The bleachers were buzzing with excitement, the rhythmic pounding of feet and cheers blending into a cacophony of noise as the West High Wildcats took the field. The sun had dipped just below the horizon, casting a golden hue over the football field. The air was crisp with the smell of popcorn, and the crowd's energy was infectious. I stood with Sarah, who was already engrossed in the game, but my eyes wandered, scanning the sea of faces for one in particular: Lyle Menendez.
I tried to shake the thought of him, reminding myself to focus on the game. But no matter how hard I tried, my mind kept drifting back to him. There was something about Lyle that pulled me in, a quiet intensity that made me want to know more about him, beyond the rumors and whispers that floated through the halls.
Sarah elbowed me, snapping me out of my thoughts. "There's your boy," she teased, nodding toward the entrance of the bleachers. I followed her gaze, my heart skipping a beat as I spotted Lyle making his way through the crowd with Erik by his side.
He didn't seem to notice me—or maybe he did, but chose not to show it. Either way, I couldn't help but watch him, the way he moved with a quiet confidence, completely at ease in a crowd that seemed to buzz around him. Erik leaned in to say something, and Lyle laughed, a sound that sent a strange flutter through my chest.
"Go talk to him," Sarah urged, her voice full of encouragement.
I shook my head quickly. "No way. He's busy, and besides... I wouldn't even know what to say."
"You're overthinking it," she said with a grin. "He's just a guy. Just go say hi."
Before I could protest further, Sarah gave me a gentle nudge, pushing me toward the stairs that led down from the bleachers. My heart pounded in my chest as I descended, feeling both foolish and exhilarated. I wasn't sure what I was hoping for—maybe just a smile, a quick conversation. But something in me had decided tonight was the night I'd stop wondering and finally take the first step.
Lyle and Erik were standing at the base of the bleachers, talking to a couple of their friends. I took a deep breath, steadying myself as I approached.
"Hey," I said, trying to sound casual as I walked up to them.
Lyle turned, surprise flickering across his face before he offered me that signature smile. "Hey... you're in my history class, right?"
I nodded, feeling a rush of relief that he at least knew who I was. "Yeah. I'm Y/N."
"Right, Y/N," he repeated, as if trying the name out for the first time. "You here for the game?"
I laughed, feeling the awkwardness of the question. "Isn't everyone?"
He grinned, a playful glint in his eyes. "Fair point."
Erik shifted beside him, eyeing me curiously but said nothing. There was a beat of silence that felt both awkward and electric, as if something important hung in the air between us.
"So... you come to a lot of these games?" Lyle asked, his tone light but genuinely curious.
"Every now and then," I replied. "Mostly just to hang out with friends."
He nodded, as if that answer made perfect sense. For a moment, it felt like the world had shrunk down to just the two of us, the noise of the game fading into the background.
Suddenly, his expression shifted, his smile faltering slightly as his gaze flickered to something—or someone—beyond me. I followed his line of sight and saw a man standing near the fence that bordered the field. He was older, with an imposing presence, his sharp eyes scanning the crowd. I didn't know who he was, but the way Lyle's entire demeanor changed told me everything I needed to know: this man was trouble.
"That's... my dad," Lyle muttered under his breath, the carefree tone from earlier gone. He cleared his throat, as if trying to shake off whatever dark cloud had just settled over him. "I should, uh, get back to Erik."
There it was—just like that, the warmth between us flickered out. He was pulling away, retreating into himself, and I could feel the invisible wall going up. I wasn't sure what to say, how to stop him from slipping away, but I knew this wasn't just about the game or the crowd.
"Okay," I said, trying not to sound too disappointed. "Maybe I'll see you around?"
He nodded, but his smile didn't quite reach his eyes this time. "Yeah, maybe."
With that, he turned back to Erik, the moment over before it even really began. I stood there for a second, watching as he walked away, feeling a strange mix of confusion and disappointment settle over me. What had just happened? One minute, we were talking, and the next, he was a million miles away.
I made my way back to Sarah, who gave me a questioning look as I sat down beside her. "What happened?" she asked, glancing over at Lyle and Erik.
"I don't know," I admitted. "He was fine, but then his dad showed up and... it was like he just shut down."
Sarah frowned. "I've heard things about his dad. Not good things."
I glanced back at Lyle, who was now sitting with Erik, staring blankly at the game as if he were anywhere but here. The restlessness I'd felt earlier was back, stronger than before. There was something going on with him, something deeper than just the reputation and the rumors.
And for some reason, I wanted to know what it was.
As the game went on, I tried to focus on the field, but my thoughts kept drifting back to Lyle. Whatever wall he had put up, I wasn't ready to let it stand. This wasn't over—not by a long shot.