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Haley
In fact, it's the first impression that really matters. In this moment, a lot of things can happen. This moment decides if you like someone or not. If there's a little connection. If you trust this person.
"Haley!" David yelled through the house as I walked down the stairs. "You can have the car, Jocy is waiting outside!"
Still sleepy I rubbed my eyes. "Wait, why?" I asked watching him as he hurried, running through the house like a maniac. He ran from one room to the other, collecting the strangest stuff, things I don't even wanted to know why he needed them.
"What's going on?" I drawled. I stopped at the middle of the stairs and watched him with raising eyebrows. As if his behavior wasn't strange enough, he was wearing his swimming shorts, a tank top and sunglasses. And it was freezing outside. Has he lost his mind?
"I'm not allowed to play football the next week so we decided to go swimming instead" he explained. My irritation only grew. Going for a swim, now?
"You do know you can't wear that at school, right?" I reminded him pointing at his trousers. What the hell was wrong with him?
He looked down at them and then up with a big smile on his face while putting on his Vans. He was jumping on one foot until he finally managed to put on his second shoe.
"Who said we're going to school today?" he winked and grabbed his bag. What the actual hell.
I sucked in air, my mouth open. I was ready to say something, but the door fell shut, leaving me alone, confused and too sleepy to comprehend what just happened. Good morning to you, too.
To my own surprise I hurried to be on time today and arrived there half an hour before the bell would ring. The parking lots were nearly empty and I parked my car near the school's entrance. Collecting all my belonging and checking twice that I had all I needed in my bag, I got out and locked the car. I made my way to the building when I noticed another figure approaching me.
"Hey there" Hunter suddenly walked beside me, an easy smile one his lips. The pants he wore were black and tight. Not as tight as the boy's trousers yesterday, but definitely too tight for David's liking. He would never wear something like that when they actually looked sexy. Hunter's bag was slung nonchalantly over one shoulder and a blue button-up shirt covered his torso.
"Hi" I greeted him back with a smile.
"How was personal private lesson?" he asked grinning cheekily. I nudged him with my shoulder but his grin just widened.
"It was boring" I said. "Detention is definitely nothing I want to make a habit out of"
Opening the door and holding it open for me he made a serious face. "Hmm... Do you think I should feel embarrassed that you get detention a lot more often than I do? I mean that doesn't really support my bad boy image" he teased me. He couldn't hold the serious expression for long before the grin crept back into his face.
Shaking my head a laugh escaped me. "Dork. You don't have a bad boy image" I replied when he looked offended.
"'Course I do" he protested immediately.
I shot him a glance but he just chuckled. "Anyway, where is your brother?" he changed the topic.
"He didn't tell you? Well, I'm not quite sure if I got that right from how strange he behave this morning" I rolled my eyes at the thought. "Somehow, David thinks that being not allowed to join the football training gives him the permission to skip the whole school day"
I grimaced at the thought that David and Jocy were now enjoying the day somewhere swimming and having fun while I had to go to school. Although I still didn't get where the well they went swimming during such weather. It was simply too cold.
Hunter just nodded "Yeah, maybe he needs that to cool off a little. A cold shower won't harm him"
Huffing I enlightened my brother by choice into yesterday night's events. "A little? David almost threw me out of his room yesterday just because I mentioned this new player. I really don't know why it's such a big deal that he plays on David's position" I mumbled.
"Well, it's not like I can't understand him. First you must know, the thing is that usually new students or especially freshmen are not allowed to get a fixed position. Sure the guy's good, but that's kind of a... tradition" Hunter starts to explain.
"But that Doncaster guy isn't a freshman, is he?" I came to the conclusion yesterday. Everything my friends told me made not much sense. It felt as if everyone was talking about a different person. But if I was right, and the boy I was yesterday was the team's newest member, then he definitely was no freshmen. Not a chance.
