Aaron's POV
"Let's go over it again", I said, and she rolled her eyes.
We are in the boys' locker room on a Friday after school had ended, about thirty minutes before the first football match of our fake relationship. Phase one of my plan to get Alicia back starts here, and I do not want any catastrophe for our plans.
"Why do we have to do this?", she huffs.
"Your ex will be on that field, and Alicia will be in the crowd. Our first step to getting this 'relationship' over with is by taking it to the next level."
I wait for a sarcastic reply, but she simply nods her head so I go on.
"When I win, I need you to be at the sidelines waiting for me. Then you run up to me, jump up and kiss me."
"How do I know that you will win?"
I frown, her comment a direct insult on my talents as a footballer.
She pops a bubble then tilts her head. "How do I know that you will catch me?", she questions, and I cock my head in slight amusement.
"Trust me darling. I may be a nerd, but I am also a jock. I'm used to this kind of thing." With Alicia.
I shake the thought away. If all goes well, in two months, I'll have Alicia back in my arms.
"Fine", Kayla says, snapping me out of my thoughts. "I'll trust you to catch me, but if I fall, I will haunt your dreams at night."
A picture of Kayla appearing in my room at night has me shuddering.
"point taken."
Kayla stands up and makes her way to the door. "See you later rulebook.", she says before closing it behind her.
And then I am left alone with my thoughts of Alicia.
🏈🏈🏈
Home matches are always amazing, because you get to see your whole school cheering you on. On an average, ninety-two percent of home matches are won, compared to the poor thirty-eight percent of away matches. These were my thoughts as my eyes travel to the crowded bleachers, trying to avoid searching for her. I had already spotted Kayla – she was seated on the front row, a book in her lap. When she noticed me staring, she stuck her tongue at me.
I dragged my eyes away from the bleachers back to coach Hernandez, who was in the middle of giving the opening speech. Coach was known for giving the longest and most inspiring speeches, and I loved listening to them.
As I stared at the sixty something year old man, I was filled with emotion. Coach was the one who discovered me, who turned me from a nerd to the football team captain. He had spoken to my parents and convinced them that football would not affect my studies, but give me a better opportunity when applying for university. In a way, coach Hernandez was as good to me as a father.
"...you need to win this. I don't want any selfish ball hogging from you Steele, and try to pass more to Davies. You've got this boys."
Then coach gave me a side nod and I took my place in front if the team.
"Who are we?", I yelled.
"The Panthers"
"What do we do?"
"We smash the game"
"And when it's over?"
"We cheer over the remains of our enemies"
"That's right boys, now let's get out there and show them who's boss."
As we took our positions, I noticed Jason glaring at me, but the very second the game started, I was lost. I forgot all about Kayla, Alicia and Jason and I became one with the game.
The thrill of running across the field for a touchdown is something no words can properly describe. I always take my glasses off before a match, and the clarity with which I saw was simply exhilarating.
The match passed easily and when it was over we were victorious and the school was cheering wildly. I watched the crowd cheering, my school. I was so lost at first that I didn't notice the girl running towards me, her long dark hair blown back by the wind.
Kayla runs past all the players, some looking at her in shock, others catcalling and whistling, and jumps into my arms. I catch her easily, my hands supporting her back.
"You did it", she says, and before I can ask if she means winning the match or catching her, her lips are on mine.
She tightens her legs around me and pulls back a bit but I force her closer, biting on her lips and deepening the kiss. She gives a little gasp, and I swallow it, refusing to let up on the kiss, my hands digging into the curves of her flesh. And she kisses me back with a passion.
Eventually, I pull back, and she gives me a grin. Out of the corner of my eyes, I can see her ex glaring at us, and I can hear the murmurs from teammates around us, then they break out into cheers. There is talk of a party to celebrate, and I catch a sparkle in Kayla's eyes.
Oh. No.
🏈🏈🏈
As I look at the dim lights and millions of people in the crowded space, all I can wonder is how I got here.
As soon as Kayla heard the word 'party', she insisted we attended saying "You deserve it after that awesome win, and anyhow, it's in the deal."
