I feel stupid.
I only noticed her a few months ago and we've been going to the same high school for 4 years.
I was practicing lacrosse, talking to my best friend Dylan when I saw her sit on one of the benches. I stopped listening to whatever he was spewing and I couldn't take my eyes off her as she sat on the bench with her friend and her precalculus textbook in hand.
She watched the entire practice while I watched her. I did feel creepy, but I couldn't help it. She was so beautiful. Everything about her made my heart beat at an unhealthy rate. From her long dark brown her that matches her eyes perfectly to the brown skin and a bindi in between her eyebrows.
She was wearing a short white skirt with small red flowers all across it, a black long-sleeved t-shirt, and a white headband to match. Yep, I'm a creep.
I told myself to get over her because she is just a stupid crush. However deep down I knew she isn't just a stupid crush. She would be the girl hopelessly fall in love with.
I never saw her again and I couldn't stop thinking about her, my heart was aching for her. Craving her. I never even got her name.
Until a week ago. I saw her again at my game. At my lacrosse game. I hadn't seen this girl for six months. Six months! And once again she was everywhere.
She was talking to her friend until I scored. I scored and I got her attention! When I did so my eyes instinctively went to her and she was looking at me. Me!
For one second I thought Newt hit me hard in the head and I was seeing shit. That she wasn't standing in the crowd and cheering for me, she looked adorable while she did it.
"You on the same planet as me?" My best friend snaps his fingers in front of my face., my best friend since the beginning.
Dylan Romeo Astor III met me when moved to the Monte Rei estate when I was five and we were best friends since. Nobody can come between us since we've been each other's ride or die.
He's my favourite blonde snob with a single mother and seven older sisters.
I hum, blinking a few times. "You got to stop daydreaming about her." He says, rolling his eyes at me. I don't even respond since I'm cranky and I need to go to sleep.
"Remind me again why you can't go up to her in school tomorrow?" He sighs.
"Because," I groan, "she's a Singh. My dad hates the Singh family, he would never accept her."
"You're dramatic," he laughs at me and I just stay quiet, keeping the scowl on my face, can't I just wallow in self-pity without being made fun of?
"What would I even say to her?" I glare at him and he shrugs.
"Hi, I'm Noah. I've been obsessed with you for six months now. Let's go on a date. Also, I speak Portuguese." He says in a deeper voice however he just sounds like he has something stuck in his throat.
He notices my unamused face and scoffs, putting his hands up in the air. "I tried helping you fall in love. You're just too stubborn."
I am stubborn. That's one thing I'll admit to, but I'm not exactly a ladies' man. I'll make a fool of myself and end up offing myself at that exact moment,
"What if she tells me I'm a creep and to walk away?"
"Then you walk away because the lady told you so and if anything," he points a finger at me. "you always listen to the lady."
I roll my eyes at him, pushing his finger away. "Coming from someone who can't be in the same room as my sister."
"Norah is no lady! She is a devil's child!" He yells causing me to laugh. I look at the time and realize I have to get the devil's child home. "Got to get home before Newt beats my ass," I say, getting up and putting on my jacket.
"Just beat his ass back." Dylan has a grin from ear to ear as I flip him off. "Dude, before you go just remember," he clears his throat dramatically. "Talk. To. Arti Singh!" I drop my hands to my sides, looking him dead in the eyes.
"You know her name!" I scream.
Her name is Arti. Arti Singh.
Arti Singh is the girl who was cheering me on at my lacrosse game. Arti Singh is the girl I will fall hopelessly in love with. Arti.
It's a unique name. It's poetic.
Arti.
Arti.
Arti.
She is as unique as her name. "I know everyone's name, I'm practically famous around this school." He shrugs a single shoulder before forcing me to go home so I put both my hands up, flipping him off.
𓆞༄･ﾟ𓆝࿐ ࿔*: 𓆟
I hear a whistle being blown as everyone is warming up on the lacrosse field. It's the first game of the season and I won't even lie, I am extremely nervous. "Since you play, I'll finally have someone to talk to on the field," Dylan says as we run onto the field, gear on and lacrosse sticks in hand.
I put my lacrosse helmet on, and from the side, I see Arti and her friend climb onto the bench. She looks up from her seat and her eyes meet mine.
At that moment I feel my heart skip a few beats and then stop once she smiles at me. Oh god her smile! Her smile is everything! "Duarte!" I hear my coach call.
I look away from her to face my coach. "Get on the field!" He yells, pointing at where the referee is.
I get into position waiting for the referee's call. "Down!" The referee yells as me and the opposite team in the first position put our sticks down. "Set!" The referee yells once again before he blows his whistle.
I grab the ball, throwing it to Dylan who is across the field. Dylan is one of our middies also known as our star player. Without him, we're practically useless.
"Dre!" I hear him shout, watching him throw it at our teammate. Alexandre Adisa also known as Dre is an attacker. The opposite team's goalie seems unprepared as Dre shoots the ball into the top shelf of the net.
"Let's go!" He screams, running over to Dylan, and attacking him in a bear hug. The rest of our team follows, and he hits the back of my helmet. The crowd cheers loudly and the ref blows his whistle.
Before I know it, it was the third period and I'm back on the field. The score 2-1, which is frustrating because if we allow them to score we will end up in penalties. And I am god awful at penalties.
The ball is currently in my teammate's net before he passes it to me, to which I go to pass it to Dre, but I fail when the opposite team's first line pushes me to the floor.
The ball falls out of my net. I felt the anger build up once I see his face. He's a lot bigger than me and way too old to be playing high school lacrosse. Without thinking I get up and push him harder to the floor. The whistle gets blown and we both get a penalty.
