Page 91 of Liberating Bells
The cross-country team.
I feel my face heat up in embarrassment as I drop my arms. My heart is still racing, my breathing slightly hitched. My eyes roam the area to make sure Mark isn’t still lurking anywhere. As I turn around, I see Ryan’s friend, Josie, standing at the parking lot’s edge. She’s looking at me with a concerned expression. Her hair is pulled into a high ponytail, and she’s wearing leggings with a Bennett Soccer shirt. She’s here for Ryan’s game.
Josie jogs over to me, her eyebrows still bunched together in worry. “Hey, are you okay?”
I nod and brush my hair away from my face. I feel unbelievably vulnerable, and all I want to do is go curl up in my bed and cry. “I’m fine.”
“Those were some impressive moves. You look like you’ve been training.”
“Yeah,” I admit, shrugging sheepishly. “I guess I’m still a little paranoid after everything.” I keep my eye on her to gauge her reaction. I wonder how much of the situation Ryan has deemed appropriate to share.
“Well, I’d hate to be the guy on the receiving end,” Josie teases while shooting me a big grin. She doesn’t make fun of mefor my apparent misunderstanding. Instead, she glances over toward the soccer fields. “I was just going to go catch the game. Do you want to tag along, Rhonda Rousey?”
I was planning on heading back to Ryan’s house. My head is still throbbing, even worse now that the adrenaline from my non-stalker is wearing off. But despite all that, the idea of being alone doesn’t appeal to me at all. I’d like to go home and rest, but being around people feels like a smarter choice.
I shift my bag up on my shoulder. “Yeah, I think I will. You don’t mind?”
“Not at all! Do you want to drop that stuff off in your car?” Josie offers. I nod, and she walks with me over to the car, where I deposit my bag and grab my sunglasses out of the console.
We walk side by side into the stadium and make a pit stop at the concession stand. Josie orders a big soda and some nachos, and I get a water bottle and a giant pretzel. We locate a few open seats on the metal bleachers and turn our attention towards the fields. The boys are running a few drills before the game, and Ryan is deep in a conversation with Liam, going over a sheet of paper on a clipboard.
“So, you sure you’re good?” Josie asks me after a minute. I can tell she’s hesitant. She’s Ryan’s best friend, not mine.
But he trusts her. So maybe I should too.
I pick at the pieces of salt on my pretzel, and then answer her honestly. “I don’t know.”
Josie nods and dips one of her chips into the cheese. “It’s okay to not be okay. But you should know that you have a good network of people who would be happy to help you. Myself, included. If you ever need to talk, just let me know. I’m pretty good at lending an ear here and there. Or, I could give you the name of a therapist I’ve been working with. She’s amazing.”
I turn and look at her, surprised. “Thank you, Josie. That really means a lot.”
“Of course, just let me know. I’m glad everything is working out, though. Ryan deserves things to go his way for once.”
I press my lips together, suddenly embarrassed again. “He is pretty great.”
Josie stares at me for a second and then clears her throat. “Look, I’m just gonna get this serious-talk out of the way, and then we can never speak of it again. I like you, Izabel, but Ryan is my best friend. He worships the ground you walk on, which inadvertently makes you important to me too. I’m happy that you two are working on things... Just promise me that you won’t hurt him again. I’m not sure if he could take it.”
I give Josie a resolute look. Her hazel eyes are firm as she holds my gaze. “I promise.”
She lets out a breath, and then bites into a chip. “Good. Oh, look, they’re calling captains!”
I turn my attention to the field. The two captains walk to the center of the green to meet the referee. Ryan’s team is donned in Bennett Blue, and the other team wears green jerseys. The captains quickly shake hands and then step slightly apart. The ref tosses a coin into the air and motions toward the Bennett side of the field. Josie and I cheer and clap along with the crowd.
Ryan is on the field, clapping his hands and directing his team into a huddle. They surround him and listen to his game plan. The boys pile their hands into the middle and let out a chant before breaking and getting into their positions. Ryan turns around toward the stands. His eyes scan the crowd until they fall on Josie and me. I give him a small wave, and a big smile splits across his face before he turns back to his team.
Josie nudges me with her elbow, and I glance at her. She wiggles her eyebrows up and down and shoots me a wink before clapping her hands and cheering.
The game gets started, and I get sucked into watching the teams dribble the ball back and forth. So much so that I almostforget the headache pounding at the back of my head. Bennett scores a goal. Then the other team does. Then Bennett gets another, taking the lead!
Ryan is pacing back and forth along the sidelines, shouting instructions to the teams. I watch him just as much as I watch the game. He’s in his element out there. Soccer has always been one of his favorite things. I wish things would have taken off for us as a couple earlier when we were younger. I would have liked to see him in the glory days, scoring all the goals and leading his team. I’m sure the crowds went crazy for him whenever he took the field.
As the second quarter flies by, the other team scores another goal, but Bennett pulls ahead with two, keeping the lead. The scoreboard buzzes, announcing half time. Crowd cheering, people disperse to get refreshments or use the restroom.
Josie stretches her arms above her head and sighs, then she turns to me. “Woo, that was exciting.”
I grin at her. “It was!”
We both then turn back to the field. A few minutes later, the second half picks up, and the game resumes. In between plays, Ryan will occasionally turn around to glance at me. He’ll shoot me a wink or blow a kiss, and every time my belly tightens in response.
