B(re)aking Away

Chapter 8

The week went by in the blur and before I knew it, it was next Thursday and we were going to Brian's and Jo's soccer game at the fields next to the school gym. I got there early to get a seat in the middle of the bleachers. Carina had been the first one to arrive it seemed, but she was not alone. She had said that she would go ahead of us after school to secure the seats, but I should have seen this coming. She was sitting with Sean and his usual group of tech guys. Sean got up from Carina's left to get some snacks from the kiosk and on her right sat Jack. He moved aside to make room for me and Olivia (with me next to Carina and Olivia next to Jack).

By the time the game was about to start, Sean made it back with the snacks and sat down beside Jack (as Carina was now right next to the steps). He passed it down, and when it reached Oliva and me, I picked up on the conversation between Olivia and Jack. They were talking about 3D/drawing art class. It egged me in a wrong way, which confused me, so I pushed the thought to the back of my mind and did not engage in the conversation. However, that did not stop Jack from pulling me in, nonetheless.
"Really? We don't have it as strict in 3D, isn't that right, Zoë?" he said and they both turned half-way turned towards me. I could not ignore them now.

"What are we talking about?" I asked mostly looking at Olivia. I have had one more lesson of the class in question with Jack, but given our unfortunate encounters, I rarely interacted with him and purposely kept a distance out of embarrassment.

"Graphics and 3D classes. Jack here tells me that you don't have set assignments yet"

"Yeah, that's right. Mr. Toshi wants us to get to know the tools first, before giving out exercises. You know how the program works, its limitations and reaches" I said and hoped I could turn back around to Carina. No such luck.

"You should have seen Zoë, when she flipped her figure upside down" Jack said with a smirk, watching. I wanted to slap that smirk off him. It annoyed me so much and I could feel the blush creeping up on me, but I kept my cool.

Olivia turned almost reluctantly, it seemed and looked at me waiting for me to elaborate. I thought it would be safer, if I told myself, so Jack would not do more damage.

"I activated a shortcut by mistake. It was no big deal, and I found a way around it" I finished and smiled at Olivia.

I could see that Jack was about to say something, but as if she could feel my need to escape, Carina nudged me lightly grabbing my attention, as the ball on the field was getting close to a goal.

"How did Max do at the tryouts?" Carina asked over the cheering fans around us, as we scored a goal. We both clapped.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you. He made it. He is on the team!" I almost shouted back.

"Congratulations! My little brother can't wait for his turn next year. When is the first game?".'

"Tomorrow actually!" I had to almost yell as the ball was kicked up again, "it's like a practice game, reserves and players mixed."

"So I'm guessing you are not joining Brian downtown at the gadget fair?"

The main electronics stores in town usually had a big display of their newest gadgets late summer every year and Brian and I would often go together to see it and drag the others along.

"No, I didn't know it was this weekend?" I said. Had Brian forgotten to ask me or did he not want me with him?

"It's probably a guy thing. I know Sean is going" Carina said reassuringly.

Before we knew it, it was half-time and Oliva and Sean left to get something to drink and Carina to the toilet. Then with none between us, I found Jack suddenly beside me, leaning in towards me. Closer than I had expected so I did a double take and sat a bit back.

"What are you doing?"

He just looked at me for a moment. It felt like I was under a microscope, the way he was studying me. I could almost feel his eyes roaming my face. "Easier to talk, when you're sitting closer".

"What do you want to talk about?" I asked for some reason nervously. Was I nervous to talk with him or what he wanted to talk about?

"You," he said quietly and I became wide-eyed. He seemed perplexed for an undefinable moment, but then he laughed. "I meant your group, Zoë." He leaned back and I let out a breath I did not know I had been holding. "You should have seen your face" he finished smirking.

I did not say anything, but just watched him through narrow eyes.

"So what's the story of you guys?"

"I would have thought Olivia would have told you?"

"She told me the start of it all, but what made you stay together and what's the deal with Brian?"

"We are best friends, why shouldn't we stick together?" I said and that included Brian. He just raised an eyebrow at that, "what else do you need?"

"Then why are you not in the class with them?" he asked, confused.

Once again, I found myself mute and he frowned at me. I still found it a sore topic of conversation and did not feel like talking anymore.

However, he changed the topic and instead asked "I heard that you are going out to grab food after the game?"

"Yeah, we usually do-..." I started to say and then he interrupted me.

"Can I join?"

"What? No" I answered instinctively. The only one, who would join us for the post-game dinner, was Sean and that was not only after a good while after him and Carina had known each other.

He frowned in confusion for a moment and then it was gone, when he asked "Why not?".

I found myself unable to answer and he smirked at that, which in turn made me narrow my eyes at him.

I was about to answer with a snide comment, when Carina and Sean came back and sat down beside Jack (on his other side). Olivia joined a moment later and hesitantly hovered behind me. I was about to move to the side and let her sit between Jack and me, when Jack practically dumped the snacks and sodas in my lap for my choosing, so she sat down next to me instead.

"I bet you can make these and they would be delicious" Jack said and picked up a bearclaw. "How do you make them?"

The game resumed, but it took a while before I noticed, because Jack kept drawing my attention with the subject of baking. When I realized, the blush started to grow on my face and I directed my attention to the game. We cheered the team on and before long it was over and they had won 3-2. We were making our way down to the field to catch up with Jo and Brian, when Olivia gently grabbed my arm and stopped me in my tracks.

"Is something going on with you and Jack?" she asked nervously, which took me by surprise. Both what she said, but also the way she said it.

"No..." i said hesitantly, then shook my head and repeated more firmly "No, there isn't".

"Are you sure? Because I think I saw something there a moment ago?"

"I'm sure, Olivia," I said reassuringly.

"You can always tell me stuff, you know? I wouldn't blame you, he is eye-candy" she joked but still watching me closely, waiting for my response.

"I know" I smiled, but then gave her a pointed look, "Is something going on with you then?" I finished and briefly glanced at Jack further ahead.

"No," she said, but did not meet my eye. "I was just curious, as always".

"We are all" we both laughed and continued our way down towards the field and the parking lot.

"Good, we got it sorted!" she smiled "I'll grab a ride with him and we'll see you downtown" and she was off.

All I could was mentally roll my eyes and think. 'Great, just what I needed!'

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A/N* I'm back with a new chapter! I hope you like it. If you did, I hope you'll give it a vote and comment.

Is there anything you think I am missing or something you would like to see happen?