Today is either going to be embarrassing, or extraordinary.
It's the final basketball competition between our school's team, the Tigers and another school, the Gladiators . Me and Stella have taken the highest seats up the gymnasium. It's one of those rare, twice in a year, day when I wish Aiden good luck on something considering him the captain of our school's team. I check my watch, 10:20 a.m., the game's supposed to start at 11:00. Almost everyone is here. The whole gymnasium is divided into colors of Red and Green. Me and Stella are wearing a red Tigers jersey in respect to our school's team, and the gladiator's people who came from another institution are all in green. The air's already filled with the aura of competition.
Me and Aiden didn't have a single conversation after our talk in the murder-garage-whatever-place. But of course our glaring at each other in class continued, alas. "This gives off Gryffindor vs Slytherin vibes doesn't it? Stella squeaks from my side. Gosh this girl won't ever stop talking about books. I glance at my watch again, 10:30 a.m. The ceremony should at least start right now. And just as I have that thought, it does.
Cheerleaders on red and green fill the stage starting the ceremony. We watch their mediocre choreography for a while and then the teachers, madams, our headmaster one by one all finish their speeches. The narrator invites both the teams to the stage and introduces everyone. Everyone claps extra hard when it comes to Aiden and I'll give him that for today, only. And damn he looks really goo- RAELYNN stop. You're being ridiculous. And just like that, the game starts at exactly eleven.
---
The last five minutes are left. The teams are tied at 6-6. The tension- god I can't. Even my whole body is tense. In all the games last year and this year, the tigers have always won, and as much as I hate to admit it, it was all because of Aiden. Last one minute. Shit. And just when me and nearly all the people in the gym are about to lose our hope, Aiden takes the ball from the opposite team. Dribbles and runs with it so fast towards the basket that I start to question my eye power, and.. ..and HE SCORES. And the times ends. YESS OH MY GOD. The whole room of red explodes in screaming and cheering. I could seriously run up and hug Aiden right now.
When majority of the people exit the gym, me and Stella make our way to Aiden who's still there talking to one of him teammates. Well come on, it's basic manners to atleast say 'congrats'. When we're nearly close, Aiden and my eyes meet, and for once, seriously, there's no hatred in them. I can just imagine loosing myself in those ey- OH GOSH RAELYNN GET A GRIP. I shove all those fatalistic thoughts to another corner of my brain. I pull out my smile and congrats him and he says "Thank you, I appreciate it." He knows the word "thank you"? Astounding.
Just as me and Stella are about to leave, a heavy ball hits my head. I drop to the ground clutching my head. Ow that hurts... too much. I feel an arm wrap around me and I black out.
I try to open my eyes. Slowly. Where am I? "You're awake", a voice say, atleast Stella's with m- wait a sec, that's not Stella's voice. But oddly familiar. I try to turn my head to see the person and, for fuck's sake what the hell is Aiden doing here? Seriously why am I lying dow- Oh. OH. Fucking hell. A ball or something struck my head, I remember everything atleast. But still, why is Aiden here?
"Chill, Stella just went to get some meds, and I'm not going to assassinate you", he says in a calm voice. Good, he's not being a jerk. "I- uh, I'm sorry, one of my teammates accidentally hit you, I told him to apologize to you but he had to go off early to attend, well, a funeral. So, on behalf of him, I apologize", he finishes off. "Hah a funeral", I try to joke despite all the severe headache but seeing Aiden's gaze, he doesn't really take it as a joke so I just best shut up. When is Stella going to come back? It's too awkward with him. "Are you alright?" he asks me. ME. He asks me IF IM ALRIGHT. Okay maybe he got possessed or something. "uh- yeah i guess so." I try to blur out. I could tell him to go right now but I don't want to be alone, not till Stella comes back. Just then, I see Stella running towards me, her phone in her ear like she's talking to someone. But why does she seem like she's about to almost cry?
"Rae I'm so sorry, I really need to go home, my dad- I don't know something happened to him. I really don't wanna leave you but I-" I interrupt her " STELLA just go, seriously, it's totally fine. I hope everything's okay". "Will you get home-" she starts but I stop her and demand her "Yes, yes, you need to go!" She leaves the meds on the side table and and vanishes behind the door. I know her dad has some disease and gets these attacks rarely. Everyone knows its curable and he's already on the way to healing but, Stella has always been fearful about him no matter what anyone tells. Oh I feel terrible. I wish I could be there with her. "Can't I go now?" I ask Aiden who has been watching the whole thing. "Unfortunately no, the doctor said not to let you leave till 2:30". God, I blacked out for like an hour. "How are you going to get home?" he asks like he's actually interested in knowing, but who am I to tell that. "I'll just call an Uber or something, my parents are out of the city", I answer. "I can drive you home", he adds like he didn't just loathe me a few days ago. What's going on with him. Seriously. "Uh no its fi-" I'm interrupted by him saying "No I insist, take it as a- well- a sorry gift for almost smashing your brain organs on behalf of me." He smiles. A genuine freaking smile. At me. God I'm too tempted to take his request now.
