Growing Up and Other Tall Tales

Chapter 44

"AIDEN!" a voice bellows and I instinctively jump into clenching my fists before finding my face buried in Amy's hair

"Hey." I manage to ground my feet and bear her brusquely and callously flung weight. She pulls back, clearly giddy on tension and stage-fright. "You alright there, love?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah." She mutters a little maniacally to herself and I nod slowly but unconvinced. "It's good to see a familiar face. Lyra left me unsupervised for like ten minutes and if I had to listen to one more person talk about Ash's hair, I'm going to cry."

"Woah, Lyra? Isn't she supposed to be out on the stands?" I ask her. "And aren't you supposed to be getting your...?" I vaguely gesture at her face and then her hair

She waves me off impatiently. "Yeah, I know. But you don't understand—"

"Hi," someone speaks up behind Amy and she turns to look. Nick Reid stands there holding out a knee pad to me. He looks a little different now, in his football outfit and so close to the field. There is that subtle confidence that smirks just below the endearing, golden-boy caricature. Even Amy steps a little back into my chest. I swallow a smile.

"Thanks," I accept it and hold it up gratefully

"Good luck." He says a little steely and I try not to be too surprised by the sudden edge to his voice. Maybe it's nerves. "I didn't mean to interrupt." Maybe it's something else.

"No, you didn't—" Amy begins quietly but he is already walking away. One of his team members jump onto his back as high-schoolers do when encountered by such rushes of adrenaline. It completely sweeps away his attention and Amy slumps before turning to me. I look at her a little sympathetically.

"Guess I've got to face the music." She shrugs, her head falling onto my shoulder

"And the dancing." I remind her and she groans and then laughs. I pat her back reassuringly and she rises up to her full height. "I'll buy a drink if it goes really bad." I offer apologetically

"Good luck out there. Don't get hurt." She kisses me on the cheek and I nod before wheeling her whining and complaining ass out of the tent

00000000000000000000000

"They look cozy." Nick grumbles and I raise my eyes from his shoulder to follow his line of sight to Aiden—and Amy

She whispers quiet words to him and leans in to kiss him on the cheek. Something cold and unwelcome grips the bottom of my heart. My ministrations on Nick's shoulder come to a screeching halt. He looks at his shoulder and then at me.

I tear my eyes away from the pair and smile tightly at Nick. "They are just friends, man. I kiss you on the cheek all the time."

"Yeah but we've seen each other in diapers." He sighs and I really hate it when he has a point.

"Look." I clear my throat. "Focus on the game and not getting hurt. Again." He rolls his eyes clearly not listening to me. "Your shoulder is still sore from that practice. It's still blue. Please don't do anything that'll make it turn black. Or bloody."

"No promises." He says pulling the shirt over his head with a little wince as the throbbing ache settles in. "Come on now, give me that kiss on the cheek."

Regretting ever having those words come out my mouth, I lean up to kiss him on the cheek before whispering. "Just come back intact, Reid." When I pull away, I find Aiden staring at me and from this far away I can't really make out his expression. I raise my hand in greeting but he looks away abruptly like he hadn't been looking at me at all.

Well that's just fucking rude.

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"Hey," Amy whispers as I slip back into the dressing rooms. "Where did you sneak off to?"

"I went to wish the guys." I say rummaging for my bag. "I tried to wish Romanov but I don't think he saw me."

"Oh." I hear her let out softly and before I hear her open her mouth to say something else I cut in

"Do you want to watch the match from the roof? We'll make it in time for the thing."

I turn to look at her finally having found my bag. She opens her mouth, a little taken aback by the nature of the offer. Shifting from one foot to the other, torn in between wanting to watch the match and the fear of breaking rules, she nods tightly.

"Good girl." I smirk and nudged her shoulder making her shove me back playfully

"Will we get caught?" she asks mimicking cheap nonchalance that does nothing to hide the true nervous undertones

Outside, the school band starts playing.

I throw her bag at her and she scrambles to find hold on it and tugging mine over the shoulder, I grab her hand and teasingly looked at her over my shoulder. "You jump, I jump, Jack."