Despite the previous night's thought-provoking events, my head still feels like it is being slammed into a brick wall repeatedly. I groan loudly and slide under my blanket, unable to even think of getting up for school.
"Wake up, sunshine. You don't wanna be late."
"Get...out...if you know what's...best for you." I mutter, the words barely hanging off my mouth. I wonder if he's even heard them or not. Either way, I do not care. All I care for is the one chance to spend the day holed up in my room, under my blanket for sure.
"Are you still drunk? How much did you drink?" A finger pokes me in the shoulder and I once again emit a whale-like groan from the annoyance creeping up on me. The blanket is suddenly ripped off of me and I pop open one eye to see Jason grinning.
"Had a good night?" He forwards me a glass which contains what looks like lemon water. Jason pulls me up and shoves the glass in my hands, not caring if it spills on my shirt.
Draven's shirt, technically.
I slowly sip on the bitter liquid and it slips down my parched throat. After drinking half of it, I somehow feel better but the headache still doesn't disappear.
"We have practice early morning. Get ready fast."
"I have to play soccer? In this situation?"
Getting out of bed seemed like an already difficult choice to make, but now even having to run around playing soccer? This day could not get more ridiculous.
"Did I tell you to go off and party? No. So get off that lazy ass because we leave in 20." After the order I just received, I drag myself towards the bathroom to get ready.
Fifteen minutes later, I finish chomping down on my toast and walk breezily towards the car. Wine was always something I could handle no matter how much I drank of it. I reckon my temporary hangover arose from the crazy amount of wine plus champagne that I had yesterday night, but luckily the effects did not last long.
"Why does Coach want to hold practice in the morning?" I ask and Jason shrugs as he puts the car into drive and honks twice for Aaron to come.
"Well, I'm guessing it has to do with the upcoming match. Remember?"
With all that has been happening ever since the last match we played against Silver Crown high, I have not even had a single memory of the upcoming matches for the season.
"When is it?"
"I'm not sure but the sports committee keeps changing the final dates. It was supposed to be three weeks from now but for some unknown reasons, it could take more than a month to decide."
"So if we still have time, why does he still want to make us practice?"
"For the last time, woman. I don't know." He rolls his eyes and I'm about to mutter something until the car door opens and Aaron gets in.
"Did you have your breakfast in peace, your highness?" Jason muses while gritting his teeth, glaring at Aaron through the rear mirror.
"Just drive." Aaron murmurs and fidgets around with his bag contents, not even bothering to look at us. Jason shakes his head as I look towards him for an answer but he just continues driving.
"What's up with you, gloomy face?" I turn to Aaron before focusing on the radio to hit up some music.
"Nothing."
"Man period. Let's not talk about it." Jason shoots and smirks at Aaron's reddening face and clenched fists. As much as I would have loved seeing the two of them bicker, Aaron bites his tongue and chooses to glare at the window.
Half an hour later, I'm all geared up for practice and I aimlessly stroll around the field, spotting a few boys here and there chatting.
"Hey, hey, Summer!" I turn around at my name rolling off in a distant French accent.
"Long time no see." Noel grins and puts a hand over my shoulder, dragging me for a walk.
"We just partied together during the weekend." I deadpan.
"Someone partied more than me though." I shoot him a questioning look but all I receive is a smirk and waggling eyebrows.
Oh.
"How was it?" He asks and I look down at my feet, lost for words. The previous night's events come flooding back to my mind and I know I can't deny the crimson color spreading on my cheeks.
"It was fun."
"Thank you." I give him a puzzled look and he goes on explaining. "Caleb usually has a hard time dealing with...his father, you know? He especially likes nothing to do with his parties. So thank you for going for him and giving him a good time."
"He had a good time because of me?" I grin and press on for more.
"Oh no. I just boosted your ego, didn't I?" He rolls his eyes and slaps his forehead.
"Maybe."
"What's up, bitches?" Two hands engulf each of mine and Noel's shoulders and I facepalm at the blind grin Blake shoots me. His golden-brown hair glistens in the early morning sun and his dark circles are almost unnoticeable was it not for our close proximity.
"You look like shit," I comment with half of my mouth turned up, eager to see his upcoming dismay. True to my assertion, his smile turns into a frown and his eyes narrow at me. He lets out a grunt and runs a hand through his hair, scoffing in the process.
"I thought my famous smile will just make you forget about everything and you won't notice my post-hangover state." He groans and rubs his face in vexation of what seemed to be a bad night, or otherwise, I thought.
"Didn't you go home with that girl?" Noel pipes in, raising an eyebrow and leaning on my shoulder.
"I technically did. But I had to take care of stupid Shawn later because he drunk half the beer present in that goddamn party." He huffs.
"Speaking of, where is he?"
"He's off taking care of Aaron. I don't know what's cooking between the two of them." He says and I nod my head distractedly, deducing that there was something definitely wrong with Aaron.
"Look who's now sexually dissatisfied," I smirk and pinch Blake's cheek, earning a grumble from him as we all walk past him. In a few minutes, we all start off with the normal laps around the field as coach barks orders at some of the boys who looked like they would pass out any time soon and would rather be anywhere else than here.
I know, boys, I know.
