"I WASN'T EXPECTING to see you here tonight."
I turned around to tell Amber we should leave but she was nowhere in sight. Leave it to Amber to ditch me when I needed her the most.
"Well," I awkwardly shuffled my feet, "my brother's the team captain so..."
"Brenton played great today. I'm happy we switched positions, he makes a much better midfielder than I did," he said with a smile.
"Is there a reason why you're attempting to make small talk with me?" I asked, getting straight to the point.
He frowned. "All night while I was playing I couldn't help but look at you. It's been months and you're still always on my mind, D."
"Don't call me that."
"Seeing you all the time kills me inside."
"Oh, that's rich." I laughed dryly. "So are we just pretending like summer never happened?"
He sighed. "No matter how many times I apologize it isn't enough. I want to go back to the way things were."
When I felt a presence beside me I breathed a sigh of relief. "We should go," Amber said to me.
Cade looked at Amber, his fists clenched. "How about you leave and let me talk to Dani alone?"
Amber's eyes widened, taken aback by his harsh tone. "I...I..."
"You've said more than enough," he spat. "Now leave us alone."
"What's going on here?" another voice chimed in.
Holden stepped forward, dressed in a Birch Mount t-shirt which had to have been his father's doing. In any other situation I would have laughed and made fun of him, but now was definitely not the appropriate time for that.
"We're trying to have a conversation," Cade dismissed.
"If you know what's good for you then you're going to walk away right now, Thompson."
Cade rolled his eyes. "Get out of here, Rollins."
"Leave," Holden repeated.
"Dani's a big girl, she doesn't need her bitch guardingâ"
Before Cade could finish, Holden cut him off with a punch to his chin. Cade stumbled back but he caught himself and swung at Holden. Pretty soon the two of them were in full-on fight mode, swinging their arms and legs at each other without a care. The remainder of the people who were still here were watching intently and filming the fight, but no one dared to intervene. I tried to step in, but Holden almost knocked my head cleanly off my neck so I retreated. More and more people started to gather around the duelling duo.
Not much later did the coach come out and break up the fight. "Rollins! Thompson! Break it up right now or I'll expel both of your sorry asses!" Coach Adams said as he pulled them apart.
Holden and Cade were breathing heavily, both sweating and sporting fresh cuts and bruises. Cade tried to sneak a punch, but some of the players on the team finally came to their senses and held both morons back.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Coach Adams fumed. "You both know damn well of my zero fighting tolerance. I hate to do this so close to finals, but I'm benching both of you."
"What?" Holden screeched.
"You can't do that," Cade barked.
"You're both suspended from the rest of the practices," Coach Adams said.
"What about finals?" Holden asked.
"I'll need to think about it. I hope you two learned something from this." Coach Adams walked away, leaving the two devastated boys behind.
Not much later after everyone dispersed did Brenton finally arrive.
"Congrats on the win," I said, attempting to change the topic before he could address it.
"Why was he talking to you?" Brenton demanded, ignoring my congratulatory remark.
"Does it matter?"
"It does considering my best friend got benched because of him."
I stared down at the ground. "He wants to get back together."
Brenton rolled up his sleeves. "Looks like I'm finishing him tonight."
I stepped in front of him before he could go search for Cade. "Look what happened to Holden. If you try something then you'll get benched too. Do you really want to do that right before finals?"
He let out a sigh. "I hate it when you're right."
"Let's go to the Rollins' and celebrate your win."
"We're going home."
I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion. "What about the party?"
"Holden's about to get his ass handed to him when his dad finds out about the fight," Brenton said flatly. "I doubt there's going to be one."
"Bummer."
We walked to the car as silence fell upon us.
"I have some good news though," Brenton said as we sat inside. "I talked to a scout today!"
I started the engine and began to drive. "That's great!" Amber was right about that man we saw at the bleachers then.
"He said if we win finals then I get a full ride!"
"No way! Which school?"
An elasticated grin was on his face. "Birch freaking Mount!"
"Brent, that's incredible! How'd they even know of you?"
Birch Mount was such an elite athletics college that the only way to even be considered was by having insider connections. Mr. Rollins did bring up Birch Mount when we spoke earlier but he couldn't have referred Brenton. He didn't even know Brenton wanted to go there.
"I have no freaking clue but I'm thankful." He paused. "I'm probably going to lose the offer since we can't win with two first strings down."
I nudged him. "Don't say that, you'll do great regardless."
