High school Sweethearts

"Go Long!"

As Darrin walked back past the library, Charlie waited expectantly for the snap. Unfortunately for the players, Mr. Lombardi, the principal, was just strolling out of the cafeteria with a tray full of lukewarm mac and cheese. The administrator stopped to lecture an underclassman for running at precisely the wrong place and time because the pigskin touched down smack dab in the center of his field of cheesy noodles.

With a smattering of sauce on his letterman jacket like the orange proof of some heinous crime, Charlie ran before the first puff of angry steam could be released from Mr. Lombardi's cheeks. At first, he was too afraid of the backlash to even think about the situation, but by the time he slammed the double doors to the football field open, he almost fell over with uncontrollable laughter.

Although Darrin must have gone all the way around the school, bolting in the other direction, he showed up on the field only minutes later. As they jockeyed for position and joked about the close call, Darrin pointed out a group of girls across the field - two of the cheerleaders, who unfortunately already had dates, and Hannah from math class, who was also with them for some reason.

"Hey, look, you're always going on about how you want a smart girl. What about her? Why don't you just go ask her to prom?"

Charlie, who hadn't even noticed Hannah or been thinking about the prom at that moment, let his eyes follow Darrin's gesture. Seeing the group and surmising who he meant from the group context, he became frustrated and perplexed. He honestly felt like he didn't understand Darrin at all sometimes.

"What, Who? That girl neither of us knows? Do you even know her name? I don't."

Charlie couldn't believe how dense Darrin was sometimes. It was as though since Chantelle had fallen into his lap freshman year, he had forgotten what dating even was.

"Uh, yeah, I do. It's Shannon! How could you even say that? I think someone is projecting. PSHHH."

Darrin poked Charlie in the chest and, emboldened by his friend's lack of faith in him, walked towards the girls.

" Shannon, hey Shannon! How would you like to go to prom on the arm of one of USSH's finest football stars? Charlie wants to go to prom with you - "

Charlie tried to hold Darrin back, but he broke away and walked faster across the field, cupping his hands around his mouth, yelling the wrong name louder and louder. This only caused confusion with the group of girls, who hadn't even noticed him talking to them until that point, drawing attention from anyone else in the stands and on the field as well.

"Dude, please, will you stop that? I'm just going to leave."

"Hey, Shannon!"

Darrin ignored him and continued his loud, hurried march across the field. Charlie turned and started to quickly walk the other way, back towards the school building, when he ran into Paula on her way out to the field. She seemed a little hurt for some reason.

"Charlie, I'm so glad I caught you!"

Her smile seemed genuine, as though she really was happy to see him. Then she stumbled a little, almost falling into his arms, but caught herself before she did. Charlie extended a hand to help steady her, and she instinctively took it for support.

"Hey Paula, what do you need? Oh man, are you okay? You look hurt."

"Oh, I'm okay; I just had a bit of an accident. Some other girls sounded like they may have gotten way more hurt than I did, but I didn't want to stay and be in anyone's way. So, I thought I would come and see if you had the notes from today's Chemistry Lab. I spilled my beaker all over mine and need some to copy. I don't know why, but you were just the first person I thought of."

Paula tossed her hair back and looked expectantly up at him. Why had he not seen it before? Paula was clever, she was beautiful, and she was actually interested in him. She was always hanging around too. It was actually so obvious once he stopped to think about it. This was perfect.

"Huh, yeah, of course. Lemme find them for you. I think they're actually in my locker. Do you wanna walk with me?"

Charlie looked through his backpack with no luck, so the two walked together through the halls upstairs to his locker.

"Of course, you're doing me a big favor. Thanks a lot, Charlie!"

"No problem, Paula. Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Charlie, you can ask me anything."

Paula's eyes glistened up at him, and Charlie felt as confident as ever asking a girl out on a date.

"Do you already have a date to prom? I mean, you probably do already have a date to prom, because why wouldn't you? But if you don't… you should consider going with me."

Charlie stammered a little, but as Paula gently graced his forearm and smiled at him, he started to regain that confidence that waned so quickly for some reason.

"No one has asked me yet. I would love to go with you! If I can be entirely honest, I kind of hoped you might ask me."

She gave a huge smile, then tried to cover it with her hand, but he could still see it bursting out the sides. Charlie loved a big smile like that.

"Awesome, I mean, it'll be alright. All of us from the football team decided to go in on a couple of Limos together and will be picking up our dates for a big group dinner before the party. It's going to be epic!"

"Wow, that sounds so great. I can't wait. I already started shopping because I was planning to go one way or the other, but I may have to hit the mall again. I will want to look good for that."

