*~Stars Upon Us~*

⭐️ Chapter 18 ~ Vigilantes and Secret Identities

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Chapter 18 ~ Vigilantes and Secret Identities

~ Jessie's POV ~

Okay, to say that she was good was a massive understatement. She was extraordinary. The ease at which she moved with the ball with her feet was something I had not seen for a while. Honestly, it seems the offer of me teaching her was a mere joke.

Following our stop at the café, we went to the nearest park where we practically engrossed ourselves in the game. I showed her some basic kicks and she copied me perfectly. I 'taught' her how to shoot a goal and she successfully mimicked it before I even finished the demonstration. What was she trying to do, out-skill me?

A good hour or so later, James and I settled for a break, followed by Alexa's declaration, "Breaks are for the weak!" I wasn't all sure if she was trying to make us feel bad, or she was just as stubborn as James depicted after we opted to rest on a small hill.

My interest for her sparked again. She wasn't at all like other rich girls I had met. Then again neither was Her. She was an angel turned devil. The flesh proof that even the best of heart could turn dark. And my interest turned back to resent.

Alexa was still a hell of a good player. But as good as she was, something about her made my brain hurt. A memory was trying to break through the fog of a friend I had a long long time ago. What was his name again? Aiden? Adam? Alex! Could she be Alex? I mean it would make sense right? Her name could have been shortened to create such an alias. The similarity between the way each move could not be a mere coincidence. Plus, she did mention she and James had known each other since they were kids...

"Hey James?" I asked slowly.

He looked at me smiling. "Ya?"

May as well just get to the point eh? "Do you remember Alex?" and my eyes narrowed slightly when his smile faltered, but he was quick to recover.

"You mean the kid that use to play soccer with us when we were like, twelve?"

"Yeah, that Alex."

"What about him?"

"You knew he was a...her didn't you?" I bluntly said and watched his reaction.

He chuckled awkwardly while rubbing his neck. A habit I know he did only when he was nervous or felt awkward... "Well yeah I did, but it wasn't till a week or so before the fire that I figured it out."

"Wait," I paused trying to wrap my head around this new information. "She never told you?"

At this he laughed. "No, she was pretty keen on keeping it a secret. I still remember how freaked out she was when I found out." He chuckled.

And here I thought he knew the whole time. Guess I was wrong about that.

I looked back at the field and watched as Alexa got another goal, this time from a further distance. She cheered out loud and jumped up and down. I couldn't help myself but let out a chuckle. "Do you think Alexa could ever be Alex?" I asked.

I didn't hear a response so I looked over at James, who had his eyes trained on Alexa. "No." He said simply before looking at me with a smile. "I don't think so."

He seemed pretty convincing but I still had a knot in my stomach telling me otherwise. Before I could ask him, he continued. "I've known Alexa since she was a kid. We use to meet up at the market every now and then to hang out. She was always wearing a dress and her hair curled. Back then she always spoke fondly of tea parties and girly things. So when you ask if Alexa could have been Alex," he paused for a moment. "I can't see it. I just can't imagine that pink frilly girl being the messy boyish soccer player back then."