A/N:
I saw that there were nearly 150 reads on Girl Posing As A Boy, so THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO'S READING NOW AND IN THE FUTURE!!
Now, go read this chapter...
Happy Reading!
Chapter 16
Will
Laura is amazing. She is really, truly, freaking amazing. When she scored the first point for our team in this game and season, I wanted to go over to her and hug her so bad. But, I couldn't because we were in the middle of a game.
When the three periods of the game ended, the winner was very clear. The score was 6 to 4. It was a close game, but there was a two-point difference between our scores. But, despite that, we played really well (and avoided injuries) and...
...Won the game! Us, the Kensingburg Lions, were the winners of the game with DRU's team today.
In the locker room after the game, there was still that buzz of excitement. Everyone was congratulating the six of us who played today: me, Laura, Archie Padmore, Kane Michaels, Elijah Kahler, and our goalie, Jake Evans. But, I know that most of us think that this victory belongs to Laura. She scored the first point, motivating us to score more points and win the game. When she comes out of the changing room, I walk up to her and hug her. Her arms immediately wrap around me, but she still asks questions.
"Will!", she gasps. "What are you doing?".
"Hugging my boyfriend after the hockey game where he scored the first goal for our team in said game and in this season.", I reply.
I know that Laura is in her boy disguise, but knowing that she is a girl, it's weird to call her "boyfriend" and "he".
I also know that I called her my boyfriend just now, so our teammates -- who are still in the locker room with us -- are probably gaping at us from behind me. Internally, I lightly laugh at them for their reactions that I can't really see.
"Will, let me go!", she says. "You're sweaty and you stink!".
"So are you.", I respond. "We were both in a hockey game just now. It's understandable that we are sweaty and that we stink.".
She relaxes a little is my embrace, "...Good point.".
I smile and loosen my embrace so that I'm still hugging her, just not as tightly, "If I let you go, you aren't going to bail on us are you?".
"Why would I bail on you?", she asks, playfully.
"You would bail on me because I just called you my boyfriend in front of our team and you don't want to explain to them what's going on between us.", I answer, keeping up the joke.
She nods, pretending to think, "That's totally right. Do I still have the chance to bail now?".
"No!", comes a chorus from our team.
"Well, the jury has spoken.", I smile. "You, my good man, are not allowed to leave.".
"We shall see about that, good sir.", Laura responds.
Now, I'm confused, "What?".
Laura tilts her head to the side, giving me a way-too-sweet smile, "Oh, nothing... just... this!".
She kicks me in the shin. She actually kicked me in the shin. What the heck? And... dang... she's strong!
"Oww! La... Nick! What the...", I exclaim. I can't believe that I almost called her by her real name -- I promised not to when we are in public.
I watch as she wiggles out of my embrace and runs for the door of the locker room. There is no one near the door, so she runs right out. I crouch down, rubbing my throbbing leg. She really is strong. I'm probably not going to be bruised, but it will definitely be sore for a few days.
"Hey, Will!", she calls in from the hallway. "Make sure you bring my backpack to our dorm room. I'm going to get cleaned up. See you later in our dorm!".
I shake my head, smiling. Then, I get back up and face our team. They all have shock evident on their faces. Jaws dropped and eyes wide. The whole nine yards.
"I honestly can't tell if he bailed on you or on us just now.", Archie grins.
"And... you... you let him kick you in the shin... wow!", Eli exclaims.
"Let me correct you on that.", I say. "I did not let him kick me. I didn't know he was going to do that. And, he's really strong -- that kick hurt!".
"That all seemed so... natural with you two.", Kane comments. "How long have you been together?".
"Well, you met about three weeks ago, right?", Jake asks.
"Yes.", I answer.
"And, you wouldn't have gotten together right away, as soon as you met. There was also that little period of time when you two were ignoring each other.", Jake continues.
"You noticed that?", I didn't know he was so perceptive -- like Callie.
"Dude, you two wouldn't even look at each other in the eye for, like, ten days.", Eli exclaims.
"Good point. Continue.", I nod.
"Do you guys remember what happened on the 15th before our second evening practice?", Jake asks.
Everyone looks at each other confusedly and replies with a "no". But, I know what Jake is talking about. It was that day when I had gotten fed up with Laura and me ignoring each other. It was that day when she had said, "...So that you can develop feelings for me?". It was that day when I had first realized that I was falling in love with her.
"Yes.", I respond to Jake's question.
