First Chapter Dedicate To Everyone
Thick As Thieves
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The wind howled through the night, the freezing temperature shivered and the game was anticipating...
The roaring of the crowd startled Chloe as she and the rest of Lee High School watched as the school's football team were at the brink of beating their rivalry team. Everyone from the young and old held signs cheering on the players as the scoreboard read, 55-59. The rival between Lee High's Panthers with Johannesburg Bears lasted for ten years with both teams leading with ten wins but one team was going to lose.
The bitter cold bit at Chloe's rosy cheeks as she held her cup of hot chocolate in her hand while her cousin, Jessica cheered for her boyfriend during the game. Everyone loved the team but the top guy leading the Panthers to the win was her best friend, Jaxon Avery.
Jaxon Avery and Chloe Stewart were thick as thieves being the fact they had been best friends since meeting one summer while visiting her grandparents. Some believed the friendship was a relationship but they never displayed those signs.
"Let's go Jaxon!" Jessica yelled from the stands as the quarterback ran the ball twenty yards before being tackled. "Ouch!"
Chloe laughed at her cousin before looking back at the field to see her friend get help from one of his teammates.
Jaxon got to his feet slapping hands with his teammates before searching the stands quickly finding his mother, Gemma. It was a bit difficult seeing as everyone was dressed down to their warmest clothes but he knew where his mother was. His eyes immediately locked with his mother as she wore the custom maid hoodie to represent her son.
Gemma Avery, Jaxon's mother, smiled out of pride as she watched her son played his best knowing there were talent scouts at the game. With the convincing of two talent scouts, several three were here to watch her son play and offer him a full ride to one of their universities.
"Avery!" He heard his coach yelled from the distance. "Get over here!"
On-demand, Jaxon followed the coach's orders and joined the team's inner circle as Coach Miller gave instructions on the new play.
"Are you sure about that coach?" One of the teammates asked thinking the play was a bit wack. "We've never tried that before."
Coach Miller grinned as he shook his head looking directly at Jaxon, "It's going to work...don't ruin this homecoming with a lost. Now let's go!" The team cheered as they broke to get back on the field.
"They better win this game...I bet money on this." Harold said before sipping his beer. "Last homecoming game and I won three hundred dollars."
"We...won that bet Harold," Georgia smirked as she reminded her husband. "...I wonder if Jaxon knows if Chloe is here." She looked back at her excited granddaughter.
"That fact that she traveled all the way here to see that boy play." Harold chuckled knowing how much his granddaughter begged for him to pick him up halfway to meet with his mother.
Georgia smiled as she sipped her hot chocolate, "Well, they are the best of friends...thick as thieves."
Harold hummed as he comforted his wife of thirty years watching the game continuing onward. The game became more intense Jaxon eyed the quarterback of the Bears knowing just how quick and fast he was, but he was better. Jaxon held that cocky attitude only when he was playing on the field even some friends and family.
"Let's go Panthers! Let's go." The cheerleaders cheered loudly as they pumped up the crowd. "T-O-U-C-H-D-O-W-N! Touchdown! Touchdown! Let's make a touchdown!"
Chloe smiled as she watched Jaxon's cousin, Kyle, and a few cheer mates performing flips and cartwheels.
"I swear as much as I wanted to be a cheerleader I couldn't keep up with the practices." Jessica bit into her hotdog as Chloe giggled. "I love food too much."
"You and me both." Chloe giggled as she looked back on the field seeing Jaxon catch the ball running down the field. "Go Jaxon! Go!"
The crowd roared with excitement as Jaxon gutted down the field with two opposing teams player just on his tail. With just a bit more of push, Jaxon made a touchdown throwing the ball into the moist grass as he celebrated with glee. He quickly spotted his best friend, Brandon, as he ran to jump in the air bumping his shoulder along his.
"Touchdown, my man!" Brandon grinned as he looked over at the rival team seeing as they were pissed off. "...that makes us eleven games won and their asses with their first loss."
Jaxon shook his head as he watched more of the team players celebrated along with him. The roar of the crowd enticed his ears knowing just how much he got a rise of making the people of his hometown proud.
Chloe smiled as she and Jessica scampered down the metal stairs of the bleachers to meet up with her grandparents.
"I wondered where ma' and pa' at." Chloe searched the area for her grandparents but no prevailed. "...probably collecting their winnings." She mumbled.
Jess rolled her eyes, "Stop worrying about that and let's find Jaxon along with my baby."
Chloe smiled as she thought about her cousin's boyfriend, Brandon, "I'm sure he would be glad to see you too."
Her cousin blushed as both of the ladies searched high and low for the teammates. She caught the action as the two of the team players poured the ice-cold Gatorade onto their coach.
"He's so going to get their asses." Jessica laughed as they squeezed through the tight circle. "...'scuse me people."
The excitement began to build inside of her body as she remembered two weeks earlier telling Jaxon she couldn't make it to the game. Only if he knew that she was surprising him tonight and giving him his birthday present tomorrow morning.
