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"Like this?"
"Mm, a little higher."
"Okay... What about now?"
"Better- Good, actually."
"Yes?" I smiled proudly, looking back from Norah to the mirror and examined the work. After almost an hour of her teaching how to properly apply an eyeliner it finally felt good to succeed.
"Yes." she appeared by my side on the reflection, her head popping over my shoulder with a smirk. "Wow, now your eyes look even bigger."
A blush climbed up my neck and I shoved her teasingly. "Isn't it the whole purpose of this?"
"Indeed." she shrugged, walking back towards her bed and dropping her weight there nonchallantly. "Just saying it really look good on you."
The inner me bloathed in content. "Thanks."
"Anytime. I was wondering if you'll let me do your make up after all, but you surprised me by taking the initiative and all. And something is telling me this isn't exactly for my brother." I blushed harder. Norah grinner from her position laying sprawled on her bed. "Am I wrong?"
"No..." I cleared my throat, straightening my back in an attempt to appear more confident. "I just wanted to try... for myself."
"Sure." she huffed. "A week ago you didn't even know if you'd be attending to the Spring Ball and now not only you will, but you're also wanting to go to the game tonight and want to learn how to make up yourself."
"S-so what? Isn't it easier if I could do my own so tomorrow I won't take time from you doing yours?"
Her eyes narrowed. "Are you saying I would need that time?"
"Of c-course not!"
"Mh, you better..." but I sense the humor so I knew she wasn't as mad as she was pretending to be. I rolled my eyes and turned to the mirror to watch my work again. I hope tomorrow I'll get to do it by myself just as well. Whatever other tease Norah was about to say got cut by my phone beeping on the desk where I let it since we'd begun this little tutorial, attracting both our attention there. "Again?" My friend groaned dropping back against the mattress. "Please take it at once. It's kinda annoying already."
"So exaggerated..." I snickered but picked it up nontheless and my heart picked up when I saw it was a text from Brett. As well as the previous couple.
BRETT: Hey! since you say you'll be coming what are you planning on doing 'til the game?
This one was from an hour ago, when school had ended. The two following were recent.
BRETT: well i see you're not around
we r staying at the cafe with some friends (in case you want to come ealier)
Honestly, I promised Brett I'd be there for the game against Richmore since it was such an important game. I wanted to. But there was also a part of me more shy that was already getting anxious at the idea. None of my friends would be there -Norah and Macy were about to have their first date!- so that leave me on my own and a bleachers full of students.
But I'd given my word. I couldn't let my social anxiety get in the way when things seemed to be improving with Brett. No.
Also, there was this warm feeling lacing my chest at the mere thought of that expression in his eyes when he asked me to be there...
Right before trying to kiss you, reminded a voice in the back of my mind.
My face burned as I pushed it away and typed back.
ALYSON: I wouldn't want to intrude if you're with your friends.
If he was with the team, making time, it would be like a mood killer if I suddenly came, right? I didn't exactly talked to most of them and-
The phone vibrated cutting the train of my thoughts and the moment I read it that lovely feeling nested in my guts again.
BRETT: youre my friend too
And right after:
Actually
I'm kinda stuck with Hunter and Lydia.
I chuckled at the thought of it and sensed Norah glancing my way as I typed the answer.
ALYSON: Bro hang up turn into romantic one?
BRETT: pretty much
ALYSON:Typical
BRETT: Its cool, but they're getting too suggary and I'll provably end up with caries
ALYSON: You always can leave you know?
BRETT:thatll be rude. And pointless
the game, remembr?
I much rather have you here
My heart was about to melt. Or drop. For the way it was churning inside m chest it could be both. Did he just asked me to hang up with them? Was it real? The wild pounding against my rib-cage said so.
It was as if once he finally open up about his feelings he couldn't stop from using any chance he got to remind me he want me there. Or that he liked me. Or this things that barely a month ago I wouldn't thought he could feel towards me. I both loved it and feared it, since it made it more difficult for me to remember I should be standing my ground and not melting at any sweet word he said or gut churning smile he threw my way...
