Brothers at War

Brothers at War - Part 10

 A few days later as morning training at the North Korean base commenced for the new troops, their boots sludged through the slush as they ran. It was the beginning of February but something about the melted snow brought the idea of spring to everyone's minds. Even in a war simple things like the coming of a new season was thought about.

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The school bell had gone and suddenly there were high school students rushing to busses and rushing to meet their friends through the slush the spring made of the snow. The ground was covered in grey watery mush, it was wet and it leaked into Chase's chucks. The quicker he and Hailey got out of this the better. The couple were holding hands as they walked, Hailey's hands were always warm. She was warm, as she nuzzled her face into his shoulder. He smiled down at her as she looked up. The smile they shared was warm. 

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There were no warm smiles in a war zone. It was lonely and it was tough, and Chase and Gerard didn't know the half of it yet. However Chase and Gerard had each other. They had spent their whole life together and now being brothers at war was just another thing they had to get through together. 

A few minutes later as their run took them farther away from the base Chase's mind continued to wonder. He found comfort in sinking into memories of home while he was so far away.

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That afternoon Chase and Hailey had lay around in Chases room simply talking. That night was Chase's football game, the state final and his last game playing for the Lincoln Sudbury Warriors. He knew he should be spending the afternoon with his teammates getting hyped for the game but he figured he'd see them at the pep rally and the party after the game if they won. He actually liked the fact that he wasn't with the team. He was nervous about the last game he would play in L-S white, blue and red. Sure he would be playing College football next year at Brown but High school was where it had all started. He was ignoring all this as he talked to Hailey. She allowed him to relax and be calm. He loved that she made him feel like that. 

That evening they had won the game. Chase had made the most of every second of it, taking in everything. He wanted to remember the feelings of excitement and anticipation. He wanted to remember the smell of freshly mown grass and the sound of a home crowd. Walking inside the changing room with his bag over his shoulder he took in the feeling of pre-game jitters. Those jitters quickly turned into excitement and the thirst to prove himself as he pulled his L-S shirt over his shoulder pads and had his face painted in those white, red and blue colors. A state final meant that all the school colors and face paint came out. It was the cheerleaders that were doing the face painting and of coarse he had chosen the head cheerleader to paint his face. She was the most beautiful one after all. "You again?" He said cheekily with a smile as he sat down in front of her. "I missed you" 

"Chase it's been like an hour!" She laughed.

"I know" He smiled "it's been an hour too long."

Hailey laughed at her boyfriend. He got exceptionally cute when he was nervous. She finished his face and kissed him as he stood up. There was a few 'awws' as she did and right after with a smile Chase dipped her and gave her a real kiss. The captain of the football team and the head cheerleader kissing before the state final. You couldn't get more cliché than that but that moment, that kiss started one of the best nights of his life. 

Running onto the field with his team behind him and holding the game ball he already knew the game was theirs. The green grass, the crisp air, the school colors lining the packed stands and Hailey leading the cheerleaders in countless amazing routines. Right before the whistle blew he looked over to Hailey. He winked and blew a kiss with a cheesy grin. He watched as she pretended to catch his kiss and hold it up to her heart. It was at that moment that Chase had realised that he was going to marry that girl. She was beyond perfect. He looked further up the stands to see even Gerard had come to support. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen him at a game. Ger hated sports. Claire was somewhere on the otherside of the stands. They still weren't talking but somehow Chase knew they would work it out.