Hate to Love You - Chapter 16: Chapter 16

Hannah
"Would you rather have mustard in everything you drink or tuna in everything you eat?"
I scrunched my nose — I hated both of those things with a passion.
"That's disgusting. Neither."
"Come on, you have to pick one."
"Then I'll go with the mustard one. I love food too much to ruin it with tuna."
Jace laughed and made a noise of agreement.
We were sitting on a park bench watching dogs and their owners run around while eating massive scoops of ice cream in sugar cones. These were our second cones and we were both nearly done.
Last night I managed to convince my mom to let him spend the day with me before heading to the Knight's game. It took a lot of begging and emotional manipulation to get her to agree to let us go out without her — but she eventually did when I promised to have him back by nine that evening. Which was fine; I wasn't planning on taking my sixteen-year-old brother to any parties or clubs, though I'm sure he'd love that.
This morning, when I handed over the two tickets to go and watch the Knights play in Boulder, he lost his mind. He ran a celebratory lap around the house, yelling the entire time. Even my mom cracked a reluctant smile at his excitement.
And so, for the whole of the morning before the game, we hung out together. I took him to go have waffles for breakfast, burgers for lunch, and now we were eating ice cream. And you bet we were still going to chow down on a lot more at the game. Our arteries had to be screaming, but we didn't care.
Together we watched as a small wiener dog chased a black Labrador around the park, only for the Labrador to turn around and tackle the smaller dog. They rolled, a blur of black and brown.
Jace's eyes were glued to the pair. "When I'm out of the house, I'm gonna get a dog. I don't care what type, I just want a dog."
My heart squeezed in my chest. "Yeah?"
He nodded and we both laughed as the smaller dog leaped in the air, yapping like a mad thing as the Labrador ran circles around it.
Our dad had gotten Jace a dog for his tenth birthday, but when the puppy chewed the dining room table's legs and broke a whole bunch of kitchenware by running into the table, our mom got rid of it. She had no patience for a puppy and we were banned from getting any kind of pet after that. I could still hear my brother's heartbroken sobs as the new owners drove away with his new best friend. I don't think I could ever forgive my mother for doing that to him.
"They are stinking cute." I grinned when the Labrador ran away from the smaller dog nipping at his heels.
We watched for a couple more minutes and then I looked down at my phone. The game started at six and it was nearly five. We had a pretty long drive ahead of us.
"We should get going, Champ."
He stood up and dusted off his clothes. He was wearing a dark blue shirt with a generic brand's logo on it. The important thing was that the logo was silver because blue and silver were my college's colors. He might not have had any shirts from my college's football team, but he had the spirit. The only support they were gonna get from me was my dark blue jeans and a gray and black crop hoodie. The colors were close enough for me.
I stuck my arms out, wiggling my hands and indicating for my brother to help pull me up.
"Getting old and lazy, Han?" He grabbed my hands and lifted me from the bench.
"Shut your ugly face." I stuck out my tongue at him.
°•°•°•°
I seriously underestimated the size of a football stadium. It turned out to be way bigger than I'd imagined, and certainly not like the high school fields I was used to.
The ground beneath my feet was literally vibrating as the stadium filled with thousands of fans. The noise level was off the charts, so loud that I could hardly hear my brother right beside me.
Once we got inside, there were all these concession stands with mouthwatering smells coming from all of them — popcorn, cotton candy, cheesy nachos, and every kind of grilled meat you could think of.
Navigating through the crowd was an impossible challenge, with fans wearing a kaleidoscope of team colors that were a visual cluster fuck. Everyone, and I mean everyone, was decked out in their team's gear - whether it was our blue and silver or the opponents' green and red. Face paint, jerseys, caps, foam fingers, and signs everywhere. I had to dodge a couple of foam fingers and signs to avoid a blue eye. Surprisingly, even though we were playing on the other team's home turf, there were just as many of our fans here as theirs.
We grabbed loaded hot dogs and super-sized sodas before heading to our seats. Balancing my food and drink was a constant struggle as people kept bumping and falling into me with every step. Eventually, I had to retreat behind my brother's back because people got out of his way a lot faster than they did for me. A little sexist, but whatever, at least we were getting somewhere.
"This is the best day ever!" Jace yelled back at me.
