Whispered (on hold)

Easier

Chapter 6

Easier

August Griffin

"Heads up!" I heard a voice yelled, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"What the hell is going on with you today, Griffin?" my coach yelled.

I apologized and ran into position. My mind had been wondering today and the source of it was Lyle. I tightened the grip on my lacrosse stick and forced myself to focus on the practice run ahead. We had been drilling a new defense and I had kept screwing up by zoning out but this time I had a different idea. I smiled to myself and went start to my target when the whistle blew. The collision was rougher on my victim than me and he landed hard, not enough to hurt him but enough that he'd feel it.

"And you've just earned yourself laps, Griffin. If you have forgotten, this is PRACTICE. Save the aggression for our actual games."

Lyle glared at me from the ground. It was worth it for sure. Especially after the shit he had said to me.

*Carnival*

"So what's up?" I asked when we had gotten a little distance between us and April and Kai.

"Nothing too big. I just, I mean we, actually it is just me right now so I guess I works better." he stumbled. It was something we had in common.

"Spit it out." I joked.

"April and I are dating."

"Hmm."

"Hmm? Is that all you have to say?"

"I mean I kind of figured it out myself. It was a bit obvious."

"And you don't care?"

"I mean it isn't like April would stop even if I did. She'd probably want you more."

We both laughed.

"You're probably right about that."

"I mean it isn't like the relationship will last long anyway."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Are you serious? Lyle, in the lifetime we have known each other, your longest relationship has been six weeks long."

"So what?"

"So you're a player. I have told you this before. We both know it, April knows it. Just have an amicable breakup, don't cheat or anything. I don't want to have to choose between you two."

"Because you have such a perfect relationship record, right?"

"Excuse me?"

"Well, August. In the lifetime that I have known you, you have dated one girl in middle school and now you have whatever the hell is going on with Kai right now. You wanna talk about doomed relationships, right? Well, he doesn't even talk to you!"

We stopped walking and faced each other.

"Don't you dare bring up Kai. I'd rather have no history than the shitty one that you do."

"What the hell is your problem?!" Lyle yelled, pointing a finger at me.

"My problem?! Mine?"

"Stop trying to control other people's lives and worry about your own for once."

I didn't respond, just looked at my so called best friend.

"You know what? You're right. Happy fucking birthday to me, right?"

I left Lyle and the argument where it was and headed to my car to get the hell out of there.

"August!" April yelled as I walked past her, "Don't be mad!"

We hadn't had a conversation since then, just angry silent stares. We were co-captains so our coach didn't appreciate our lack of ability to work together. It wasn't just me in this Cold War, he had been just as aggressive as me. Which April didn't like. She hadn't been talking to me or him. At least I hadn't seen her talk to him. I walked over to the bleachers and took off my protective gear before running my laps. April came out of the school and was walking towards the bleachers after I finished my first lap. She sat at the very top and watched over the field like she had every day after her cheer practice. She'd wait for me to give her a ride home which hopefully would end after she took her drivers test today.

Coach cut practice short today but made sure that I finished all the laps I had been required to do by assigning Lyle to watch over me and make sure I finished. I rolled my eyes causing him to glare at me.

"You two have been testing me today," he said as he walked away, "I am starting to wondering if you are still co-captain material."

Lyle and April watched silently as I ran around the field again and again. I thought about cutting it short but Lyle and I weren't cool so I wasn't sure if he'd tell on my or not. I groaned at myself. I sounded like a 5 year old worried that someone would tell my mom that I had a cookie before dinner. Lyle got up and left the second that I finished. April's eyes stayed on him until he was no longer in sight.

"I'll be back in 20 minutes." I said and she nodded as I went into the locker room to hit the shower.

It was quiet, only one shower was on and there were only two people still getting dressed. Had I really been running that long? I headed to the shower and get cleaned up quickly. I walked back to my locker, which of course was across from Lyle's, and he had been getting dressed as well. We moved in silence, each getting dressed with our backs to each other. As I put on my shirt, Lyle finished first. I heard his locker close but didn't hear him walk away. I faced him and we watched each other.

"Is that really what you think of me? A womanizer?"

"I never called you a womanizer, Lyle."

"Just a player. That's not as bad, right?"

I scoffed and said nothing.

"It's different with April," he said quietly, "Believe it or not, I wouldn't date your sister unless I was really into her. We shared some personal things while you were hung up on Kai and we got close and she's not just another girl to me. It's real and now she won't talk to me because she thinks that you hate me and you hate that we are together and it isn't fair to her or to me to be unhappy for you to what, feel like a good brother?"

I stayed silent.

"Anyway, I needed to get that off my chest. Do with it what you will." He grabbed his bag and left.

I slammed my locker closed and grabbed the rest of my things. Was he right? Had I been neglectful of other relationships? I hurried out to the bleachers. April rushed down as I walked past, heading for the parking lot. April got in and looked at me worriedly.

"What's the rush?" She asked as she put on her seatbelt.

"I never said that you should break up with Lyle. That doesn't get to be on me. You can do whatever you want, whatever makes you happy. Obviously, you can talk to Lyle more than you can talk to me so if you want him, don't let me be in the way. And if you ever want to tell me what happened last year, I'll be here, waiting as always."

~~~~
Just A Filler Chapter Mostly

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7/8/2020