chapter 16

Isaac POV:

I had just finished packing my bags for the soccer trip. We were going on a bus to do this soccer tournament, and I couldn't wait to get out of this house.

"Hurry down Isaac or you'll be late." My mom called me.

I checked around my room to make sure I didn't miss anything; but it didn't appear so. I rushed down the stairs, ready to go.

"Ready?"

"Yep." I followed her to the door then stopped. "Wait, am I able to get my phone back?"

"Sure, you go to the car while I get it." She threw the keys to me and headed up the stairs while I made my way to the car and sat down, waiting.

A few seconds later, she came back with my phone. "Thank you." I smiled.

A week had gone by, and I was glad it was the 2 week break, and I had gotten 'ungrounded' , but this meant Dillon was now officially 'unsuspended', and even worse: he was coming on this trip.

I hadn't seen him since the near deadly attack and I was glad of that; I felt so at calm without his presence. But now he was back. Great.

"Isaac we're here." My mom announced. "Oh." I realised we were in fact here, but I could only see a couple of people here, one being Harrison.

I looked at my mom, "I thought you said we were late."

"I may have mixed up the time a bit." Y'think? "Do you want me to walk you there?"

"No, nope I'm fine." I got my bags and hurried out of the car. My mom waved to me then drove off, thank God, and I walked to join the early squad.

"It can't be. Jones coming early? Impossible." Coach joked to which I smiled.

"Did your mum trick you with the times again?" Harrison immediately asked.

"Yeah." But I was glad I didn't have to do the awkward late walk with everybody watching, because now, I was the one watching the late comers.

Slowly, more people started arriving, until everyone was here, and we were ready to go.

"Alright boys, I want everyone on their best behaviours, or the only place you'll be visiting is the bench. I'll discuss the accommodations when we get there. For now, everyone on the coach."

We all put our bags in the side of the coach then I got on and sat near the back next to Harrison.

I pulled out my phone to text Zara, my new lab partner, she had given me her number but because I didn't have my phone before, I wasn't able to text her.

"Who are you texting?" Harrison stopped talking with the other guys and peered over to look at my screen.

"No one." I quickly turned the phone to the side, obstructing his view. "Then why are you hiding your phone?" He raised a brow at me.

"Must have been a twitch." I forced a smile to try and get him off my case.

"Okay... then let me see who it is." He held his hand out, as if I would willingly give my phone to him. Instead, I switched off my phone, shaking my head, and held it tighter.

"Come on Isaac, at least a name?" He put on puppy dog eyes, but I wouldn't be swayed. I knew he would tease me for this whole trip if I told him it was Zara.

"Okay then." He went back to the conversation he was in before, confusing me on how easily he had let it go. I stared for a few seconds at the back of his head, but internally shrugged, and turned my phone back on, still being a bit wary of how fast he had given in.

Zara: so who are you rooming with ?

Zara: oh... aired :'/

isaac: sorry didn't mean to air

isaac: someone was just prying on ym phone

Zara: ahh good excuse..

Zara: so who u rooming with ?

i hope i'm paired with Har- I started to type when my phone was seized from my hands. I looked to see Harrison holding it away from me with a smirk. "Give it back Harrison." I reached out for it, but he pulled it away, but too far back that it fell... right into Zavier's grasp.

"Well well well, look who the golden boy's texting." Zavier had this disgustingly smug smile on his face, as he said the nickname, that I just would've loved to punch off.

"Give me my phone back Zavier." I took off my seatbelt, so I could reach over, but he simply just leaned back into Dillon who I swear went red like a tomato, but that wasn't the issue right now.

"Hmm... but why should I? These text messages between you and Zara seem interesting. Maybe I should read them?" I heard quiet whoops, something about me 'scoring' Zara. She wasn't an object for God's sake.

"Don't fucking read them, they're not for everyone's ears." But he didn't listen, and started reading Zara and I's texts, a few laughs erupting from the back.

I grabbed onto Harrison's leg, maybe a bit too harsh since I heard him wince, and was able to get a hold of my phone, but Zavier didn't let go. "Let.. go..." I pulled harder, when he suddenly let go, making me shoot back into my seat.

Zavier high fived Dillon like the pair of idiots they were, the faintest of laughter's still being heard. Embarrassment started to finally kick in; my messages had just been read to the back of the coach, and now people thought Zara was like my fuck toy.

