Dedicated to my first commenter, who brightened up my day.
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"Duke had always been a boy I'd been smitten with. When he was infatuated with Ivy, some of the alluring parts of him was lost to me. He became my best friend's boyfriend and at the start, we fostered a platonic relationship.
They also mention that drunk actions are sober thoughts, so when one night Duke was wasted, he came to me. It was far from a cry of romance. The kind of romance, I had dreamed about at the start.
"Adeline," He called at the door of my house. I opened it only to have Duke, not wasting a moment, throwing himself at me. He planted a kiss firmly on my lips, brief and wholly unexpected that made me taste the alcohol on his lips. "I can't stop thinking of you," He said pulling away.
He collapsed in my couch that night.
Two days later, he left a note in my locker, for reasons I hadn't thought about I never told Ivy about the kiss or note or about Duke. I'd been excited, girlishly to find out what was in the envelope, the minute I was alone, I opened it, two words. Thank you. I felt my heart race."- Adeline Stone.
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THE FOOTBALL FIELD was filled with boys aged fifteen to Eighteen, running around. I didn't sit on the bleachers, instead I moved to sit by the goalpost where Ethan stood in the blue training uniform. He kicked the football into the goalpost effortlessly. He wiped off a bead of sweat and looked at Mickail, the boy meant to be guarding the goalpost.
"What if I was a real opponent?" Ethan asked him, urging him to be better, "You've only a second to think, a second to react." He kicked the ball and Mickail missed again. The ball flew effortlessly into the net.
"I'm just trying to make you look good," He tilted his head to where I sat. I sipped the orange juice I was drinking, slightly amused by the thought of Ethan impressing me.
I raised an eyebrow, realising he wasn't even glancing in my direction I said louder over the sound of the noise from the other boys, "It'll be more impressive if you actually blocked it."
Ethan let out a soft chuckle.The boys continued practising. Unfortunately for our school, we didn't have the best football team, it wasn't one of the worst either but perhaps if the players took training seriously things might change. As I watched other boys goof off on the football field, I couldn't help feel disappointed.
Ethan scored eight more goals and the goal keeper, Mickail managed to stop two from entering before Ethan suggested a break for the younger player. Ethan came over to me and I handed him his bottle of cold water.
With an effective twist, he broke the seal, and drank the water. He closed the cap after drinking half the bottle. "Do you want to try?" He asked me tilting his head to the goalpost.
"And embarrass myself? No thanks."
"C'mon," he urged, "It'll be fun. Just like the old times."
The times I played footy with him, before Duke.
"That's what you said about football practice," I reminded him. He shook his head, sweat from his hair falling on me, "Stop that, it's disgusting."
"What is?"
I scowled, "Your sweat."
He held out his palm. I took it. he pulled me up, "You are such a girl."
"Thanks for noticing." I rolled my eyes. Heading towards the football.
"There's something on your butt, need help?" Ethan remarked cheekily.
I flushed. I brushed my hand on my backside, feeling dried grass and mud. Quickly patting it off, I glare at the brown haired, green eyed devil. "You're horrible."
"You love me."
"Unfortunately." My heart raced uncontrollably. Stop it, it's just Ethan. I stepped closer to him, "This is going to sound awfully stupid..."
"It wouldn't be the first time."
"Ethan!" I whacked his chest lightly, "Take it back."
"No." He ran his hand through my blonde hair, effectively messing it up.
I moved my head away. He laughed, still maintaining his grip on my shoulder, keeping me in place with another hand in my hair.
"Keep your hands off my hair," I said trying to move away, failing drastically, laughing the whole time. I gave up trying to move him away. He was far stronger. Instead, I settled for shoving him away from me.
Ethan didn't expect that. He stumbled, catching onto me but his hold doesn't help, because I lost my balance. We both stumbled. He fell on the grass, I fell on him.
"You're fat," He groaned.
I rolled off him to the grass, lying down, face to the sky, closing my eyes. I groaned.
"Grey?"
I stayed silent.
Ethan's voice was urgent this time, "Grey?" He was also much closer, I could smell his familiar lemon scent from being so near. I groaned again, feigning injury. "Shit Ivy, did I injure you?"
"Back," I groaned out, hoping he didn't catch my smile.
"Don't move." He warned.
Quickly, I realised he may call for help. Back injuries were serious. In order to prevent him from leaving, I said, "Don't go." I opened my eyes, his eyes met mine. He was closer than I thought. He was close enough I could see the flecks of blue in his green eyes and I could see the freckles on his skin, it made him look boyish. My heart raced again at how close we are. The concern left his eyes as he realised I was joking, he sat up.
