Tonight's the night. Matt's first varsity home game. I've seen him play about a million times, but something about those Friday night lights makes everything seem more magical. The thrill, the suspense, the soft glow of the stadium lights, it's really something special. I get the warm fuzzies just thinking about it. I don't know if it's possible to feel nostalgic about something that hasn't happened yet, but it's how I'm feeling. The sunny memories of the past and rosy hope for the future blend into the present, creating a sunset kaleidoscope of happy feelings. Honestly, is there anything better than Friday nights in September?

I make good on my promise to go with Teddy to the game. I meet him at his house and the two of us walk down to the school together. We find a spot in the bleachers about three rows from the top. Even though it's still half an hour from kick-off the stands are pretty much packed. Give it another five minutes and the whole town will be here, I guarantee it.

We wait around talking for a bit while the bleachers fill up. Five minutes before kick-off, music blares through the speakers and pumps up the crowd. Everyone starts hootin' and hollerin' when the home team busts out of the locker room and runs out onto the field. I look around for Matt, but he gets lost among the sea of black and gold jerseys. I have to do a little dip and swerve maneuver to catch the slightest glimpse of the back of his helmet. I know it's his because it has a little rainbow unicorn sticker that Carrie gave him for good luck. Seriously, so cute.

"You excited to see your boy play tonight?" Teddy nudges me.

"My boy?" I scoff. "I think you mean Olivia's boy."

I realize once I say it that I sound way more jealous than I intended. I will admit I was surprised when he told me he was going to the dance with Olivia but believe me I am not jealous. I actually think they'd be good together. If you completely ignore the fact that they barely talk to each other and have absolutely nothing in common that is.

"He don't care about Olivia," Teddy laughs. "She ain't even here."

I look at Teddy with skepticism. It makes no sense. Matt's been vehemently anti-school dances for as long as I've known him. He outright said that he had zero intention of going. And he's never even talked about Olivia to me. I'm sure he would've told me if he had a crush on her, wouldn't he? Something must have happened to change his mind. These things don't materialize out of thin air. Did she confess her love for him and it made him realize that he likes her too? Had he been harboring these feelings for her all along and I didn't know about it? Was he too embarrassed to tell me? I need answers!

"Why'd he ask her to the dance then?"

Teddy chuckles at my question and a little half-smile creeps on his face.

"I think you know."

Okay, now I'm really confused. What am I missing here? Teddy is usually completely oblivious to our friend group gossip. It doesn't matter the situation, he's always the last to know. Whitney dyed bubble-gum pink streaks in her hair in the seventh grade and it took him 3 weeks to realize something was different. If it's obvious enough for even him to notice, why am I not seeing it?

"I don't."

"You'll figure it out."

I sigh and slump my shoulders in frustration. I don't know when Teddy became so secretive, but I don't like it one bit. I still want to know who he's been seeing behind our backs by the way. But one thing at a time.

"Orrr...you could tell me."

Teddy laughs and turns his attention back to the field.

"The game's startin'."

I stare at him, waiting for an answer, but he's not giving me an inch. Clearly, I'm not going to get anything out of him so I give up for now and focus on the game. I search for Matt, hoping to find him in the starting line-up, but to my disappointment, I see him sitting on the bench. His head hangs low as the crowd chants Hayden's name. I know how badly Matt wishes that were him and it hurts me that he can't be out there living his dream.

"You reckon Mr. Purdy'll put Matt in?"

Teddy shrugs. We both know it's unlikely given the magnitude of Haydenmania these people have. Which I still don't get, like, at all. He's not even remotely good. He has the reflexes of a Galapagos Tortoise. Not a young one either. An old one. Nearing the end of its life. Matt can run circles around him.

"Maybe in the second half."

Yeah, maybe, I think. I'm not counting on it though. The first quarter of the game goes by pretty slowly. The other team is up by 15 and we have yet to get anywhere near the end zone. The crowd sighs in disappointment yet again as our quarterback gets sacked for what seems like the 100th time tonight. It's no fun when your team is losing and you have no one to cheer for.

The second quarter is worse than the first. We fall even further behind and half our starters are sidelined with ankle injuries. We'd need a miracle to even come close to winning. At this point, we're not even watching. We're all just waiting for the mercy of the half-time buzzer.