"Let's hope so."
~*~
I let out a yawn as I prepared for bed. I was freshly bathed, dressed in my pyjamas and ready for a good night's sleep. All of today's events made me want nothing more than to sleep it off. I crawled into my bed and threw my blanket over me, my eyes hardly shut when I heard a light tapping sound.
I decided to ignore it since I was too lazy to get out of bed but unfortunately, the sound continued. I turned on my lamp and walked over to where I heard the sound. It seemed like it was coming from my window. I was going to look outside but I figured it was just the wind hitting a loose latch or something so I went back to bed.
I had just turned my back for a second when something really hard hit my window. This was followed by the sound of glass shattering as my window broke into a million shards. Although bewildered, I was more curious as to what exactly broke my window. I cautiously walked past the broken pieces of glass toward my windowsill. I pulled back the curtains to reveal a stunned James.
"I was not expecting that."
I glanced down at the puddle of snow globe residue resting beside my feet. "Well, that's what happens when you throw a glass trinket at a glass window."
"Maybe if you didn't ignore the erasers I threw this could've all been avoided."
I was too busy internally freaking out about my broken window to argue back or chide him for being an idiot. "My mother will kill me."
"So," he continued. "About today..."
"I don't want to talk to you."
He sighed. "Look, I didn't mean to scare you or hurt you."
I folded my arms across my chest. "Okay."
"You seem mad. Are you mad?"
"Goodnight."
"Wait."
"What?"
"I'm..."
I was starting to get impatient. "What?"
"I'm sorry, okay?"
"What?"
He scowled at me. "I'm not repeating myself."
My lips parted and I was taken aback by his apology. Never once in this poor excuse of a friendship we had did he ever apologize.
"I must be hearing things because unless I'm mistaken, you just said you're sorry."
"Do you forgive me or not?" he asked in a snippy tone.
I glanced at the broken glass littering my floor. "I don't know, I mean you did kind of break my window..."
"If I fix it will you forgive me?"
"My mom can get it fixed," I dismissed.
"Then what do you want from me?" He paused. "If it's another snow globe I'd be more than happy to deliver."
"No thanks, I'd prefer to be left unscathed."
"What do you want?" James repeated.
My gaze shifted from his face to the cigarette he was holding. "I will consider forgiving you if you stop smoking."
"Not going to happen."
"Fine, but don't expect me to talk to you again." I turned around, taking cautious baby steps back to my bed hoping he wouldn't call me out on my bluff.
I was anticipating a snarky remark or even him agreeing, but I wasn't expecting to be hit in the back of the head with something. I whipped around and picked up what had hit me.
"Enjoy," he drawled out lazily. "But be warned, they're kind of addictive."
I picked up the box of cigarettes. "I don't want this!" If Mom found this in my room she would choke me with her bare hands.
James shrugged. "It's the only way I can quit."
"Can I flush these in the toilet?"
"So your dear old mummy can call a plumber and have them discover the drain is backed up with cigarettes?"
"Shut up," I muttered, annoyed he had a point.
"I put something in the box to avoid any more broken windows," he said.
I peered inside and took out a slip of paper. On it in his messy scrawl was a phone number. "What makes you think I'd want this?"
"Come on now, we both know you do. Goodnight, neighbour." James shut his window, leaving me alone with broken glass, a box of cigarettes, his phone number, and a very cold draft.
~*~
"Mornâ what the hell happened in here?" Brenton looked at me with a mixture of amazement and confusion.
"I think a bird flew into it."
He raised his eyebrows. "A bird broke your window? Think of a better lie before Mom asks."
"Noted."
"By the way, I need a ride this morning," he said.
"Yeah sure." My eyes suddenly widened as I became more awake and alert. "What?"
Brenton and James in the same car? That sounded like just about the worst possible idea.
"Holden's basically on house arrest by his dad for the next few weeks," he explained. "No car, no friends, no social life."
I rubbed my tired eyes. "Because of the fight?"
He nodded. "If he doesn't play in the finals Mr. Rollins might actually kill him."
"Poor guy."
"So long as Thompson is still suspended." He clapped his hands, making me groan from the noise. "Anyway, get ready, and let's go."
"Why are you in such a rush?"
Brenton grinned. "I have a study date with Alina."
"Something tells me there will be no studying."
"Something tells me you're right," he added with a snicker.
I ran my hand down my face. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but you can drive yourself to school."
