Lost in the Middle

The Watcher

A couple of weeks later Jack had settled into life at his new school and managed to stay well out of the warpath of his Aunt and the headmistress. Although he had made a few friends through football practice he found himself almost every lunchtime hanging around with Nikki the little firecracker who he couldn't keep his eyes off, she was something else to him and she fascinates him.

Their last period of the day had just finished and Jack is heading to football practice when he notices Nikki hanging around by the sports hall, smirking to himself he walks past her and into the gym. He glances over his shoulder to see Nikki looking at him but he heads into the male changing room.

He soon came out of the changing rooms in his sports kit and heads out onto the pitch, as he begins his warm-up which is a lap of the sports field he notices Nikki sat watching him, unsure whether she is waiting for a friend or just passing the time. But then again from what he knew Nikki didn't have many friends apart from Anita and Naomi.

Jack couldn't help himself but show off during the warm-up, he knew he had feelings for the firecracker but he knew she wouldn't see it. As the football teacher arrives Jack glances over at Nikki who is still looking at him until she sees her friends Antia and Naomi walking towards her.
He watches the blonde pull her two friends into a hug. "Niks, I thought we were meeting you by the art block? We've been waiting for ages..." Naomi speaks as they pull away from the hug.

"Sorry, I forgot to say I had Science last," She smirks as she glances over at Jack who is now kicking a football around.

Jack looks over at Nikki and sighs as he stops to catch his breath watching Nikki walking away with her friends, he runs his hand through his hair and then jogs across the pitch after the ball.

Nikki on the other hand begins to walk away with her friends, glancing over her shoulder as she walks away, "What are you looking at Nikki?" Anita quizzes catching on to her friend glancing in the direction of the football pitch.
"Oh nothing," Nikki speaks still looking in that direction catching a good glimpse of Jack running.

Antia and Noami glance at each other unsure of what Nikki keeps looking at, then the two turn around examining the football pitch for what she is after. "None of those lads are remotely fit Nikki, come on hurry up..." Anita says grabbing Nikki's arm and practically dragging her out the school gates.

Half an hour later, Nikki, Anita, and Noami are sat on a bench in the local park when Anita finally thinks of a reason Nikki was looking at the football pitch at school. "It's that lad in your science lessons, wasn't it?" Anita speaks up sipping the energy drink in her hand.

Nikki picks a few crisps out of her packet but doesn't eat them, "What do you mean? There are many lads in my science group..." Nikki responds.
That was when Naomi caught on too, "That Irish one, he started a few weeks back. You two have been incredibly close," She chuckles.

They both watch the blonde flush pink and shake her head frantically. "Oh come on Nikki, you know you like him," Anita giggles.
"Stop! I don't... well, he's nice to me, no man has ever been that nice to me,"

They both watch the blonde flush pink and shake her head frantically. "Oh come on Nikki, you know you like him," Anita giggles.
"Stop! I don't... well, he's nice to me, no man has ever been that nice to me."

Anita and Naomi look at each other giving the other the same look, "yeah right whatever..." Naomi chuckles.

"If you like him, why don't you just ask him out. He's single right?" Anita adds.

Nikki snaps her head up from the back of crisps, "I can't do that! I don't even know him, I'm not even sure I like him as that" Nikki defends. She had to admit that she liked Jack but wasn't ready to tell anyone that Incase it all kicks turns out wrong, anyway if she did have a boyfriend her father would most definitely disapprove.

Naomi looks at Nikki and smirks, she loves to play matchmaker as well as winding up the ones involved. "Your face is telling us a completely different story. You've got a big fat crush on Jack Hodgson and you can't hide it" Naomi teases.

Nikki rolls her eyes as the girls teasing her having enough of their teasing she stands up and grabs her bag, "oh just leave it, will you! You're doing my head in, I'm going home!" She speaks walking off towards the park exit. Leaving her two friends behind cackling like witches she heads back home and to her surprise, her father isn't home yet so she sets about making a start on revision.