SPENCER

She was fidgeting as she sat in one corner of the bleachers. Alvah was seated beside her and she couldn’t stop but admire her fashion. She has always worn the most fascinating outfits ever, no matter the generation.

Charlie was feeling nervous. Her heart was beating twice its normal beat and she didn’t even know how that was possible. Or even how it’s possible that she could define that it was already beating twice the normal rate.

 In a few minutes, the football players entered the field, each team introduced their players and people inside the arena started going wild.

In a moment, Charlie felt her heart leap at the sight of the man she just met that morning.

For some odd reason, she could not fathom the kind of beating he brought to her.

It was an ecstatically strange feeling she isn’t willing to welcome.

He was included in the first line up and she noticed how most of the people within the bleachers seem to have high regards for him.

Spencer. That was what’s written on the boards they were raising to cheer up the team.

“Your heart is beating faster than it usually does.” she hears Alvah say in the middle of all the noise.

She looked at her and tried her best to disregard her thoughts.

“What are you talking about?”

“You know that I am right. And don’t you ever deny it. He brings such a different kind of feeling to you, doesn’t he?”

“Of course not. That might just be your imagination.”

“I know what I feel. That’s alright though. You don’t really have to say anything about it.”

She meekly smiled as she turned her eyes back into the open field.

Football is not for her. It’s a contact sport and she’s too afraid to see bruises or broken bones. But for some reason, she only had eyes for him and the moment he scored goal, she cheered in unison with the rest of the people on the bleachers.

He runs so fast like lightning and that amazed her a hundred percent that she too have chorused with the crowd.

She could barely hear her own voice and yet she was cheering.

The game turned more and more intense by every hour. At the last half of the game, his team was already leading in score. And by the last minute, his team emerged as the winners.

Everyone cheered.

In that moment, his team’s win felt more historical than she’d ever expected.

Her heart felt so overwhelmed by the happiness that each of the people in the bleachers felt.

In a few minutes, the ground turned silent. Before midnight, the players had gone out for the night to celebrate their win.

She and Alvah joined the celebration held in a small bar not too far from their apartment. They were sitting in a far corner of the bar when a man asked Alvah for a dance, leaving her in her lonesome.

“You look lonely out here.”

She turned to the man speaking as she finished sipping her juice.

“Hi.” All of a sudden, she couldn’t find the words to talk to him.

“Out of words all of a sudden?”

She giggled. “I guess I am out of words, for now.”

“You enjoying yourself?”

“I am. I have never been to any after game celebration before.”

“That seems hard to believe.”

“Well, I am not very interested in contact sports. This is the first live game I’ve witnessed.”

“For real?”

Charlie nodded as Spencer smiled in amusement.

“You should watch more of our games.”

“I think I will.”

“My name’s Spencer by the way.”

“Charlie.” They held each other’s hands for a shake. To her, he looked cooler and more collected than the first time they met.

“Thank you for watching tonight. It means a lot.”

“Not a problem. I guess this will soon become my new interest. Sports.”

“I hope it will be.”

The moment lasted for more than an hour. Despite being inside a bar filled with dancing, they seemed to only hear each other. All whispered words were worth all her attention.

To her, this seemed odd, but the night was too fun to overthink. So, she chose to just go with it.

“Do you want to get out of here?” he finally whispered as the sun seemed to have slowly peeked from outside.

“Yeah. I’d have to say goodbye to my Aunt first. Is that okay?”

“Sure.”

She walked to Alvah who was enjoying herself surrounded by men and women who shared the same interest with her. Charlie whispered her quick goodbye, as she smiled and nodded in approval.

Soon, Spencer wrapped his Jersey around her shoulders as they walked out of the bar.

“Where to?”

“I know a place that’s really beautiful when the sun rises.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“You’re not going to do anything bad to me right?” she chuckled.

He smiled and shook his head.

He led the way as they walked side by side, too near yet non-invasive of each other’s space.

 They ended on the roof top of his school. They sat facing the open horizon where she assumed the sun would rise.

It was peaceful.

“Is this your favorite place?”

“It is indeed. How did you know?”

“You seem so at ease.”

“I often come here when I need to think. Or to envision what my next moves are.”

“In the game?”

“In everything.”

Charlie looked out at the sky that’s starting to produce beautiful hues. In a few minutes, the sky will turn red and orange.

“What do you think about mostly when you’re in here?”

He lay on the ground, his arms on his head serving as a pillow and looked up at the sky.

“I think about the future. My career, the games I will win all throughout my life. I want to be known as a good player. And hopefully, marry someone I will grow old with and have children.”

“Sounds really nice.”

“How about you? What do you think about when you have alone time?”

“Hmmm.” She stopped for a moment, realizing that up until that point, she didn’t even know what it is she really wants, “I don’t really think about anything. That would sound strange but, up until now, I’m not sure of the things that I really want. I don’t have dreams, or plans. I just want life to be easy.”

“But life will never be easy.”

“I know. I also know that its too much to ask.”

“Well, you’ll have to have a purpose. Think of the greatest thing you’d want to achieve and think of how you’ll achieve it.”

“Yeah. I’ve been trying to do that for some time now. But things keep happening and all of a sudden, I lose track of the things that I really want to achieve. It’s as if I am not meant to do anything that’s not created by a certain thing called destiny.”

“You are very interesting Charlie. I’m glad I decided to talk to you.”

The moment she turned her head towards him, she didn’t even realize he was already so close to her.

Her heart started beating so fast, it was in overdrive.

“I’m glad I talked to you too.” She whispered. All it takes is a single inch and their lips would meet.

And in some miracle, or perhaps she was thinking out loud, he leaned in closer and met her lips. They were hesitant at first, calculating. But the tender feel of his lips against hers made her doubt go away.

She responded to his kiss in the same gentle manner he is doing.

It was her first kiss, yet it all felt so right.

When their lips parted, she was catching her breath.

“My aunt must be looking for me now.”

“Really?” he said amused.

“I’m kidding.” She giggled as they both laid their backs and looked up into the sky. The sun was beginning to set, and the birds were happily chirping to welcome the day.

She realized how comfortable she had become around him now. It was about seven in the morning when they finally walk home. He took her to their apartment and bid her goodbye with another kiss. One they had to do hidden in a corner. In this generation, them being together would seem odd.

She was humming as she walked into the apartment, not even realizing that Alvah was patiently waiting, sipping her coffee.

“Care to join me for some coffee?”

“You’re still awake.”

“I am. And you look like a very happy little bird. How was your night?”

“It was… memorable.”

“Hmm, with that smile, I think it’s beyond memorable.”

“Don’t say that.”

“Well, surely something happened that made you feel like a soft cuddly cotton.” She continues as she turns the pages of the newspaper she was reading, “I won’t say anything about what’s going on. But I just need you to remember, we’re here for a reason.”

“I know.”

Alvah looked straight into her eyes and nodded.

“Alright then.”

She leaves her still feeling light from the kiss she just had, thinking sleep won’t be tough to her that day.