clothes, we walk out to the bus. Parents and a few of our classmates are standing by, waiting to greet us and follow the bus home. A line of cars, trucks, and SUVs heading to the same destination for the same purpose.
To celebrate the win.
I break away from Tyson when I see Lizzy. I fell in love with her about a year ago, but we met our sophomore year when her family moved to town. Next to her stands her best friend Adeline — or Addy as I’ve always called her — who I’ve known since preschool. We started off as friends, but I consider her my best friend. Even more so than Tyson. Addy and I just get each other.
They’re dressed like twins. Short jean shorts, tight t-shirt that proudly displays what team they’re rooting for, and flimsy flip-flops. But that’s where the similarities between the two end. Where Lizzy is tall and thin, her bright red hair pulled into a ponytail on top of her head, Addy is over a foot shorter than me, with long blonde hair and curves that the guys in high school couldn’t help but comment on. I’ll admit to catching myself looking a little too long a time or two, but my heart belongs to Lizzy. Addy and I have only ever been friends. She calls me her brother.
“You did it, babe!” Lizzy squeals as I lift her into my arms, burying my head in her neck. “I was so nervous the entire time!”
I set her down and kiss her soundly on the lips. “You were? No faith in us?”
She scoffs and lightly shoves my shoulder. “You know that’s not it. I just know how badly y’all wanted this. I’m so darn proud of you guys. You kicked butt.”
I grin and kiss her cheek. She never cusses. Never.
“Thanks, Lizzy.”
“Boys! You’ll see everyone back home. Time to load up,” Coach calls out and like obedient little soldiers, trained for the past four years to listen when our coach speaks, we start filing onto the bus.
I kiss Lizzy one more time then turn to Addy who’s waiting her turn to congratulate me. She nudges me with her arm and says, “You did great. Congrats, Beau.”
“Thanks, Adeline. You see how I laid out number 29 when he tried to get across my plate? That was for you,” I tell her and wink.
“You mean that punk Eli? Of course I saw it.”
“And?”
“You know how much I love a guy who shows friendship with brute force.” She rolls her eyes.
“Of course I do.” I flex for her and she laughs, shaking her head. I’ve known Adeline even longer than Tyson. We met in preschool when another kid stole her snack and made her cry. I pushed him when we went outside for playtime. I got in trouble but never apologized for bullying a bully. She knows that I’d do anything to protect her. And Eli? He’s talked a lot of shit over the course of our high school career when it comes to Addy. He’s had a crush on her for years, and has always used her to goad me into fights on the field, whether it be baseball or football. He’s from the neighboring town and is a total creep. It felt good to lay him out one last time.
I turn to see Lizzy and Tyson talking as well, no doubt her telling him how great he did. Scrunching my eyebrows together when he leans down and whispers something to her. Lizzy nods and spins away, practically skipping back over to me.
“What was that about?”
“Nothing,” she chirps.
“Nothing? He whispered something to you.”
“It’s a surprise.” I look closely at her then relax when she bites her bottom lip. “Relax, Beau. It’s nothing bad.”
“What kind of surprise?”
“For me to know and you to find out.”
“And Tyson?”
“Well, yeah, he’s helping me.”
Coach yells at us to get our asses moving so I say a quick goodbye and promise to meet up after we get back to town.
The bus ride home is no quieter than the locker room was earlier. The adrenaline still coursing through our veins creating an energy around us that’s hard to ignore. It takes just over an hour to get back to the high school and unload all our gear from the bus and not much longer to drive out to Johnson’s field to get the real party started.
Lizzy and Adeline are waiting for us by the bonfire, both already holding a red cup filled with keg beer.