"You're a nitwit."
This was familiar ground, something I could deal with, "You're the one who fell for it," I pulled myself up. "Are you okay?"
"Well, my back is sore. It'll help if I could get a massage," Ethan suggested.
I punched his shoulder lightly, "You'll live." I added for good measure, "There's mud on your back."
"Yours to," Ethan pointed out. "I'll get it off." Sitting on the ground he patted the ground in front of him. Thanking the heavens I hadn't worn white today, I sat in between his legs, feeling him brush off the leaves and dirt that was on my shirt. When he was done I was tempted to lean into his chest. I wondered what it felt like. Then I stopped myself. We were long past the age it was okay to do that to your friend.
Platonic.
Ethan and I had a platonic relationship. I told him when he was done, "I'll do yours." I moved behind him, brushing off the grass and sand. Then I stood up, pulling him to his feet, "You were planning on teaching me how to kick?" He smelt strongly of earth now with a twinge of lemon.
"Right," He glanced back at the goalpost, "Mickail looks like he's ready." Part of me felt mildly relieved but most of me felt disappointed, briefly I wondered how long Mickail looked like he was ready. I could feel the blood rushing to my face.
"Later, we've all the time in the world," I said quickly, surprised I was blushing. We've only just reignited our close friendship two weeks ago. It was awkward initially, when I ran to him after discovering about Adeline and Duke, but it wasn't hard to go back to what we used to be, before Duke.
He smiled, we walked towards the goalpost. I sat comfortably a safe distance from the goalpost. I watched as Ethan and Mickail practice. It didn't last long. Minutes later, Ethan moved to the other boys instructing them to aim into the goalpost. Most of them didn't get it through. Mickail somehow somewhere in his break decided he probably should practice deflecting goals in.
I glanced at the bleachers where most people watching would sit. I spotted a girl who wasn't there earlier. Brunette, I didn't doubt she was the reason everyone on the team seemed to perk up.
Adeline was watching the game.
Or perhaps, she was most likely trying to talk to me. She had tried when I found out, It was two days after the break up. I had told my mother about the break up and she had understood that perhaps it's better if I skipped a day of school, but the following day was no exception. I found myself with puffy eyes coming in to the familiar hallway.
I suppose Adeline didn't think I'd come again so soon, or it was already public knowledge that something had transpired between the couple and Duke had swiftly moved on, one day after we ended, one day I hadn't come to school, Duke had moved on to the best, Adeline.
She was leaning on her locker, the hallways not that crowded but still maintaining that degree of noise that would fit a zoo till someone noticed me there and observed me watch Duke. Duke was whispering in her ear, way too close to be friends, but the minute Adeline's eyes rested on me, shocked and still. She tapped Duke urgently. Somewhere the students milling about voices dropped to a whisper. "Ivy," Her voice was shocked, it wasn't a scream, just like she just said my name.
Traitor.
Anger flashed in me before she could close the distance. I turned, walking away from her, from them. "Ivy wait!" Her voice was louder, like she'd run after me. She didn't.
"I should say the same to you," I muttered darkly as I had briskly walked to the toilet only to run into Ethan. I confessed everything to Ethan as he took me to his car, tears covering my eyes. Then, I hated Adeline for moving so swiftly onto Duke. She could have at least waited for some time, perhaps if she had waited longer, I wouldn't have felt like sharp blades stabbing me after I'd just been cut. Adeline should have waited.
It's only later did I began to realise the subtle signs I'd missed.
Relationships had that kind of effect, when it's over, it would be the only thing on your mind, the best memories alongside the worst ones.
That was the last time Adeline attempted conversing with me. After that, it had been mostly glances at each other. No words needed to be spoken to each other. Adeline's blue eyes met mine. Like she knew I was looking. Heck, she probably did. I turned back to Mickail, pretending I hadn't noticed her. I wondered how she'd known I was here, I wondered if she had been here long, watching my exchange with Ethan or not.
Ethan came running up to me smelling like sweat, earth and lemons. He sat down next to me watching the boys practice shooting. We both sat cross legged, our knee's fairly close to touch. "They're getting better," Ethan said content, "They're working better as team, look at that pass between Chris and Noah," He pointed out brightly.
I grinned, "I could do better," I teased, "Perhaps I should train the team."
