- Felix's POV -
At break, I went to my locker with a yawn. Last night, I was awake for a long time reading the book I order a week or two ago. It arrived in the mail, I was excited to read it. I started to read a bit more in LGBTQ+, with my newest addition being 'Boy Erased'.
So not only my lack of sleep added to my annoyance but as did Hector, and the icy cold rain that started during second period.
When I opened my locker, I found a note on top of my English book. Normal people would assume it's a love note, I assumed it was Lucas trying to contact me again. He's been unusually quiet. I hastily pocketed the note and bolted into the unused music room.
However, when I unfolded the note instead of a bomb falling out, a ticket to tonight's game. I picked it up before looking at the note.
'To Felix,
'Roses are red, violets are blue
I'm bad at romance
that's why this poem sucks'
What I'm trying to say is will you go out with me? We've been hiding and dodging each other but I really do like you, even if that's admitting I'm gay. If you don't come, I know what you're answer is. I just hope we stay friends.
If you do come to the game, I know you've said yes. We shall have the finest after game date at the diner, my treat.
From Kaiden'
I realised once I put down the note that I was smiling and my cheeks were flushed. Stupid Kaiden with his stupid shitty poems.
~
I found myself in the crowd at school that evening. Everyone was wearing our colours, there were a few who were wearing the other schools colours but the mass amount of orange and black contrasted it. Outside the gym, there were food stalls and a student behind a plastic table that sold merchandise for our school. We go all out on game days, at finals the school hosts a big fair coincidentally on the day so the coach of the team decided to make merchandisers sell to parents to wear. I saw a familiar face over by the table. Lucy was looking over at some orange and black Pom poms.
"Hey Lucy" I called, stepping up beside her. She grinned at me with her 6 year old smile, she would be seven by the end of next month Kaiden had said.
"Felix! Look" she showed me the pin poms, shaking them in my face
"Mummy said I could get them!"
"That's nice, where is she?"
"Mummy's on the toilet and daddy's getting tickets" she said, just as she said that, Mrs Smith came up behind me and put on tiger ears on my head. At first I didn't realise it was her and it scared the shut out of me (what was she, a ninja?). I was about to throw up a defensive move until she popped her face around in front of me with a smile.
"Looking good Felix!" She giggled,
"You need more school spirit"
It's true, I didn't look like I wanted to be here. With drab jeans and a eggshell blue long sleeved shirt, I didn't look like I was going for the Westfield High Tigers. Mrs Smith paid for the Pom poms and the cat ears before we entered the gym. Handing our tickets to Melissa who stood in front of the door. She didn't talk to me, she looked to be in school council mode, but she did glance up and hold in a giggle.
Mr Smith was already seated with a bag of popcorn, he gave me a wave. He looked more relaxed then when I last saw him, he must enjoy what little family time he has. I sat closer to the back, settling in for a loud night.
Soon, the cheerleaders were out lead by the team captain Skye Murphy. After yelling at for practically dry humping Kaiden against his will, we hadn't spoken much. She had stopped hanging out with Braydon and last I heard, had a college boyfriend.
Boyfriend, I had to realise that Kaiden was now considered my boyfriend.
After the cheerleaders did their little somersaults and backflips, they cheered their way off the court. I had respect for cheerleaders, they did what many people can't and put their faith in their friends to catch them on the way down.
The principal stood out and introduced the teams, Kaiden ran out followed by his teammates. The crowd went crazy.
I saw him. He looked around with a saddened face. However, once he caught sight of me, his face lit up again with a broad smile. He pressed two fingers to his lips then pointed at me. The crowd went wild on my side again, wondering who he sent that kiss to. He was the schools star basketball player with a record of chuck and fucks. I however knew who that was meant for and felt the back of my neck heat up.
Boyfriend, huh? It'll be something I'd have to get used to.
~
By half time, a massive storm had started. The rumbles shook the stands but the game went on.
The coach from the other team, who was outside with the other smokers, run in. He jogged across the court, his clothes dripping onto the floor. His wet footprints left behind as the referee blew his whistle.
Kaiden and the other team leader stood in the middle, waiting for the ball to be thrown so they can knock it to their team.
The crowd went quiet, they jumped. Kaiden got the ball but as the other captain landed, Kaiden kept going. He'd slipped, most likely from the wet shoe prints on the court that no one had cleaned up.