"In the lobby that evening... well, to put it simply... I was there. I saw you run down the stairs and Nick come out of the elevator, looking like he had been crying. Then, I saw you drag him back into the elevator and you guys probably went back to your dorm room after that. I'm not sure what was going on with you two at the time, but I'm guessing that it was a milestone, right?", Jake looks at me.
"Yeah, we were ignoring each other and I was getting fed up with the silence. We had a talk and I, uh, accidentally made him cry so he was upset. He left our dorm room in a hurry and I felt bad. So, I chased after him. That's what you, and everyone else in the lobby at the time, saw.", I explain.
"Dang, you made your boyfriend cry?", Archie asks. "That sucks.".
"He wasn't my boyfriend at the time. But...", I trail off, wondering if I should say what I am about to say. I haven't told anyone this, not even Laura.
"But...?", Eli raises an eyebrow.
"I haven't told Nick this yet, so this stays between us, okay?", I look at all eighteen of them seriously.
They all nod or say "yes".
Thankfully, we are actually a pretty tightly knit together group which will protect each other, so I trust them with what I'm about to say.
"Well... that was the day I realized that I was falling in love with him. He said something that he later explained was out of anger, but my heart contradicted that. I didn't know why, but I soon realized that I was falling for him.", I explain.
"You guys seriously have some love story.", Kane shakes his head. "So, Nick and you were ignoring each other when you realized that you were falling for him?".
"Yeah, pretty much.", I nod, agreeing.
"Dang... like Kane said... some love story.", Archie shakes his head.
I chuckle, "You don't know even half of it.".
Fudge... shoot... I didn't mean to say that out loud.
"What?", Jake asks.
"Nothing.", I respond, not wanting to expose more secrets. "Where are we going out to eat?".
Thankfully, no one notices me changing the topic. Quickly, we decide on a restaurant we will meet at. Right now, it's 5 pm, so we agree to meet at 7 at the restaurant. That gives us two hours to get cleaned up. We all know that it's not going to be a formal thing, but everyone ends up wearing a nicer shirt and pants anyway. It doesn't matter whether we win or not, we will still dress up a little. This whole "going out to eat at a restaurant after a game" thing has been going on ever since anyone can remember.
Back at the dorm room, I hear the shower on when I enter. Laura is probably in there. Some people might find sharing a room with a girl weird, but Laura isn't that bad. Laura isn't one of those girls who completely hogs anything. If she had, I probably would have suspected her earlier. Then there is also her height and shape... which is now looking more and more female than male to me. I'm not sure how she managed to convince all of us that she's a boy, but she did. Now, I notice that she's definitely more feminine than she lets on.
A few minutes later, Laura comes out of the bathroom with only half her disguise on like she has been for these last few mornings. She only has her wrap on. Then, after showering, she combs her hair and puts on the rest of her disguise -- her wig.
"Oh, hey!", she startles when she sees me sitting at my desk. "You're here.".
"Hey to you, too.", I reply. "I hope you aren't angry with me for what I said earlier.".
She looks at me with curious eyes, "What are you talking about?".
"When we were in the locker room earlier. I hugged you and called you my boyfriend.", I explain.
"So, am I supposed to be angry because you called me your boyfriend when I'm your girlfriend? Or, am I supposed to be angry with you because you publicly put a label on our relationship in general?", she asks.
"When you put it that way... both, I guess.", I respond honestly, still not knowing what she's thinking.
She combs her hair in front of the mirror for a few moments and then talks, "Lucky for you, I'm not angry at all with you.".
I look at her with surprise, "Wait, really?".
"Yes, really.", she turns to look at me with her back to the mirror now. "I'm okay with the team knowing that I like you and you like me back. I'm okay with them knowing that we're in a relationship. But, my other secret... let's wait a bit on that one, okay?".
I get up out of my chair and spin her around as I'm hugging her, making her squeal with excitement. "Yes! You really are freaking amazing!".
"I don't know about amazing, but...", she trails off.
"You are amazing. You scored the first goal for our team in this game and in this season. If you aren't amazing, then I don't know what you are.", I reply.
End of Chapter 16
This is was fluffy chapter without any angst. Their team now knows about their relationship, but not about Laura's other secret. Let's hope it stays that way... or not. *insert devilish smirk here*
I don't have much to say this time, but what do you think about their team? In terms of their appearances, I gave them all really simple names because everyone is probably imagining the team differently. I honestly don't care how you imagine my characters, as long as it's reasonable. I don't have specifics in height or weight or anything like that, just the basics like... Laura is shorter than Will and when she stands next to him, she comes up to his jaw/chin.
Thanks for reading!
~Pink Elephant
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17/07/2021
Writing the date here is turning into a diary of sorts for me, along with the A/N's.