I can't stop thinking about what Ray said. I told Nats and she squealed and said "He totally meant you." Typical Nats. I was ready to believe her too, until: *Scene 1:* "Kristen." Oh great It's Prod -.- "Hey Prod!" "So umm you coming for the football match tomorrow?" "Yeah, why?" "Just, hoped you were" "Well I am." I reply. "Great, see you there!" he calls, jogging away. I walk down the hallways, grab a couple of books from my locker and sit down next to Ray in the Geography room. I've always liked sitting in the Geography room. Our chairs are arranged in one big circle (like the ones we used to sit in for show and tell). And charts varying from continents to weather and climate to Population. I see one that Ray and I made from year 8, I'm surprised its still up. Its bright pink (I remember Ray complaining about the color) and has the 7 continents, painted by us. Apart from the charts there's a globe and a new projector. There's also a water purifier as our teacher complains that the one outside is dysfunctional. The Geography room is on the highest floor of our school building so we have a nice view. Ray usually sits by the windows so that he can see the football field. He's a total football freak. My thoughts are interrupted by the teacher.. who doesn't waste a minute to start teaching. "Pay attention class. So today we'll be learning about...." Woah... Class is going real slow today. After what feels like a millennium later, the bell rings and class is dismissed. I get up to leave but Ray stops me. "Kris, the thing with Prod- what was that all about?" he asks me curiously. "Nothing much, he just asked if I was coming to the match." "And are you?" Ray questions. "Yeah, I wouldn't miss it." I say, smiling. "Great, oh and if we win, the after party's at my house." He grins. "Oh right, our parents will still be away." I say. "Yep." he replies. "See you tomorrow" he calls, walking away. *Our parents have gone for some 5 day hiking trip.* *Scene 2:* Tr-rr-ing! "Hey Nats" I say into the phone. "Hey Kris" her voice sounds peppy and excited, as usual. "Soo today's the big football match" she says. "What are you wearing?" "Jeans and a T-shirt I guess." "N-O" she spells. "Kriss." she sighs. "You are too predictable." I moan "Fine, what do you want me to wear?" She squeals and says happily "I'll be at your house in an hour." (I spend the next hour reading MockingRay) "Oooh which book?" (Yep, the voice you heard was Nat ^) "MockingRay, its a part of the Hunger Games Trilogy." I answer, grinning. "Let me borrow it when you're done?" she asks. "Definitely!" Nats doesn't seem like the reading type but she's always loved reading, it's her secret side. "So" she begins, rummaging through my closet. "How about wearing this cute,denim skirt with an athletic aeropostale t-shirt? The look is Casual yet A* on the fashion scale." "Okay" I reply. For once I don't disagree, I actually like the look. The denim skirt is comfy yet nice enough to wear to an after party (if there is one) and the t-shirt is sporty but accentuates my curves (At least that's what Natalie told me). I get dressed and wear my hair in a high ponytail, on the condition that I open it for the after party. (Which Nats insists will take place). *Scene 3:* I hop into Ray's convertible, with Nat. Ray's actually pretty good looking: black hair, brown eyes and a tall,muscular build. I couldn't care less though, my thoughts were preoccupied by Ray. Soon we reached the stadium. The guys started playing and Ray scored twice. At one point, he looked up into the stands and met my gaze, I waved to him. Roc Danay, the goalkeeper, managed not to let a single ball in up until now. Damn, just when I praise him his performance deteriorates. The ball flew right past him, over his right shoulder. He grimaced, bracing himself for the impact as he dove to his right. Roc banged into a pole, earning him a big nasty bruise. The coach subbed in another player. Westfield, James. That's the name of our new goalkeeper. The poor guy was under tons of pressure, which didn't seem to work for him... He let in at least 3 goals. The score became 5 all. The crowd booed and hissed every time he let in a goal, beads of sweat dropped down his face. The coach benched James and asked Roc if he minded goalkeeping for the last point. Roc said he didn't mind and the crowd went ecstatic as Roc came back out. The game was back on, Prod passed to Ray. Ray kicked it forward, speed increasing with each step he took. He kicked towards the goal but missed by a few inches. The crowd moaned. A player from the other team kicked towards our goal but Roc saved it and kicked