My Best Friend, Jack ✓

25. The Big Game

It was Friday. The Friday. Game day. 

When I saw Jack that morning, it looked like he hadn't had a wink of sleep. His eyes looked bloodshot and his usually messy hair was completely uncontrollable. We met at the end of our driveways and Jack was uncharacteristically quiet. He remained that way for the entire walk to school, even though I tried my hardest to take his mind off it by babbling incoherently about the time I choked on a pizza slice and my dad had to give me the Heimlich. 

We parted ways for morning registration and he mumbled out a 'goodbye,' his eyes almost glazed over. I had never seen him look so nervous before and it was a little weird him not being his usual, goofy, rather annoying self. I walked over to my locker and saw Mia, Caleb and Nick circled around it, chatting away. Caleb saw me coming and leant against my locker, his hands in his pockets. Mia waved with a big smile and Nick just stared at me, looking just about as nervous as Jack did. 

"You okay?" I asked Nick, patting his shoulder. 

"Uh huh," he nodded, not really looking at me. "Our morning lessons have been suspended just for today, so we can get a few last hours of practise in."

"That's great," Mia chirped in, patting Nick on the back. "I'm sure you'll feel better after that."

"I hope so," he mumbled. "Will you guys be there?" Nick asked, looking around at us. 

"Of course," I said. "We wouldn't miss it."

"Come on, let's walk you to practise," Mia smiled gently, looping her arm through Nick's and dragging him off towards the gymnasium. 

"Man, he's really nervous, isn't he?" Caleb raised his eyebrows, watching him go. 

"They both are," I responded, opening my locker. "Him and Jack." 

I felt his eyes on me as I emptied some books from my backpack and placed them on the bottom shelf. It might've been true that I couldn't quite reach the top shelf, so I smiled gratefully at Caleb as he took some books from my hands and placed them at the top for me. 

"Shall we watch the game together?" I asked, hopeful. 

"I thought you'd never ask," he chuckled, taking my hand as we walked to our first class of the day. 

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"So how's Jack feeling about the big game later?" My dad asked. 

I was stood in the kitchen. I had just gotten home from school and was perusing the kitchen cupboards, hunting for a snack that could calm my increasing nerves. The game was a little later at six, so I had the chance for a little break before it no doubt got hectic again. Mia was sat on a bar stool in the middle, trying to take a photo of herself with her phone.

"He's almost collapsed like three times today," Mia chuckled, in response to my dad's question. 

"Ah, that bad, huh?" He cringed, shaking his head. 

"Can you blame him?" I said, pulling out a bag of crackers and ripping open the top. I popped one in to my mouth and moaned at the delicious, salty flavour. "The first game of the season. Everyone is expecting great things. Just a little bit of pressure."

"Well I'm sure with a team like you two girls behind him, he'll do great. Nick too."

"We hope so," Mia smiled, finally looking satisfied with the photo she had just taken. 

"Anyway, shall we go and get ready?" I asked, pulling out two more crackers before putting them back in the cupboard and shutting the door. 

"Absolutely,' Mia said, glancing at her watch. "We've got a game to get ready for."