Mathew ended up going to one of his three top schools. I enrolled in a local college close by so that we could stay together. I broke the number one rule of never following your boyfriend/partner to college. Looking back I don’t regret it obviously but I never recommend anyone to do that. I guess it’s also because I didn’t have a “dream” school or “dream” career field. I ended up majoring in marketing, Mathew majored in Business. Both his parents wanted him to have a backup just in case he didn’t end up wanting to be a lawyer. That way he could do whatever he wanted after he graduated. 

Our parents both dropped us off. We had all done a road trip because we weren’t going to be in state anymore. So we are barely going to see them anymore for the next few years. Our parents also bonded on the way there. Mathew drove his truck most of the way and our parents went in the same car and my sisters came with us. They dropped us off in the school apartments we got from Mathew’s scholarship. The university was paying for all of his housing, food, and tuition. All he had to do was get good grades and play basketball and football. They stayed a few days before leaving us. They couldn’t stop crying. Mathew didn’t cry but I knew he would miss them a lot. I had gotten used to not being around my parents daily but I still had them like 20 mins away not hours away. 

We got a one bedroom with basic living room with a kitchen and bathroom. Mathew hated the bed because it was a normal queen bed unlike his custom bed. The shower head was also lower than his. If my head was an inch away from touching it, Mathew had to lower his head to wash his hair and he hated it. After a while he started slowly getting it shorter till he had a buzz cut for a few months. My school wasn’t super far but was far enough I couldn’t walk so I would drive Mathew’s truck because he had wanted to bring it with him. I left my car for my sisters to use in the future. It also would have been harder to get another car here. I started seeing him less and less because he had to be on a busy schedule. For football from August to January, he had am practice before school depending on the day between 6-8am usually always at 7. After that he would shower there or here and go to class. I would go to class during the week but I was only full time for one year. It became too much to be full time students and working a job. My grades were still good I just didn’t think being gassed out over a job and a degree was worth it when I didn’t love either. 

They would start having him also start basketball in November but depending how things went his schedule would change. At first it was kinda just like how it used to be at his house. The only difference was we went to different schools and only saw each other at night most days. I would always be asleep when he would leave and he would get done around 7-9 with school and practice again after. So I started going to eat with him when he would get a break to eat lunch. He had already made a lot of friends by then. Even though it was two weeks in, I barely talked to anyone. Most days he would be with a guy on the football team and a guy from one of his classes. I had meet them one of them when we were grocery shopping one time. But it was very vague. He saw Mathew and said hi. Mathew explained we were getting stuff for the apartment. He introduced himself and so did I. So it was never brought up that we were dating. His name was Derek. 

This day was the first time I was meeting his other friend from class. Since Mathew got money he ate from the cafeteria he usually ate there unless he went out with his friends or I picked him up. I walked up to them eating and talking. “I brought you some fries.” I set the bag of food on the table and sat in front of him. The seat was warm so I assume Derek was probably sitting here. 

“Thanks babe.” Mathew replied while he grabbed it out the bag. I could tell Eric heard because his head jolted towards Mathew but he kinda brushed it off. This would be the first of many times this will happen for years. Even in present day if they don’t know who he is or only know him as a NFL player and know nothing about his personal life. Surprisingly a lot. Mathew told me this was Eric from his climate science class he told me about. “Do you want some?” Mathew handed him the fries. He took some on his plate and they kept talking. I took out my burger and fries from the bag. 

“Do you want a bite?” I handed Mathew my burger and he grabbed it and took a bite. We finished up our food and stayed talking till they had their next class. Mathew threw away our trash and met back with us. 

“So are you going to his home game?” Eric asked me. 

“I don’t know.” I looked towards Mathew who was walking between me and him. “The only person I know that goes here is him and he’s going to be on the field."

“I tried to tell him but it’s up to him.” Mathew took a sip from my soda he was holding. 

“I’ll be there you can hang out with me.” He told me. 

“Yeah maybe.” I told him. He started heading to his next class and Mathew walked me to his truck. 

“You keep parking my truck like that,” he pointed, “you’re going to get it towed.” Mathew made fun of how I parked really crooked but to my defense it was in the way back of the parking lot. I didn’t want to waste more time than I had to walk to the cafeteria and find a closer spot. 

“I was in a rush.” I pushed him by his hip. “I was trying to get you your food as fast as possible.” We walked to the driver side. 