"No. He's not but there are a lot players who are waiting for years to get a fix position on the team. And suddenly this dude appears and the Coach is all fire and flames. He didn't even consider giving anyone other David's position. He just breaks the tradition and all the other have to keep waiting to get another chance? That's not fair. And for David it's even harder because it was his position"
I never thought there were any traditions or rules about who is allowed to have a fixed position. I always thought the whole thing was about skills, which would make much more sense.
"You should get to class, I don't want to be the reason you're late again" Hunter interrupted my thoughts and waved before he headed to his own class. Closing my locker I sighed. All of this made my head hurt.
It wasn't long until Madi joined me. "So, you and Hunter" she purred in my ear from behind.
I rolled my eyes as I faced her "We're just friends and you know that" She did know but still liked to tease me for whatever reason.
"I know what?" she walked a little faster to keep up with me.
"He's like a brother to me, Mads"
"A sexy brother" she grinned mischievously and I couldn't help but laugh.
"A very sexy brother. Are you happy now?" I turned to her and chuckled when I saw her big smile. Seriously, you won't find a second Madison Thompson anywhere in this world.
"Very happy. But I can promise you when you've seen that Doncaster - hottie you'll get to know a completely new universe of sexiness."
He wasn't here today.
That was the first thing I noticed as I studied the classroom. Every chair was occupied by a disinterested student, either eating, playing on their phone, chattering or sleeping on the desk. Every single chair was taking except mine and the one next to the window, in the last row.
I stood in the doorway a little too long, holding my bag and bit my lip.
I probably looked lost standing there, eying an empty chair. But I couldn't deny that I was a little disappointed that he wasn't here. I had to admit that I had been looking forward to seeing him again. Well, damn.
When I realized that there was no purpose in standing there any longer, I sighed and made my way to my chair. In defeat I sat down, secretly hoping that he'd appear eventually.
The whole hour I kept waiting for him, but there was no use. The door stayed close.
There was no knocking, no sign of this messy brown hair. No smirk to fasten my heartbeat and no smile to cloud my head. Just the ghost of his presence that had occupied my thoughts.
With the end of my pencil between my teeth, I stared out of the window. It was one of those rare sunny days again and the sunlight shining thought the window, touching my skin, was warm and pleasant.
I remembered when the light danced in his brown hair, slitting it into a thousand shades, from honey to reddish. I saw the reflection of the world in his sunglasses as clearly as if he was standing right before me. The color of his eyes, so intense that not any shade of the sea could get close to it. His face.
I frowned when I realized what I was thinking about. Taking the pencil out of my mouth and wiping it, I placed the thing back on the desk.
It surprised me that I couldn't get this boy out of my head. Not because he was attractive or because he didn't show up today, no. It made him interesting, but there was more about him. Something that differed him from all the other boys around here. His whole charisma was attracting me. It was singing to me, pulling me in. I couldn't keep my thought straight, focusing on anything else had become impossible.
I just had to know who this boy was.
One thing that differed him from others was that he was first one actually getting my full attention.
Sure, there were attractive boys here, some nice, some only looking for a hook-up. But there wasn't anything... mysterious about them.
If you are in a school as little a mine was, you sooner or later get to know everyone. And if you know them, interest drops. And where is the fun in getting to people, you already know so much about?
So basically, I have never been in love.
Gushing about boys, hooking-up, dating - that was more Madi's thing.
Never have I thought about it if it was attractive to wear his hair like you've fallen out of bed. I haven't cared if anyone looked good or bad in our school uniform or not.
And honestly, not even Hunter, who practically could wear anything, looked as attractive in our navy blue clothes as this boy did.
His absence nearly distracted me as much as if he was here.
**
My mind was having the craziest of thoughts when he was nowhere in sight the next day either. I started to think that I just imagines the pretty brunette.
Nothing was important or interesting enough to catch my attention when all I could think of was him.
I was completely lost in thoughts. Even Madi was annoyed with me when I wasn't listening to her while she again was telling me about the new hot footballer who happened to join her in one of her classes.
To be honest I really couldn't care less at that moment. I didn't even realize that I ignored her rudely because my thoughts always wandered back to the boy I haven't seen in two days.
