Restless Soul

33

The entire town showed up to catch the final game, closing the football season. The supporters on both sides screamed in the stands, encouraging their teams.

"They're getting pretty excited," Peyton noted as the cheers from the crowd resonated through the building.

   As she searched her keychain to unlock the door to the teacher's lounge, Amanda leaned against the door frame, smirking to herself as the cheers grew louder again. "If you listen closely, you'll recognize Cora and Levi cursing them out," Amanda said and Peyton chuckled, knowing as well as everyone their tendency to go all out with their show of sportsmanship.

   Granted entry with the turn of a key, they stepped into the room. In the air still lingered the smell of brewed coffee. The space was occupied by one large couch and two round tales. Separating the area was a breakfast bar, on the other side of which was a fully equipped kitchen with a stove, a microwave, and a refrigerator squeezed between the granite counter and the wall.

Peyton grabbed a tot bag full of extra bread for the hot dogs and condiments.

"Is that the cooler Kendall mentioned?" Amanda asked, pointing at the large blue cooler by the fridge.

Glancing over her shoulder, she walked across the room and opened it to reveal a different variety of drinks ranging from fruity beverages to canned sodas.

"Yup," she nodded closing it back.

At this, Amanda frowned. Giving the handle a hard tug, the cooler barely budged.

With a raised brow, she looked at her in disbelief. "We're getting help to carry this out, right?"

Peyton snorted out a laugh, "Yeah, no. My role as president means I get to skip on the heavy lifting. Besides, I need to get started on the popcorn if we want to sell any."

Amanda nodded and followed her out, locking up behind them.

   As they walked back to the cafeteria, Amanda couldn't help but get lost in her head. Her encounter with Lorna happened just three days ago. Every hour since she'd spent monitoring her phone for any messages or calls from an unknown number. Disappointed by every ring, she pondered if it'd been a mistake to only give her number. If she hadn't persuaded Lorna during her impromptu visit, she was more than likely wasting her time waiting.

Peyton had taken notice of her silence. It'd been this way since she came back from spring break. She often wondered what was going on in Amanda's mind. However, she wasn't sure she wouldn't be crossing a line by asking.

"Hey," Peyton nudged her with her hip, bumping Amanda out of her train of thought.

"What's up?" she replied by asking, a genuine smile tugging at her lips.

"My birthday week-end is coming up. Would you do me the honor of co-hosting this celebration with me?"

Amanda slowed down a little, considering her proposal.

"From guest to host! I'm starting to think you have a crush on me, Opper," Amanda teased, watching mischievously as she blushed.

"It'd be a birthday wish come true if you'd say yes," Peyton said, shyly.

Amanda chuckled, nodding before getting attacked with kisses on her cheeks and lips, making her laugh even more.

"I like your enthusiasm," she laughed, pausing to gaze into her joy-filled eyes and linking their hands together.

"Given your lack of it, I don't mind overcompensating," Peyton responded by saying, giving her one more kiss on the cheek as if to soften the blow.

"Any time I get to spend with you is a time well spent."