Which she wasn't.

I took out my airpods, ignoring Harrison's apologies, and found some music to drown out my thoughts. "Isaac I didn't mean to give the phone to him." He apologised once again.

"Just shut up alright." I snapped, turning up the volume of my music. I would definitely feel bad for attacking him when he really didn't mean to do what he did, but at the moment, I was still mad.

Mad at everyone.

Perfect way to start the trip, I thought bitterly. I opened back up the chat between Zara and I, and carried on texting with no interruptions this time.

4 hours later, we finally arrived.

Harrison shook me gently, "We're here." He most likely thought I was asleep. I took out my airpods and put them back in their case then my bag. We waited for everyone else to get up since there was a slight 'queue', then got up and walked off the bus behind them.

"So for the room arrangements, it's two people in one room and we're lucky to stay in a luxury hotel like this but I know you are all eager to know who you're rooming with so listen out for your names: Smith and Lopez..." Coach called out the names as I waited patiently for mine.

As long as I didn't get Dillon or Zavier, I would be fine.

"Kim and Brown.." Wait what? Dillon and Harrison? That could not be right. He carried on, "And finally Reid and Jones, our two captains."

No.

No.

No.

And no.

Other people started chatting again excitedly, but I was mortified.

"Coach are you sure this isn't a mix up?" I would not believe this. I could not survive a week with Zavier... let alone in the same room.

"No, this is how it'll be. I don't know what kind of feud you two have, but sort it out." He walked off leaving me utterly dumbstruck.

I looked at Zavier, who also looked surprised, but he quickly recovered, putting his smug look back on seeing me. "Don't look so mad, you've got me."

Dillon was glaring daggers at me; He was probably thinking of the best places to buy dodge balls to bruise my other eye.

This was just getting worse. Hopefully it couldn't get... worse... but let me not jinx it.

Walking to get in the hotel, we split ways, each of us going to our own rooms.

I dropped my stuff in the corner of the room, far, far away from Zavier's side. The beds were singles thank God, but they were quite close to each other.

"This is gonna be so fun." Zavier lazily flopped onto his bed.

"I don't know what your sense of fun is, but us being together..." I pointed between the both of us. "-is not fun."

"Cheer up grumpy head. Us being together is written in the stars." He laughed at his own joke which wasn't even funny.

"Oh, is reading other peoples private messages also written in those stars?" I snapped back.

"It was funny."

"For you."

"Other people laughed." He shrugged.

"But I didn't."

"Yeah well, maybe you should've. Might have put you in a better mood."

Insane.

"You're a really sad guy. You know that?" I walked to 'his side' of the room.

He smiled. "I don't think so. I think that's you actually." He now changed his position to sitting on the bed, leaning against the wall.

"So you're trying to tell me that if someone stole your phone off you even after you asked them for it back, then not only read your private messages, but proceeded to read it to many people who started objectifying your friend, you wouldn't be mad?" I now sat on his bed, fuming.

"You're only friends?" Was the only fucking thing he got out of what I said.

"Why does that fucking matter? You're so insensitive."

"How?" He's joking right. Is he not aware of any actions he does?

"Oh I don't know.. maybe the fact you humiliate others just for a laugh, you make fun of me every chance you can get, you would frame other people just to get yourself out of trouble, you use girls not caring about their feelings-" The list could go on and on.

He put on a worried look, "Aw are you still jealous about the girls?"

I can't. He's impossible. He was erasing all the brain cells I had one by one. I buried my face in the bed- conversations with him really wore out my energy.

He took this as an invitation to ruffle my hair, but I lifted my head noticing he had gotten closer, grabbing his hand to stop him. "Don't." I warned.

"Ooo feisty baby." He pulled his hand out of my grasp and grabbed my chin roughly. "Maybe that's why you can't get Zara in your bed."

"Shut up."

He ignored me,"Maybe you're too much of a prude."

"I'm not a prude just because I'm not a man whore like you. You don't even know me."

"I know enough." He glanced at my lips for a split second before looking back in my eyes, his pupils seeming a bit dilated.

A simple knock made both of us shoot away from each other and from whatever moment was happening there.

I tried to push the thoughts of what might've happened next; I wasn't gay and I definitely would not do anything with Zavier.

