dancer,” he said, gaining some chortles from the other dads he sat with.
Sam was ready to give this dad a knuckle sandwich. Everyone in this town was afraid of change. It made her crazy. She turned to look at Otto. He stood quietly. His hands were in his pockets. He faced Ron and watched him. Otto let the night air fill with silence. Visibly uncomfortable, Ron opened his mouth.
“Ethan really looked after our boys, taught them important values when it came to the game. He knew college coaches, and we could trust he’d get our boys into college,” said Ron.
Sam watched as Otto listened to Ron. She couldn’t help but feel curious about what Otto was going to do. The calm she felt radiate off his body was almost eerie.
In a funny way, Ethan had represented an ideal. Sam followed Otto’s gaze as he looked down at the field. Randy had his hair pulled out of his face in a short ponytail, and Gus paced the sidelines with his afro high. Those two were these dads’ worst nightmares. The way the dads saw it, Otto had turned their sons over to two nerdy hippies.
A grin crept over Otto’s face. He shot Sam a look as if he’d read her mind.
“Thank you for your thoughts. I have full confidence in our coaches. Enjoy the game,” said Otto. He turned before Ron could say anything in response.
Sam was left speechless. Also with a sinking feeling she knew she desperately wanted to touch Otto. To link her arm with his to show her support for his solid words, but she had missed her chance.
It was too late to show Grover she was dating Otto, that she didn’t give a damn what they thought. The sickening truth of her shame made her stomach churn as they found seats high up in the bleachers next to the band. She cared very much what the town thought, and she wasn’t sure why.
7
T he game was close .
Sam hated to admit it, but in a way she was grateful. It took her thoughts away from Otto. She was still the thirteen-year-old girl who cared what people thought, and was still relentlessly beating herself up about it.
If Otto and I keep sneaking off into the night, I don’t have to worry so much about leaving Otto behind in Grover.
It wasn’t kind, but it was practical. Sam threw herself into the game to avoid analyzing the person she’d become.
By the end of the game Sam was hoarse from screaming, Layla was jumping up and down, and Holly just kept covering her mouth with her hands, her eyes glistening against the stadium light.
“Who ever thought we’d care this much about a football game,” Layla cried. She was beside herself with excitement as the final seconds fell off the clock.
Otto whooped and stomped his feet. Sam delighted in seeing the joy on his face.
“We’re going to do this, we’ll come back,” he said in response to the close score.
Sam paused and took in the scene she was a part of, a scene she was helping create. Everything else in town was dark and closed. The air was cold but there was the warmth of the people, of gossip, of reuniting and getting to know one another.
Sam had banished this place from her mind as the possible home of her tribe years ago. Back then, she felt they hadn’t understood her, didn’t want her, and worse, judged her. Being back though, she realized this town belonged to her as much as it did to anyone. Nothing bad happened when you were judged. In fact, it was liberating, and every small town needed its eccentrics.
For a moment, Sam reveled in the idea of being an eccentric in Grover versus fitting into a more cosmopolitan area or an intellectual college town. She was home, with things to offer. She felt on top of the world. In reality, being on top of the bleachers with her best friends was plenty; it was all she needed.
Otto stood next to her, yelling with the crowd, cheering for the boys, for Randy and Gus. Sam grinned. He was having such a good time. She almost hated to disturb him.
The offense trotted onto the field to replace the defense, and there was a lull
Sam was ready to give this dad a knuckle sandwich. Everyone in this town was afraid of change. It made her crazy. She turned to look at Otto. He stood quietly. His hands were in his pockets. He faced Ron and watched him. Otto let the night air fill with silence. Visibly uncomfortable, Ron opened his mouth.
“Ethan really looked after our boys, taught them important values when it came to the game. He knew college coaches, and we could trust he’d get our boys into college,” said Ron.
Sam watched as Otto listened to Ron. She couldn’t help but feel curious about what Otto was going to do. The calm she felt radiate off his body was almost eerie.
In a funny way, Ethan had represented an ideal. Sam followed Otto’s gaze as he looked down at the field. Randy had his hair pulled out of his face in a short ponytail, and Gus paced the sidelines with his afro high. Those two were these dads’ worst nightmares. The way the dads saw it, Otto had turned their sons over to two nerdy hippies.
A grin crept over Otto’s face. He shot Sam a look as if he’d read her mind.
“Thank you for your thoughts. I have full confidence in our coaches. Enjoy the game,” said Otto. He turned before Ron could say anything in response.
Sam was left speechless. Also with a sinking feeling she knew she desperately wanted to touch Otto. To link her arm with his to show her support for his solid words, but she had missed her chance.
It was too late to show Grover she was dating Otto, that she didn’t give a damn what they thought. The sickening truth of her shame made her stomach churn as they found seats high up in the bleachers next to the band. She cared very much what the town thought, and she wasn’t sure why.
7
T he game was close .
Sam hated to admit it, but in a way she was grateful. It took her thoughts away from Otto. She was still the thirteen-year-old girl who cared what people thought, and was still relentlessly beating herself up about it.
If Otto and I keep sneaking off into the night, I don’t have to worry so much about leaving Otto behind in Grover.
It wasn’t kind, but it was practical. Sam threw herself into the game to avoid analyzing the person she’d become.
By the end of the game Sam was hoarse from screaming, Layla was jumping up and down, and Holly just kept covering her mouth with her hands, her eyes glistening against the stadium light.
“Who ever thought we’d care this much about a football game,” Layla cried. She was beside herself with excitement as the final seconds fell off the clock.
Otto whooped and stomped his feet. Sam delighted in seeing the joy on his face.
“We’re going to do this, we’ll come back,” he said in response to the close score.
Sam paused and took in the scene she was a part of, a scene she was helping create. Everything else in town was dark and closed. The air was cold but there was the warmth of the people, of gossip, of reuniting and getting to know one another.
Sam had banished this place from her mind as the possible home of her tribe years ago. Back then, she felt they hadn’t understood her, didn’t want her, and worse, judged her. Being back though, she realized this town belonged to her as much as it did to anyone. Nothing bad happened when you were judged. In fact, it was liberating, and every small town needed its eccentrics.
For a moment, Sam reveled in the idea of being an eccentric in Grover versus fitting into a more cosmopolitan area or an intellectual college town. She was home, with things to offer. She felt on top of the world. In reality, being on top of the bleachers with her best friends was plenty; it was all she needed.
Otto stood next to her, yelling with the crowd, cheering for the boys, for Randy and Gus. Sam grinned. He was having such a good time. She almost hated to disturb him.
The offense trotted onto the field to replace the defense, and there was a lull
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