Newsworthy Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"When was the last time you've been to a football game?" Chanel questioned, eying Julissa as they stood in their living room preparing to face the unseasonably chilly weather.

"I've never been to one," Julissa admitted, tying a scarf around her hooded sweatshirt.

Even though it was her first game, she knew that as long as she was outside in the elements for a prolonged amount of time, she would need to be dressed appropriately. Which was why she had put on her faux-fur-lined boots, leggings, and jeans over those. She had to admit, it was pretty cold for the last week of September. Normally Julissa was okay with just her sweatshirt. But it seemed like Old Man Winter was knocking on their door early.

It had gotten even colder by 6:30, the time Julissa had decided to leave for the game. She and Alex, the other reporter on the assignment, had decided to divide the game by halves. Alex was the early bird, staying before the game and up until halftime. Then Julissa arrived at halftime to take over and stay until the stands were mostly cleared. She was also responsible, according to Darren, for hanging around where the players were and listening for any incriminating evidence.

"So your story is about favoritism among athletes from teachers?" Chanel asked, as they both got into her mother's black Audi.

"That's basically what it's about," Julissa answered. She just didn't tell her mother about the angle of the story.

Basically Darren was certain there was something illicit going on, and he wanted Julissa to help with exposing it. She wasn't so sure she agreed with all this snooping, but she would see how far it took her - if it took her anywhere.

It was took close to 15 minutes to get to the stadium. When they got there, they saw row upon row of cars packing the parking lot. The bright lights glinted against the glassy wind shields right along the path where the gate to enter was. Her mother drove her up to the front and parked. After exchanging goodbyes and I-love-yous, Julissa jumped out and gave 5 dollars to a guy at the gate to get in.

Once in, she sauntered a little ways pass that point and over to where the stands were. They too were packed. Julissa eyed the metal benches with cheering students screaming over the cheerleaders dressed in black and gold, and spotted a space near the scoreboard. It was a far walk as she passed the students lining the gate separating the field from the stands, but she got there before anyone could steal it. The spot was next to a quieter group. Down on the other end, kids with painted chests were banging gold pots and screaming. Julissa couldn't imagine how cold they must have been. Even the guys on the field had on turtlenecks.

For the first few minutes, Julissa didn't focus on the game. Instead, she sent a text to Alex telling him that she was there. Alex then texted her back and told her he was bored to death and would happily go. Julissa wanted to ask him if he saw any suspicious activity, but she didn't bother. She just decided to scan the stands and start looking on her own. Apparently the teachers in question usually sat together. There were three: two guys and a woman. Two with black hair and one with blond - Julissa knew the blond, she was her Trig teacher. Her name was Ms. Podeski. Never had she seemed like the one to be involved with a student, nor play favorites - but Darren seemed pretty sure that she was.

So far, Julissa didn't see any of them, so she decided to focus on the athletes who were also the focus of this little investigation. Though the game seemed exciting, Julissa felt completely out of touch with the frenzy going on around her. Over the PA system, names and numbers were being called out, but she had no idea why. She knew their team, the Cougars, were on their home turf. She also saw that the scoreboard said the home team was in the lead by 14 points. So, she just assumed the crowd was frenzied jubilation. The team seemed equally, if not more, joyful. They were jumping up and down, ribbing each other, joking, laughing. From Julissa's vantage point none of them resembled Calvin so she just assumed he was out on the field. Of course, no one player was distinguishable to her there - so Julissa didn't bother trying to pick him out. She didn't even know his position. She also didn't know if it was Defense or Offense on the field. Vaguely did she even know the rules of the game. She'd always been more of a basketball fan. Currently all she knew was things didn't seem as cheery on the opposing teams' sideline.

Their gloom continued as Julissa looked on the field to see a black and gold jersey fleeing with the ball in his hands. People around her went wild as he continued running. He was tackled close to the opposite goal before the man on the PA system said: "Interception by Alston". Calvin had popped up from the grass to be greeted by pats and hugs from his teammates, as the Cougars again took the field. Julissa watched him remove his helmet and walk over to the sidelines to join the others. From her point-of-view, she couldn't see the details of his facial features. She did note that he was one of the taller guys on the team. Out of a few, he stood over 6-feet-tall, and wasn't wiry.