"Man! I'm done with this shit!" I yell, the cold air making my breath seem like smoke. I run to where I must kneel in the substitution box. I'm only in here for a minute while the other guy will be there for 2 minutes.
I take my helmet and gloves off, grab my water bottle out, and pour some water into my mouth and on the back of my neck. I look up at the clock and see I'm out of here in 5 seconds. I put my helmet and gloves back on.
Once they let me out, I immediately run onto the field. My timing is perfect since there are 3 minutes left of the game. The ball immediately gets passed to me. I don't pass to anyone as I dodge each and every opponent.
I duck and jump over them like a game of Super Mario. I have a tight grip on my stick as I run. I hear the crowd go crazy as I get closer to the goalie. The goalie and the defenders are more prepared this time.
The goalies' eyes are focused on my feet, trying to figure out my next move. I need him to think I'm going for in between his legs, so I can fake him out last minute. He does exactly what I want him to do and goes low while I throw the ball in the upper corner of the net.
Too easy.
We hear the whistle gets blown and the crowd goes wild. Everyone stands up, cheering me on. "That's my best friend!" I hear Dylan scream before I get attacked by him.
"This is MY best friend everyone!" He screams, shaking and hugging me. "No one should mess with Duarte!" I laugh out loud as the rest of the team joins.
𓆞༄･ﾟ𓆝࿐ ࿔*: 𓆟
"So?" Dylan asks me unexpectedly, and I shrug. He punches my arm and I flinch.
We're walking back to his car after a hell of a game and of course, Dylan must ask about my love life. He's about to insult me in every possible way but we both stop when we see Arti Singh herself with her best friend who is currently being pushed by a bunch of girls. "Take off the hijab!" One of the girls torments her as Arti tries to push her off.
Before I can even react, Dylan has already teleported there to scare the girls away from her. I jog over to them, bending down to help Arti's best friend up. "Stop!" Dylan screams, making me freeze.
"What?" I ask, my eyebrows furrowing. "You can't touch her! She's a Muslim girl!" He yells at me as I stand up straight.
"How do you know that?" I ask, crossing my arms over my chest. "I might be an atheist, but I know you cannot touch a Muslim girl." He mimics my stance, crossing his arms over his chest.
Arti bends down, helping her friend up. There is a moment of silence. "I'm Dylan Romeo Astor III by the way."
"Yeah, we know you're number 24." Arti's best friend says, fixing her hijab. I shut my eyes so I don't see any of her hair.
There is a moment before I hear her say. "You guys can open your eyes."
Another awkward silence starts, but Dylan loudly clears his throat.
Okay, that's my cue. Come on, Noah. Speak.
"Arti, right?" I find myself saying. Okay, it could have been worse. She looks at me confused. "Yeah, you're number 11." She knows my jersey number! I can feel my heart beating in my chest.
"That's me." I laugh, sticking my hand out to shake hers before I turn to Dylan. "Can I touch her?" I ask him.
"Are you Muslim, Arti?" He asks and she shakes her head. "Yeah, you can touch her." That makes her smile. I shake her hand and her smile just grows. "I noticed you in the crowd."
Oh god. I'm sweating, I can feel my blood rushing to my face and I hope to god I am not blushing.
I smile widely at her, probably far too wide. I wouldn't be surprised if she gets in her car with her best friend and drives away. She doesn't though and I am glad she doesn't.
A short silence comes between us, but her best friend is quick to break it by clearing her throat. Arti's eyes go wide as she says. "This is my best friend," she pulls her friend forward. "Malika Haider."
I feel a pair of hands on my shoulder before I hear his annoying voice. "Did you know my bestie over here can speak Portuguese?" I turn to look at him with an annoyed look on my face.
"Why don't you and Malika have a chat while-"
"Sorry, I can't be left alone with him. I'll wait in the car Arti." She winks as she points her fingers at Arti, slowly backing away.
I notice Dylan is also still here, which just annoys me even more. "Oh! I'm also supposed to go?" He scoffs, grabbing his lacrosse stick and leaving as he mumbles something under his breath.
Arti lets out a little at Dylan as she shakes her head. Her laugh forms knots in my stomach and sends chills throughout my body,
Her laugh shortly dies and this conversation has completely gone south. And I'm about to make the situation worse. "Anyways," I keep the smile on my face, but it's not that hard when I'm looking at her. "I'll let you get back to your friend."
She smiles at me and nods, and I take that as the opportunity to walk away. I keep my eyes glued to the ground, trying to avoid Dylan's stare that I can feel burning into me. He's going to tease me about this.
"Wait!"
I turn quickly to Arti. " I didn't get your name."
Oh, fuck. I may know a lot about you Arti Singh and I have been watching you for almost a month but you still only know me by my jersey number.
"Noah," I smile at her. "Noah Duarte." She smiles back at me. "It was nice to meet you, Noah."
"You too, Arti." I start walking backward so I can still talk to her. "Hopefully, I'll see you around!"
I turn around and keep walking before she can respond, mostly because I don't want her to see how big I'm smiling.
When I get to Dylan he is smirking at me. I roll my eyes, getting into the car. "Don't say anything."
"Don't say what? That I was completely right and you were being a big baby for absolutely no reason. You should just always listen to me."
Dylan gets into the car and turns on the engine as 'Sober by Selena Gomez' starts playing. "Arti and Noah sitting in a tree-"
"Shut up, Dylan."
"K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"
"You're a fake friend!"
𓆞༄･ﾟ𓆝࿐ ࿔*: 𓆟
A/N
Dylan is probably going to be my favorite character