We Saved Each Other

Chapter 23-The Fault in Our Stars and World War 3

Chapter 23

My eyes go as wide as alien saucers, but luckily he can't tell from where he's standing. My heart hammers in my heart as if I'm having a heart attack and my mind is racing. How do I reply to that? First of all he called me Jessa and no one except my dead dad, who Jace has obviously never meet, and Spencer, but we were always alone and it didn't last for long. Oddly enough it's not what he said it's how he said it. With such a tone as if he knew exactly what that name means to me. And secondly he asked me the question I've been begging he'd never ask me today in, such a knowingly tone too. "How come you've been avoiding me lately? Is it something I've done in the past?"

I search urgently in my brain for a reply that I can play off. And then I think of it.

"What Jace? I can't hear you, could you please speak a little louder?" I holler across the field. And just for dramatic effect I put cup my hand around my right ear. I mentally pray this works.

When Jace takes a long moment of confusion I take my chance. I discreetly look to Spencer with a look of urgency. Luckily, he's already looking at me because of all the commotion I caused yelling at Jace. 

Somehow he manages to read the look on my face which right now looks like I'm about to die.

Jace, who finally came out of his confusion, decides to repeat what he said before. And louder. Way louder. So loud that practically the whole team looks over at him.

Spencer, who now doesn't look too happy, jogs over to Jace. But he stays far away just so that he can yell at Jace without causing Jace hearing damage. How kind of him.

"Get back to practicing Everwood! It's soccer time not socializing time! And you should now that Jess doesn't like talking to gossip girls." Spencer hollers then pauses for dramatic effect. "Maybe you should stop acting like one!"

The whole team, who by now stopped doing the drill and started listening, goes crazy. They all holler various things. Such as:

"Ohhhh burn!"

"Chirps be fly'n!"

"Get wrecked Everwood!"

And my personal favourite: "Need ointment for that giant burn Everwood?"

Jace's whole face turns as red my favourite Belgium soccer jersey, which is the brightest shade of red I've ever seen in my life. He trudges back into the right spot, directly across from me, and waits awkwardly for me to pass the ball back.

I give Spencer a small, barely noticeable smile. In return he gives me a quick wink. But the look in his eyes tells me he will talk to me about this later. I give a quick bop of my head.

"Alright everybody!" Spencer hollers after we all continued the passing drill for about five minutes. "Let's actually do some real drills!"

7 drills, 2 scrimmages, 2 Gatorade water fights, 4 times Spencer yelled at Jace, 5 times Coach made 'dad jokes', and 3 and 1/2 hours later practice is over. And yes, all of those things did actually occur in almost only 4 hours. Not to mention all the times some of the weaker boys complained and then Spencer made them do laps for complaining, which actually made them complain more. I honestly can't say much since I was seriously about to complain near the end. And instead of having the 2 hour practice that Spencer told us we would be having, we had a 4 hour practice. Amazing.

"Do you always make the team suffer?" I ask him as I take a swig of Gatorade and lift my heavy bag up. Even I was tired and I'm used to practicing every day.