“Oh yeah, I just noticed I haven’t even put the parking pass on it. Put it on when you get home.” 

“And you’re telling me I’ll be the reason it gets towed.” He laughs and opens the door for me and I took the soda cup from him. He puts me up and puts me in the drivers seat. He started rubbing my thighs and leaning in. 

“I miss you.” He put his face on my belly. “I wish you came here so I could see you more.” 

“We see each other everyday.” I place my free hand on his back rubbing my fingers on his spine. “It’ll get easier the more we get used to it.” 

“I know but I’m going to be getting busier…. I hope these four years fly by fast.” 

“We have to get to class.” I told him. He stood back up and gave me a peck. Leaning on the seat an inch away from me. Gave me another peck and stood up straight and stretched. 

“Uhhhh.”

“Are you sore?” 

“Yeah, ima go to the team's medical to get them to stretch me out or something.” 

“Yeah they can probably help you better than a shoulder massage from me.” 

“No I’ll take that shoulder massage.” He interlocked our fingers. 

“I’ll give you a massage tonight than.” He leans in and gives me another kiss. “Go.” I tell him while kissing him. 

“Okay,” he pulls away, “I’ll see you tonight. Don’t forgot to put the parking pass. Love you see you tonight.”

“Love you.” 

*****

I came to Mathew’s home game but it was way crazier than our highschool games. Our school went all out for our football team but this felt like something out of a movie. All the stadium was full, marching band playing, an anouncher going, dance team and cheerleaders. They even had fire works and a big merch store compared to our small little one. I walked over to the home side. I came early because I wanted to find a seat and it was already full. I walked up looking for an empty spot. Worse case I’ll stand at the very back or here at the bottom with the other people. 

“Alexis?!” I turn around and see Eric with some friends. 

“Hey.” He walks towards me. 

“You came,” he came by me a dabbed me up. “We’re over here.” He nodded forward and a walked with him. “This is Kayla and Mikey. This is Mathew’s roommate.” He told them and I didn’t correct him. It was to loud we were maneuvering through people. 

We got to where his group was. Some were on the bottom bleacher and on the fence. He introduced me to everyone as Mathew’s roommate. Even though the game hadn’t started the place was loud with the band and people talking. We leaned up against the fence. “Is this your first game?” He asked me.

“College? Yeah.” I replied. Kayle was standing next to him on his right and I was on his left next to his other friend. 

"Cool, do you like it so far?” 

“It’s alight I guess.” 

“Haha, yeah you need to experience it all. Did you pregame?” 

“No. I just came.” 

“Here,” Kayla take a flask out of her shirt sneaking it towards me. I took a small drink and gave it back. 

“We’ll give you a good first experience. We’ll be your friends here” Eric replied. 

“What are you majoring in? Kayla asked me.

“Marketing. How about you?” 

“Oh my god me too!! Well it’s my minor I’m majoring in public relations.” She started leaning in more so I hear her. “So you haven’t made any friends here yet?” 

“I don’t go here. I go to a community college in the city. But I’ve only talked to like one or two people.” 

“Oh I thought you did. So then how do you know Mathew?”

“We went to the same high school. I’ve known him since middle school.” 

“That’s why I thought you came here because I thought you said,” she pointed to Eric, “Mathew was from out of state?” 

“He is.” Eric replied. 

“I just assumed you came here too. So you both decided to move here?” 

“Well Mathew wanted to come to this school and I didn’t really have a school I wanted to go to so I just moved with him down here.” I replied. 

“Oh that’s nice. It would be nice to know someone when I came I also had no friends for a while.” 

“Yeah Mathew’s my o-“ the anouncger started taking about the other teams and they started coming out. 

The game started and I tried looking for Mathew. “Do you know his number?” Eric asked. 

“It’s 22.” His birthday was on the second of June so he considered it his lucky number. Mathew would play but he wasn’t the star player on the football team anymore. Especially now, he stood out because of his size back at home but here lots of guys are 6’4 and bigger. It’s a little different watching him now. 

“I think that’s him.” Eric pointed to someone drinking Gatorade. 

“Oh yeah it is.” He had his pads and uniform on. Said Conners on the back. 

“Mathew!!!” Eric yelled but he couldn’t hear. I could see him trying to find me in the bleachers. 

