Leap of Faith

Day Twenty-Six

I checked my watch and saw that I still had ten minutes of lunch period left. Score. I could finish my lunch in silence and just think about nothing at all. Naturally, as soon as I tried not to think about anything at all, my mind went straight to TJ.

Now, was my mind playing tricks on me, or had I actually referred to him as my boyfriend earlier? That sure as Hell complicated things. I mean, yeah we were close and we knew each other really well- that game from last night proved that- and I definitely loved kissing him, but we just couldn’t work. Could we?

And where did that leave Theo? I haven’t thought about him in a while, and I hadn’t been searching him out either. Had I been right? Now that he and I were out of that bubble, were we still compatible? I’d been scared that in the real world we could never be together, and my fears were coming true.

Silver linings. Ok, so I didn’t have Theo, but I did have TJ. And I did like him… do like him. I very much like him at present and quite certainly I’d continue to like him in the future too. Those eyes, those muscles, those lips… TJ Rushing was just…

The bell rang, cutting into my day dream. I throw my salad pot into the trashcan and store my camera back in the bag before I head out of the Art building. I was halfway across the court, heading for the academic block, when I heard someone shouting out my name.

“Camera Girl!” Ok, so maybe that wasn’t my name, but I was the only student out here that could fit Coach Yeeles’ description. I spun to face him only to see him marching over to me. “Rushing’s girl, right? There’s a game tomorrow night, and I need you to be there. Bring that camera of yours. I’m formally inviting you to be a part of our soccer family. Not that you have much choice because I can be pretty scary when I don’t get my own way.”

I nod. Although, I silently add in my head- You’re always scary, dude.

 “Good,” Coach Yeeles nods once. He stands before me awkwardly and frowns. “Well, by then, Rushing’s Girl.”

“My name is Cate,” I shout after him.

“If you say so, Camera Girl.”

*~*~* TJ *~*~*

“Are you ok to catch a ride with Grey and Georgie?” I ask Cate as we lean on the hood of my car. “I have a thing to do.”

Cate nods in understanding and tells me that she could just walk home. I tell her, in no uncertain terms, that she is not walking home. Knowing Cate’s luck, she’ll trip on a paving stone and break her leg or something equally ridiculous.

Ever since last week’s incident, and the one two weeks previously, I was doing everything possible to make sure that Cate didn’t get herself injured. I walked her to every class, made sure that no one bumped into her in the hallway and generally just kept her protected in my arms whenever we were together. Even now, just leaning against my car, I had her wrapped up in my arms, ready to shield her just in case something happened.

“I can walk home fine, TJ,” Cate protests. “What could possible happen in the fifteen minutes it’s gonna take me to get from here to there?”