As sat down at the bench, another frenzy of cheers came. "Blythe with the touchdown!" the man over the PA system yelled. Julissa watched the players celebrate in the end zone as people jumped up and down all around her in the bleachers. Julissa wanted to cheer too, but still felt detached. She'd been to a football game or two at her old school and couldn't really get into those either. She figured it would just be better if she used her time wisely and searched for the teachers she was looking for instead of staying and watching.

After she left the stands she browsed around a little, but still didn't see any of them. A heavy sigh escaped her as she did one more thorough sweep of the crowd, only to come up empty-handed again. "This was a waste of time," she grumbled as she returned to her seat. Now she was simply waiting for the game to end - and wishing she wouldn't have agreed to this assignment. Thankfully, the game was over quickly with a victory for the Cougars.

After, Julissa waited. Waited after the team and the cheerleaders left, and the joyous spectators lingering in the stands left. Then she stewed a little while before just getting up and going to the gate to call her mom.

"Hey mom," she said, still feeling sulky. "I'm ready for you to pick me up." She had wanted to drive there herself, but her mother needed her car for errands, so she had no choice but to be dropped off.

"Honey, I'm still in line at the hardware store, but I should be their in about 30 minutes." Her voice was delicate and apologetic, but not enough to soothe Julissa.

Wait? In the cold? That long? "Any of your friends from school headed in this direction?" Chanel questioned, even though she knew that Julissa didn't really associate with that many people at school. Not to mention there was no one in the stadium now but one or two stragglers.

"Mom," Julissa whispered. "I'll just wait." She wished that she didn't have to, but she there was no other choice. If she could convince herself it wasn't that cold - She would be fine.

"I'm on my way," her mother told her before they ended the conversation.

Julissa let out another breath and hunkered down at curb near the gate, telling herself it was a balmy 70 degrees out and her mom wouldn't be long. Clearly she knew it would be a while.

Well, At least I'm not alone, she reasoned. She could still see a few cars in the lot - there were still people there. Far off she could hear the sound of voices that she presumed to be the last of the players leaving. The laughing and talking grew louder as they neared her. A car started up. Then another one. 26 more minutes, Julissa told herself. There was more laughing; only closer this time. Julissa saw a red and black car zoom off. Then a blue new-looking Honda pulled up near her, and eased up to close.

"Are you waiting for someone?" She saw Calvin pop his head out the rolled down window. He looked serious, concerned.

"Yeah, I am." She could feel herself tense up a little at the awkwardness of the moment.

"They coming soon?" He questioned with raised eyebrows.

"In about twenty minutes or so," she said to him, wondering why he didn't have on a jacket in this weather.

"Well it's pretty cold out here," he began. He paused a moment. "Do you want a ride?"

Julissa checked her watch and bit her lip. In the cold, 25 minutes seemed like an hour. But -

"Well, I don't want you going out of your way," She said. She tightly curled her lips and hugged her arms. They too were cold.

"It's nothing," he gave her a smile. "Hop in,"

Julissa couldn't refuse a warm car any longer, and gave in. She came around, got inside the passenger seat, and strapped on her seatbelt.

"Thanks," Julissa quietly told him. He said no problem and focused his eyes towards the stadium exit. While he did, she stole a glanced once more. His hair tonight was slick wet and he was driving with a football in his lap.

Though she was distracted, she knew she had to call her mother. When she spoke to her, Chanel sounded surprised that she had gotten a ride with Calvin, but then pleased to turn around. Part of her wondered how okay her mother really was with him driving her home. Julissa wasn't sure how okay she was with it. She had been swayed, for the most part, by her shivering.

"You live near Chico's. In that area, right?" Calvin asked, maneuvering the wheel with eyes still glued to the road.

