Important Assignment

''I cannot believe you decided to come to this game,'' Alicia exclaims still in shock. We are in her jeep and her best friend Kelly has been watching me with suspicion. I am not in the least bit comfortable with this but I promised Ace and I really want to be there for him.

''I just felt suffocated inside,'' I tell her not being honest. She nods her head and parks the car in the parking lot. We get down from the car and I look at how they are dressed. Alicia is dressed in the tightest jeans I have ever seen. They are ripped all over and her skin is seeping out of the holes. She has on black boots above the jeans and a black tank top. Kelly is dressed in black shorts and a purple tank top with sneakers. In contrast to me they look totally different.

I am dressed in grey sweatpants and a matching hoodie with my black sneakers. It's a little on the big side but it's comfortable, i take being comfortable over being pretty. I don't understand why they see the need to wear clothes that are uncomfortable. My hair is packed into a pony tail which is hidden under my hoodie. Both Alicia and Kelly have their hair down.

''Come on,'' we walk into the stadium and there are lights everywhere. The bleachers are full of people screaming from the excitement that is football. It seems like the whole school came to this game. I follow Alicia and she leads us to three empty seats in one of the middle rows. A couple of people greet her as she passes and I can't help but feel a little jealous. No one knows me here. I am practically a nobody and I can't blame anyone but myself.

I chose to be this way.

We sit down on the benches and I look to the field. The grass is very green and neatly kept. The game hasn't started but there is loud cheering as the cheerleaders do their number.

I watch patiently until the football players make their entrance. I notice Ace immediately. He is wearing his uniform and his helmet—fully covered up but somehow I recognize him in all of his gear. The number on his shirt is a boldly written 22. He runs round the field and people cheer louder. He stops for a minute looking through the crowd like he is looking for something or maybe someone.

He looks away from the crowd and my heart settles for a second. I know he isn't looking for me. He just invited me out of pure courtesy but somehow I have this ache in me that he could be searching for me.

I watch him as he runs and grabs his bag from a bench. He pulls out his phone and I feel mine beep in my pocket. Everyone is watching him but he is staring at his phone. I grab my phone from my pocket with trembling hands.

Ace: I can't see you

My heart trembles along with my fingers as I manage to type a few words into my phone.

Me: I see you.

I look at him and he looks up from his phone with a smile on his face. He searches the crowd again and this time I am a hundred percent sure he is looking for me. Alicia leans closer to me ''Who is he looking for?'' she questions but I only shrug with a smile on my face.

I wait for him to see me but he is still searching with furrowed brows. I can't blame him because we are all the way in the back. I watch him give up as he looks down at his phone again.

My phone beeps.

Ace: Are you really here?

Me: Yes.

Ace: Wave your hands. Give me some kind of sign.

Me: Just play a good game. I promise I am here.

Ace: I'll see you after?

Me: Sure.

He drops his phone back in his bag and runs over to his teammates. The crowd is still cheering loudly. He apologizes to his coach but I don't hear what he is saying. The game starts and I watch every movement he makes. I don't notice anyone on the field. Somehow it's like there's no one but him.

I don't know what is happening to me but I cheer on for him completely engrossed in the game.

The black hawks win the game and I find myself screaming for joy ''You are very into the game?'' Alicia chuckles.

I get myself together and watch as Ace and his teammates cheer each other with hugs. A few of the players carry Ace over their shoulders and I can't help but laugh at how silly they are being. Ace looks over their shoulders and his eyes stop directly in front of me.

I am very sure this time that he can see me. A smile creeps up to his face as his sparkling blue pierces into me. He focuses on me and my heart jolts around in my chest. I look away from him as my cheeks redden and when I look back at him, he is no longer watching me.

We depart from the stadium and Alicia screams excitedly ''That was amazing,'' she tells Kelly who nods in approval. They both have dreamy expressions on their faces. just the fact that the amazing Ace Burton could be looking at them. ''Ace is the shit. God did you see how fast he moved tonight?'' I look at Kelly and her expression gets to me.

''Totally...he was totally looking for someone in the crowd tonight.''

I remain quiet ''His blue eyes pierced right through mine. I swear he stopped when he saw me,'' Alicia exclaims and jealousy seeps through me.

I know he was looking at me but the fact that someone like Alicia is so smitten by him makes me angry.

I am way out of his league. He could never want someone like me when there are a lot of girls like Alicia and Kelly that could give him everything I couldn't.

We walk to her car and I am still clutching onto my phone. He hasn't texted back. He said we were going to see after the game. I don't know what he is doing right now but I can't help but feel threatened.

''There's an after party,'' I look at Alicia and she continues ''are you in?'' she is talking to me. We enter her jeep and she waits for me ''I don't think so,'' I shake my head.

'' Why not?''

''I'm tired...I have a few papers to finish,'' I lie. She sighs and I look through the rear view mirror as Kelly rolls her eyes ''Please can you just drop me off at the dorm?''

Alicia nods and starts the engine.

********

''Why didn't you wait for him?''

I roll my eyes and Izzy chuckles ''He didn't really ask me to come to the party. He said the game and I went to the game,'' I tell her.

She shakes her head ''You should have gone,''

She is right but I haven't even gotten a call from him yet. He said we were gonna see and he hasn't called me yet. I am not upset but I have to face facts. He wasn't longing for me. He invited me out of pity. I know that.

It's been two hours since the game and I haven't heard anything from him. I sent him a congratulatory text after the game and he hasn't even replied. I am sure he is excited and probably forgot about me and that's okay.

Izzy is lying down on the floor next to my bed. She came over after the game. I am dressed in pajama shorts and a camisole. I have fluffy slippers on my feet. My red hair is still packed up in a bun and my glasses are on my face.

My phone rings and I see an unknown number ''Is it him?'' I shake my head and answer the call.

'' Hello.''

There is noise in the background, music and people screaming ''Frankie?'' I recognize his voice immediately.

''Ace?''

He sighs into the phone ''Hang on a sec...'' noise still blares through the phone as I wait for him. After a few seconds he speaks up again and the noise in the room reduces ''Where are you?''

''In my dorm.''

He grunts through the phone ''Why? I've been looking for you all night,'' my heart races at his words.

''I didn't see you after the game.''

''I lost my fucking phone...it probably fell from my bag,'' he curses into the phone and I smile. Izzy raises a brow and I look away from her.

''Congratulations,'' I tell him.

''Can you come out tonight?''

'' It's already late. My roommates already at the party.''

He sighs ''I wanna see you,'' I sit up on the bed and cross my legs. Izzy is still watching me and I can tell she can see the blush on my cheeks. I remain quiet—I don't know what to say to his demand. I want to see him to but I can't bring the words out of my mouth.

''Can I come pick you up?''

His words have me shivering ''Have you been drinking?'' His safety is the first thing I can think about. I really want to see him but if he has even had one sip of anything, I am not letting him drive.

''I have been looking for you all night. First I couldn't find my phone and then I decided to come over to the club thinking you'd be here but then I didn't find you,'' he narrates his evening to me.

I smile ''How did you remember my number?"

He chuckles ''I asked the dean. He yelled at me at first asking why I needed to call you so late at night but then I told him it was for an important assignment.''

I laugh ''You are silly.''

''It is a really important assignment.''

''How is this important?''

He remains quiet ''Can I come pick you up?'' he repeats his previous question. I sigh knowing that I am going to give up. I want to see him. What's the harm in this? It's not a big deal.

'' Sure.''