Lemon Water // Paul Lahote

sixty three

Serena

"Serena! I have something to tell you but you promise me you can't be mad, ok?" Bailey exclaimed, running up to me in the school hallway.

"What's up?" I asked as she skidded to a stop next to me. It was 7:30 in a Monday morning and she never had this much energy.

"So I know that we were on this no Laken thing after what he did to you, but he asked me out this weekend and after he begged me for an hour I said yes. I hope that's ok?" She said

"Bailey, that's ok, I'm over it. Besides, Laken apologized to me and we're all good"

"Ok good! That relives a lot of stress I've had. How was Canada?"

"Oh, uh, it was great!" I felt bad lying, but nobody but the lack could know that I wasn't in Canada this week.

"What did you do there? Anything fun?"

"Nothing really, I kinda just hung out with Luke the entire time and caught up with him. What's you do over break?"

"Well, my parents and I went to Seattle and visited some family. Then, Sunday morning, Laken and I got breakfast together. Which is where he basically begged for my forgiveness. I was planning on just getting some to go, but he roped me into sitting with him"

After the first bell rang, we parted ways so we could go to our respective home rooms. "Hey Seth," I told the boy, sitting in the desk next to him.

"Hey, Serena, what's up?" He asked

"Nothing much really, Bailey and Laken are going on a date!"

"That's awesome! Finally!"

"Yeah, I wonder how long until he tells her about the thing?"

"Well, probably a while. When you rush into that kind of thing it scares them off. That's what happened with Jared and Kim. Kim was obsessed with him for years, and when he imprinted on her, he told her basically right away, which caused her to avoid him like the plague for almost a month until she finally agreed to hear him out"

Hours later, I was standing in the middle of the lacrosse field waiting for the start of practice. Today at practice, we would be getting our positions for the season, and I was excited because everyone else has played before but it's a mystery for me.

"Alright ladies! Circle up! Varsity only on the left, jv only on the right, mixed team in the middle!" Coach yelled, blowing his whistle to get us to move.

I joined Penelope and Margaret in the center group, and then waited for coach to speak again. "Alright! Based on tryouts and the first few practices, I have your positions for the season! Returners, don't expect to be playing what you were last year! Newbies, don't let the returners scare you, many of you took their spots!

Now! Varsity first! Goalie- Briar, Alternate goalie- Northern, defenseman- Keies, N Michaelson, L Michaelson, alternate defenseman- Kendall, Grillo, Mid fielders- Stevens, Britton, Hainze, alternate mid fielders- Shin, Call, Attackman- Tobias, Banister, Daalman, alternate attackman- Iverson!

Junior Vasity! Goalie- Hedley, alternate goalie- Cooper, defenseman- Strickland, Fabel, Grillo, alternate defenseman- Leighton, mid fielders- Shin, Call, Gibbs, alternate mid fielders- Fairbairn, attackman- Coupe, Scarlet, Walmsley!

Spilt into JV and varsity, we're scrimmaging. If you're on both rosters, you're on the jv team today! Let's go!" Coach explained everyone's positions for the season, then we got ready to play.

The entirety of practice was just playing against each other, with pauses in between to work out plays with each side. Finally, after two long hours, coach called practice to and end.

I ran up to Birkley and Bailey, excited to talk to them about our positions. "Bailey! Goalie! You were great!" I cheered, pulling her into a hug.

"Yeah, but you scored on me, let's talk about you guys! Mid fielders! You guys killed it!" Bailey cheered.

"I'm going to tell Embry that I'll be right out, just a sec" I tan over to Embry, even though I knew that he heard me, and let him know that I was going to shower quickly and then we could go.

After running back to B squared, we made our way back inside the school and into the locker rooms. Even though it was only 60° out, I was sweating buckets.

I made sure to shower quickly, then ran out to need Embry after saying a quick goodbye to the team that was left in there. "Hey! Ready to go?" I asked once I met Embry at the doors.

He nodded at me and we made our way to the truck, him not saying anything. "What's wrong?" I asked him

"It just, you got hit a lot today during practice, and they were your teammates. Girls on other teams are going to hit you a lot harder. I'm just worried about you" Embry told me and I think my heard melted.

"Aww, don't worry Embry, I'll be ok. Besides, in girls lacrosse checking is illegal and they can get carded for it."

"That makes me feel a little better, just be careful though, just because it's illegal doesn't mean that it won't happen"

We drove the rest of the way home in much needed silence, the buzz of the radio the only noise being made. "Do you have patrol tonight?" I asked him as we pulled in the driveway

"Yeah, at midnight, Paul gets off then so he'll come and hang out with you while I'm gone. Well, more like watch you sleep like a stalker"

"You're just jealous you don't have a girlfriend yet" I teased

"Yeah, what am I gonna do. I still don't like you dating Paul though"

Right when we walked inside, mom called us to eat dinner. It was already 6:15 and I'm assuming she had to work the overnight shift tonight.

We ate in peace, the I went and did some homework. Around 11:00, I decided to call it a night and got into bed.

Shortly after, Embry was sneaking out the window and Paul snuck in a few minutes later, laying down next to me quickly. "Goodnight, Serena, I love you"

"I love you too, Paul"