Giving him a thumbs up, I was too busy chomping on my hot dog to reply. The explosion of flavors on my tongue made me let out an involuntary groan. This hot dog was on a whole new level —maybe the best I'd ever tasted. I contemplated becoming a regular at these games just for the food, even if it meant gaining a few extra pounds by the time football season wrapped up. Totally worth it.
Amidst the crowd's cheers, my brother tried to share some on-field stats in my ear.
"I can't wait for...stats...insane... my favorite pla...he once...nearly kill...so epic to watc...and then he...running out of tim...last minute...touchdown! Everyone went nu...thirtee... famous..." His eyes glittered in excitement as he told me all of this.
His enthusiasm was contagious, but the stadium's roar rendered his words a garbled mess. I didn't want to dampen his excitement, so I nodded along, throwing in raised eyebrows and grins at what I hoped were appropriate moments. Whoever he was talking about must have been seriously impressive if my football-obsessed brother was gushing over him. My focus wavered and my eyes glazed over when he delved into actual statistics, causing my mind to drift. Thankfully he made friends with the guy next to him and the two of them got to talking.
It was a while before we saw any of the players, and I stopped paying attention to the expanse of the meticulously maintained field stretched out in front of me. The towering stadium lights cast a brilliant glow, creating an almost biblical lighting that changed night into day.
My hot dog claimed most of my attention, but with each bite, it dwindled down to nothing. I yanked on my brother's arm and he bent down so that I could talk into his ear.
"I'm gonna go get another hot dog! Maybe some other stuff! Want anything?" I yelled into his ear.
He shook his head, and my response was a nod. Spinning on my heels, I embarked on the challenging journey down from the stands, navigating the steep steps that connected each level. It took a considerable amount of time before I finally spotted the array of food stalls again, and without hesitation, I stepped up to place my order. The menus were extensive and my eyes were too big for my stomach.
I was busy waiting for them to make my food when a resounding crescendo of cheers from the crowd enveloped me like a tidal wave of sound. The vibrations underfoot intensified, forcing me to steady myself consciously. It was unmistakable — the players were taking to the field. What else could warrant such an uproar?
"Is it always this crazy?" I asked the guy behind the cart.
"Yup! But wait till you see the championships!" His toothless grin stretched from ear to ear as he handed over my stick of pink cotton candy.
With gratitude, I accepted the treat, balancing my assortment of food items before heading back to the stands. On the way, I walked past a store selling some Knight's merch and quickly bought a cap for Jace.
"Go number thirteen!" Chants echoed.
On the way back, I found myself apologizing repeatedly as I accidentally bumped into others or momentarily blocked their view. My gaze settled on my brother's head bobbing above the crowd, and I squeezed my way over to his side. His gaze barely flicked my way before refocusing on the action unfolding on the field. The game was just about to begin and all of the players, decked out in their uniforms and helmets, were getting into position.
Juggling everything in my arms, I grabbed the cap and stood up on my tippee-toes to put it on his head. Almost immediately, he pulled it off to examine the logo on the front. A broad grin spread across his face and he looked over at me. "Thanks, Han — I love it!"
Warmth bloomed in my chest at the sight of his happy expression, and I smiled up at him. "No trouble, Champ. But take a look at the size of this corndog! Impressive, right?" I waved it in front of his face to show him.
His response was to take a massive bite. I gasped and yanked the corndog away, staring at the large bite he'd taken. That asshole told me he didn't want anything. I gave him the stink eye and he grinned, mouth still full of food.
A loud whistle cut through the air and the game began.
I could follow along pretty easily, already knowing the rules and mechanics of the game. And it was entertaining, don't get me wrong, but I was enjoying the hell out of my food more. Amid the chaotic spectacle, I did have one thought: which player was Tristan? I strained my eyes, but it was hard to distinguish between the fast-moving or hurdled players because of their helmets and gum guards, so I gave up.
I still had quite a lot of snacks by the time halftime came around, so I was content to chill on the stands while everyone else filed out, probably to head to the bathroom or buy more food and drinks. Jason commandeered one of my chip bags, happily munching away as he engaged in animated discussions about the unfolding game with his newfound friend.
We were pretty closely scored with the other team, only three points ahead, and so everyone was on edge. Except me. I was just vibing along to the music playing in the background. I mouthed the lyrics to "Seven Nation Army" as I popped fries into my mouth, my foot tapping to the beat.
"Hannah!?" A girl's voice pierced through the crowd.
I frowned and looked around for the voice. Had I misheard? It was probably with a similar-sounding name. Or someone else with my name — it wasn't exactly rare.
