Just for This Year

Chapter Five

September 4th
Thursday

57 Days Before

"You're playing what?"

Lila gave a sheepish smile to her mother and older brother, Cole. Her brother had come over for dinner that night while his wife was traveling for work. They were fortunate that their family lived closer to each other, allowing them for nights like these where they could just stop in for a few hours. Her family stood in their kitchen with looks of pure shock on their faces. She had just broke the news to them, and they didn't seem to be the most excited. It wasn't like she did an excellent job of easing them into the idea.

"Football?" Lila repeated, but her voice was more in the form of a question than an answer. "I'm hardly really playing, all I do is kick the ball. It's not much different than soccer."

"Then..." Lorena began in confusion, "then why not play soccer?"

"Mom, you should've seen how the girls reacted to me quitting the team," she told her. "I couldn't go back if I wanted to. And besides, I just don't want to play soccer anymore. I haven't loved it in a while."

"And you think you'll love football?" Cole asked, almost seeming amused. "You would wrestle me for the remote whenever I put on a game."

Lila rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well, I've had a change of heart."

Coke didn't miss a beat. "Caused by what?"

"Honestly," Lila sighed out. "Mr. Graham was pretty convincing. He kind of called me out for constantly doing the same thing. He said that Dad would want me to try new things."

"He brought your father into this?" Lorena asked in a suddenly dangerous voice.

"It wasn't like that," Lila assured her quickly. "You know how well he knows us, Mom. He didn't do it to try to trick me into playing."

"Then what did he say?"

Lila shifted uncomfortably, hating conversations such as these. "He was just pointing out how I've never tried something new. I clung onto soccer, especially after Dad died. I don't seem to need it anymore, and this is a chance to actually try something new."

"Then take up pottery! Piano lessons!" Lorena insisted, throwing her hands up. "Or join the play, like your brother."

Lila blinked in surprise. "Sam did what—"

"Have you even told Sam yet?" Cole interrupted with raised eyebrows. "Doesn't he have something against the quarterback?"

"Sam always has something to say about everything," Lila reminded them both. "He doesn't need to know until I want to tell him. I ran it by Scarlett earlier today, she thought it was a fun idea."

Lila has made sure to tell her older sister first this time. She had noticed that they had been talking less and less, their busy lives catching up to them. She didn't like that, so she called her sister after school today to talk to her about this all. Scarlett seemed elated to get the phone call, and the two talked for hours. Her sister's boyfriend even chimed in a few times to encourage her new extracurricular activity.

Sam, on the other hand, would probably throw a fit when he found out. Not just because of the whole Ashton Westbrook of it all, but because he was protective of his sister. Lila couldn't imagine that he would be thrilled at the idea of her playing such a rough sport. The twins had always looked out for one another. They had both had their fair share of fights while defending the other twin. She was very aware that this would make him nervous, and she had to ease him into the idea.