Pockets

Amber didn’t make it to our fourth game. I was looking forward to seeing her. The team went out to a bar after every game to drink and talk shit. It was difficult to talk to her sometimes because we wouldn’t always sit near each other or we’d get stuck in a group conversation. But still, somehow we always found ourselves in pockets of space, free to converse privately. It wasn’t much but there was potential. I wasn’t pushing it exactly, but I wouldn’t fight it if it got there.

This time, I started looking for pockets to share with Maddie. We went to Wise Man, they had long picnic tables outside and select drafts from their brewery. I didn’t recognize anything. I got a pilsner called Snoopy Dogg, it was tasty. Maddie and I sat on opposite ends of the table. I got stuck with Will and Dani. Will was Swedish and his English was difficult to understand. He kept trying to talk to me about hockey. Dani was Colombian but grew up in Puerto Rico, he also had an accent. The two of them talked hockey. I didn’t understand a word they were saying, so I let them talk. I drank my pilsner and thought of ways to sit on the cool side of the table without offending anyone.

I decided that the best way would be by going to the restroom. I took a piss, got another beer, came back and sat next to Maddie. Her and Tony were talking about their roommates and apartments and leases. I put a soccer match on my phone and watched that. It was chilly outside. There was a slight breeze that chapped my lips. I pulled out my Carmex and dabbed some on my finger.

“Aquaphor is better,” said Maddie.

“That’s what my nieces tell me,” I said. “I’ve never tried it.”

“Do you wanna try some?” She extended her bottle of Aquaphor. “I don’t put my lips on it. You can put some on your finger.”

“Thanks,” I said. I wiped the Carmex off on my shorts then dabbed my finger with Aquaphor and spread it on my lips. Aquaphor was better. It went on smoother and didn’t leave an oily taste in my mouth. “You’re right, this is better.”

“I told ya.”

Tony went to the restroom and that was our pocket. Maddie was cold and had someone’s beach shirt draped over the front of herself. It wasn’t helping much. She kept shivering, I could feel her thigh vibrating against mine.

“I may have a sweater in my truck,” I said. “Do you want me to get it?”

“No it’s okay,” said Maddie. “I’ll be fine. I didn’t want to use Lincoln’s shirt and make it smelly but I had no choice.”

“Who’s Lincoln?” I asked.

“My boyfriend. He’s coming back in a few days, so I’m going to have to wash this.”

“Where’s Lincoln now?”

“In Florida,” she said. “We both live there, but I came here for college. He goes to UCF.”

“Oh, that’s nice. I lived in Florida for like twelve years and came back home two years ago.”

“Oh cool! What part?”

“West Palm Beach.”

“That’s where I’m from! I lived in Jupiter though.”

“I like Jupiter. It’s nice out there.”

“Yeah, it is,” said Maddie. “What made you come back?”

“Florida is an awful place, no offense.”

Maddie nodded her agreement. She kept shivering, her leg kept grazing against mine.

“Feel free to lean on me if you need some heat,” I said. “Those shorts aren’t helping you any.”

Maddie laughed and tugged her shorts down, “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”

People left. Only me, Maddie, Tony, and Zach remained. Zach sat next to Tony across from me. We spoke of all sorts of things—soccer, work, school, Zach’s female troubles. After a few more rounds, Maddie had her arm around mine with her head on my shoulder. Lincoln was a chump who wore beach shirts.