"Um, yeah," she murmured as she fiddled with the pad and pen in the kangaroo pouch of her sweatshirt. She needed a distraction to keep her nervousness down. So, she resigned herself to scribbling on the little pad.

"Taking notes at the game?" she heard Calvin ask. Apparently he had been stealing glances too.

"Working on a story," Julissa matter-of-factly said. All she could think was if he only knew what it was about. Thankfully, he didn't ask.

"Are you a sports writer?" Calvin asked with a laugh. Julissa stopped scribbling and just answered no, explaining her limited knowledge of football. Hardly did it draw her in like basketball.

"It's so much more of a hardcore game though," he enthusiastically answered. "And the rules are fairly simple. If you keep coming to the games, you'll get it after a while."

He ran his fingers through his hair and Julissa realized she was watching him again. Nervously she raked her fingers through her own curls, realizing they shared a habit. She doubted it was a nervous reaction for him though.

"Did you have fun?" He quizzed.

There was complete silence as Julissa hesitated to respond.

"I don't know, I just couldn't get into it like everyone else," she finally confessed, worried about how that might sound to him. That wouldn't hurt his feelings, right?

She was glad to hear him laugh and say, "You just have to come to more games."

"Uh, I don't know if I will after this one," She mumbled jokingly, hoping he wouldn't hear. Apparently he had.

"What?" He laughed. "It was a great game. I got an interception." Calvin held up the ball in his lap with one hand. "That's what they call those - interceptions."

"I know what an interception is," Julissa just chuckled. "I said my knowledge was limited, not that I knew nothing."

It occurred to Julissa that this was really only their second conversation. It didn't seem that way. It had surprised her again how he actually seemed easy to talk to, and how her nervousness had been eased. It gave her hope once again for a friendship. Still, she wasn't so sure if he would actually willingly befriend her. Especially when he ran with a different crowd from her - well - non-existent one.

"Your knowledge of football will grow," he smugly insisted, smiling his toothy smile. "And you'll start to say football is your favorite sport."

Julissa snorted. No way. At her old school in Philly, Masterman, she had gone to almost all the basketball games. "I don't see that happening," she smiled and laughed, "but whatever you say".

"So, uh," Calvin was stopped at a red light. Now he was looking over at her; she could feel his eyes, even though she was avoiding them. "Are you working on your story the next game too?"

"Yeah," Julissa momentarily felt her frustration about the time she'd wasted return. Calvin's pleased grin however, eased her tension. She felt her heart skim a beat in her chest.

"You going to need a ride home next game?" He glanced at her as they sped off from the light with a warm smile that made Julissa want to hug him tightly. Who knew Calvin Alston was this friendly? She had completely allowed herself to think the wrong thing about him.

"No, I won't be needing one next time," she said with a smile of her own. Julissa was beginning to realize that she did that a lot while she talked to him.

Once they got to Chico's, she directed him the rest of the way to her house. He pulled up in front of the driveway where her mother was waiting - which probably wasn't a coincidence on her mother's part.

"Maybe I'll see you at school," Calvin said. His words were a little quieter, a lot more timid.

"Maybe," Julissa spoke. Feeling somehow as awkward as him. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," He responded with a smirk. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Julissa got out and walked to her house, realizing that Calvin was waiting even though her mom was there for her to get in. Once she did, she closed the door and explained everything about the night too her mother, including the failed assignment. Her mother reassured that her assignment would turn out alright, then noted, "Calvin seems like a nice kid. A handsome kid too."

Julissa rolled her eyes at Chanel's words, even though she realized that he really was quite handsome.

"I don't know if we'll be friends," Julissa told her. She did say that she kind of hoped they would. Even though they ran with, what seemed like, different groups.

"This isn't a black white thing," her mom asked, as if she was ready for some kind of monologue about race. Julissa shook her head no, explaining that it didn't have anything to do with him being white. It was just that - he was Calvin Alston. So far she'd seen his demeanor outside of school, but what was he really like at school? Would he even speak to her when he was with his friends?

Julissa just tried to smile about how that night had ended. If she ever did need a ride. She knew to wait behind the bleachers for the Blue Honda.