Secrets Left Neglected

Chapter 20

Tadhg

We're two minutes from the end of the first half and Fionn passes me the ball. We run towards the Roses' in-goal area hoping for a try. Everything's going well until I hear Fionn yell after a tackle. The ref calls a time-out and they carry Fionn off the field. He's injured his ankle. I don't know if it's broken, but he can't bear weight on it so our coach sends in a replacement. Since he's not bleeding, even if Fionn feels better before the game ends, he can't rejoin. He's out for the duration.

Dammit. We were doing really well, too. Fionn's an awesome left wing.

Despite Fionn's injury, we manage to defeat the Roses by the skin of our teeth. After I get into the locker room and shower, I find Fionn cleaned up, dressed and laying on one of our locker room benches, resting his wrapped ankle. Instead of his usual sneakers, he's wearing a cheap pair of plastic flip flops.

"Hey, man," I greet Fionn. "You good?"

"Yeah," he replies, keeping his eyes covered with a white towel. He sounds tired. "Doctor said he doesn't think it's broken, though I'll need an x-ray to be sure. For now, I have to keep it in a soft brace and elevated until we get to the hospital to check."

"That sucks," I reply.

"Feels like shit, too," he sighs, sitting up. "Fortunately, the doctor thinks I can get back in the game this season, not that there's much left of it, but still. At least that's something."

"True."

I open my locker and grab some things out of it to put on. As I'm getting dressed, Brody comes into the locker room from the showers rubbing his wet hair with a towel.

"Did either of you see Pearl in the bleachers today?" he asks. "I was expecting to see her at the gates after the game but she never showed."

I shoot a discrete look at Fionn before turning to look at Brody. "No, I didn't see her. Maybe she's still out there waiting for you."

Brody throws a white undershirt over his head and grabs his underwear from his locker. He drops his towel to put them in and we look away. "I don't know what's up with her these days," he says getting dressed.

"What do you mean?" Fionn asks. I look down at him and roll my eyes.

"I don't know," Brody replies. "It's just...I don't know. I can't put my finger on it. I feel like we're connecting and then she pulls back. I mean, we've been dating for a couple of months, right?" He asks rhetorically, looking at Fionn and I.

"But every time I think we're getting close, you know, to um, well, you know," he continues. "It's like a switch is thrown and she stops. I can tell that she's into me and we're always together, but it's like she won't take that final step. I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong."

I shake my head and turn back towards my locker to grab my deodorant.

Yeah, not going there.

I know exactly what's wrong with Pearl; she's too busy sleeping with Fionn. I guess it's good she's not sleeping with both of them yet, but the way she's going, it's bound to happen eventually.

When I hear Fionn respond I turn around surprised to hear him answer Brody.

"Maybe she's not ready, Brody, ever think of that?" Fionn asks. Brody doesn't know Fionn like I do. He's doing his best not to squirm but I can tell this conversation is getting to him. "Maybe she's-"

"No, that's the thing, Fionn," he explains. "When we're together, she's all over me. Kissing me, touching me. It's like she can't keep her hands off me."

Brody's's not paying attention to Fionn, lost in his own thoughts and explanations as he is, but I can see Fionn's flinch from where I'm standing.

"I just don't get it," Brody goes on. "I can't figure out what I have to do to get her to go all-"

"Yeah, hey Brody, Tadhg, I gotta go," Fionn says, cutting Brody off and trying to stand up. "Tadhg, you wanna give me a hand out to the parking lot? My mom's coming to pick me up and I can't miss my ride."

"Oh, ah," Brody replies. "Ok, sure. We'll talk later, Fionn. See you, Tadhg."

He turns to grab his socks and shoes and then sit down to put them on while I help Fionn limp out of the room. I drape Fionn's arm across one of my shoulders and hoist my rugby bag on top of my other.

We're quiet as we walk out of the building and into the parking lot.

When I look up and see Pearl sitting in her mother's car at the end of the drive I stare at Fionn in disbelief. Is this guy for real?

"Dude, are you out of your mind?" I ask him incredulously.

"What, Tadhg?" Fionn groans, rubbing a hand down his face. "Shit, not you too."

"Me too?", I say.

"Yeah, don't even start," he sighs.

"Between her," he says waving a hand towards Pearl's car. "my sister, Nick and Brody, I've already got enough on my mind. I don't need you adding to it."

"Fionn, I'm just looking out for you. This girl; it's not good," I try to explain. It's like no one can get through to him. "Yo, she's---You're gonna find yourself in a bad place with her. I'm telling you. You need to listen."

By now we're at Pearl's passenger side door and we stop so she can get out and open the door for Fionn.

"Hurry, Fionn," she pleads, kissing him on the mouth before helping him in the car. "We have to get going."

Yeah, I bet you do, Pearl. Brody, the poor schmuck, is back in the locker room wondering where she got off to and here she is sneaking around with Fionn.

When he's tucked into the car, I slam the door and they drive off. I turn around to head back to my own car and shake my head. As I start to walk, I glance up and notice Brody standing outside the building looking directly at where Pearl's car just turned the corner. It's very obvious that Fionn is sitting in her front seat.

Brody turns his head. He looks at me as if in a trance.

How long has he been standing there?

Dammit.

Dammit, Fionn.

As I get closer, I can tell from his expression that Brody saw the whole thing.

Well, there goes that. Cat's out of the bag, now.

Good luck, Fionn.

"Did Fionn just leave with Pearl?" he asks me, as if he doesn't already know. I think he just needs to hear out-loud what he's just seen with his own two eyes.

"He did," I say calmly.

Normally, I'd try to cover for Fionn, but I know Brody saw everything. There's no point in my jumping into the foxhole with Fionn and Pearl.

"And did she just kiss him on the mouth as he got into her car?"

I frown. Oh boy.

"Afraid so, man."

"That's what I thought."

"Thanks," he says, distracted, before turning to walk in the opposite direction.

"Hey, Brody," I call to him. I don't know what I could possibly say at this point, but I feel like I need to say something.

Anything.

"Brody!" I try again.

He doesn't respond; just waves me off with his hand in the air and keeps on going.

__________________________

Click the star below if you like this chapter!

Thanks!