Page 59 of Catch
The summer had been good to Drew. He grew six inches and filled out. He went from just average Joe to hottie, and he was making his way through the cheerleading squad. I knew he was only in it for sex.
“Next! Drew’s too much of a player.”
“Yeah, but he’s hot. Like superhot and all muscly.”
“There are plenty of hot guys who aren’t players. Who else? You said there were two guys.”
She sat up. “You have to work with me here. He’s completely different from anyone else I’ve ever been interested in.”
Hayley didn’t have a type. She liked them all. As long as they paid her attention, she was interested. It made me nervous. “Tell me. I won’t get mad.”
“Why would you say that?”
“I don’t know,” I said defensively. “I just wanted you to know that I won’t judge you or think any less of you. As long as it’s nobody on the football team.”
“I kind of like Zay.”
“The tall, lanky, emo dude? With black hair and piercings and eyeliner that’s better than mine?”
She huffed. “See? Judgy much?”
“I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m an ass. Tell me why Fall Out Boy is so dreamy.” I deserved the smack on my arm and giggled.
“He’s just nice. And he’s hot in a rock star sort of way.”
“Good. You deserve someone who is nice and hot.”
She waved me off. “Enough about me, let’s talk about you and the girls. I know you like Parker, but she seems to be wavering back and forth between Harrison and Nick.”
Hearing that made my stomach drop. Parker was so pretty and sweet and those guys were just dudes looking to score. Sometimes it sucked being the team captain. You knew everything about everyone on the team. “Yeah, I know. I can still dream though, right?”
“No. We need to find someone you’re into who will like you back, not date your teammates and tease you. Oh, I know! Let’s look through the yearbook. You can point out all the girls you like.”
“I feel like that’s offensive,” I said.
Hayley grabbed my yearbook and opened it between us. “Calm down. It’s just us. We do this all the time.”
“Okay. Are we starting with the clubs?” Parker wasn’t in last year’s yearbook, but I knew I was going to compare every girl to her.
“Let’s start with the freshmen,” Hayley said.
They were this year’s sophomores so they were only a year behind us. I couldn’t imagine dating a freshman now. I thumbed through the pages and found two ninth graders who I thought were pretty. I was starting to get discouraged even though we just started. We moved on to sophomores. It was easier because I knew most of the people in our class so I wasn’t judging based on a tiny photo. At the same time, it was harder because I already knew who in our class was gay.
“Oh, she’s cute. Ashlee Markle. She’s in theater. A thespian lesbian.” Hayley pointed to a cute brunette with short hair and a brilliant smile.
I groaned at her bad joke. “Wasn’t she Frenchie inGrease?” I vaguely remember seeing the play and the hype about it. “She’s cute but she’s dating Dusty.” Too bad.
“Moving right along.” Hayley flipped the page and dropped her finger on a volleyball player. “Ooh. Tay Minton. She’s definitely gay, but maybe doesn’t know it yet.”
I leaned closer for a better look. She didn’t give me the warm feelings that Parker did, but something stirred low in my belly. Maybe it was the permission that Hayley gave me to look at the girls in our school. “She’s cute and seems pretty confident.” I filed her away in my mind and made it a point to talk to her the next time we ran into each other at school. She was the only sophomore.
The juniors, this year’s seniors, got my blood pumping. Hayley and I found six possible candidates. I knew most, but I never thought about being attracted to them until Hayley gave me permission. I didn’t know if any of them were actually gay, but Hayley was convinced most were.
“Shut the fuck up! Sienna is totally wearing rainbow dog tags!” Hayley held the book close to my face as though I hadn’t already zoned in on it the second she pointed it out.
“It’s a black-and-white photo. We don’t know if they’re actually rainbow,” I said.
“Of course they are. This is so exciting. Maybe she’s the one. You should ask her out. Then maybe we can double date. You shouldbe dating and kissing and doing all the things that lesbians do.” She wiggled her fingers in front of me.
