Balance

Chapter 26 ~ Justin

We tune back into the group conversation, Carrie going on about the other team and how we 'beat their asses', the boys nodding agreeably as they discuss what's happening tonight. Most of the group have decided to head to a party on the east side of town but Blaze and I already have plans, we're going to see the lights turn on tonight with his sister and his mom.

I feel the butterflies cascading around my stomach, I don't know why I'm so nervous. Who am I kidding, anything with Blaze makes me nervous but I'm excited.

"Are you guys comi-" Rutherford starts to ask us but is interrupted by a gaggle of boys from the opposing team walking noisily out of the athletics block. Most of them glare at us, muttering to each other, still sore they had their asses handed to them but one holds eye contact with me, scowling at me like he's trying to pick me out of a frigging line up. I grimace back into Blaze's body not identifying who this creep is.

"Grove?" He steps away from the team which carry on to the bus, he looks me up and down. There's something familiar about him but I can't quite pick it out..."Jesus Christ, Atlas Grove?" He exclaims scoffing with a surprised smile... then it clicks, the surname on the jersey and that voice.

"Justin?" I question... both shocked and concerned. He nods sighing happily.

"Fuck, how long has it been? You look great... still short but... wow." He blows out a puff of air and runs a hand through his hair. I don't notice the way his eyes rake over me again, Blazes hand moves further around my waist and pulls me not so subtly back into his front. Consequently adding a growl you wouldn't even notice unless you were this close to him, feeling his heart under his think T-shirt. My cheeks pink even more as my skin pebbles from the feeling of his warm abs on my back.

"It's been years..." I say still apprehensive about where this is going. Justin and I went to school together back in Illinois. We'd known each other for a long time, we'd done dance classes together since we were five and then we actually got into the same dance academy so naturally grew closer. We were really good friends and that means no doubt he would know what had happened... everyone in my town did. My mom, my dad, the adoption, everything.

"Yeah! When they uh... took you I tried to call but Madame said I wouldn't be able to talk to you." He looks slightly pained, Madame was there when I'd been ripped away from my home, she had to talk to my social workers being the head of the academy, "Are you still in ca-" I stop the question before it can come out, nobody here knows I was in care nor adopted and I'd rather keep it that way.

"How'd you end up playing football? I thought you were set on being a principal dancer?"

"So did you and now you're a cheerleader." He chuckles, "You wanted to be just like your mom, I remember her coming to all the recitals and shows... Atlas I'm so so-" My heart wrenches in my chest, my past is hidden and buried so far under I forget that other people know what happened, I can't talk about my momma and it's something that should never be bought to the surface around here.

"Hold on... why are you playing for a team down here?" I quickly interject. He looks awkwardly around the group, " Oh sorry... these are my friends... guys this is my friend Justin... we went to school together back in Illinois." The guys all mumble a nice enough greeting, pushing down their gloating for my sake and Justin congratulates them on the game. He congratulates Blaze my sticking out his hand but Blaze, whos still got his arm wound tightly around me, grunts at Justin, looking past him. I look up at him but he makes no attempt to look back, his jaw clenched and eyes narrowed.

"My dad... made me quit. He was embarrassed at having a ballet dancer for a son. Anyway, he moved us down here with part of his company and made me do tryouts. Surprisingly I made the team." He sighs.