With a wink, Paula took the notes from Charlie and strutted off down the hall.

He felt like he'd been hit by a ton of bricks like this was exactly what he'd been waiting for. It wasn't too much to ask for to find a pretty girl who liked him, was it? Charlie didn't think so. It was kind of what life was all about, in his opinion.

Yeah, everyone wasn't lucky enough to find their person in High School; that was true, but he wouldn't sit around settling for some idiot because they had a pretty face and weren't horrible. Not horrible wasn't enough for Charlie. He wanted spectacular. He also wouldn't date every girl in their class just to waste time.

He wasn't sure Paula was spectacular, but she seemed worth his time. Plus, she was taking the initiative to come talk to him; that had to count for something.

He didn't Just wait for prom, either. Charlie took a little initiative and discovered Paula's favorite food was Chinese takeout. So he set up a date for them the weekend before. Having a date for prom was fine and dandy, but having a girlfriend would be just a little sweeter.

The year was coming to a close, and most of their peers would be heading off to colleges nationwide throughout the summer.

These days, there are so many guys out there playing with star chops out of the gates that you practically had to be ready to draft by the time you graduated high school for the athletic department recruiters to even give you a second look. That was not the case for the majority of the Uncle Sam Senior High School football team. Even Darrin hadn't gotten an athletic scholarship.

Charlie at least did well enough in school; he planned to attend the community college and take a few evening classes while working. His uncle had already offered him a job with his construction company. Maybe he would end up becoming a realtor or a salesman; he wouldn't really need classes to become a salesman. He'd just need to hunt for a better job.

Of course, Charlie would just as soon get out of Texas altogether. Charlie dreamed they would ditch this town and see the world together if things went well with Paula. Settle down somewhere better suited to raising a family. He could dig holes or take classes to become whatever, wherever. It would all hinge on Paula, he started to suppose.

Fast forward to prom, and things were looking better than ever.

All of Charlie's plans had been going off without a hitch. Every date went smooth as silk, and the Limo ride was HOT.

"I could feel it coming off her in waves. I knew girls went crazy over prom, but Jeeze, man, that Limo ride was wild."

Charlie and the other footballers shaped into a "V" formation surrounding Darrin in the large lobby area of Grand Central Steakhouse. This "stage" was the whole reason they had gone here.

"Yeah, Janette fell down the stairs a few weeks ago and insisted on coming anyway. It's gonna be worth it."

DJ and Charlie fist-bumped while getting comfortable in their crouching position, waiting for the girls to start pouring out of the bathroom.

"I mean, Paula and I have only been going out a few weeks, but she's been all over me. If tonight is the night, it's the night; who am I, Zeus or some motherfucker? I don't have control over the mysteries of women."

He had a feeling it would be the night; besides being Prom, Darrin was proposing to Chantelle, and he was pretty sure that was going to really enhance the mood as well. The guys were all starting to get rowdy and loud, which was making Darrin nervous, so he asked Charlie to go check on what was taking the girls so long.

"What am I supposed to do about it? Ladies just take as long as they take, am I right? I can't just waltz in there and demand they all escort me back to the lobby!"

"You'll think of something. That's why I asked you. You're my best buddy, and you'll be my best man when Chantelle and I actually get married, right? So I just need to get the girl to the proposal. You gotta help me out here, okay."

"No problem. I got this." Charlie slapped Darrin on the back and saluted the rest of the team as he bounded off to the ladies' room. Charlie's side of the "V" moved back one, so he could quickly slip back in at the top. Charlie thought fast on his way to the restrooms but just couldn't think of anything good to get all the girls in a hurry, so he fell back on his old standby, mildly funny.

"Will all ladies from Uncle Sam Senior High please exit the stage, right? You are needed in the lobby!" Charlie could hear one or two snickers from inside and a lot of commotion; satisfied he had gotten the ball rolling, he darted back to the lobby to fall back in line.

The song was a little rough, and a lot of the guys were embarrassed, but no one seemed to notice. In fact, people had their phones out, taking photos and videos of the whole thing. It was kind of cool. Chantelle finally came out and stopped practically right in the doorway.

She pretty much trapped Paula behind her while she jumped up and down, broken arm and all, screaming, "Yes! Yes! Yes!" like a malfunctioning Diva Starz doll.

Paula finally managed to escape the restroom and ran right over, planting the most passionate kiss Charlie had ever gotten on his lips. From that moment forward, it was Paula and Charlie, Charlie and Paula, a single unit, a team of two.

K.B. Silver