After a few minutes, the usual practice begins and soon enough, Caleb marches towards the lot, looking a little tense. A smile hitches itself on my lips and I mentally groan, suddenly aware that there are people around us. He walks towards me and my palms suddenly turn clammy as the realization dawns upon me that we kissed and I had no idea on how to behave around a boy who you just kissed the night before.
I desperately require a book on girl behaviors.
"Hi." He breaths, a ghost of a smile adorning his lips, and he looks around before slightly leaning in.
"We need to talk."
And just like that, my smile disappears and a certain knot in my stomach becomes even more tangled. Maybe we made a mistake. Maybe I made a mistake by trusting him. Was it totally the opposite of what I've been thinking so far? Maybe he went home and the aftermath of what he did struck him and enabled him to realize what he got himself into.
A mistake.
I nod and walk away from him, a horrible feeling settling in my chest. What looked possibly so serious that he didn't even offer me a smile – let alone the fact that we kissed – for the mere reason that we are friends?
After a vigorous practice with Coach, I scurry off to the girls' locker room – thankful for its desolation – and change into my normal clothes. Ignoring all the boys or just that one boy, I get rid of all the current dominant thoughts thronging my mind and decide to focus my head on its imaginary educational section. Now, did I finish all the work Ms. Grey assigned us the past few weeks?
A sudden grimace takes over my face as I assess the stares I'm receiving and my mind wanders back to the few days past, thinking of whether I did anything remotely stupid that would land me on the receiving end of these students' stares and gossips.
"Buzz off." I murmur with a grim voice, glaring at a couple of girls who block my way and openly stare at me as if I just grew three heads. They quickly move past, splitting and I smirk before getting in my designated class and moving towards the back. A ding from my phone makes me take it out just to see a couple of texts from Maddie all written in capital letters.
MADDIE: YOU HAVE GOT TO OPEN THIS
MADDIE: WHAT THE HELL IS THIS? CAN YOU EXPLAIN IT?
MADDIE: I THOUGHT I DEMANDED A FULL DETAILED TALK AFTER THE PARTY YESTERDAY!!!
Confused by her outburst, I open the image that she sent along with the texts. A magazine with a photo is spread out, bringing my nightmare come true.
What. The. Fuck.
Were it not for the stupid headline and the two people in it, the photo would have certainly passed off as a result of a great photoshoot.
But no.
I resist the urge to throw my phone across the room and instead settle on holding it tightly with trembling fingers. My eyes continue widening as I zoom in and clearly see how ridiculously romantic Caleb and I looked. His hands trapped me between him and the railing and our eyes were locked into each other. I groan and slap my phone on my forehead, my fingers clenching it so tightly that the thought of it snapping into half crosses my mind but I couldn't care less.
Millionaire lawyer's son's new hook up toy is a close rival?
Not only did they print this terrible news, but they also managed to label me as Caleb's toy. The words burn against my head and I continue pulling my hair until an arm takes hold of my hands and gets them off my ruined hair. Caleb's concerned gaze meets mine and I know I could melt just at the sight of him but I remember what just went down. I pull my wrist out of his and clench my fists, looking down at my lap, trying my very best to control my sharp mouth.
"I take it you saw the...picture."
My head snaps towards him and I shoot him my best glare. "If there was an attention radar, I would be at the very top, okay? And I hate that." I spit out, crossing my arms and choosing to glare at the board and not his...handsome face.
"Look," he starts and turns his body towards me, "I'm sorry for dragging you amidst all the paparazzi shit I go through, okay? I really am. I had no idea this would happen."
"Then why did it?"
"I don't know." He sighs and I see him running a hand through his hair from the corner of my eye. "I've had it taken care though. I contacted the magazine editor and he promised to not let this become any kind of hot news. It is just one issue and I'm sure the story will fizzle out in a few days." His hand shoots out to grab one of my balled-up fists and it involuntarily calms down.
"You have nothing to worry about, Summer. I promise." This time, I turn to look at him and detect the immense concern swimming in those grey orbs. I visibly relax, the tension in my body disappearing at his touch and soothing words, and I brush off everything I thought about him.
"Did your father say anything about it?" I ask, just as Ms. Grey waltzes into class, carrying a bunch of papers and her signature chocolate donut.
"He did." He grins and continues, "I was quite amused at his reaction. He was pissed off about the kind of news being printed on me."
"See? My lessons did pay off." I smirk, noticing our hands still molded into each other.
"Uh, Caleb?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you know anything about my dad and yours? I mean, clearly, from yesterday's conversation, we've established that your dad hates me. But he mentioned my dad. And the magazine also mentioned the rivalry. Do you happen to know anything else about them?"
"Not really. I happen to stay away as far as possible from my father's business. I want him to take the hint that I don't want anything to do with the legal shit he deals with. But I can find out if that's what you want." He smiles at me and I smile back, grateful for his offer, but I shake my head.
"No. It's fine. They were rivals. Topic over."
On the contrary actually. I want to know more about dad and his business with Jacob Anderson. But I didn't want to have to put Caleb in that situation of dealing with his father. He already has enough troubles with him as it is.
Shaking my head, I decide to get back to concentrating on Ms. Grey's lecture but nothing to do with Romeo and Juliet's epic love story - according to Ms. Grey's words, not mine - penetrates my mind.