As Jaxon continued to celebrate he turned his head to see Chloe standing beside her cousin with a smile on her face. The instant emotion of glee spread throughout him as he went to embrace his friend but was caught up in the crowd.
"Jaxon, that was a good game." Heather, the cheer captain placed a kiss on his cheek as he looked to see Chloe was gone.
"Am I'm hallucinating?" Jaxon thought as the crowd around him continue to cheer in victory.
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Chloe watched as Heather kissed Jaxon's cheek knowing just how much the cheer captain wanted her best friend. For some reason, it didn't bother her since she knew Jaxon didn't take interest in Heather. In the meantime, Chloe sat on the hood of her cousin's car while she waited patiently for Jaxon.
"One thing I hate about games...the aftermath of waiting," Jessica spoke as she was busy texting on her phone.
Chloe smirked at her flustered cousin, "It seems the arrival of Bradon is becoming a thin line." She giggled as her cousin mugged her.
"How about you can it freckle face?" Jessica pointed at her cousin but was startled by the arms of Brandon. "Really! You can't sneak up on me like that Tan."
"Sorry about that." Brandon hugged his favorite lady making eye contact with Chloe. "Chlo...when did you get here?" He asked bewildered.
Jessica smiled as she turned in Brandon's arms, "She's been here the whole time." She laughed as the excited football player nodded. "Glad you're here...you can come to the bonfire then.."
"Very enjoyable...just waiting on your teammate." Chloe searched the area as she recognized Jaxon walking with Heather along her side.
Chloe blatantly shook her head as Heather held Jaxon's hand as they journeyed over to her friend's car. She witnessed the interaction the entire time until Heather placed a kiss on his cheek before leaving with her cheer mates.
"...and here comes the star of the show." Brandon grinned as he watched Jaxon jogging over. "Please tell me she's not coming to the bonfire?"
Jaxon grinned, "You know she's going to be." He chuckled as he turned his head. "Chloe?"
Chloe smiled once Jaxon realized his best friend was in his presence at the moment. On cue, the excited teenager then attacked his best friend on the hood of the car. She returned the hug as Jaxon lifted Chloe into the air spinning her around.
"Jaxon!" Chloe squealed as she molded her body against his. "Put me down!"
On command, Jaxon placed Chloe on her two feet but held her by her shoulders, "I thought you couldn't make it to the game."
"You know I had to witness this game," Chloe answered with a soft smile. "I missed out on a house party to witness this."
Jaxon smiled as he felt his face become hot especially his ears, "Thanks."
From two feet away, Jessica and Brandon watched the two friends interact believing the friendship seemed more.
"Alright, not to interrupt this small reunion. Can we go to the bonfire, please?" Jess spoke loudly as Jaxon and Chloe nodded. "Alright, let's go, girl, I have to go pick up some beer."
"You're not twenty-one yet," Chloe said as she felt Jaxon hug her to his side. Jessica opened the door to the car looking up at Chloe, "Who said I was buying it from the store."
Jaxon and Brandon smirked at the same time as Chloe looked confused before turning to her friend.
"Are there at least going to be smores?" She asked as Jaxon laughed. "I'm guessing that's a no."
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"Talk about a bonfire," Chloe mumbled under breath as she sat on a log in front of the bonfire to witness the partying going on in front of her. "...more like a forest party went wrong."
For the past hour, Chloe witnessed the number of vehicles parked far away as four trucks came with beer kegs. One truck, in particular, came with four tubs of this fruity juice that Chloe only had two cups of. The sound of today's music blasted around the area as she bobbed her head to the tunes.
"Scoot over." She looked up to see Jaxon with a beer in hand and a bag in another. "I got your smores."
"Yes!" Chloe clapped her hands excitedly as she looked in the bag seeing Hershey's chocolate bars, fluffy marshmallows, and graham crackers. "Thanks,"
"No problem." Jaxon sipped his beer as he became familiar with his surroundings. "Now, why did you play me like that."
Chloe laughed as she noticed the slight pout from her friend, "Because I wanted to surprise you anyway. I got to the game just as the second quarter was starting. You played good tonight."
Jaxon smiled as he felt his ego was stroked pleasantly, "Well, thank you very much but I couldn't have done it without my team."
"Yes, but I know you're very cocky on that field." Chloe teased as she sipped the fruity drink which Jaxon notice. "What?"
"How many of those did you have?" He quickly asked. "This is my second one," Chloe answers before taking another sip. "It's very fruity."
"Yes, and it'll have you on your ass if you drink one more...maybe two." Jaxon laughed as he caught sight of his cousin, Kyle, dancing with a guy.
Chloe rolls her eyes, "I'm not much of a drinker, thank you very much. But since you guys won the homecoming game...I don't mind having a drink or two."
Jaxon shook his head as he watched Chloe looking towards the fire. One thing Jaxon liked about Chloe was that she wasn't a girl who threw herself on him like most of the girls at Lee High.
"Hey." Jaxon nudged Chloe as she turned her head. "Thanks for being here tonight with me."
Chloe smiled as she placed her chin on his shoulder, "You know I'll always be here for you."
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I hope the first chapter to this story was very pleasing to read.
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