"Just one," Lissette said, handing the ticket holder three dollars. The ticket holder nodded Lissette in with a smile, and she walked past, shoving her numb hands into the front pockets of her jeans with a shiver. This game was going to be frozen hell.

Lissette began to hesitantly walk towards the student section bleachers. Henley had told her that some of the girls from his friend group would be saving her a spot, but that didn't give her any confidence. Would they call her over when they saw her? Would she just awkwardly clamber up by them? She wasn't even totally sure what they all looked like, not being able to put a face to the name, even after their handful of lunches together.

"Lissette! Over here!"

Lissette frowned, cocking her head towards the source of the unfamiliar voice.

"Lissette!" This time Lissette saw who it came from. A beautiful Black girl with long dark locs tucked under a chunky knit beanie was waving Lissette over from the concessions line with a grin. Breathing a sigh of relief, Lissette headed over. She knew this was one of Henley's friends... unfortunately, she just didn't know which one.

"Hi," Lissette smiled.

"Hey! I'm Nevaeh Nolan. Henley said you'd be coming!" she greeted warmly. Her eyes drifted down to the white number 13 jersey that Lissette had pulled over a navy blue hoodie. Nevaeh wiggled her eyebrows. "Love the jersey, by the way."

Lissette blushed, rather than cringed, just like she practiced. Her own eyes drifted to the number 57 jersey that Nevaeh wore herself. She had no clue who Nevaeh was dating, but said, "And I love yours."

Nevaeh beamed. "Thanks! Silas Bradshaw: number 57 on the field, number one in my heart," she giggled. "I promise I know how cheesy that is! I saw it on Pinterest once and thought it was funny how bad it was."

Lissette grinned. She liked Nevaeh. She was super nice and super easy to talk to, nothing like how she would imagine the elite of Henley's friend group to be.

It was then Nevaeh's turn to order in line, in which she asked for two hot chocolates and promptly paid. Once the hot chocolates were given, Nevaeh turned and handed one of them to Lissette. "For you," Nevaeh said with a smile. She began walking away, slowly, waiting for Lissette to follow and join.

"Aw, really? Thanks!" Lissette said, already taking a sip of the steaming liquid.

"Of course. It's fucking cold. We need to stick together," Nevaeh said, nudging Lissette playfully. She grabbed Lissette's free hand and led her the rest of the way to the student section. "This is us!"

Nevaeh had stopped right in front of the first row, just where Henley said they would be. The whole student section was pretty packed already, but there was clearly a little space saved in that very first row. Nevaeh jumped into the space, standing on the bleacher, before pulling up Lissette to join her. "Girls! This, of course, is Lissette! Lissette, this is Inez, Sadie, and Piper," Nevaeh introduced, pointing to each girl respectively. Inez, a cute wide-eyed blonde, Sadie, a stunning curly-haired brunette, and Piper, an auburn-haired vixen.

Each girl greeted Lissette kindly, except, she noticed, Piper, who remained silent.

"Honestly, Lissette, I have to commend you for being able to put up with Henley!" Inez grinned. "I don't know how you do it." Lissette remembered Henley's embarrassing story about his failed attempt of asking Inez out years ago.

"Me neither," Lissette said honestly. Inez, Sadie, and Nevaeh all laughed.

"Oooak Hills High! Give it up for your HOME team SHARKS!" the commentator, which the girls knew to be their ninth grade civics teacher, roared through the speakers. The entire student section erupted into an ecstatic explosion of cheering, clapping, stomping, and whooping. Lissette couldn't even hear her own thoughts as the entire bleachers rattled. They only got louder as the blue jerseyed Oak Hills Sharks made their appearance, jogging on to and across the field. It didn't take long for Lissette to realize the team was led by none other than Henley in the very front. While he was fully uniformed, helmet and all, Lissette spied the white 13 glowing on the fabric of his navy jersey, matching with the navy 13 on the fabric of the white jersey she wore at that very moment.

As if sensing Lissette's eyes on him, Henley looked up towards the student section as he ran past and pointed directly at Lissette. Lissette knew she wasn't hallucinating the student section's cheers getting even louder. Reminding herself once again that she had to act in character, especially when all eyes were undoubtedly on her, Lissette forced a grin and jumped up and down, whooping and hollering for Henley.

Nevaeh playfully shook Lissette's shoulders giddily, then leaned closer so that she would actually be able to be heard over the roars of the crowd. "You two are actually the 'it' couple!"

Lissette smiled in response, but a pit was forming in her stomach. She hated adding and adding onto the list of people she was lying to, especially when the people were so sweet and unsuspecting like Nevaeh.

The game began shortly after, and Lissette had definitely been correct in assuming that she wouldn't have a clue about what was happening. She did know one thing for certain though: Henley was doing amazing. Even she could see that. His name had to have been announced dozens and dozens of times over the speakers by the commentator. "Completed pass from Henley Rhodes!" "Excellent play by Henley Rhodes!" "Henley Rhodes, looking like a young Tom Brady out there!" "What an arm that Rhodes has!"

Lissette felt like she was doing a pretty good job at fulfilling the role of football girlfriend. She was going totally crazy, jumping up and down, screaming, especially screaming Henley's name, pumping her fist in the air, and even hugging Nevaeh. It was quite the show she was putting on.

Pretty soon, there was only a minute left of the fourth quarter and the game was tied at a crazy score of 40-40. It was the fourth down, which Nevaeh had told Lissette as it was impossible to follow the game, and the Sharks had possession of the ball. Most notably, there was only a yard between them and the endzone.

Lissette held her breath, surprised at how deeply invested she had become with this game. This was it, the Sharks' last chance at a victory.

Just like that, the play began, and to Lissette's shock and confusion, Henley ran straight into the herd of the opposing team, carrying the ball.