After another torturous five minutes, the second quarter ends and we breathe a sigh of relief. Despite our disastrous performance, the cheerleaders hop and high kick to center field to the beat of a Kelsea Ballerini song. My spirits lift when I see Bridgette and Whitney looking all cute and happy in their cheer uniforms. Our football team may suck, but our fearless cheer squad never lets us down. They start their routine and it brings some much-needed life back into the crowd. I'm so amazed by the flips and tricks these girls do that I don't notice that even Teddy is enjoying it. I'm not joking. He's sitting there smiling like a proud pageant mom. Wait, is he taking out his phone? Omg, he is. And he's zooming in. I subtly lean over his shoulder to see who he's taking a picture of, but he tucks his phone away before I can sneak a peek. But when subtly fails, there's always shamelessly blunt question asking.

"Did you just take a picture?"

"What? No." He says, awfully defensively I might add.

I probably should have been a good friend and let it go, but he gave me a hard time about Matt and Olivia, so I think it's fair that I return the favor.

"Don't lie to me."

"Why would I lie?"

"Why would you lie about sneakily taking pictures of girls in short skirts like a pervert? Gee, I don't know."

I'm messing with him, of course. Teddy is the farthest thing from a pervert. But it's the only way to get him to tell the truth. Sometimes you gotta play dirty.

"I'm not - " Teddy quickly jumps to defend himself. He shuts his mouth and sighs in frustration. He knows the only way to dig himself out of this hole is to give it up. "Bridgette wanted a picture of her split-lift, okay?"

I'm sorry, what? Did he say split-lift? How in the heck does Teddy Farm Boy Peters know what a split lift is? He barely knows what a cartwheel is. I mean this sincerely, what the hell is going on in my life. First Matt goes out of his way to go to a school dance and now Teddy's throwing out cheer terminology like it's a second language. These boys have lost their damn minds.

"I'm gonna go get some snacks," I say as I stand-up. This is all getting a little too weird for me. I need to step away for a second.

I'm standing in the line to the snack shack deciding between french fries and nachos when I hear a soft voice say, "Hey, Kiersten." I spin around to see a tall gangly boy standing behind me.

"Oh, Porter, hey," I say.

I'm somewhat surprised to see him here. He's not really the football type if you know what I mean. Not that it's a bad thing. We all have our strengths.

"So uh, great game, huh?" He says and kind of shoves his hands into his pockets awkwardly.

"Yeah, it's really close," I say sarcastically. "I don't know if I can bear the suspense."

Porter laughs, but it's not a carefree, happy laugh. It's more like an uncomfortable, nervous chuckle. He opens his mouth but then closes it again. There's a clunky pause in the conversation that makes it really awkward.

"Where are you sitting? I didn't see you before," I say to fill the gap.

"Up by the press box. I came late."

I nod and look at the now shortening line to the snack shack. My mind wanders from my conversation with Porter to the smell of buttery popcorn and daydreams about nacho cheese. I bet if I ask politely they'd give me extra cheese. Then I could put it on the fries too. That popcorn is calling my name though. Maybe I'll ask for double extra cheese and go nuts with it. Popcorn, tortilla chips, fries, pretzels, whatever. Nacho cheese makes everything better.

"Are you next?" I ask Porter who shakes his head and gestures for me to go first.

I step up and order myself an armful of food. I turn around to go back to my seat and almost bump into Porter.

"Oh, sorry," I say with a little laugh.

"Um, that's okay," he says with a smile and steps out of my way. "Sure got a big appetite."

"I plan on sharing," I say to save face.

He doesn't need to know I ordered this all for myself. Besides, Teddy can have a fry or two if he wants.

"Right sorry," Porter says and shakes his head at himself. "That was rude."

"It's fine," I shrug.

I'm really not offended. To be fair, it is a lot of food. Porter nods his head a little and smiles, but doesn't say anything else. I'm trying so hard to focus on this conversation, but that warm, gooey cheese is tempting me like you would not believe.

"All right, well," I say after a few awkward seconds. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, yeah," Porter says eagerly. "7:30 is still good, right?"

I can't resist any longer. Like an addict, I grab a fry and plunge it into the nacho cheese sauce. The second it hits my taste buds, it's like pure ecstasy.

"Totally. Perfect," I say through a mouthful of cheese and potato.

"Okay, I'll uh, see you then."

"Bye, Porter," I say and we go our separate ways.

I rush back up the bleachers hoping to catch the last bit of the cheer routine. I make it just in time to see Whitney and Bridgette flying high in the air with perfectly pointed toes. For the big finale, the two girls get tossed to the top of the pyramid and the crowd goes wild. We're in for a second-half comeback, I can feel it.