Williams left the football fold to sweep the girl off her feet, spinning her around and placing her back to the ground with a smacking kiss on her cheek.
That wide smile of hers twitched.
“Hi, Noah. I’m excited to watch you boys kick some booty this season!” Penny punctuated the statement with a very playful, very friend-worthy pat on the shoulder.
Williams, to his credit, caught on.
He stepped back and resorted to hugging me to his side.
Geez, these people are touchy.
“Did you re-introduce yourself to Maybelle here?” he asked.
Penny nodded. “Yes. I didn’t think she’d remember me from—uh… graduation night.” Suddenly the atmosphere between the three of us was thick, and I felt suffocated by it.
“Yeah, don’t take me not remembering you personally. I don’t remember much from that night—or any night before that,” I chopped out through a forced grin.
Penny’s attention whipped to me. “No way.”
I lifted and dropped my chin. “Yup.” I brought my finger to my temple, giving it a quick tap. “The doctor said it’s amnesia.”
Sadness passed over her still somewhat stable smile. “So, you don’t remember Liam?”
“Nope,” I replied, and probably too quickly with how Williams flinched, and Penny’s smile disintegrated.
I cleared my throat, searching for a way out of the conversation I just brutally murdered with the dull butter knife that was my wit. “Where’s Trey, Noah?”
Williams took a second to react before pointing past me to where I had spotted Bear grilling. “He’s over by the grills. Want me to walk you over there?”
I screamed “No” in my head but thankfully had the self-control to give him a respectable headshake. I walked myself over to the big, burly, bear of a man who flipped burgers like it was his calling in life.
“Hey Bear.”
“Hey, you. Enjoying the party?” he asked as he flipped a patty.
“It’s alright. Do you know where Trey is?”
He twisted. “He’s being held hostage over there.” Hepointed with the spatula to a truck that Trey leaned against and next to him, tracing her fingers along his bicep, was a pretty, brunette cheerleader.
It was a strange feeling that burrowed and made a home for itself in the pit of my stomach. A feeling I couldn’t name, but a feeling I refused to let grow.
Strutting with all the confidence I didn’t feel, I approached Trey and the cheerleader. When he noticed me, he didn’t look guilty or shy away. He smiled at me like he was seeing me after a long time apart.
That feeling in my stomach became a little less weighty.
I parked myself on his side, facing the other girl. “Hey, handsome. Who’s this?”
His smile faltered as he shot a fast glimpse to the girl who stepped up closer to him. His mouth opened and closed for words, but the brunette beat him to it. “Oh my god, you’re actually real.”
I pinched my lips together, unsure of how I was supposed to respond to that. She didn’t give me a chance to before she said, “I’m Juliette. Trey’s friend.”
I slanted Trey a look. He was already grinning at me. Reaching down, he laced his fingers with mine. He brought my hand to his mouth and placed a kiss to my wrist. All while keeping his eyes locked with mine.
Juliette’s attention followed the touch before returning to Trey with a forced smile. “I’ll see you after the game.” She got up on her tiptoes, her chest pressing into his shoulder as she whispered, “Score a touchdown for me.” She winked at him and strutted off.
I needed a shower after that encounter—actually—after all the encounters tonight.
“Who’s she?” I asked again, eyes still on her retreating form.