After some time Madi gave up talking to me. She frowned at me, then rolled her eyes as I continued starring wholes into the dirty white wall of our cafeteria. With a sight she turned to Hunter who looked at me concerned.
I heard them making conversation but didn't focus enough to understand what they were actually saying.
That was until the girl shout at me and I jumped like I received an electric shock. "Haley!" Madi practically yelled at me.
I winced and my head spun around "Huh?"
She pressed her lips together until they were a thin pale line. "I called your name for the past five minute. Jesus, Haley, where are you with your mind? You didn't hear a word we said, did you?" she asked her voice getting a little softer at the end. She made a ts-sound when I shook my head slowly.
"Never mind"
I bit my lip feeling sorry and guilty for not listening to her. Even though she never really insulted anybody or told them when she felt offended, you just couldn't help but getting a bad conscience.
Madi was one of those people who could be the reason for a house on fire and you still couldn't be mad them. No matter how much she pisses you off with her always happy and overexcited self, it was absolute impossible to stay mad at that girl.
I sent her an apological smile and she waved it off as if it was nothing. On the other hand, Hunter never lost his concerned expression, watching me as if he knew exactly what was going on within me. And I didn't know if I should be worried about that or not.
Deciding not to bother me with this I ignored the uneasy feeling. Doing so I couldn't look in his eyes without having the feeling of doing something wrong. Which was just absolutely ridiculous.
"Ladies, we should go" Hunter's announcement interrupted my thoughts.
"Yeah, I'm already ready" Madi nodded and stood up. She took the tray and waited for me to do the same. Without hesitation I smoothed my skirt and moved up from the hard bench. The tray in my hands I was about to bring it back when Hunter stopped me.
"You haven't even touched your food" he eyed me. "How do you want to endure two hours of sport strait with an empty stomach?"
"M'not hungry" I muttered and reached for my bag.
Truth is, I couldn't eat one bite of my food but I wasn't hungry at all. I was too busy wondering about the mysterious boy to do so.
"Are you sure you don't want to eat anything? Not even the apple?" he tried to convince me.
Hunter was a little over-cautious when it comes to his friends, especially girls. Especially me. Maybe it was because he doesn't have any siblings but always wished for a little sister.
Problem, I was neither David's little sister, because I was three minutes older than him nor Hunters. Not only because we weren't related but because he was good two months younger than David and I.
Sadly, that did not stop any of them from behaving like one. To brothers who want to protect the little sister of all the bad and were there when she needed them. Trying to make sure her boyfriends never hurt her.
Well, lucky me. Having two big brothers who actually were not even a day older than me.
I grabbed the apple from the tray before putting it where it belonged. I bit into it and Hunter just shook his head, a happier expression on his face this time.
"We really have to go now" Madi urged and shoved us out of the nearly empty cafeteria.
Making our way to the dressing rooms, in the cellar of our school building, Hunter kept asking me on my well-being.
I appreciated that he noticed and cared but I wasn't in the mood the answer questions. Nevertheless I sucked it up and assured him that everything was just fine.
It was.
When we finally reached the dressing rooms Madi and I parted ways with Hunter. I'd lie if I said I wasn't relieved that he was gone. Immediately I shook my head at that thought and suppressed a bitter laugh. As if I had to keep secrets from Hunter. He was one of the most trustworthy people I knew. Plus, if he felt something was wrong he talked to the person and did not wait for something bad to happen. He'd never disclosed a secret of somebody, and if you wanted him to he wouldn't even tell his closest friends about it.
Sad thing, I couldn't shake Madi off that easily.
"You really have to stop acting so weird. Seriously, I've never seen you like this. What's wrong?" Maddi starts asking me the moment we were alone.
"I'm fine Mads" I finally replied looking her in the eyes. I couldn't hold it against her, I really did behave strange in comparison to my usual self. Even I had to admit that. "There's just a lot of stuff on my mind"
She frowned skeptically but nodded. "You mean David?" a sympathetic look on her face. It wasn't really a question and I gave her a nod.