I went to open the door since Zavier made no effort to get it.

Harrison's hand was mid knock and stood next to him was Dillon with a scowl on his face.

"I was knocking for ages." Harrison spoke.

"Yeah what were you two doing? You both deaf now?" Dillon butted in.

"Maybe they were fucking." A ghost of a sad smile played on his lips.

Dillon eyed me up and down, "As if."

"Nice to see you too Dillon. Apology next?"

"Sorry for not aiming the dodge ball at your mouth instead." He pushed past me and entered the room.

I pursed my lips at his comment, good to see he hadn't changed.

"Are you still mad at me?" Harrison bit his lower lip, looking at me with worried eyes.

"No I'm sorry for getting mad. Why'd you come?" I changed the subject.

"You'd rather stay here?" He questioned. I looked back to see Zavier and Dillon laughing about some weird video on their phones.

"Nah let's explore." I left the room with Harrison, following behind him as he took the lead.

"So where did you have in mind?" I asked as I followed him into the elevator.

He pressed the lobby floor, "I think I saw a pool."

I gave him a strange look, "We don't have our swimsuits right now."

"We won't go in dummy." He grinned. Then why go, dummy?

"How about coach?" If he caught us roaming around, I doubt he would be happy.

"Dead asleep." He responded. I didn't even bother to ask how he knew that, but instead stepped out the elevator after him.

I followed behind him as he navigated the way to the pool. Even though it was dark, the stars illuminated the water, making it glisten like rare diamonds. The pool looked so inviting, no hints of it being cold.

"This is so nice Jesus. How much do you think it cost Coach to book this place?" I looked around, this must've cost a fortune.

"Probably a lot."

"Oh look over there, is that a rubber duck or something?" I pulled his arm to show him it when we heard some footsteps. Instantly, I turned around to see who it was, praying it wasn't Coach.

God answered my prayers, and instead I saw a girl who looked around our age. I admired her makeup; little hearts just underneath her eyes and her sky blue eyes a contrast to her scorching red hair.

"You two a couple?" She looked down at my hand that was currently holding Harrison's arm. I quickly pulled my hand away and shook my head.

"Right." She nodded and looked at Harrison like she knew something I didn't.

Right.

"You two know each other?" I asked since Harrison didn't seem to have anything to say and since she had seemed so comfortable to just ask a random question.

I looked at him but he just shrugged. Thanks for that.

"Harry here lost his phone and he saw me so asked for my help and voila that's how we met." She explained.

I glanced at Harrison whose attention was on the ground."Why didn't you ask me for help?"

He still didn't look up."I thought you were mad at me."

I looked back at the unnamed girl, "What's your name then?"

"Uh stranger danger dude." She looked me up and down.

"You rather I call you ginger?"

"You rather I punch you every time you do that?" She retorted back.

Harrison finally involved himself back in the conversation, stepping in between both of us and pushing us apart gently. "Alright guys, that's enough. This is Isaac." He points at me, "And this is Alyssa."

She suits ginger bitch more.

"Okay well I'll be leaving. Nice to meet you Aliya." She glared back at me. "You coming Harrison?"

"Uh..." He looked between the two of us. "I think I'll stay a bit longer, I'll probably see you tomorrow."

Ginger carrot gave me a smug smile hearing Harrison's decision. I inwardly seethed as I entered the elevator and walked back to my room. Alone.

"What happened baby? Someone not give you enough attention?" Zavier immediately spoke as I entered the room.

I ignored him and took out my stuff from my bag to grab my pj's which couldn't really qualify as that since it was just a shirt and some joggers. I went into the bathroom to have a shower since I felt a bit hot and sticky. It took me about 5 minutes to figure out how it worked, but when I finally did, the cool water felt so refreshing on my skin.

After the shower, I changed and brushed my teeth then entered back into the room.

Zavier had changed since he was now shirtless, his legs hidden under the covers as he scrolled on his phone. He looked up from his phone, "Liking the view, huh?"

I didn't reply, only giving him the middle finger, and got into my bed hoping tomorrow would be a better day.

A/N: uhh so i've just posted lots of chapter drafts cuz i have a writers block but enjoy reading :) 24/08/20- btw the dates r when i finished writing it, not when i published it. it's 27/08 rn and i watched tenet the new movie with robert pattinson in it!!! :)