It was like everything happened within a second. A bright flash of lighting shot across the sky. Kaiden lost his footing. He went down and a cry of pain could be heard. He never came back up, laying on the gym floor cradling his knee. The referee blew the whistle, all the player stopped and the crowds attention was on Kaiden. Then, a loud rumble of thunder shook the gyms walls.
Mr Smith ran onto the court as the crowd murmured, craning their necks to see what was happening past the player. Mr Smith then yelled over the concerned crowd
"SOMEONE CALL THE AMBULANCE" and that's how I found myself going to hospital with Mrs Smith Lucy and Braydon who sat sulking in the front seat. Mr Smith had ridden on the ambulance with Kaiden and the paramedics. From what I was told, his left knee was hurt pretty badly.
Braydon looked at me through the mirror with a scowl, I sat in the back comforting Lucy.
The hospital was generic, you can't really get much variety with them. We asked a doctor who told us where Kaiden was and we all piled into his room. Kaiden was laying in bed, his leg up on a sling and a doctor standing beside him talking to his dad.
".... We can't know for certain until the x-rays come back but from the outside very, there's a high chance for surgery"
Kaiden dad nodded his head with a stern expression. Kaiden's face looked to be in pain but he put on a smile once he saw us.
"Hey Lucy" he said, his mum sat next to him. Braydon and I had a silent war as to who would take the last seat. He won by quickly sitting down, I sat on the floor leaning against the window. It didn't feel right to sit on his bed.
"You okay Kaiden?" She asked, sitting next to him, her feet dangling from the bed.
"Just a bit sore, I have to sleep over tonight" he said. I could tell he was on the verge of tears, Lucy probably sensed something too since she threw her arms around his neck in a hug. After a while, his family left to get Lucy into bed leaving me and Braydon in the room. I said I'd catch a bus back.
"..... you have to heal fast" Braydon said, he never once looked at me
"So you can come back Captain"
"I'll try" Kaiden smiled sadly before glancing at me. Braydon shot me a glare before sighing,
"I'll leave you guys alone" he stood up.
"Wait....wha-?" Kaiden mumbled,
"I saw your shitty poem" Braydon smirked. Kaiden threw a pillow at him, Braydon looked at me.
"Hurt him and I will-" he stopped in the middle of his threat, becoming quieter then a mouse and shuffled off. I shrugged, Kaiden showed me a genuine smile and patted the Bec beside him. I hesitated but sat down on the painfully white bedsheets. He wrapped his hand around my neck and pulled me down beside him. From the outside it looked like we were cuddling when in fact we both held the other to stop us from falling off the small bed.
"You know, I didn't think you'd come" he said.
"Then why write me such a sweet poem?" I replied, he chuckled. His warm breath fanning over my face. He smelt of sweat from wearing his smelly basketball uniform.
"I once was dared to ask for a college girl's number in freshman year. She turned her phone off in front of me and said her battery died"
I laughed at Kaiden failed attempt at flirting.
"Hey" he whispered,
"Care to give a sick boy a kiss? Maybe I might heal faster?" He closes his eyes.
It scared me how much I was changing but I still leant in and gave him a kiss. I pulled back after a second. Kaiden however snaked his hand around my head and pushed into another kiss, a deeper one. I felt a shiver go down my spine as his tongue entered my mouth and the storm raged on outside as we pulled apart again, breathing heavily. Just at that moment, a nurse walked in. He looked startled at first,
"Oh! Sorry" he said,
"But visitation hours are almost over"
"I should, uh, go" I said,
"Yeah, Bye" Kaiden replied as I slid out of bed. I shuffled past the nurse and into the hall when my phone buzzed. Lucas had messaged me surprisingly.
'Got another job. Will give you $20,000 if you get rid of him for good'
$20,000. I could escape with that sort of money, go to Seattle and live my dreams. My mind sent to Kaiden, went to the math club, it even went to Braydon and Skye. When I made these plans, I had no one but the people who knew I'd leave. Know my life had become more colourful. I bit my lip, pondering for a moment before messaging
'Fine'
I had to get away from this town, no matter what.
Fucking Lucas.
Also, updates will be temporarily paused because I'm going on a cruise (7th to the 14th of December. From Brisbane -> Cairns). This will be my first cruise and it's sort of a 'congratulations for graduating school'.
I have my whole life ahead of me, I'm fucking terrified to be honest yet excited.
I will be writing on the cruise but not updating until I have internet.