He did a double-take. "Are you shitting me?"
"Just don't get frisky in my car."
His jaw dropped in disbelief. "You're the best sister ever! I'd hug you but you smell like shit and morning breath."
I rolled my eyes. "Go to school already."
"If all works out then we might have another study date after school," he said, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.
I threw my pillow at him. "You're gross."
He chuckled as he walked out of my room. I forced myself to get out of bed and went to the bathroom. I took a brief shower and brushed my teeth before returning back to my room. I took out an outfit from my closet and I undid my bathrobe.
"I know you no longer have a window, but you might want to consider closing your curtains before you decide to strip."
I let out a yelp, nearly stumbling on the pieces of glass everywhere. James was standing in his room in all his shirtless glory. I tried to look at his face but my eyes kept sinking down to his bare torso.
"Maybe you should put on clothes before you scold me."
"Judging by the fact that you're ogling at me I don't think that's entirely necessary."
My face flushed and it wasn't from the cold breeze outside. "I-I wasn't!"
His lips curved into a smirk. "You're almost kind of cute when you're flustered."
"Shut up."
~*~
"I don't know about you, but this is the best car ride I've ever been on."
I sighed. "I get it."
"No, seriously, this car is so amazing it feels like I'm not even sitting in a car. It's like I'm freezing my ass off walking, but that can't be the case since my neighbour's supposed to be driving me to school, right?" Sarcasm oozed out of his words.
"I told you my brother was going to be in the car today."
"You don't think I could take him on?" James said as we walked.
"I never said that."
"Oh, so you think I can take him on? Daniella, I'm flattered."
"Do me a favour."
"Hmm?"
"Go die."
For the first time since we met, James actually laughed. It was weird hearing him laugh, I always had him pinned as a creature who only felt negative emotions. In all honesty, it was kind of disturbing. His laughter died when he saw my face.
"Stop it."
"Stop what?" I asked.
"Stop looking at me like I have two heads."
"Happy James is kind of a rarity."
His lips curved downwards. "And you'll never see him again."
I bumped his arm with mine. "Aw don't be like that."
"Don't touch me."
"Are you a germaphobe?"
"Stop talking to me."
"No denial I see."
"I'm just going to pretend like I don't know you."
"You'd never do that."
He walked ahead of me and didn't reply.
"James?"
No reply.
"Hey wait up, neighbour!"
~*~
"I started doing some additional research and I created a rough layout for the report." James handed me a few sheets of paper with his scribbles all over them. We were currently at the library since we decided to go straight there after school. "Don't mind the messiness."
"Messy? It's illegible."
"No, it's not," he defended.
"Read the second paragraph of the introduction," I told him as I handed the paper.
He scrunched his eyebrows as he read the paper. Minutes passed and he was still fixated on those few lines. Finally fed up, he ripped the paper in half and threw the remnants on the table.
"There goes the draft," I muttered.
James waved me off. "I'll write a better one tonight."
"Want help?" I offered.
He shook his head. "I'm a lone wolf."
"Suit yourself." My stomach started gurgling all of a sudden.
"Is the little piggy hungry?"
"Want to grab a bite?" I suggested, ignoring his comment.
He feigned a gasp. "And risk having your brother see us?"
"Do you want to go or not?"
"Are you buying?"
"Iâ"
"Perfect, let's go," he cut me off.
We went outside and got in my car. Luckily Brenton and his current fling ended up resuming their nonproductive study session elsewhere so I was able to get my car back. When we arrived at the café I made James wait in the car while I went inside. The last thing I needed was for one of Brenton's friends to be inside and catch us together.
Fortunately, I managed to avoid any employees who would've struck up a conversation, and I bought two cheeseburgers and two milkshakes. When I returned to my car I handed James his food.
"Are there tomatoes in this?" he asked. "I hate tomatoes."
I took a bite of my burger. "What's wrong with tomatoes?"
He scrunched up his nose in disgust. "They're revolting."
"I think you're revolting."
"I think you don't know the meaning of revolting."
"Well I think tomatoes are delicious," I announced.
"Are you aware that I hate you?"
"Hate is a strong word," I tutted.
"I'm well aware, Daniella."
I scowled. "I loathe you."
"Loathe is a strong word," he mocked.
"One more word and you're walking home."
"How about three? Tomatoes are revolting."
"Technically that was six words."
He gasped. "You can count?"
"That's it, you're walking home."