The Oak Hills student section went absolutely feral as the scoreboard shifted from 40-40 to 46-40.

"TOUCHDOWN with a quarterback sneak!" the commentator roared.

Lissette turned to Nevaeh, eyebrows furrowed. "What the hell just happened?" Lissette screamed over the whooping of the crowd.

"Henley scored a touchdown is what fucking happened!" Nevaeh grinned.

"Oh. Oh!" Lissette's face lit up and she reminded herself to cheer. Henley just scored a touchdown! It was a little confusing to watch, she hadn't even processed it and had no clue what a "quarterback sneak" was, but nonetheless.

A second later, the Sharks set up for a field goal, easily made it in, and shifted the score to 47-0. Just like that, the time on the clock ran out – what a Disney Channel ending.

"Oak Hills High VICTORY! Let's hear it for our Sharks!" cheered the commentator.

The football team rushed the field, ripping off their helmets and pumping their fists in the air, crashing into Henley. For a second Lissette wondered if they were going to pick him up and really complete that Disney Channel sports game storyline, but it didn't go farther than them all patting him on the back and pounding his helmet.

The energy of the student section was infectious, and Lissette found herself genuinely grinning as Nevaeh squealed and hugged her one more time.

About ten minutes of the girls chatting later, Lissette noticed the football field had completely cleared off. She didn't know where any of the players had gone though, because Henley had made it a point that she needed to find him on the field right after games. "I suppose I should go find Henley," Lissette said sheepishly.

"You probably should," Sadie said with a grin, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Real mature, Sades," Inez said with a smirk. Sadie giggled.

Lissette let the girls know she would see them later. It was as she was stepping off the bleachers that the screeching sound of a microphone turning on came to life over the speakers. Lissette was ready to ignore it until a certain voice echoed through it.

"Can't take my eyes off of you, you'd be like heaven to touch. I wanna hold you so much. At long last, love has arrived. And I thank God I'm alive. You're just too good to be true. Lissette, I can't take my eyes off of you," the voice sang acapella over the speakers. Henley's voice sang over the speakers. It immediately clicked... 10 Things I Hate About You, Lissette's favorite movie of all time... that conversation she had with Henley back at Dean's party a week ago...

Lissette's mouth dropped open and she gasped. This could not be happening! Still wide eyed, Lissette whirled around to face Nevaeh, Inez, and Sadie (Piper had left long ago), all three girls cheering and grinning. No way – could they have known about this? They didn't look the slightest bit shocked, so Lissette guessed the answer was yes.

Before Lissette could say anything, the marching band started blaring the instrumental tune of Can't Take My Eyes off You by Frankie Valli, trumpets and all. Lissette whipped her head around to face the field, leaning against the railing. Sure enough, the marching band started making its way across the field as they played, exactly like the infamous scene in 10 Things I Hate About You.

Henley began to sing through the microphone again. "I love you, baby! And if it's quite alright, I need you, baby!" he sang, fully getting into it now. He had a surprisingly amazing voice?

Happy girlfriend, Lissette. Remember, happy girlfriend, Lissette reminded herself. She forced a grin on her face, despite the overbearing humiliation seeping in and weighing her down, and leaned over the railing, searching for where Henley could be.

Lissette heard a cheer behind her and turned to see the entire student section had turned their phone flashlights on and were holding them up in the air. It was really quite beautiful, like she was looking at a night sky full of sparkling stars.

Lissette looked back to the field, and that's when she saw him. Henley Rhodes himself, still wearing his full uniform except for the helmet, was quite literally dancing across the field towards her through the marching band, leaping just like Heath Ledger. Even from a distance, Lissette could see the huge, charming grin on his face as he continued singing.
As Lissette looked down, she noticed a whole herd of football players running onto the field right in front of the stand, working together to carry a huge banner. Lissette picked out Cory in the group, spying his blonde hair. The football players stopped in front of Lissette's view and spread out, straightening the banner. That's when Lissette saw what the banner said, handwritten.

HOMECOMING?

Lissette's heart dropped. Of course this could get even more humiliating and of course this was coming and of course he couldn't just ask her out like a normal human being. No, he had to plan out this huge, ridiculous thing, definitely aware of how uncomfortable Lissette would feel from the attention.

Henley had made his way in front of the banner now, staring up at Lissette, still wearing that stupid smile. He was finishing up the last line now. "And let me love you, baby, let me love you," he sang. Henley paused, cracked a "sheepish" smile, and spoke the words, "Let me take you to hoco, Lissette?"

The student section behind her roared and Lissette realized she had to respond. Appropriately. She grinned, which pained her to do so, and vigorously nodded, hoping she wasn't overselling it. "Oh my God, yes!" Lissette said. Another cheer from the students behind her.

Lissette was ready for and expecting this to be over with, but to her shock, Henley hurried over to the fence directly below Lissette that the railing she was currently leaning against led down to. He jumped onto it with ease, grabbing onto the railing and pulling himself up like it was nothing. In the span of a millisecond, she was eye to eye with him, the fence the only thing between them.

Henley was smirking as he leaned forward and his lips brushed against Lissette's ear. "Care if I kiss you for our audience?" he whispered smoothly.

Lissette was only bewildered for a second before she realized what she had to do. To answer his question, Lissette smashed her lips against his, placing her hands on the railing for balance. She was repulsed, but intently focused on hiding her displeasure, recalling the cursed picture that had been sent around of her and Henley after the last time they kissed. The kiss didn't last long, certainly void of any passion. It was simply a polite kiss, perfectly executed for the situation and to please their peers.

As she pulled back, she whispered with a sweet smile on her face, "Fuck you."

Henley blinked, stunned.