I bit my lip, staring at the screen. My finger was aching not knowing what to respond but very aware I had to.
"Who is it?"
"Uh?" I looked up to Norah who I hadn't noticed had got up and was fixing herself in the dresser... well now, she was eying me closly. The heat returned to my cheeks. "No one."
"You're smiling, so that no one might be someone interesting..."
"What?"I dismissed it waving on hand but my voice came out too high. My phone beeped once more and before I got the chance to look at it it Norah already had it on her hand. "Hey!" mortification filled my veins for some reason and I reached for it but she dodged my attempt. "Give it back!"
Norah gawked at the screen, reading my new text and I could only wonder what would Brett'd texted. Her gaze met mine, my face burning, then back to the phone and grinned.
"Oh, girl. This is so fetch!"
"Give it back." I snatched it from her grip, my blush hardening as she laughed.
BRETT: so? Will u come over?
Hot and cold spreaded sweetly though my chest as I read over and over his words.
"Brett Ryder is no one now?" Norah asked, clearly joyful for some reason and I squirmed uncomfortable, still not knowing what to answer to both of them. "Since when are you two sexting?"
"What?" I squealed. "We never did se- that!"
She laughed once more.
"Alyson it's fine. Just tell me already."
"It's nothing like that." I stated as firmly as I could.
"Only 'cause you got the-"
My phone beeped again and we both looked down at it.
BRETT: Come on, Lys. Put me out this misery and join us.
Please?
"You're smiling again."
"Shut up." I mumbled but my friend started giggling. My chest felt as if it was under tones of bricks as I managed to move my fingertips across the letters, holding my breath and almost sweating. My God, Alyson. It's just Brett!
ALYSON: I'm with Norah
"Don't you dare used me as your excuse!"
The answer was almost immediate.
BRETT:bring her. The more the merrier.
She snorted, reading the message over my shoulder.
"Sure, he'll agree to anything right now just to have you joinig them."
Her words twisted my stomach but I dismissed them with an eye roll.
"Whatever."
"I'm serious."
"Mhm. So? You wanna go or what?"
"You clearly want to." she mocked playfully and I gave her a shy smile, not seeing the point in denying it. After second, she shrugged. "Yes, why not?"
I felt more excited than I initially suspected when she agreed. "Really?"
"Sure. That way I could ask him myself when has this sexts begun."
Dear Lord.
..........
Today had been the last day before Spring Break. It was only this game and tomorrow's ball and then the break. And, man, people was eager!
The bar before the school's bulding was usually a hang out place for students but today it was especially crowded. Everyone hanging out and making time for the game less than an hour from now. The moment we parked in the very last spot at the parking lot I felt immensely relieved Norah had agreed to tag along. She gave me the courage I needed to step in that sea of excited loud students. It was a shame she won't be staying for the game too, she'd already warned me she'd be leaving in short for her and Macy's date.
Guess she was using this as distraction just as much as I as using her for support. Fair trade. We've had a tought time deciding her outfit, since she didn't want to look like she tried too hard, yet she wanted to look good... an odissey, let me tell you.
She also convinced me to let the eyeline I'd struggled so much to have on. I was very hesitant, never had I wear any kind of make up and even if this was just a tiny line, it felt like a thick mascarade. I was feeling more and more like a clown the closer we get and suddenly the worries of being acussed of trying too hard passed from Norah to me.
What would Brett think of it? What was I thinking? Was I even thinking at all?!
"Chill." nudged me Norah as we stepped out her Jeep and towards the entrance. "He asked you to come, remember? No need to be this nervous."
"I'm always this nervous with him." I breathed out, wiping my palms on the fabric of my jeans.
"Yeah, I know." she shrugged. "Just saying that maybe you shouldn't."
"I can't..." especially when my gaze fell on on of the silouettes hanging out the bar. This one by himself resting against the front fence and strolling through their phone. My pulse raced at the very glance of his redish highlights in this sunset's light.
