Anise sat next to Vance's father in the stands. Gerald wasn't half as bad as he had acted, but damn the first impression was rough. That made her focus more on the game when she wasn't that into football. Oh, she knew the basics, although she couldn't name the plays. She didn't have to worry about cheering when it would make a fool of her, on her own. The cheerleaders were amusing enough, trying to lead everyone in organized reactions to help the more clueless. Plus they seemed to have fun tossing each other up into the air on the track round the field. It was so....communal. If she kept hanging out with Vance, this would become normal. For the moment it was a bit alien, trying to care about something that wasn't her passion.

Vance was down at the concession stand picking up a burger for himself and three sodas. He left his dad and what he hoped would be his girl to fix their awkward start. That never-ending void of a stomach was as good an excuse as any to give them a moment alone--and a chance to provide back, in a small way. The edges of Anise's lips curled up, despite wanting to not be in this orchestrated moment.

Gerald was the first to speak--as the more mature person should. "He said he's already proposed to you."

"No, he proposed to the omelet," Anise smirked. She had actually enjoyed his proposal, as weird as it was.

"Do you like him?"

Yes, enough to stick this out. Anise took a shaky breath. That wasn't something she was going to confess to his father, before everyone else. "Too soon. I was kind of digging that he wanted to be patient with me, but it turns out that I wasn't the reason--you are. I don't like being some guy's excuse to hide behind. And given how that ruined it, you must have fucked up anyone else he's dated."

Gerald winced. "Don't pull punches do you?"

"Nope."

They sat there in silence for a few minutes until Ben passed by and waved for her to follow him. Depending on where he wanted to meet, this could be an apology or it could be an ambush.

The problem was, was she crazy enough to take the risk? Praying she got this one right, she turned to Mr. Leighton, right as he seemed to want to speak again. "Excuse me, tell Vance that I went to talk with Ben."

She hoped Vance hadn't said anything to his father, yet. A lot of the football players had to be keeping their mouths shut around parents to not stir the sleeping administration. Well, the Principal wasn't ever effective, but the coach had been, until this year. She doubted Vance would let her walk off with Ben if he was aware of what was going on.

Anise got the hell away from one awkward to go with another. They walked in front of the stands, turning the corner to be half obscured from the crowd.

"Man, I'm sorry." He almost touched her shoulder but pulled back, hunching in on himself. It made the swelling in his nose look bigger. He still towered over her, so she looked up into her handiwork, trying to keep a smirk off her face. "I don't want to deal with Maliq."

That got a snort out of her. "You're scared of the guy who taught me to fight."

He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. It could have been cute, except she couldn't see the appeal in him, not after a much more steady guy showed up. "So, you're not his ho?"

"I'd like to know what idiot said that so I can pop him in the nose, too." She took a long breath to keep from hitting him again. "Look, few people know this, but Old Thomas is my Great-Uncle. I'm just some kid in the family Maliq loves. If you apologized because I'm that cop's girlfriend, you are wasting my time."

"No, the apology is real...and not enough." Ben pulled himself more upright like he had to own himself and this apology. "I heard from my cousin that you're willing to keep it unofficial. I've never done something like that before. My cousin reminded me of my sister, and...and I don't feel right, getting away with this. If any of this happened to her, I'd hope she had the balls to do the same thing,"

"You didn't get away with it--I hurt you." Anise arched an eyebrow, looking up at this boy, trying to see him as the same guy she confronted. So many facets to people. "And because I'm merciful, I'm talking to my uncle before I talk to Maliq. Old Thomas is going to want to see what you're made of."

Ben nodded and turned to walk away when he was grabbed by the front of his collar and slammed back against a support beam.

"Why the hell are you talking to her after what you did?!" Vance had lifted him so they were eye to eye, pretty close to losing control in a way he didn't earlier in the day.

Anise rubbed her forehead, almost feeling the pain of the boy shoved against the pillar. She shouldn't be having this kind of pity for the guy, especially with Vance this upset. "Put him down, he came to apologize."

