“Priya, not the time.” Grant joins in on the conversation, sending a warning look toward Alli and Priya. I guess he overheard everything because of how loud Alli is. “Ser, Tyler is a good guy. You should hang out with him, get to know him.”
We’re nearing our spot on the field for kick-off. “We’re going to a party tomorrow night.”
Three pairs of eyes swiftly fixate on me.Okay, maybe I should’ve kept them in the dark a little bit longer. Maybe I said it to get them off my back. Another part of me thinks I’ve said it to let them know I am getting to know him and not just admiring him from afar like a crazed fan.
“Wait, what?” Priya’s voice cuts through the silence, her surprise shown with the furrow of her brows. “I swear, I need to become a fortune teller,” she adds, earning an eye roll from Grant.
“Pri, shut up.”
“Stop being a dick, Grant,” Priya snaps back, a hint of irritation in her tone.
“I mean, I do like dick,” Grant retorts, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips, earning a chuckle from Alli.
Indigestion was fine. Now they aren’t butterflies, clearly. They still look at me with curious eyes, thirsty for gossip. But it isn’t that to me, at all. It shouldn’t be anything for them either. I find myself gritting my teeth slightly at their insistence, and raisea hand in the air to stop their banter. “Okay, this is why I haven’t told you guys anything.”
Their expressions soften, understanding dawning in their eyes as they take in my words. Priya steps closer, her voice gentle as she speaks. “Serena, this is huge. Tyler’s a really great guy.”
“I know, but... it’s not like that,” I reply, my voice wavering slightly as I try to convince them–and myself–of thetruth.
Grant rolls his eyes. “This is a classic friends-to-lovers trope. You go out on a date and you both fall in love.”
“We are not talking about this anymore,” I state point blankly. We separate from Priya to get ready for kick-off.
Alli’s expression darkens at my response. She steers me aside for a private conversation. “Ser, why do you keep shutting this down?”
“What do you mean?” I ask, crossing my arms defensively.
Alli’s gaze hardens as she chooses her words carefully. “He’s not like Alex.”
“Don’t bring him up.”
“Why not? Is he the reason you’re holding back?”
Whistles blow in the background and the crowd’s cheers echo across the field. “This isn’t the same. And I don’t owe you an explanation.”
“Look, I’m sorry for bringing him up. But you need to stop these mind games with yourself.” She sighs and rubs her temples. “Not everyone is going to hurt you like Alex or your mom.”
“Girls! Get in here, now!” Coach Miller bellows behind us.
I don’t have any time to conjure up any response, so I let Alli have the last say in this conversation.
God, I know she means well and has every right to be right. As much as I hate to admit it, she is. My mind and heart are at war right now. One is telling me to fall and admit defeat to my increasing feelings for Tyler. The other is telling me to pull back and I’m getting flashbacks to memories that are creeping up on me. Do I really want to get my heart broken again? Have my trust thrown out the window?
We walk up to the rest of the team. Coach Miller gives us a run down and pep talk before we head down the field. My mind is swarming and possibly about to go into overdrive now that I can’t stop thinking about Tyler.
Do I like him? I think so.
Does he like me? I think so.
Am I willing to admit it to myself and potentially get hurt again by another person? Not really.
The kick-off goes off without a hitch. The rush of adrenaline courses through my veins as I sprint across the field, proudlywaving Skyline’s flag. It’s the kind of feeling they hype in movies, and now I understand why. It’s a unique mix of excitement, pride, and pure chaotic energy that I’ve been missing out on all these years of my teenage life.
Now that we’re on the sidelines, I take my place next to Alli in the middle of the second to last row–dead center if you like. As captain, Alli gets to be in the center to call out cheers and lead the team. In the front row are the other female teammates and behind us are the male teammates.
The night continues on. All eyes are on the field, but I can sense Tyler’s piercing blue eyes eating me up on the sidelines. I’m trying to not stare at him but it’s becoming too hard to not sneak a glance at him. I wave my pom poms in the air to hype the crowd up and I use this opportunity to look back.
My suspicions are confirmed when I let my eyes glide to his on accident, giving into my temptations. I get the sense Tyler knows that I’ve been tryingnotto stare, that he only responds with a wink and returns to the conversation he’s having with his friend.