"You can." Norah squeezed his hold on my arm reassuringly seeing where my eyes were and smiled. "Well well, our own personal reception?" she joked loud enough for him to hear now that we practically reached him. Brett's head lifted at her voice just as Norah placed her free hand dramatically over her heart. "How flattering."
"I hope." he joked back sliding the phone in his pocket. I noticed then he -as well as the rest of the players splashed in that place- was wearing Clayton High's varsity tracksuit. Dark blue long trousers and a jumper with his name and number on the back while the front shown the school's logo. "Actually, I'm happy you're finally here. You got no idea how easily those two forget I'm there too." Brett smiled at her and as usually the moment those electric blue orbs met mine my stomach twitched. "I didn't want to be the third wheel."
"So you made me the fifth?"
"Norah!" I gasped, my heart skipping a beat at what she was implying with those words. That Brett and I... My cheeks heated almost instantly but Brett just shrugged, not bothered at all. In fact, amusement and something else swirled in his orbs.
"The more the merrier, right?" he repeated his text from before and gestured towards the bar's door. "Shall we go in? I don't think they've noticed my absence but still..."
He hold the door opened for us and as soon as we were in the heat for inside made me feel suffocated. Groups of teens were splashed around, occupying tables and laughing. I could see the players gathered everywhere, making time as well along with several other familiar faces from our cours and others. No one from Richmore, tho. They knew better than to come here, I guess. The rivalry an all.
"You've been busy, uh?" I muttered nervously glancing around at the party mood everyone already had before turning to the guy beside me and felt that tug in my guts. "Celebrating already?"
"Call us optimistic." he smiled, making the butterflies in my stomach went crazier. Not happy with that, his fingers ran down my forearm 'til lacing with mine and used it to pull me behind. A powerful shiver shuderred its way from there to my chest. "Come."
It felt just so natural and right. I glaced at Norah as Brett pulled us forward, with my heart up my throat. My friend grinned shamelessly at me, wiggling her eyebrows and my cheeks instantly blushed but I let him guide us.
The table was one of the small ones against the window and we immediately took the seats untaken as Hunter and Lydia smiled at us.
"Sorry to interrupt." mocked Brett, moving his chair beside me closer. "Please don't let us bother you."
Hunter grimaced. "Stop it already. You're such a cry b-."
Lydia cut him elbowing him playfully. "We've apologized, haven't we?"
Norah and I shared an amused look, wondering how much of a third wheel were they making him feel before us. Brett grumbled under his breath something that sounded like 'for what it's worth' and the red haired rolled her eyes. Turning towards Norah and I and greeted us.
"So," Norah cleared her throat, resting back against her chair as if she owned it. "Are you guys ready for this game? I heard you got it bad for this Richmore school."
Right, she was new. Never had experienced this rivalry like we had. The grunt from both guys was enough unverbal response for her to get the idea but Lydia laughed and shook her head at their reaction.
"Oh they better." she teased cheerfully and leaned as if to whisper secretly but all of us heard her. "After all this exausting preparation their coach won't take well a defeat."
"Geez, baby. You're faith in me is overwhelming." scoffed Hunter with a frown.
"Am I wrong?"
"Ehh, no. But you should really try to reassure me not threatened me with the consequences of losing."
"Yeah." grumbled Brett narrowing her eyes as well. "What a way to cheer us up, uh?"
Lydia rolled her eyes and Norah huffed: "You forget she's not here to cheer you up. As your girl she's here to be realistic."
"Thank you." the red haired nodded at my friend and both boys glared.
I couldn't help a giggle but noticing how Brett's fist clenched over his thigh I remembered how important this was for him personally and found myself reaching out to cover it with my hand, suprising us both.
"I think you'll do fine." I smiled, tearing the tension and again felt that sweet ache inside when his eyes met mine again.
"Yeah?" his hand shifted under mine, turning to hold mine as it was becoming quite a tradition lately. A tradition that spike my inner heat and do weird things to my common sense. Especially when he brushed his thumb on my skin like that.
"S-sure." I breathed out, his eyes beamed and I could tell at least part of his worries had been lifted. Glad I could help! But my little achive was interrupted by Norah's wonder.
