Soccer

CHAPTER 1:1

Eric Branson is a guy my friends and I like to laugh at for three reasons: he has a sense of humor and can take it, we usually get a big (enough) reaction out of him, and he's cute. Most of the time we get one of three reactions out of him: he has a comeback, he flirts, or he's genuinely pissed. The third happens rarely, sadly, but the other two reactions aren't bad either.2

My two best friends and I were watching the soccer team's scrimmage after school. Megyn's boyfriend, Matthew, is goalie so she drags us along to all the practices and game. Truthfully, there's not much dragging involved. My other best friend, Brandy, is completely boy-crazy so she's up for any male sport. Especially since our team is pretty informal and they sometimes play shirts-vs-skins. And I've loved soccer since my big brother Kyle started playing when he was five and I was three. My dad got really involved, so I tagged along.3

Plus I've always had a secret thing for Eric.4

"Way to go, Eric!" Megyn called after he scored. "You're finally distinguishing between our goal and the opposing team's!"5

He just grinned and jogged off the field for a water break.6

"Yeah, looks like he's getting consistent with those Red Bulls' Anonymous meetings," Brandy adds when he's in ear-shot. He squirts water at her.7

"Hey! I like Red Bull," I protest.8

"Good girl, Lena," Eric says. "Admitting it is the first step."9

"Shut up," I smile. "Just cause you're going cold turkey doesn't mean the rest of the world has to quit along with you."10

"Who said anything about quitting?" he says, pulling two cans out of his duffel and tossing one to me. "Don't forget to drive heavy machinery today. Your old clunker will suffice."11

"My Thunderbird is not a clunker!"12

"Oh great," Megyn hits her forehead as Eric pops the top and takes a swig. "There go all our points. He'll start scoring for the other team again."13

"It's a scrimmage, Meg, we're all one team," he calls on his way back to centerfield.14

"That's the kind of attitude that will lose us this game!"15

"Scrimmage," I correct, smiling as Matthew shakes his head appreciatively at her.16

Brandy and I look at each other. We love the fact that Megyn and Matthew have been together for almost two years. But Meg's the only one in our threesome with a boyfriend. Of course, gorgeous Brandy has a "boyfriend" every Friday night and is looking for another by Monday. I've had Taylor Jackson. That was junior high.
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Soon the game is over.17

"Any of you ladies need a job?" Eric asks us on the way to the locker room. "Taker gets a ride home."18

"Way to give us time to think about it," Megyn mutters absently, turning to give Matthew a kiss.19

Eric pokes me. "You've got Red Bull in you, you should be able to decide quickly."20

"What job?" I ask.21

"You've probably heard the rumors," he says, turning serious suddenly.22

"Which ones? About you and your sex change operation?" I joke.23

"About me taking Lindsay's kids--our kids," he corrects himself quickly, staying behind as the rest of the guys file into their locker room.24

"Yeah..." I say fiddling with my almost empty can. We are now in awkward territory. Lindsay is his cousin. I never really knew her. When I was a freshman, she was a senior. I knew about her though. Everyone did. She was informally voted Most Likely to Get Knocked Up Before Graduation. And she did. And then again the next year. She stayed with Eric for a while after her mom kicked her out, then she took off. And Eric, being Eric, kept the kids despite the fact that his aunt offered to "take care of things." Meaning foster care. It was extremely noble of him to do it, but also dumb. He had a sports scholarship to Brown, which he can't take now. He's a high school kid, trying to raise two kids. Noble, but dumb.25

"I need a sitter," he says, bringing me back.26

"You have my number, you know I'm happy to help some time."27

"No, actually, not just a sitter."28

"I'm not liking the sound of this...but geisha's are listed in the Yellow Pages. Under 'escort services' or something like that."29

"Okay, I'm just going to pretend my best friend's little sister didn't just tell me how to find a whore."30

"Flirt some other time, team meeting!" Coach Davis barks, leaning his head out of the locker room door and smacking the door loudly. "Tell your dad I said hi, Davidson."31

I nod, and feel like hot air blowing on my face from somewhere. I rarely blush so when I do it takes a minute to figure out what's going on.32

"Alright, well, I guess I'll...call you later. Or something. See you." I take off abruptly.33

"Do that," he says, sounding completely unfazed by what Coach said. Figures.
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