it towards our end. The kick was very powerful so the ball went past midfield. This was Ray's opportunity, he got the ball and passed it to Andrew, Andrew passed back. Ray kicked it to Prod. Prod ran forward, kicking it. The crowd expected Prod to score but Prod did a back-pass instead. Ray lunged for the ball, got in under his foot- in a perfect position, and he kicked. Yet another goal for West field high! The crowd went wild and Ray was lost in a sea of blue and white uniforms. Cheerleaders danced, victoriously and players shouted congratulations to him. Ray was lifted up for a victory lap and the cheers increased. It was a madhouse but somehow I managed to get down to where he was. I figured I wouldn't be able to congratulate him in person, there is no way I would have gotten through that crowd (not like I tried incredibly hard to get through a sweaty tangle of bodies) anyway. I thought about how I could congratulate him and confirm coming to the after party... I figured I'd just write him a note. I snuck into the boys locker room and slipped the note into locker #12, his locker. I grinned, satisfied. *Scene 4:* "Ooh his house looks beautiful." says Natalie, smiling. I look up, happily surprised. Its the same-the same palm tree outside, the same statue that we chipped when we were kids, but he's added something that lights up the surroundings, giving his house a sparkling,magical glow. His whitewashed house (with the old black-steel gate and the french windows) has always been surrounded by trees. However, now each tree is draped with fairy lights, food is kept in individual baskets and lanterns are all over the place. He has a dj at one corner and some couples are already dancing, by the lawn. I smile, I'm just taking it all in. "Hey, glad you guys made it." Ray says addressing Kristen, Ray and I, but looking only at me. "Your house looks great. I'm going to go get something to drink, coming Ray?" Nats gives him a pointed "You'd better agree kinda look" and winks at me, walking away. "Thanks Natalie, let me know if you'll want anything." Ray says, talking to two retreating figures. He grins, cheekily "Glad you made it!" is what I meant to say before. I'm about to reply but then Roc cuts in and takes me to the side "Kris, I like you." he says. He adds "You're the most good looking girl in school and I'm the best looking guy, what say we hook up?" By then I have this disgusted expression on my face as I say "You like me for my looks, that's sick Roc. And in my opinion, you're not the best looking guy at all. I don't want to 'hook up' with you." Roc grabs my arm as I turn away from him. "Fine, you're the one missing out." I walk off, pissed and looking for Natalie. Just my luck, I bump into Brooke. She says "Oh wait Kristen, I think you'd like to be here for this." She pulls Ray away from his circle of friends. Then she calls out, loud and clear "I think everyone would find this amusing." She says "Ray himself lent me this piece of paper, he didn't seem to care what was on the other side." She calls "Hey Jakie :) Congratulations, you played so well. I've been thinking about what you said to me, a lot actually and my answer is that I like---" Ray lunges for the paper "Brooke, what the hell. Give me that." I run away, tears streaming down my face. I was wrong then, wrong about Ray, he gave it to her... he didn't care about what I wrote. *Scene 5:* I start walking home, tears pouring out with each step I take. I sniff, Ice cream can't cure this. I like Ray and up till now I thought he felt the same way. I walk to my mom's cafe... Which my aunt Belle is temporarily running till my mum gets back. The brownies's that Ray got me, were made from my mom's recipe, ironically. Ray's mum took the recipes years ago because they were Ray's favorite too. Oh gosh, I really need to stop relating everything to him. "Oh sweetie,what happened?" she asks, concern flashing through her eyes. "Ray" I answer, my eyes glazing over with a fresh round of tears. "What about him?" she asks, hugging me. "I-I wrote him a note-note b-but he.." I stutter, unable to finish my sentence. She shh's me, like I'm a little baby but I don't mind right now. "Can I be alone for a while?" I ask her. She nods and asks me to pack up, I agree immediately. I could do with a distraction right now, any distraction. Just when I turn the open sign to closed.. Ray walks up to the door. I wipe my eyes and point to the sign. "Please Kristen, let me in." he says. I just turn off the lights and leave him standing there, escaping through the back door. I know I have to face him eventually but it's not going to happen today.
