Friday Night Loves

By: Ty Horton

November 13, 2025

All Nera could think about was how badly she cracked that note. She definitely should’ve emptied her spit valve before that solo. She usually remembers that one step, but she was so distracted seeing Arlo around the edge of her mellophone. Arlo is Nera’s boyfriend. He's the water boy for the football team; he wanted to see her perform at halftime but hated paying for tickets. This was his first game as a water boy, and god, did he look amazing under the stadium lights in that ruby red shirt; she could stare at him for hours. She snapped back into reality at the voice of her drum major.

“How was your performance, Nera?” Shako in hand, Nera slightly smiles and shakes her head.

“I really messed up my solo, but everything else was fine. How was your show, Ivan?” Even though Nera was talking to Ivan, she wasn’t looking at him, no, she was looking around him to the gorgeous boy she’s been calling her boyfriend for 2 years now. Arlo waves and blows her a kiss that makes her heart flutter like always. They’ve been dating since Freshman year, and now they’re Juniors. Yes, it took 2 years of him buying tickets to become a water boy; she loves him, but he’s not the brightest boy.

“Nera? Are you coming?” Ivan’s voice pulls her from her perfect himbo boyfriend's totally addictive smile.

“Yep, sorry!” Nera rushes to close the gap between her and the rest of the band reentering the stands. She slides into her spot next to her fellow mellophones. Almost immediately, the five loud mellophones start talking with the trumpets about the show. Nera is mid-conversation with the lead trumpet, Leo, until the overly noisy and gossipy tuba player, who is head over heels for Leo, that Nera calls her best friend, kicks her lightly.

“Nera! That hot cheerleader girl from our English class is staring at you again~”

“Grant, we talked about this, I have a boyfriend and so does Evangeline. You need to focus on your love life.” Nera leans back against the legs of her favorite twink and looks up at him.

“Besides, even if she wasn’t taken, I haven't talked to Arlo about anything, and I wouldn’t want him to think that he doesn’t have all my attention and love. On top of that, Junior year is not the time to get into a new dynamic I’ve never explored; this year makes or breaks my college chances, and I’m taking 4 AP classes and—”

Grant rolls his eyes. “You share all four of those AP classes with Eva! And me, of course, the most important person in your whole life!”

“Yea, no. You’re not even in the top 100 people.” Nera states with a flat tone, trying her hardest to stifle her laugh.

Grant gasps dramatically. “How rude!” He moves his legs, leaving Nera to fall or support herself. Nera whines.

“Come on, Grant, you know I love you.” Grant huffs and crosses his arms. Before he can let out a scoff or sassy reply, the human version of a golden retriever appears next to Nera. His dark black hair shines blue in the lights.

“BABY!” Nera is engulfed in the arms of her boyfriend.

“Hi, babe,” Nera hugs him back as he peppers her face in kisses, pressing the cold metal of his lip rings across her face. “How is water boy duty?”

He leans back a bit, ignoring the glitter that now covers his lips. “Lame, I actually have stuff to do. I can’t just stare at you the whole game.” Nera giggles.

“You signed up for this, my love. You have to stay focused.”

“It’s hard to focus with you up here looking so good in your uniform.” Nera blushes at her boyfriend’s flirting.

“You’re too much.” Nera leans into the comfort of Arlo. “Wait, why are you up here?”

Arlo sighs and shakes his head. “I kept getting distracted, so they ‘fired’ me.”

“Arlo!” Nera scolds her lover.

He shies away from Nera’s scolding. “I’m sorry, Doll.” His pout instantly melts Nera’s annoyance.

“You’ll have to pay for tickets now, you know.” Arlo nods and smiles.

“All my money is worth watching you all game~” Before Nera responds, Ivan calls for a song, and she shoots up from Arlo’s hold to play the song. Arlo watches his love in awe. Unbeknownst to him, a cheerleader watches Nera, and an injured player watches him. Nera sits with a sigh of relief.

“Final quarter, I’m ready to go home, we’ll definitely win, I mean, it’s 41 to 7, I think we’re fine.” Nera leans back into Arlo and watches the cheerleaders toss the other into the air instead of the game. “They’re so cool. I could never do that, I wouldn’t trust myself lifting those girls like that.” Arlo nods while braiding tiny pieces of Nera’s short hair. The game comes to an end, and the band plays multiple songs as the stands empty of students, teachers, and parents alike. Another successful football game.

Arlo waits patiently for his wonderful girlfriend to put her uniform away and be dismissed. He scrolls on his phone when two shadows appear over him. When he looks up, he sees the power couple, the cliché Cheer Captain and (currently injured) Star Running Back, Evangeline Willis and Dante McCoy. “Oh, hey, great game tonight!” Arlo says when he stands. Nera finally leaves the band room, standing at Arlo’s side. She kindly greets the couple, but before they can leave, Evangeline speaks.

“Can we ask you guys something?”