Free Waiting on Forever by Ashley Wilcox

the quarterback, Justin Phillips. My heart is pounding in my chest as a wave of chills spread throughout my body, seeing Matt’s perfectly sculpted butt in his uniform.
    Sweet Jesus!
    “The image never gets old,” Summer softly says, nudging my arm with a grin.
    “Not at all,” I answer, eyes still glued.
    My heart skips a beat when he spots us in the crowd, giving me his signature smile that never gets old and a wink that makes me melt as he jogs towards the home team benches seated right in front of us. I never imagined I’d be the lovestruck girlfriend in the bleachers eating up any glance or acknowledgement from her sexy, hot shot boyfriend. If someone had told me just last week that I’d be sitting in the family section at Cortaga Jug cheering for my now boyfriend, Matthew Jacobs, I’d have told them to crawl back into the hole they just came from, because there wasn’t a chance in hell that that would ever happen.
    How much things can change in just one week!

    I’ve learned two valuable lessons so far today.
    One, being at a sporting event is much more interesting than watching it on TV.
    Two, the anxiety I feel when I actually know the person in almost every play is enough to make my blood pressure rise, putting me at high risk for having a heart attack.
    The score is still zero, zero at the half. I have witnessed Matt tackled, manhandled, and pile drived over and over. My stomach has dropped at least a zillion times and I’m wondering if getting a hotdog like I planned is such a great idea.
    “Coming?” Summer asks after the team makes their way back down the tunnel to the locker room.
    “Yeah,” I respond, following behind her and Collin to the concession stand below. Afraid to lose them, I grip the back of Summer’s shirt as we weave in and out of the swarm of people.
    “Leah!” I hear a familiar bubbly voice shout from behind me.
    Closing my eyes, I realize I was just caught. I take a deep breath, knowing that the detailed story that I bypassed earlier is not going to be avoidable now.
    “Team Jacobs?” Kayla says with big eyes when I turn around.
    Yup, here it comes!
    “Please tell me you’re screwing Matthew Jacobs?” she shouts without a care in the world for who can hear her.
    Looking around, I check to see if she’s welcomed any added drama to my life and provided the entire student body with the million dollar question of who Matthew Jacobs is now screwing.
    “Um, no. I’m not screwing Matthew Jacobs,” I answer in a more appropriate tone.
    “Don’t you lie to me, Leah Bennett. You’re wearing a team Jacobs shirt. Only girls lucky enough to get in their pants gets those shirts.”
    “Sorry to break it to you, but I’ve yet to get in his pants,” I respond, matter-of-factly.
    Yikes! That didn’t come out right.
    “Yet? Does this mean you will? Are you guys flippin’ together?” And here it is, twenty-one questions.
    “Kayla, I promise you I’ll fill you in at home, but I’m not gettin’ into it right now,” I promise her with a smile.
    “So you are?” she continues with a huge grin.
    Letting out a chuckle because honestly, it’s hard not to laugh when talking to her, I say, “Yes, Kayla. Matthew Jacobs is my boyfriend.”
    “Oh my frickin god. This is insane. I totally underestimated you!” she practically cheers.
    “Okay,” I laugh. “I’ve gotta go.”
    “Oh my god, I’m so excited for you. My frickin roommate is dating Matthew Jacobs! Squee!”
    “Bye, Kayla,” I say as I walk away, ignoring her ridiculously annoying high pitched excitement.
    Rolling my eyes, I spot Collin and Summer in line at the concession stand and I push through the crowd to meet up with them.
    “Sorry, my roommate,” I briefly explain.
    “Sorority girl, huh? Lucky you,” Summer says sarcastically.
    “Pledgee,” I add.
    “Ugh, even better,” she laughs.
    “Yeah, tell me about it. Last week she came home at two in the morning covered in BBQ sauce, Rice Krispies, chocolate