“OmygoshJaneyoucame!” Lorraine screeched in her rushed, excited Lorraine-way as I entered through the gate. Running toward me, her arms came around my neck before I was able to discern whatever she was saying. She let go and looked at me. “I thought you said that you weren’t coming!”

I took the opportunity to back away before she pulled me into another snake hold. “Yeah, but who could say no to football?” I asked sarcastically as she led me toward the Home Side of the stadium.

“Hardy-har-har Janie,” she mocked, pulling me through the various groups of students and parents who were mingling in the aisles. “But it’s a good thing you came, practically everyone’s here…” she drawled as we made a sharp turn and began marching up the cement steps/seats of the stands.

I could see our destination before we even got there. Up about thirty rows were most of the freshmen, my people. We took up about four rows and were throwing food, dancing, and generally making loud, obnoxious noises to show how much we were enjoying ourselves.

Sighing I let Lorraine drag me into the eye of the crowd, where she was probably sitting before.
“Guys,” she announced importantly, “Jane’s here!”

A few looked at me up and down then went back to their raucous. Lorraine, being Lorraine, didn’t notice and began introducing me to the “others.”

First there was Billy, who just started baseball, and there was Josh, who was the only 9th grader who snagged a lead in the drama play. Then there was so-and-so and other boys who seemed to have found themselves entranced (yet again) by Lorraine.

They all nodded and looked at me blankly before turning to Lorraine to get her attention again. I didn’t mind though, I’ve known her too long to get used to it. That’s just who Lorraine Fink was, whereas I was just Jane Playne.

As in Plain Jane, or Jane is as flat a plane, sometimes Rain Jane when I was acting too party
pooper-esque, which I was really close to doing. I failed to point out that all these could rhyme with Lorraine’s name too.

“Jane right,” I heard a female voice behind me. Turning around I was face with a head of wild red-hair and a benign expression. She let her head out for me to shake, “Kat.”

I shook her hand, returning a smile, “Yup, that’s me.” I turned over to Lorraine, hoping to introduce Kat to her, but she was already swept up by her all-male fan club.

“They’ve been like that since I came,” Kat whispered. “It’s kind of sad.”

I laughed and we both sat down a few rows above the Lorraine Lovers. Kat was great company, even trying to explain high school football to me, so by the time third quarter came around I was cheering at the right moments.

“You’re catching on quick,” she yelled after a tremendous play by the Home Team and a huge cheer from our section. “It took me hours before I realized what we were cheering for.”

“Try two games,” a voice said behind us. I turned around and was surprised to see Apollo himself come toward us, if he had black hair, wore a leather jacket, and was talking to me.

Kat turned around. “Haha,” she replied, “Jane that’s my step-brother Max. Max, Jane.” Max smiled and gave me a quick nod before taking a seat right behind us.

“Enjoying the game?” he asked.

“Not anymore,” Kat joked, immediately cutting off my “Yes.”

He pushed her jokingly. “I was talking to Jane here.” I looked up at him and smiled, receiving one from him as well/

Then out of nowhere Lorraine popped up, taking a seat right next to me. “Hey Max, Kat!” she gushed, cradling a soda in one arm and a tray of nachos in another. She offered us some and only Kat took a chip.

Immediately I mentally slapped myself. Of course he was here because of Lorraine.

“Everyone’s so nice,” Lorraine said, handing me a box of sours candies. “I just said I was hungry and John up and got me some stuff.” She munched on a few more chips. I smiled and nodded understandingly as I popped a few into my mouth.

“Oh no!” Lorraine whined right when she got herself settled. She checked the clock on the scoreboard. “I’ve gotta get going, my mom would be in the parking lot.” That’s when it hit me. My mom agreeing to drop me off, my dad saying that I’d have to call before 8:30, and both agreeing to a nine o’clock curfew.

It was 9:45.

“I gotta go too,” I said, picking up my bag and running down the cement steps as fast as I could go. I heard Lorraine call after me and I saw Max and Kat get up too.

But I was too wrapped up in getting out of there before more time passed. Sadly, karma was out to get me. My scarf got caught on the fenced rail in front of the stand. All my attempts at pulling it out were in vain, and probably took ten minutes. Finally, I stood behind it, and using all my strength, I gave one last pull.

The scarf came out easily, but my arm was still going backward. My balance lost, my arm flailing, I took a step backward, into something hard.

“Ugh!” I heard Max say. Frightened, I turned around to see my damage.

Max stood there in a disgusting array of sticky soda mixed with nacho cheese and meat. I looked him up and down numbly, then I heard it.

The senior section, rows above the scene, broke into laughter complete with finger points and jeers of “congratulations”. I could feel my face burn and my heart pace.

Lorraine came to my rescue. She grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the exits. The last look I saw of Max was Kat attempting to wipe the mess off him.

The rest became a blur. I remember Lorraine’s mom dropping me off at my house, my parents yelling at me for missing curfew (“We trusted you!”), and being sentenced to a month’s grounding in my room (“Because you need to see the effect of your bad choices!”).

Lying stomach down in bed, I tried my best to suppress my memory, but it was no use. I groaned and sat up.

“Hey,” Scott popped his head into my door, full of fake-concern. “Ray just told me what happened lil’ sis—”

“Shut-up,” I replied, getting off my bed.

“And I must say bravo!” He cackled. “He said that kids can’t even remember who won because your show was so much better!”

“Shut-up!” I threw a pillow at the door, which Scott slammed, using it as a shield. I could hear him run down the hall snickering.

I sat down at my vanity, breathing hard. Shaking my head I attempted to forget everything again, but to no avail. I looked up at my reflection staring back at me.

“It’s no use,” I told it. “You can’t do anything now.” I put my head down.

“If that’s what you want,” it replied, at that my head jerked up in shock.