses for her.”
He gives me a grin and wraps his arm around the back of Sasha’s chair. She leans close to him and whispers something in his ear that causes his smile to grow wider.
Hopefully, his smile is the only thing that’s growing right now.
And it makes me wonder if Dad has had the whole sex talk with him yet. Surely, he has, but just in case, I should probably offer a little brotherly advice. Although, right now might not be the best time. I’d tell him to keep it in his pants because love is complicated and hurts way too much.
“Now, we just need a sign,” Haley says.
“You got any glitter?” I ask her.
She rolls her eyes. “I’m a competitive cheerleader and a crafter. You really think I don’t have glitter?”
Friday, September 13th
I’m chasing you.
Chase
I can’t believe I’m waiting to ask a girl to Homecoming on the same field where, two years ago, my world fell apart when the girl I loved—love—got asked to Homecoming by someone else.
And I’m out here on Friday the freaking 13th, no less.
If only I could wipe that day from my memory.
It’s probably for the best that I’m out here though. Ready to ask Lacey. To make the big gesture. Because I’m pretty sure that Dani has wiped me from her memory. She still hasn’t called.
Lacey is beaming as she leads the team out through the streamers. She puts her hand up to wave to the cheering crowd but stops in her tracks when she sees me standing there, sign in hand.
I saunter over in her direction, ignoring the noise of the crowd, the football players, and the dance and cheer squads who have gathered in a half-circle around us, focusing only on her.
“Cute sign,” she says. “That mean what I think it does?”
“That I want you to go to Homecoming with me? Uh, yep.”
“The chasing you part is what I’m referring to.”
I pull the roses out from behind the sign and hand them to her. “You’re the captain. You’ll probably be queen. And you’re the first one to be asked. Yeah, I’d say I’m chasing you. I wouldn’t want you to go with anyone else, Lacey. Will you go to Homecoming with me?”
“And what about Dani?”
“She’s not here.”
She grins at me, nods her head, drops the flowers to the ground, jumps into my arms, and kisses me.
I think that’s a yes.
The crowd must, too, because it erupts in cheers.
My phone rings as I’m getting ready to leave the locker room after another win.
I see Dani’s number and answer.
“Saw your proposal,” is the first thing out of her mouth.
No, Hello, how ya been, Chase? No excuses as to why I haven’t heard from her all week.