"And you accepted that?" He punctuated his statement by slamming Ben harder against it, knocking the wind out of him. A soft oof was the only sound the running back made, leaving Anise to speak: a coward's retreat, yet smart.

"Not yet, but I'm not going to hold a grudge. Put him down. I thought you'd get kicked off the team to be fighting with a teammate."

"You're worth it."

If I were anyone other than me...She kind of wished she was. Where's the guy who was so cautious this morning? Wanting sacrifices warred with girl power for dominance. No dice, she had this handled and it would be a waste of fighting for her... "That's nice to know. Put him down; we're done here."

Anise turned to leave, knowing she wouldn't bother to stop whatever else those two did--but hoped that Vance trusted her enough to follow.

She got three steps.

His arms snaked around her waist as he pulled her back against him. They were silent for a moment, giving Ben some time to disappear. "You are not just walking away from me after doing that."

"I'm glad you chose me over him, you know."

Vance laughed weakly. "I thought I was going to have to kill him. Am I shaking?"

"...yeah."

He kissed the crown of her head. "Give me a minute and I'll get us back to Dad..."

"You know, I didn't put up with the kiddie game to spend time with your dad, right?"

"He's not really that bad..."

"No, he is...but so is my ma and I'd hit you for talking bad about her." She found a soft smile that curved her lips, lilting her voice. "It's been a crazy day. Think we can have a normal one tomorrow?"

"It's the bake sale and the pep rally. Then that game is going to be out of town. I'd ask you to go, but you're going to tell me it's only been five days. Kind of why I talked your dad into tonight."

Anise shook her head. "He had to think you were God-sent to put up with your shit."

"...you mean he meant that when he agreed to this?!" She could hear his confusion.

"Well, yeah. It's also why I took this risk with Ben down here. Felt pulled to give him a chance to redeem his sorry ass, lead me to think he needs some time with my uncle."

Vance was silent for a few heartbeats, the only thing he was still shaking for. "You know that sounds a little crazy."

"Sure. Your slamming Ben around like that is so much better an urge, right? We all do crazy shit."

"But if he had..." Vance sighed, frustration tightening his grip on her. "You could be dead right now if things went wrong--if you had been wrong."

She shrugged, relaxing into his grip. Hopefully, he will follow my lead. "I doubt it would have gone that far, but doing the right thing can get you killed. Martyrs, saviors, heroes, wrong place wrong time... But we're in a podunk county--nothing happens here. It's a lot of worry over something I took care of. Now let's get out from under these bleachers before your dad thinks we snuck off for a quickie."

He laughed as he lead her back to watch a game she didn't care for--between two men that she didn't know what she felt for them.

...

That night Vance brought her back home well before curfew, as his father wanted to talk with him. Neither of them got down, which was easier on Anise. Thursday nights were becoming a chore of their own, and she was only an hour behind schedule. Cousin Sean was sitting on the coatrack's bench, inside the front door, her bag by his feet. Anise put on a smile that didn't reach her eyes, although she felt relief that this was the man that would escort her this night. "Ready to walk me over, Cous?"

Cotton's existence was starting to bother her.

...

Friday was nothing special. She went everywhere with Vance beside her (no longer squeezing her to death in fear). Lunch was with Vance, Kaylee, Harley, and two of her friends which Anise thought of as Pip and Squeak. Aaron didn't sit with them but stared quite often at the back of Kaylee's head. When Anise went to say something about that, Vance shook his head--so she let it be.

The bake sale did decently. The biggest order was from the football team. They sent someone out to pick up some nachos...70 orders. Ma prepared for that so it went smoothly.

That night, the two had nothing to do with each other but a couple of awkward texts and a call on the bus ride home that Anise fell asleep in the middle of.

She'd much rather fall asleep to someone she didn't want to leave than wake up to someone she didn't want to keep.