20 minutes later, we're taking off in his car towards my house. The headache reduced a lot after taking the meds and I'm feeling better gradually. I text Stella on how's everything and stare out the window. I'm normally a silent person anyway, but this silence with Aiden is prickling my skin. "So, how's your preparation for the mock test?" I ask not being able the bear the silence anymore. "Ah well fine, would've been better if I gave more time to it." I can't help but be curious. "Why can't you give time then?" I ask and regret it to death, what if its's his personal business? "I volunteer at a children's hospital." W.h.a.t. Seeing my surprised expression, he chuckles. "I know. It's not easy coming out to the fact that the guy who you thought was a jerk the whole time actually does something decent." Okay now I feel guilty as fuck. "Well, you did some messed up shit as well." I fight back. "Fair enough", he acknowledges. ACKNOWLEDGES. He is capable of accepting his flaws? Never knew.
- " The hospital is quite busy nowadays. So, I spend most of my time there." he starts.
- "May I ask what's-
-" They have cancer." he blurts out like he already knew my question. And he did.
God I'm lost for words on how bad I feel about those children. And he works with them? That's.. really nice and sad as well. "Stop trying to feel sad for me Skylar." he sighs. My phone rings with a notification. Stella. But oh, it's Jessica. I tap on her message and I jolt right back to my seat at the remainder.
Jessica: Hey, how's the concert going?
Fuck. The concert. Me and Stella had the plan to go attend it after the game, but God had other plans I see. I practically begged Stella to come with me because she had no idea who they were and I - I possibly can't miss this. I basically grew up with this band and- they have such a huge part in my life. It's like a "once in a lifetime" opportunity. God knows when and 'if' I'll ever get to meet them. I glance at my watch. I can still go. 10 minutes left till it begins. There's no time to think. I take up all the courage in my body and with the sweetest voice I could find, I tell him about the concert.
"Are you asking me out on a date?" he says with a smirk. Out of everything I expected him to say honestly, this has never crossed my mind till now. "In your dreams. Now. Aiden. I.Need.To.Go. Seriously."
"What did you say? The band? Sex after ciga-"
"Cigarettes after sex" I correct him with all the nice voice left in me.
It takes him decades to say the next thing, atleast that's what it feels like to me, and when he finally does, I'm so thrilled and astonished as well at how I just made Aiden Anderson, my sole rival, agree to attend a concert with me.
We reach the venue just in time. I practically run up and take in two seats. It finally STARTS. I get all my childhood nostalgia back. And get the nostalgia of.. hard times too.
I take a peak at Aiden with my corner eyes every now and then, and he seems to be enjoying it. I don't how, or when, but I start crying at one point which I don't even realize till Aiden points it out "Why are you crying?"
"Shut up, they were a big part of my life." I say removing the tears. But they keep on coming and coming. And then out of nowhere, Aiden takes my face in his hands cupping them and says sarcastically " Seriously, Skylar stop crying. You look way worse than you look normally, and that's saying a lot." I glare at him, laugh and hit him on the shoulder. He even wipes off my tears looking at me with not hatred or rage, but affection? Ugh no I'm probably just being delusional.
What is happening today.
"You know, I'm not that much of an awful person." he starts. "Yes you are" I reply.
"No I'm not".
"Yes."
"No."
"yes."
"No." I have to give up, he's just as stubborn as Stella. When did this night turn from crying to laughing for me?
The band announces their last song and I gasp so loud that some people turn to look at me. It's my absolute favorite song, K. Aiden understands and then he puts his arms over my shoulder and we sway to the rhythm the whole song. And I cry, as I listen to these lyrics that I know by heart even after all these years.
"I remember when I first noticed that you liked me back, We were sitting down in a restaurant waiting for the check, We had made love earlier that day with no strings attached,But I could tell that something had changed how you looked at me then"
"You know, I still find you annoying", he says in a quiet tone and I laugh whispering to him, "Then our feelings our mutual." He fixed something in me tonight. He may not know, but I do.
This will be one hell of a night to talk about.