"Yes, that too. But really, you don't have to worry about me. I'm okay." I assured her. There was nothing wrong with me physically, it was just that this boy didn't want to leave my thoughts.
"If you say so" she mumbled and didn't question me any further.
We were one of the last ones in the fitting room but that didn't motivate us to speed up.
"I do. And you know what? I can't wait watching the football training with you tomorrow so you can show me that hot boy of yours" I smirked at her. After all that talking I really started to think that her Alex-crush was over.
"He's not my hot boy!" she defended herself immediately. "In fact, you can have him all to yourself. It's time you find yourself a man. That nun-trip of yours is making me look like the bad girl" she rattled on.
"I'm not on a nun-trip!" I laughed throwing my shirt at her. "And now get ready. We have a volleyball match to win!"
I was already dressed while Madi hadn't even put on her trousers. She groaned as I mentioned it. I knew she actually liked PE and just did that to tease me. She knew how much I loved volleyball.
"Whatever, I'm ready to get dirty" she joked and followed me out of the little sticky room. She never failed to bright up my mood when she was trying to make me feel better.
*
*
It was also an incredible hot day for London. No rain, not even a single cloud to see. Just sunshine. I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I wouldn't be playing volleyball in that heat right now. Maybe I should have convinced my parents too to allow me to join David's and Jocy's trip.
First they just wanted to stay there for one day. Now, they were going to spent three whole days there. I had absolutely no idea what David did for my parents to allow him that.
"I get it, I get it, I get it!" Mads screamed, jumped in front of me, failed the ball and landed in the sand - face down. I took a step back and caught the ball before it hit her on the back.
Well, it wasn't exactly a joke when she said she was ready to get dirty. This was the second time she did that. Maddi wasn't the best volleyball player - actually, she was awful - but she was without a doubt the one with the most commitment.
I've tried uncountable times to teach her how to play but it never worked. She just didn't have the patience to learn it. But although she sucked at volleyball she didn't let it bring her down.
The girls of our team shot me an annoyed glance and one of them rolled their eyes as I looked back angrily. Usually, everyone was okay with Madi playing not that good but still there were some girls who thought having Mads in their team took them their opportunity to win. That's ridiculous.
I was glad none of them said a word as Mads got up. "I'm sooo sorry girls! I promise, next time I'll get the ball over the net!" she swore and walked back to her position. She looked like a cute panda when she felt guilty.
Unlike Madi I was a lot better in that game than her. I used to be part of the school's volleyball team but when all my friends there left because they finished school or just had lost their interest and I was stuck with all the younger little kids I had decided to leave too. Other than that, I just didn't feel like hanging out with the stupid girls from our sports group more than necessary.
My coach tried to convince me to stay because she thought I was such a precious player and she just couldn't lose me. Saying something like she couldn't understand why I would stop playing the game I loved just because of such a ridiculous reason only confirmed my decision.
Nevertheless, I didn't regret my choice because we played a lot of volleyball in gym class so I never got to miss being in the team.
I threw the ball over the net to one of the girls. She caught it easily and waited till everyone was ready before she made the service. The ball flew back over the net and I was pleased when Mads stayed on her position this time and didn't jump in my way. I let the girls behind me get the ball and waited until the ball flew directly towards me. I jumped lightly and smashed the ball back over the net.
It touched the ground.
"Wohoo" Mads started to cheer and clapped her hands.
We changed our positions and the game went on. For once we managed to play longer than a minute, everyone playing the bell back nicely. But when it got boring, I noticed how everyone put more and more pressure in it when bringing the ball over the net.
Sure, it was nice if you could play as long as possible but only if there still was some action. If not, we could as good be standing in a circle, passing the ball to each and every one.
In time the game heated up. My eyes were fully focused on the ball. While it came my way I straightened my shoulders and formed a V with my hands above my head. Just when I was about to touch the ball something hit my bum.
Hard.
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Faith xx