Which is why I am currently here; at a party where I have no wish to be, loud music blaring all around me. I don't even know whose house this is. I catch a few stares from my teammates, but I can't blame them. I never attend the after parties, so it must come as a huge shock for them to find me here.
Kayla pops up from some random spot behind me, as I materializing from the darkness, and I cannot help but glare at her. I have a very early curfew, and thanks to her, I am going to be late.
She notices my glare and rolls her eyes.
"Your girlfriend just walked in and I'm certain that she will be looking out for you, so I have to hang around you since 'we're dating'", she says over the loud music, doing air quotes. "By the way, you did very well today on the field."
My mind travels back to the moment on the field when we kissed. All I had planned was to give her a peck and drop her, but the very second she was in my arms, I felt a spark which had only grown as I kissed her.
Of course, it was only natural. As much as I hate to admit it, she is a very good kisser. Not as good as Alicia of course, but close enough
Then I stiffened. Alicia was in front, maybe three feet ahead of me.
"Kayla...", I warned, and she nodded.
"Relax rulebook. I've got this."
She turns a bit, so that she is sitting across my lap, and she sinks her hand into my hair, then takes off my glasses and places them on the top of her head. Then she pecks me on my cheek. She isn't facing Alicia anymore, but I am and I see her turn towards us, her face distorting under the dim lights.
And then I notice that she is with Jason, Kayla's ex. Both are staring at us, and I instantly feel nervous.
"Kayla..."
"Shhh...", she says. "Stop looking at her, or else she'll know that you're not into it. Focus on me."
I close my eyes and force myself to relax. Kayla's hands twine around my neck and she pulls me close as she places light kisses on my face and neck. And I give a soft groan as she traces over my body, her hands moving over my shirt.
I place my hands on her thighs, turning her around and kissing her and tasting the beer on her breath. I run my one of my hands through her hair, pulling her closer to me.
"I think they're gone.", she whispers, and reality rushes through me as I release her.
What am I doing. This is counterfeit relationship, and I should treat it as such. I am putting too much emotion into something which isn't going to be permanent.
Pulling myself together, I grab my glasses from her, adjusting them then getting up. I know my face is flushed as I run my hands through my messy hair.
"Where are you going? It's just past nine."
I stop. I had completely lost track of the time. I have to go now.
I push past people, ignoring Kayla behind me. One guy yells at me, and I bump into someone causing them to spill their drink all over the front of my shirt. However, I don't stop until I finally push out of the building. Luckily, I drove my car here, and I find it easily and get in driving straight home.
The house is in darkness when I arrive, and I give a sigh of relief as I insert my key into the door. I cannot believe that I was so busy partying that I forgot about my curfew.
I stepped into the house, locking the door behind me, but as soon as I did, the light switched on to reveal my parents looking totally pissed.
"AARON DELANY WHERE IN HEAVENS NAME HAVE YOU BEEN", my dad yells out, still in his doctor's scrubs.
"I..."
"DO YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED WE WERE. IT'S PAST CURFEW."
My mother steppes out from behind my dad, her face tight with anger. I knew I was in for a long interrogation – she was a lawyer after all; that is her specialty.
"What were you doing out this late.", she asks, stepping towards me. She pauses then sniffs the air. "Why do I smell beer?", she asks, shock registering on her face.
Her voice falls to a hushed whisper. "Aaron, where you drinking?"
There is no way to convince her that I wasn't. I can tell from the look in her eyes. She sinks into my father, her face pale as if she is about to faint.
I know what is coming next. It's what happens anytime I do something against my parents' wishes – when I started playing football, when I didn't want to wear fake glasses...
"What is wrong with you?", my father growls at me as he holds onto my mother. "What kind of example are you setting for Timothy. We never had this much problems when raising Caleb, but with you it's always another issue. You distract yourself from your studies by playing football, you date girls and now you're staying out late and drinking. How will this help you to become a doctor in future. You're ruining yourself."
I don't want to become a doctor, I want to yell.
"I am sorry mom and dad", I say, trying to make my voice sound as contrite as possible.
I listen to them yell at me for a while longer before I am finally allowed to go to bed.
But as I drift off to sleep, my dreams aren't filled with my parents or even football. Instead, they contain possibilities for a fake relationship with an olive skinned girl with green eyes and long dark hair.