"Our spirit colors are brown and gold?" I asked, displeased with the choices I had. Cooper instructed me to wear school colors. Football games were essential to Southeast High School. "Well, we are the Brown Bears," Anna said. Her cheer uniform was brown and gold with blue; it was cute. "Quinn, this could be you..a cheerleader." Anna sighed. "I'm a substitute, better than nothing." I grinned.

"You don't have to be a substitute-" I smiled towards Anna. "But I want to be." Ashley was preoccupied with her phone, as always. "Do you know if any cheerleaders like girls?" She asked; Anna blushed. For Anna, things like this were awkward. Honestly, I didn't mind Ashley talking about girls in another manner.

"I'm not sure, but I'll keep my eyes out." She gave a thumbs-up to Ash. "Cooper should be here any minute." I looked at my phone for the time. "I'll see you guys there." Ashley got up from my bed, putting on her shoes. "You're not riding with us?" She chuckled.

"Me riding with Cooper, I don't think so." And like that, she left. "What happened with those two?" I wondered. Anna adjusted her skirt. "Andy is gonna kill me once he's sees my uniform." Anna groaned. "He's just a typical big brother," I commented.

"An annoying one." She mumbled. Cooper pulled up in his 2013 Ford F- 150 truck. "Nice car, Cooper!" Anna said in amazement. "Yeah, right." He snorted. On the way to the game, country music played in the background. "Andy, do we have to listen to this?" Cooper asked, clearly tired of the genre of music. "Yeah, we do." He shrugged, nodding his head to the song.

~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone got out of Cooper's car, going there separate ways. "I'll be back." Cooper grinned. Andy left with him. Anna was already gone, leaving me alone. I walked toward the crowded bleachers. "Quinn!" Ashley waved me over. She was sitting with a blonde.

"Hey, Quinn." I waved to Ashley and the blonde. "This is Brandi; she's my-" Brandi interjected. "Girlfriend." I chuckled. "That's great, Ash." She looked at Brandi with confusion.

We sat and waited as the game started. "Sorry about Brandi, we're not dating...she's just jealous." I chuckled. "I get it." I shrugged.

Names of our players were being called, one by one.

"Marty Wyatts!"

"Andre Sanders!"

"Max Gray!"

I cheered at the names, though I didn't know them. I had a few encounters with Andre, but I hardly knew him.

"Cooper Steed!"

I looked at Ashley with wide eyes. "He's a football player?" She giggled. Brandi rolled her eyes. "Everyone knows that." Everyone but me. "Right." I looked towards the field.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

During half time, I made my way towards the concession stand. "I'll go with you." Brandi's overly sweet tone bothered me. I couldn't understand why she saw me as a threat to her and Ashley's friendship.

Brandi called someone over; unfortunately, it was Andre. "Ew, you're all sweaty." She flinched away from him as he playfully chased her. "I didn't know you were friends with Quinn." Brandi rolled her eyes, then smiled. "Not by choice." Wasn't that obvious?

"I'm standing right here, you know?" I glared at her. Seriously, what did Ashley see in her? "I could care less." She faked a smile, making her way towards the concession stand. She turned halfway when she realized Andre wasn't following her. "Andre, are you coming?" She tapped her foot.

He waved his hand in dismissal, "give us a sec." No, I'd rather withstand Brandi's childish eye rolls. "Whatever." She scoffed. "Is she one of your numerous flings?" I asked, annoyed. "Why, you jealous?" He smirked.

"Brandi has enough jealousy in her for all of us." I looked towards the field. Half time was almost over. "Think my aim's rusty now?" He grinned; I was lost. "Excuse me?" I asked. He laughed. "The other day, you said my aim was rusty..ain't to rusty seeing I'm the quarterback." He flaunted.

"You're nothing compared to Cooper." I shot back, feeling pretty good with myself. "Babe, just because you're Cooper's girlfriend doesn't mean you have to lie about him." He laughed a little more. I frowned, "Cooper is not my boyfriend!"

"Alright, alright!" He put his hands up in defense, still laughing. "That was a funny joke about Cooper being better than me." He grinned, showing off his pearly whites. "He is," I said, becoming annoyed with him. "Babe, one day..you'll be saying the opposite."

"What is that supposed to mean and stop calling me babe!" He looked down at me, grinning like an idiot. "You're cute when you're upset." Now he was flirting with me? "Anyways, I've got to go..talk to you later." He waved, turning his head. "I highly doubt it," I said, yelling to him. The more and more I spoke with Andre, the more and more he annoyed me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

We were down to the last minute of the game. Andy would pass the ball to Cooper when suddenly Andre jumped in front of him, catching the ball and making the winning touchdown.

Aggravated, I groaned. "At least we won." Brandi shrugged; Ashley did as well. "That was Cooper's ball, and he knew it." Ashley put her hand on my shoulder, "Quinn, relax." I looked at her, "I am." I could get a little competitive now and then.

"I think I'm gonna ride home with Brandi." She said her goodbyes, walking away with Brandi. "Hey, Q, Andy and I are leaving with our dad." She pointed to a bearded man in a cowboy hat. "I'll tell Coop!" I smiled, waving goodbye to her too.

I waited near the boy's locker room. Andy was first to come out, sweaty, and walking right past me. He turned and sighed, "Bye, Quinn." I smiled and waved, "Bye, Andy!"

Commotion was heard inside the locker room. There wasn't much I could do; I'm a girl. And, I don't think I can handle seeing a group of half-naked football players. Cooper walked out past me, I followed after him.

"Cooper?" He turned, jaw clenched, and a busted lip. "Woah, who did that?" I asked, reaching for his lip. He flinched away, "Andre, that's who." I was shocked; maybe I spoke too soon about him being dangerous.

"Are you okay?" I asked. "Quinn, he told me about you guys...no need to fake it." I was very puzzled. I didn't understand what he meant. "He told you what?" Cooper glared at me. "After all this time of telling you to stay away, you choose him of all people!" We were still standing near the locker room.

Andre walked out with a few other guys, winking at me. "See you later, Quinn." Cooper balled his fists. "Cooper, I have no clue what you're talking about, but nothing is going on between us, and there never will be." I was now frustrated more than ever.