"Didn't you lose last year?" she patted her chin thoughtfully. "Seeing you've won practically every game so far in this course, this Richmore must be something else..."
"We're prepared." cut in Brett.
"Really?"
His hand squeezed mine involuntarily and I knew we had to drive away from preocupations. The game will be in short and they would had plenty of time to stress over it then. Now how about a little break?
"So Lydia." I cleared my throat, surpassing the shyness at the attention on me now. "H-how is everything going with the Flower's Queen's campaign?"
"Oh," her eyes lighted up and a huge smile took over her features. "So good that you asked. It's been amazing! Do you believe that I've run out of flyers? Twice!" she clapped excitedly and Hunter rolled his eyes by her side but smiled a bit at her entusiasm. "Everyone has been so helpful and nice. The poll Lee Garner did last week speaks volums in my favour. Not that I want to get my hopes up but..." she let out an adorable small squealed and clapped again.
"What about being realistic now, uh, honey?" inquired Hunter playfully and Norah chuckled by my side.
"Touche."
"After all, the poll was made when Jade was out the contest and now that she's back..." he cut himself but it was too late. The small hairs of my neck stiffened and a thick apprehension filled my lungs at her mention. "Fuck, sorry."
The red haired gasped audibly and smacked Hunter's shoulder. "Can you have a little tact here?" she turned to me and her brows pursed together in mad anger. "I still can't believe she's back after doing something like that. How are you holding up?"
"F-fine."
In all honestly, I was holding up well. I was doing fine with both her and Noel back, surprisingly. None of them had confronted me nor tried anything. But it was the memories, the fear that they'd alredy instaled in me previously what clenched my lungs like a lace and made me felt awful whenever they were brought into the topic.
I could feel it now. The lace tightening around my throat. Pressing, squeezing... And then I felt Brett moving my hand a little closer in his lap, tracing paterns on my skin and creating a distraction that helped me focus on something other than my ragged mind. As if pulling my head out the water I realized Lydia had kept talking:
"-That witch!"
"That's not the word I would had used, but yeah." Norah huffed and Hunter lifted one shoulder, tapping his fingers on the table cover; but he was serious as well, not as nonchalantely as he tried to be.
"That girl is crazy."
"Can we stop talking about her already?" almost snapped Brett, his jaw clenched and I turned to look at him.
The moment I met his blue orbs I held on them like an anchor, last remainings of fear or anxiety slowly fading in the back of my mind. I could breathe again! I sent him a small thankful smile, before lowering my gaze at the intensity of his. So intense... almost as if he could see through me, into my soul... It made things to me.
"Yeah, of course." Lydia nodded, quickly focusing on an easier topic. "So back the ball. Does this interest means you will be going at last?" she smirked knowingly, eyes darting suggestively between Brett and myself. Before I could even fully blush at her indirect Norah laughed attracting attention towards her.
"She'll be going with my brother." Gosh, she just love to keep saying it out lud, doesn't she?
"What?" Both Lydia and Hunter looked confused at Norah, then at Brett and finally at me. By now my face was so red I could feel my ears burning. "B-but what about-"
"I know." Brett scoffed -annoyed?- and dropped his gaze to his lap, concretely where both his hands were now fiddling with my right one in a way that my heart melted. Chill after chill ran up my arm and settled in my chest. He grumbled more things under his breath but were unintelligible.
"Now... that's a surprise." teased Hunter but at Brett's murderous gaze he let a last laugh and almost as if in agreement everyone moved on with the conversation, drifting away into safer easy topics that were neutral ground for everyone. From there on, the tension -bad tension- was erassed and we all relax and joke around without that clenching pressure of before.
And it was... nice.
It felt great to be there with them, more than I could had thought in the beginning so much I wondered how could I'd been stressed about coming here to begin with. Hunter and Lydia were the most easy-going nice persons I knew, Norah was amazing and Brett... well. Brett was Brett. And for some reasong that was more than enough.