Mathew told me his main roll was blocking but they would use him to rush the ball when they needed to. He's some type of lineman I think. It doesn’t matter how many times he explains positions to me when he watches football. I always forget. 

Kayla and I went to get a drink and popcorn. “Do you want some merch?” They were all marched out. I just came in a tee shirt and jeans. “We can look if they have his jersey already.” We went to the merch shop and they did. They didn’t have a lot but they had his there. Crazy how later one of those would sell 4 times what it cost today. I bought his jersey and put it on. 

“So are you a sophomore like Eric?” I asked her on our way back. 

“Yeah I meet him towards like December my first year and we’ve been friends since. He kinda introduced me to some other people and our friend group kinda formed after that.” 

“That’s cool.” 

“Yeah, you’ll fit in though trust me. Mathew seems nice too. At least what he’s told me about him. I’ve only seen him one well twice now.”

“Yeah he’s more outgoing than I am. Everyone likes him.” We reach Eric and his takes from her popcorn. 

“You didn’t tell me mathew was cute.” She told Eric while she ate her popcorn. 

“How would I know?” Eric told her while stealing more popcorn. 

“You can’t tell if a dude's attractive?” She glared at him. 

“I don’t see him like that. I swing the other way.” 

I could still catch him scanning the bleachers. He texted me where I was and sent him a picture. But he still couldn’t find me. Almost half way he finally saw me and waved at us. 

When the game ended we came down to try and find him. He played only a little. He was an incoming freshman. 

“I don’t know if Mathew told you yet but we’re having a kick back at one of our friends place if you guys want to come?” Eric told me. The rest of the group had left already. “It’s at Mikey’s and his roommates house.”

“He mentioned it I think. I’ll ask if he’s down I’ll be down.” 

“You can come too if he doesn’t end up wanting to.” Eric assured me.

“Yeah now you have two new people you know.” Kayla said. 

“Yeah forsure.” My phone started to ring.

“Hello, yeah we’re by the end next to the pretzel shop. Okay we’ll wait here.” I hung up. “He said he’s coming here.” 

He found us in a minute.

“Hey.” he told everyone and dabbed up Eric. 

“This is Kayla she my friend.” Eric introduced her. 

“Nice to might you” Mathew replied. 

“Likewise.” 

He got closer to me realizing I was wearing a jersey. “What’s this?” He asked me. He pinched at the sleeve. 

“It’s your jersey. I bought it.” He smiled check to check.

“He’s your number one fan.” Kayla said. 

“I know,” he pulled me in with his arm and kiss the top of my head. I saw the wheels turning in their heads and they looked at each other. 

“I was telling him that I invited you to a party and if you guys wanted to come.” 

“Oh yeah, the guys are also throwing a party but I’m down for what ever you want to do?” Mathew looked at me. The coach was yelling at the players to go change a distance away from us. 

“I don’t care.” I told him. 

“You decide I don’t mind. I have to go change.” He rustled my hair and left. “Bye”. I fixed it while he ran. 

“So what do you want to do?” 

“You know you’ll have more fun with us.” She commented. 

“Probally go to yours than.” I smiled at them. It was kinda awkward now. Eric was around my height maybe a inch shorter with black hair and tan skin. Kayla had light brown hair fair skin with big doe eyes. She looked like she was animated but in a good way. Not overly dramatic expressions but like she could be a princess. I felt that they wanted to ask me but felt weird asking if we were more than friends. 

Mathew finally came back. I told him what I decided and he agreed. “ I need to shower though so we can meet you there or you guys can come back to our place. It literally down the street.” The apartment complex is like under the school so they control it like the dorms. 

“Sure, text me the address.”

“Yeah it’s the black apartments down there.” 

“Oh never mind. We’ll meet you there.” 

They met us at the parking lot and we walked with them up. Mathew had told them he “lost” his card so he could get me a card to be able to go in and out. At least for now we haven’t been told anything. 

“Are you in the dorms?” Mathew asked Kayla. 

“Yeah, my roommate is cool so it’s not bad.” 

“I know Eric had a bad one last year.” Mathew laughed. 

“Don’t remind me.” 

I opened the door and left everyone in. “Welcome home.” Mathew told them and through his keys on the counter. 

“Do you want anything to drink?” I asked them. 

“I’m good”, Eric replied. 

“I’ll take a water.” Kayla replied. I got her a glass of water for her.

“Okay ima go shower.”