neighborly

twenty three - what is gluten?

"Your getting traded." Asher threatened me, "I swear to god if you don't move."

"Traded, my ass? To who?" I snap back.

"The other team? Do you really want us to lose?"

"Asher I couldn't care less."

"I care, it's not that hard to touch the fucking ball."

"I am trying!"

"Roman I swear, you better get your little girlfriend right now."

"Asher stop getting so into backyard soccer, but shit, yeah Lily you've gotta move a little." Roman said running up to us, throwing his arm around my shoulder.

I sway into him and rest my head against his chest, "Both of you shut up, I am trying."

"The ball was in front of you, and you backed up."Asher gave me a blank look and I throw my hands up offended, "You guys play professional soccer, I'm not getting my ass rocked."

"Lily, you'll be fine, just kick it okay?" Roman glances down to me and I groan, regretting being dragged into this.

"No stop being nice to her, she is a menace." Asher points at me and I throw my head back in laughter from his choice of wording.

"Marco and Alina, do you need an extra-" Asher called from across their extreme large backyard, that was clearly used for soccer playing when they were younger.

"Asher stop auctioning off my girlfriend."

"Okay start playing now, timeout is up or whatever." Casey sighs from the beach chair on their patio that she had parked herself at, with a magazine and her feet propped up.

Roman leaned down, "Ill pass it to you and just kick it into the goal."

"Im going to make us lose." I sigh out and Roman kisses my cheek, "Probably."

"Fuck the both of you." I call out as I go to my spot designated on Asher's freaking whiteboard.

It was Alina, Marco and some kid named Nick on their team against us. Nick started out with the ball in the middle, moving it towards Alina who was surprisingly good. She weaves her way around Asher, unfortunately towards me. I stand there awkwardly before moving slightly to the left because that's where I assume she was going.

Alina kicked the ball towards me and it lands snugly between my two hands. Casey glanced up over her magazine before muttering, "Handball."

"Ohhh myyyyy goodddddddd." Rang through the field as Asher collapsed in disbelief into the grass near Roman who was chuckling, "Love, you can't use your hands."

"How else was I supposed to stop it?"

"Jump, use your head, literally anything." Asher said getting heated and I roll my eyes at him.

"Okay whatever sorry."I say smiling at Alina, who didn't reciprocate.

Something had been off, either between us or within her because we were on this amazing trip together and she just refused to talk to me.

Anyway that's an issue I'll confront later, right now's issue is screaming at me across the field.

"Stop doing defense, I'll do defense." Asher said moving to my side of the field and I chuckle because he was crazily into this.

Roman gets the ball this time, doing his thing moving around all of them. Roman gets a clear view of the goal but instead of shooting at the goal he passes it towards me.

The ball rests near my feet and I kick it a little, before moving closer to where it was. This is slightly awkward.

"Kick it." Roman said moving closer and pointing at the goal.