Under the Same Sky [BOYXBOY]

CHAPTER 36

November rolled in with a rush of icy winds and cloudy skies, leaving behind the warm sunny days of October. The harsh unforgiving weather slowly stripped nature from her beauty as leaves withered and died, disappearing from their branches and leaving trees and shrubs bare. The world was awash with a drab grey and animals began to go into hibernation.

The students of Lumière were not spared from the unforgiving weather as they began to prepare furiously for the upcoming interhouse games. They had taken to walking together in groups as they bundled up in woollen sweaters and coats to protect themselves from the harsher elements of the weather.

Samuel's time was filled with so much trainings and practice that Jayden saw less and less of him as the games drew closer.

A week before the games, the friends decided to meet at the soccer pitch and they sat on the bleachers watching Samuel and Leo's practice match as the cold wind nipped at their skin.

'Imagine being a jock,' Cam commented wistfully to the others as he watched Leo skilfully pass the ball to Samuel.

'I don't need to,' Paul chuckled as Samuel delivered a strong kick to the ball, sending it flying through the goalkeeper's arms and into the net.

Noel glanced at him curiously. 'Shouldn't you be training with them?'

Paul raised a gloved arm. 'Sprained wrist. Nurse said it'll heal in time for the game though so I can still play when the time comes.'

Noel nodded and turned to Jayden who was sketching absently in a notebook, only looking up briefly to watch as Samuel scored another goal.

'He's really good, isn't he?'

'Mh?' Jayden didn't look up.

'Samuel,' Noel clarified. 'He's really good at soccer.'

Jayden looked up to stare at Samuel as he bumped fists with Leo as their team scored another goal.

He shrugged noncommittedly and turned his attention back to his work but Noel noticed his eyeroll as a group of girls giggled and sighed as Samuel jogged past them.

The game ended a few minutes later and a sweaty Samuel and Leo jogged up to the bleachers.

'Yo, pijo,' Leo called out as he slumped down by Cam. 'It must suck to watch us play while you sit up here with this lot.'

Paul grimaced slightly at the nickname Leo had taken to giving him. 'Must you call me that?'

Leo gulped down a bottle of water before looking up with a grin. 'Well, you are a prince, aren't you? And pijo means prince so Pijo Paul.'

Paul groaned. 'I know what it means dumbass. Just stop calling me that, I don't like being called a prince.'

Leo gasped and placed his hand theatrically over his chest. 'You're asking me to deny my entire Hispanic identity! It's who I am! How could you be so cruel?'

'I'm not!'

'Are too!'

Samuel chuckled and tuned out their argument as he made his way to sit by Jayden, turning as he did to give him a soft smile.

'Hey, there.'

'Mn.'

Samuel glanced down at his notebook with curiosity. 'What are you drawing?'

Jayden didn't answer. He put the finishing touches on his work before he looked up, turning the notebook to face him.

It was a pencil art of a soccer ball lying alone amongst the tall grass in a windy field. A goalpost was drawn further away from the ball in perspective and the sky above the field was filled with dark clouds.