Free Students of the Game by Sarah Bumpus

know…trucks, beer, chicks in bikinis eating hot wings.”
    “Hot wings…really? You are such a guy.” I toss a throw pillow at him in mock disgust, and we both laugh as it weakly hits him in the chest and bounces off.
    The game comes back on and Bryce starts commentating again. “OK, so since the Pats scored, they have to kick-off the ball…”
    A s much as I love watching pig piles of men in spandex, I can’t help to keep my eyelids from drooping at the sound of his voice. It certainly has been an emotionally exhausting week. Bryce stops talking when he sees that I’m starting to doze off. I look up and find his eyes locked on my face. For a split second I see a flicker of something in his gaze that I can’t decipher, but he starts to get up and it’s extinguished as quickly as it sparked.
    “You look so bored.” Bryce laughs. “I’ll take off.” He walks to the kitchen, grabs his stuff, and pulls on his hat. I walk with him to the front door. Before he leaves he turns towards me. “So, Missy told me all about the dance.”
    “Yeah, I’m sure you guys will have a blast,” I say, with as much sincerity as I can muster.
    Bryce looks away. “We aren’t actually together right now…just friends. It’s hard to have a relationship when I’m so busy with football.” He stops short realizing what he just said.
    It’s funny how our conversation can seem so common place and then one little slip of the tongue can change everything. For a short time it felt almost natural to be watching TV in my living room with Bryce, like we never stopped, but suddenly it’s become a total slap in the face.
           “I’d better go,” he says, awkwardly.
    I don’t reply, but open the front door for him.
         “Thanks, Joy. I really do appreciate this….second chance. I promise I’m going to give it my all.”
           With that he leaves and I shut the door, left alone to think about what I’m really giving him a second chance at.

 
    CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
     
    BRYCE (Freshman Year)
     
     
    Making varsity as a freshman definitely has its perks. Even though I don’t get a lot of offensive playing time, I’m ready. More physically than emotionally, but ready none the less…for when it’s my turn. Most of the upperclassmen on the team are alright dudes and even though Carver’s not on the team, it’s sort of accepted that he’s part of the club, because he’s a friend of mine.
    In between classes one day, I’m walking with Carver when Bobby Dawson comes up to us. No Blondie as arm candy this time, however.
    “Bryce, I’m having a get together tonight.” He looks at Carver. “This one is going to be more laid back than the rest, not really a party, just some of the guys from the team.”
    “Alright, man. See you tonight.” I nod and Bobby heads off down the hall.
    “So, I think we should just get a ride this time, since it’s a school night.” Carver says after he’s gone.
    “He said team only .”
    Carver puts his arm around me and smiles. “Dude, he wouldn’t have told you in front of me if he didn’t want me to go.”
    I don’t have the time to argue about it as the bell rings, so I just shrug, leading Carver to take that as an agreement.
    When my mom drops us off at Bobby’s house that night, I ring the bell, and this time someone actually answers. Bobby’s mom smiles at us and ushers us in. She leads us through the house to a door off the kitchen. “The guys are all downstairs, just head on down.” Then she disappears, going back to whatever she was doing before we interrupted it.
    I open the door and Carver follows me down the carpeted stairwell to the finished basement be low. You can definitely tell its Bobby’s lair, a workout area set up with a weight bench is in one corner, and TV with a video game system hooked up in the other. Two mismatched love-seats are angled, facing towards it. A glass coffee table in the center is home to a scattering of open sports drink