"I doubt you can kick a ball." He looked at his players, focusing on the way they passed the ball. He knew as well as anyone that I could, that I used to play.
"Try me."
He laughed. Ethan and I had been friends as long as Adeline and I. We'd been distant for a bit, but now, I couldn't imagine being without him again.
Ethan was the one person I could count on.
Back at fourteen, Ethan had been playing in the park in front of my house, he kicked the ball too hard and it hit the gate of my house. It wasn't the first time a ball made contact with the wooden gate that evening, Ethan's kick was the final straw for my father. When he came into the park, his booming voice and height was enough to scare all the teenagers but Ethan.
I was watching curious as all the boys stayed silent, afraid except for Ethan. I don't know what Ethan told my father, he and my father never mentioned it. Instead, my father joined him. I watched and eventually I joined them, playing with as well. Most of the boys had been too afraid of my father to protest, later I would watch them protest a girl couldn't play and Ethan would always say, I could even if I was horrible at it.
My shooting from then hadn't improved till now. Ethan stood up far too soon, smiling at me, "You should cheer for me." He winked, rushing back on the field, I take a gander at the bleaches where I knew Adeline would be. She wasn't there anymore. It unnerved me I hadn't seen her slender figure move through.
I watched Ethan, with my attention diverted it's not a surprise Adeline could catch me off guard, she had moved stealthily to my side, so I didn't notice her till she greeted, "Hey Ivy, congratulations on the nomination."
I jumped. "Thank you." Swiftly I gathered myself, smiling politely.
Adeline looked slightly distressed at my cold tone, She sat down on the grass, cross-legged beside me. I hoped her pink dress would get mud stains.
"Where's Duke?" I said harshly.
She looked stung then softly she said, "About that, Ivy, I need to explain myself..."
"You helped my boyfriend cheat on me," I stated harshly, in that minute I wanted to inflict as much torture I felt the past week onto Adeline. I wanted her to feel my pain, to feel something she loved taken away from her. Like Prom Queen, the minute I thought of that, it didn't escape my mind. I could do it.
Her silence, reinforced my realisation that this had happened before. Duke had cheated on me. With my best friend.
Cold with rage and disbelief, my best friend, Adeline of all people, I stood up, eager to leave her alone on the grass, "I can't believe you," I hissed.
"It isn't like that," Adeline pleaded, "I swear, just hear me out. It was an accident."
She flinched when I meet her gaze, "Oh really?"
"Duke came over to my house, drunk and he was making a commotion," The words spilled out of her mouth, "I didn't want my parents to be upset, he kept calling my name and when I opened the door he kissed me and knocked off. It was a drunken mistake," She added, as though it may help how I felt, "I thought Duke would tell you."
It felt like a punch to my gut. "When?"
"A few months ago."
"You never thought to mention me?" My fists were curled, tears threatening to overflow.
Adeline looked like she'd regretted her confession. I didn't know what Adeline expected. Me to forgive her? Didn't she get it? She was a person I trusted. She was my best friend. "I..."
"Do you like him?" I demanded.
She looked away, the answer clearly written on her face. Part of me wanted to inflict pain on her, punch her hard and make her bleed. Maybe Duke wouldn't like her then. But instead, feeling tears begin to form, I ran off.
I ran away from the field to the school, then the parking lot, I see Duke and Gabby there, most likely waiting for Adeline. Gabby left Duke chasing after me in her purple dress, "Ivy!" She called.
She wouldn't catch up with me, I was in shorts, I ran for so long, losing track of my surroundings. I lost my breath, I vaguely recognise the houses, my house wasn't walking distance from school and my ride home was Ethan. I laughed humourless. My phone was ringing, it's probably Adeline or Gabby. I walked on anyway, wiping tears from my eyes.
He had cheated.
It's one thing to have it as a thought, a mere guess and another to have it reaffirmed.
A few months ago.
With Adeline. She was sober if she was in her parents' house. She took advantage and somehow wielded him in the same spell that set the school to love her. Tired, my legs aching from the dash out of school. I sat down on the pavement, ignoring how dirty the ground was. I was already coated in sweat and dirt, how could sitting on the pavement make me any less dirtier?
Adeline stole one person whom I loved and for the same reason I find myself longing to take away something she wanted, craved for since we were friends.
Prom Queen.
I would set the school under the same spell she castvon them. I would be victorious stealing her crown.
Duke.
He was as popular as Adeline. Heck everyone would be voting for him to be Prom King. Maybe I wouldn't only take away her crown, I could also take back what was mine.