Him & I

11

And sorry, he's fingers aren't really outrageously long too, i'm just a bit more pissed at him today.

Coach Tanner blows out his whistle, indicating an interval so the boys can rest for a bit. A fifteen minute bit, that's usually boring to me.

With that, they out of breath unite in one big swoop and begin running off somewhere down the field to go sit and drink water, or just sit.

Coach Tanner gives me a friendly smile and wave from the bottom of the bleachers and, despite myself, I try to eagerly respond with a smile of my own.

For a while, I watch the boys. Talking, arguing, ruffling each other's hair and all. Their backs are to me so right now, I can't see who's who. That's until they, one after the other, begin lifting themselves up from the grass. Right at the same time I stand.

As if I couldn't be frozen enough, Tyler just had to turn around and like last night, our eyes connect instantly. Even under the bright light of the sun and the long distance. He knows or should know I'll be here, so there's no need for this to appear dramatic or anything.

But I lose my tongue.

Why'd I stand up in the first place?

Oh yeah, to go ask Pamela if she's really having a meeting after school or I'd only misheard.

My walk down the bleachers consists of a lot of tripping on air and bumping into nothing as Tyler starts coming my way.

He might just be heading for the center of the field, I think.

He should just be heading for the center of the field because Eastwood High's a nosy school. News spreads fast.

Surely, it'll be a pleasure to have a star like Tyler talk to me here, out in the open, but that's only going to put me on the radar. Put us under the radar. Whatever that radar might be. I'd most likely have to deal with random questions and snarky comments, and that's why I've never found it odd that he and I only hold a 'conversation' in the confines of the spot down my street or the shallow pathway to it.

So whatever the hell's going on had better stop. I really better not be his destination.

Once I get to the bottom of the stairs and he's way past the center of the field, I decide he might want to come rest on the bleachers instead, has nothing to do with me. The break's not over and sitting here's not a crime, till-

"Melissa,"

I freeze at the voice. Then try my best to unfreeze.

The voice didn't come from Tyler though, I'd thought it did to be honest, but even he had to search for where it came from, till he found it past me. Over my head. Probably someone at his eye-level.

Turning around, It's Nathan, strolling down to me but with his eyes on Tyler. Everything seems insanely tense as Tyler swaps stares with both Nathan and myself, before giving Nathan? Me? a small nod, deciding going back to where he came from.

Phew.

From where Nathan's coming from, it shows he's just arriving, so hasn't been one of the boys playing on the field and I-

What have I even been writing in my reports then? Am I even doing my job right? Was George truly right when he said I hadn't explained the players' movements in good detail?

"You talk to him?" He asks randomly once he gets to me. Okay, maybe it's not so random, Tyler did look pretty close to me.

Still, I opt for being oblivious, "Talk to who?"