Colors on my Canvas

chapter three

"We did it," I remarked.

"I told you we would," Benny commented.

"Shut up!" I playfully shoved Benny to the side as we walked up to get tickets for the high school football game.

"We should get in free because your dad is the coach."

"I don't make the rules." I raised my hands in mock surrender.

We paid for our tickets and walked into the stadium. As we began to make our way into the bleachers, the marching band began their pregame.

I didn't particularly like football. I only went to the games for my dad, and the atmosphere of the place was incredible. I loved the way everyone would get into the game like it was a life or death situation. Plus the band put on a good show.

I glanced around the field as the team began to warm up. My dad was calling out to a couple of the players as they looked like they were about to tackle each other right then and there.

"Want me to go get snacks?" Benny asked me, pulling my attention back to him. I completely forgot he was there.

"Uh yeah sure that would be great. Do you want some money?"

"Nah I got it as long as you get next time," he responded.

"Okay thanks. Just my usual," I answered before he could ask. I watched as he walked down the bleachers, taking two at a time, before refocusing on the field. The other team had just came on the field in their purple and yellow uniforms, meaning the game was about to start.

The captains of both teams met with the refs. We had won the toss and a wave of screams passed over the crowd. As the three of our captains walked back to the benches, my heart stopped. Piercing blue eyes shot straight through my skull as one of the boys, wearing number 84, pointed in my direction and smirked. I glanced behind me, but Benny and I had picked seats around the parents of the team, rather than in the middle of the student section. All of the parents behind me were staring at me. Number 84 had pointed at me.

I glanced back down to the field before I remembered the mysterious notification I had gotten 4 nights before. I ripped my phone out of my pocket and opened Instagram. I searched through my followers before finding him. parkerk84. I clicked on his page. As it loaded, I was unsure of what I would find. But, sure enough, it was the kid from my backyard with the blue eyes.

Parker Knight. Beautiful blue eyed Parker Knight. Finally I could place a face to the name.

Benny came back up to our seats, hands filled with snacks and drinks.

"Here's your Gatorade and peanut M&Ms, dork," he said as he handed me my snacks.

"Thank you, Benjamin," I sang back, making sure to pronounce every syllable in his name.

He threw a few pieces of popcorn at me. He hated being called by his full name and only tolerated it from me or his parents. He liked to be called Ben the most, but Benny was still acceptable.

"Hey hey, you're wasting good food!" I complained.

He just laughed at me and turned his attention to the game.

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"Alright, what's going on? You've been quiet ever since I came back with the snacks," Benny asked me as we walked home from the football game.

"Oh nothing." I didn't know what I would say to him about Parker. All of my life the football team had been off limits and I was never one to break rules.

"You're such a liar!" He exclaimed. "What happened to no keeping secrets?"

He was right, I was going to have to tell him. It was part of our friendship code. I sighed.

"Have you ever gotten a follow request on Instagram in the middle of the night, not knowing who the person was, but then seeing them in person?" I asked, confusing myself in the process.

"Um. I don't think so?" I could tell Benny was confused.

"Well it happened to me and I can't get it out of my mind," I sighed again. This whole thing was confusing to me. I had never had a relationship before and no guy had ever actually shown some sort of an interest in me.

"Well then I guess we're just going to need to get your mind off of it." He smiled. But it wasn't his normal smile. It was his Benny-has-got-a-plan smile. This couldn't be good. He grabbed my arm and pulled me into the street. He let me go and then started dancing on the yellow lines.

"You're so lucky we don't get a lot of traffic around here," I laughed as I began to dance with him. Benny always knew how to cheer me up when I couldn't figure something out. It was one of the many things I love about him.

We continued down the street towards home after our little dance party in the middle of the street.

"Benny I'll be fine," I reassured as we approached his house.

"I'm not going to let you walk home by yourself in the middle of the night. It's two streets, I'll walk you home." Benny was never one to be easily convinced.

"Fine," I reluctantly agreed. I knew there was no way getting passed this, and it was easier to just give in.

The two of us chatted a little bit more before we came upon my house.

"Thank you Benny," I smiled.

"Of course, Char. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, see you tomorrow?" I asked.

"Yeah probably. I never have anything going on anyway."

"Okie dokie. Love you, Benno."

"Love you too, Charlemagne," he waved to me as he ran off into the night. I walked in the front door and grabbed a bottle of water before heading into my bedroom. I changed into pajamas and laid on my bed, scrolling through Instagram for a while before drifting off into a deep sleep.