"Hannah! Over here!"
This time, I pinpointed the voice's origin and spotted three of my roommates — Jenny, Tanya, and Aqua — seated closer to the field. They were with another group, some faces familiar, but their names eluded me; I'd seen them at our place in the past. Jenny was waving like a maniac, her bright red hair a beacon.
I offered her a tentative wave, slightly taken aback by her enthusiasm. As she motioned for me to join them, I hesitated. Reluctantly, I left the snacks with Jace, who was very happy to hold onto them, and maneuvered my way over. Jenny greeted me with a wide smile, while Tanya acknowledged me with a small wave. She was engrossed in a conversation with one of their friends. Aqua, predictably, seemed engrossed in her phone.
"I never thought I'd see you at something like this!" Jenny yelled, trying to be heard over the roar of the masses.
I shrugged, raising my voice to match the volume. "I came with my brother. He's over there." I pointed in his direction.
Jenny leaned forward to get a better look at him. "You guys should totally sit with us. We've got great seats thanks to Matthew's connections. You'll have a clear view of everything close to the action."
My first instinct was to decline, but then I thought about my brother. He'd definitely appreciate a better view of the game. I wasn't about to deny him that. But first, "Is Amanda here?" I couldn't see her anywhere, but that didn't mean she wasn't in the bathroom or somewhere else.
Jenny gave me a sympathetic smile and shook her head. "No — she's sitting with her friends closer to the player's tunnel. They wanted to see if they could catch the players' attention. I promise you won't have to interact with her at all."
Well, in that case, things should be fine. "Okay, give me a second. I'll go grab him."
I hurried back and described the situation to Jace. He said goodbye to his new friend and helped me carry all of the snacks and our things over to Jenny and her group. They made space and we quickly settled in.
"It's nice to meet you, Jason!" Jenny yelled over me, reaching over to shake his hand.
He grinned and returned the sentiment. But he couldn't hide his small blush from me. I was gonna tease the hell out of him later because opportunities like this didn't come around often. The last time I was aware of one of his crushes, it was Bailey. But that quickly turned sour when she broke his little heart.
With the game resuming, lines of players returned to the field, forming huddles and speaking briefly with their coaches. As they dispersed into positions, Jenny sprang up, shouting loud enough to pierce my eardrums.
"Woohoo! Go, Matthew! Go Knights!" Her enthusiastic cheer was infectious as she jumped up and down, amplifying the chaos. In that moment, she reminded me of Bailey and I couldn't help but smile.
"You guys are so fucking awesome!"
To my amazement, some of the players acknowledged her amidst the pause in the action. My gaze connected with one player, who stood out as he cast his gaze our way. I could have sworn he hesitated when he looked over at us, but the bright lights above were casting heavy shadows over their faces and it was impossible to tell.
I leaned back in my seat, convinced he wasn't actually looking at me, but at Jenny who was the one engaging in wild antics. It had to be Matthew.
With a shrill whistle, the game resumed again, and the players surged into motion. My attention followed one player — number thirteen.
He moved with a grace that defied the clashing bodies around him, dodging and swerving effortlessly. With each running stride, he built momentum until he was an unstoppable force, leaving a trail of slow opponents in his wake. And as he played, it was easy to see how he dissected the field, every player a potential move in a complex strategy. He anticipated opponents' actions before they even decided them, threading passes with the precision of a mind reader. Wow, now I sounded like my brother.
Every time he completed a pass or scored, the stadium erupted in a cacophony of cheers. His victory run was met with thousands of screams, even from the fans of the other team. Before any of us could blink, our team was leading the score board by a large gap. The second half of the game was certainly going a lot better as it seemed our players had finally found their footing.
And when that final whistle announced that we won the game, Jace wrapped his arms around me and lifted me in the air, jumping up and down in excitement.
"This is the best fucking day ever!"
"Language!" I retorted, but I was laughing, dizzy from being handled like a salt-shaker.
The crowd was so loud that I wondered if I would ever be able to hear properly again. I was probably going to hear this deafening roar in my head for the next couple of days.
Jenny and her group joined in on the celebrating, grabbing me and Jace and wrapping us both in a group hug. I knew if this had been a home game, the people in the stands would have swarmed the field like lava, enveloping it until not an inch of green could be seen.
It actually felt... electric to be a part of the crowd, to join in on their celebration. Even I couldn't wipe the grin off my face.