The Art Of Seduction ✓

|44| The First Game

"What do you think?"

"I think, you're a huge flirt, you'd shag anyone that moved."

"You're not wrong," one side of his lip curved up. 

"You're so gross."

He laughed. Eyes crinkling in a way that should make my heart flutter. But it didn't. His grin was wide when our eyes met again. 

Have you ever wanted to love someone so desperately because it was easier? Easier to fall for someone who was safe, who loved you more than you could ever love them? Because that was Joey. He was safe, he promised to always love me and I could easily believe him

But when my eyes met familiar green ones, I knew that Joey and I couldn't be end game, not when Kaden existed.

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THE GAME WAS intense. Both the Sharks and the opposing team were strong. Kaden was really playing his hardest. The rain had started to fall, cold hard drops but the game still continued. Rekha, Grace and I were holding hands, watching the game. 

The score was one-all with the opposing team striving their hardest to end the draw. The striker of the opposing team sent a strong kick, only to have Joey catch the ball before it went in the net. 

That's how the game went, with Kaden doing his best to score and Joey stopping any other goal from happening. 

"He's really hot isn't he?" Grace told me. My thoughts instantly went to Kaden. "And sometimes a little stupid too. He's like the stereotypical hot dumb guy." She was talking about Joey.

"He's not stupid," I defended.

Grace rolled her eyes, "Oh really? He's a total meat head, spends more hours in the gym than with the books."

"Everyone's got their fancy," Rekha commented, lightly.

"He can dance," I pointed out, "and he's also really kind."

"Fair enough, that can compensate the fact he's a bit of an idiot." Grace frowned looking at Joey who was yelling at the team. 

"You don't really like him, do you?" Rekha commented gently.

"Not really," Grace answered. She didn't elaborate.

We watched the game continue, cheering every few minutes. As the clock ticked, everyone began to grow a little frantic. Some of the opposing members became a little clumsy, missing the ball or slipping in the mud. The rain didn't ease up. By the time the whistle blew, the score was still at a draw. 

"Penalty kicks," Rekha guessed watching the referee. 

She was right. 

The opposing team went first, kicking the ball into the air, Joey grabbed the ball almost easily a smirk on his face. Next was our team, they chose Wilde for the first kick, he kicked to the top right corner of the goal post, It nearly made it in but, a last minute save stopped the ball. Joey went back to the next, falling on the ground to stop the ball from getting in the net. The girls and I cheered for him. Our eyes met, and Joey winked at me.

Several girls turned to glance at me, knowing grins on their faces. Edward went next, he slipped on the mud before kicking the ball, the mud on his shoes, the weak push makes it almost a laughable save. Instead of laughing, the girls and I cheered screaming "Good Effort Ed!"

Joey stopped the next kick, nearly falling for the feign the player pulled. The girls and I cheered. After that went a fourth or fifth former whose name I didn't know. He scored.

For a minute there's silence but then as the sound of groaning emitted from the crowd that showed, screaming and cheers went up as well.

Joey blocked every goal attempt that went in. When Kaden finally went, second to last, everyone on the team seemed reassured that he would score a goal, but he slipped a little on the mud, just barely avoiding kicking the ball in a sure miss. He moved back, rain dampening his hair and clothes, glancing up at the post. Kaden feigns kicking his right, then shoots for the left. The air was so still but the goalkeeper was smart, he caught the ball, a smirk on his lips. 

I saw Kaden's shoulders deflate and for a minute he looked so miserable my heart went out to him. No other goals were scored but our team won thanks to the fourth or fifth former in the team. 

Maybe I'd been watching for chinks in Kadens armour for too long, because although his lips were stretched in a wide smile, I noticed his eyes lacked it's usual spark. The team didn't notice as they ran into the kid who scored the winning goal. Kaden joined in almost easily, he looked like he was genuinely happy but I could see the worry in his eyes, the frustration.

As the girls and I ran to scream and jump around the team, I wanted to run to Kaden but before I was even close, Joey stopped me. His hair was sticking to his forehead and looked black, his eyes held a genuine smile, I wouldn't be able to have heard anything if he spoke but he didn't need to. He kept his hands on my waist, and held me so naturally. He tilted his head as though he was asking, Do I get a kiss?

I didn't know what to do.

Maybe he was thinking of Ashton and I, and how he'd run to me after every goal stealing a kiss. Joey, Cassian and Kaden weren't on the team then, but they would have gone for the games. Ashton was nothing short of being a legend in our school. 

I wasn't sure. So I hugged him. I think James would have been happy.

As we changed to warmer clothes and headed back home, the team and cheerleaders were noisy with joy at our first win. Joey and I sat together, Joey telling me exactly what he thought and felt throughout the five penalty kicks. 

"For a minute there, that smug bugger looked like he was going to shoot right, but something was wrong about that kick, ya know?" Joey told me thrilled, like I wasn't watching. I could hear a strong accent that I wasn't familiar with so I tried to place the accent. "So I thought fall right, but then his leg shifts like this." Joey demonstrated, though there wasn't much space since Joey and I were both tall and the seats on the bus weren't that big. His knees bumped into mine. "And I knew that he was trying to trick me so I jumped and caught it. You should have seen how he looked. Thought he was smart. Hah."

"The Sharks hero," I complimented, "Thank god you didn't let a goal slip."

"I kinda saved the day didn't I?" The hints of his accent were gone. He smiled at me, a stupid confident, giddy grin. It was cute.

"Couldn't have pulled through without you."

Joey glanced at me, and I noticed the personal space between us had diminished. "Do I get a victory kiss from the beautiful lady?" 

My cheeks flush. My tongue was tied. I thought he would have let it drop after the moment in the field but I suppose he felt that we were lost in translation. 

It became untied as soon as our lips met.