Hunter and Norah were currently on a competition on wich one had the craziest story. My abdomen was hurting from laughing so hard in the middle of how Hunter's story if how his mother lost it last Thanks Giving, so much I had to wipe the moisture of my eyes. I couldn't remeber last time I'd laughed this much. I felt light headed. And also felt the burning on the side of my face, as if someone was watching me.
And I got pretty much accurate idea who that someone was.
Gathering enough courage, I finally turned carefully towards Brett, whose eyes I'd been feeling on me all this time. Bingo, he was looking my way and when we made eye contact he smiled.
My heart skipped a beat.
"I..." I tried to cover my astonishmet at something as simple as his beautiful, sweet yet sexy grin. I shyly played with a flock of my hair. "T-thanks for inviting me. This is great."
His eyes sparkled. "Is that so?" I saw Brett leaning closer from the corner of my eye. "I like it when you laugh." he whispered in my ear and stole my breath when his grazed my neck.
A sudden wave of heat spread inside me at the reminder of our almost kiss in his bedrom. And the hickey he gave me in mine. The world was blocked out and suddenly all I was aware was how close his lips were. How they almost brushed against my skin and how it ached at the memory of their feeling there.
"I-I like your laugh too." I mumbled back, numb at their nearness and felt goosebumps at the sensation of his smirk that close.
"Really?" and then fire started where his lips softly grazed, in the soft spot under my ear. My free hand found his shoulder instinctibly, but not to push him. Instead I felt how it slid to his neck and graze the addictive warm skin that showed over the collar of the jumper. A weird longing burning in the pit of my stomach and spreading mercilessly...
"Hey, guys," Norah huffed almost made me jump out of my skin. "Could you at least try to make me feel like I'm not the unwanted here?"
Realization and mortification came at once, washing over me like a bucked of ice. We both quickly leaned back to our chairs and I noticed Hunter and Lydia distancing as well. Oh my Gosh. I'm a terrible friend. I dragged Norah here and now she feltunwanted? But her face looked amused, not annoyed, so I guessed she just teased us all. Nonetheless I found myself muttering a quiet "sorry" and she laughed.
Brett's arm found its way to the back of my chair, making me hyper aware of his presence there but at the same time I didn't found in me an ounce of doubt in whether I wanted it there or not.
Not after that, it was time and everyone started moving. Norah say her goodbyes and went happily to her date with Macy, promising to call me later for the details, while the rest of us marched towards the school's field. Lydia and I were to get a place on the bleachers before it get too crowded while Brett and Hunter were being called by the coach along witht he rest of the team.
I was to make my way after Lydia when I was stopped by the arm, turning around to came face to face with Brett. My pulse picked up at the fire I found in his eyes, and not only because of the lowering red sun.
"What?" I blushed, looking down and shyly tucking a strand of hair away. When I peaked back up my heart sped all the more as he never diverted his gaze and a slow smile pulled his lips, so genuine I found myself timidly grinning back. "What?"
"Don't I get a good luck kiss?"
What? My eyes widened. Oh my...
He tilted his head, waiting for my reaction to his tease and I could feel my face getting deep red, very self-concious at the amound of people moving around us.
"Good luck." I finally stutted out and something tugged the hem of his mouth watching me.
"So, no kiss then?
"J-just go."I nudged him towards the field, where the rest of the team was gathering to hear whatever the coach had to say but Brett just chuckled.
"Okay," and took me completely by surprise when he leaned forward and his lips pressed my cheek for the briefest second, barely a kiss but enough to rip all the air from my lungs and spread a tingling sensation from there to my whole body, forbidding any possible coherent thought from my part. Wide eyes, I brought one hand over that sensitive spot, still feeling his lips there and he began stepping backwards. "That'll have to count."
I opened my mouth but failed to form any sentence. Brett's smirk beamed almost childishly and sent me a wink, making my already messed chest heated all the more. Speachless, I watched him spun around and jogged where the rest where, my stomach filled with naughty butterflies that made it really hard for me to focus.
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Hey! I hope you're all safe! So here goes another chapter!! What are your thoughts on it? Do you like this Brett?
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