deep blue eyes // Antoine Griezmann

Chapter 3 - Not Good

Rachel picks me up at my house that night at 7:00 p.m. The game starts at 7:30, and it takes a half hour to get there, so I told her to get here at 7:00 p.m.

Her car pulls up at 7:00 sharp. She's extremely good at timing.

I walk out to the car, wearing a winter hat (it's pretty windy outside, and football games take place outside, obviously), a pair of blue jeans, and a cute striped shirt with a fitting black hoodie on top. Casual, but hopefully I don't look bad.

I get into the front seat next to her. "Are you picking up Eliza and Tori?" I ask her.

"Yeah, if that's okay."

"Yeah, their houses are on the way, so that should be fine."

We sit in silence for a few seconds, before Rachel brings up the elephant in the room. "Sage, I'm so jealous! Oh my God, you got to be Griezmann's partner! I'm the one that likes him! It's so unfair."

Of course, I beg to differ, but I won't be saying that out loud, obviously.

"What are you guys doing for your project?" she asks me.

"Oh, uh, we don't know yet," I say vaguely. "What are you and Foden planning on doing for your project?"

"Oh, I don't know... He, for some reason, wanted to talk about healthy eating, so I said sure. Foden is weird, I'll tell you that. He said since he chose we should do healthy eating, he'd let me choose how we'll present it. I chose a slideshow, because those are the easiest, you know?"

"Sure. What were all the options for methods of presenting again? I forget."

She chuckles a bit, shaking her head. "Sage, you are so bad at listening, aren't you?"

"Yeah," I laugh a bit, too. "I guess I kind of am."

"He said we could make a slideshow, make a poster board, make a video, give a speech, and if we have any other ideas, run it by him first."

"I see... Yeah, we'll probably just do a slideshow, too. That does sound the easiest. I mean, unless he has some unknown knack for art and wants to do a beautiful poster," I joke.

"Nah," she laughs. "Probably just the stereotypical footballer type who's dumb but unbelievably cute."

"Yeah," I grin, happy it's dark in the car, which hides my pink cheeks. "I think you're probably right."

We go to the game, and the guys play great. They beat the home team, 3-1. One of those goals was made by Griezmann when he was in, who plays as a forward. I felt like screaming at the top of my lungs for him, but then everyone really would know I like him, so I just clapped normally just like I did when the other guys made their goals. 

But he played amazing. Just amazing.

On the car ride home, Rachel and Elizabeth are talking about their crushes. Tori got a ride home from her dad. 

Rachel says, nudging me, "Hey, Sagey, that was a pretty awesome goal Messi made, right?"

"Yeah, totally," I say indifferently.

"Actually, though, girls, did you see Griezmann? Oh my God, he played so well."

"Yeah, yeah, Rachel, we get it, you think he's hot," Elizabeth chuckles in the backseat.

"He is hot, though!"

I glance back to see Elizabeth rolling her eyes. I guess she would roll her eyes at me, too, if I weren't so fixed on making sure no one knows who I like.

Suddenly, my cell phone rings. I hold my breath. Crap, I hope it's not Griezmann. Not right now. I pull it out of the back pocket of my jeans. It's an unknown number, but it's local. It's likely his.

"One moment, guys, sorry. I got to take this call."

They both stop talking as I answer the phone.

"Hello? This is Sage Prefect speaking."

"Hi," I hear the familiar voice on the other end. I really hope my phone isn't loud enough for the girls to hear it, despite it not being on speaker. "This is-"

"I know who you are," I say quickly, not wanting them to hear him say his name.

"Okay, then what did you get?"

"Uh, listen, I'm kind of busy right now. Can I call you back?"

"Sure. What are you doing?"

"I'll tell you later. Got to go. Bye," I hang up quickly, shoving the phone back in my pocket.

Both my friends stare at me. "What was that all about?" Elizabeth asks.

"Who was that?" Rachel asks.

"It's... you don't know him."

The two are silent for a few seconds, before Elizabeth says, "Is that your boyfriend? Is that why you never show interest in the football guys? You already have a boyfriend, but we just don't know about him?"

"No, no, it's not that. Just, it doesn't matter." I don't want Rachel to know who it was, because then she'll know that I have his number. That will make her jealous, and then she'll make me give it to him.

Plus, she might think we're friends or something, which we're not. I only have his number because of some stupid Health project.

After she makes me give it to him, she'll text him, and she'll steal him from me, without either of them knowing it.

So yeah, it's a better plan to lie about who I was calling. A much better plan.

"It does matter, Sage. Why don't you tell us?" Rachel glances at me with a disapproving look. "We're your friends, Sage, and we have been for years."

"I know, but it's... not your business," I say quietly.

"Whatever," she rolls her eyes.

"Sage," Elizabeth starts. "Why did I hear him ask you what you got? What does that mean?"

"It doesn't mean anything, okay? Nothing! Just leave it, guys. It doesn't matter."

The three of us sit in silence, until Rachel pulls into Elizabeth's driveway and drops her off. Before she starts driving, she leans on the wheel, looking over at me with serious eyes.

"What?" I ask, a little to harshly.

"Sage, I recognized the voice on the phone, even though it was quiet. I'd recognize that voice anywhere."

Oh, God, please kill me now. Of course she'd recognize it. I mean, she's head over heels for him.

I clear my throat, and say, staying collected, "Really? I didn't think you knew him."

"Sage, just quit it already. I know who it was. Why do you have Griezmann's number, and what was he asking you about?"

I try to pretend to act surprised. "Griezmann?!" I exclaim. "That was not Griezmann, girl. I understand that you're always thinking about him, but that was not him."

She studies my face for a few seconds. Then she mutters, "'Kay, then. Whatever you say." She sounds very doubtful, which is a bad sign. Very bad sign.

For the rest of the car ride, we drive in complete and utter silence. When she pulls up to my house, I get out of the car, and neither of us say bye.

This is not good. This really is not good.