Soccer Crazy

Ethan

The squeak of my sneakers against the polished hallway floor echoed in my ears, a soundtrack to my invisible existence. Everyone seemed to have their own spotlight, a vibrant glow outlining their every move. Except me, Ethan Collins, the human equivalent of beige wallpaper.

At least I had soccer. On the field, I was a blur of motion, weaving through defenders with the grace of a seasoned pro. But the second the final whistle blew, I was back to being the invisible Ethan. 

See, I'm Ethan Collins. The unassuming, easily overlooked younger brother. The one who could juggle soccer balls like a pro but couldn't juggle two sentences around a pretty girl. Not that I ever get the chance to talk to one. That spotlight perpetually shines on my older brother, Caleb.

He's the epitome of what heartthrob posters are made of. Tousled brown hair that falls perfectly over his eyes, a smile that could melt glaciers, and a physique that would make even gym teachers jealous. And let's not forget Sienna. The head cheerleader, homecoming queen, and epitome of everything out of my league.

Sienna, the head cheerleader, a goddess sculpted from sunshine and laughter. Her smile could launch a thousand ships, and her laugh was a melody that lingered in the air long after it faded. And of course, Caleb, with his stupid perfect dark hair and impossibly blue eyes, had snagged her as his girlfriend.

Caleb started dating her a few weeks back, and my house has been flooded with an air thick with teenage romance ever since. The way she bats her eyelashes at him, the lingering touches, the whispered jokes – it's enough to make me want to crawl under my bed and hibernate until college

Lucky jerk.

Me? I spent my days perfecting the art of locker-door ninja. The tell-tale click of her heels on the hallway floor was my warning signal. Disappear. Poof. Like a particularly shy smoke bomb. Even at home, Sienna's visits were my personal nightmare. Dinner invitations became elaborate escape room challenges, me strategically repositioning myself based on Sienna's whereabouts in the house.

She was everything I wasn't. Popular, confident, effortlessly cool. I, on the other hand, was a walking awkward phase, perpetually tripping over my own feet . She probably wouldn't even recognize me if I wasn't attached to Caleb by way of brotherhood.

It wasn't fair. The universe seemed to have cranked the "amazing" dial to eleven for Caleb, leaving me with the dial stuck firmly on "meh." But somewhere between Sienna's bright smile and the way her ponytail bounced when she laughed, a traitorous flicker ignited in my chest. Was it jealousy? Or a crush?

The shrill ring of the dismissal bell was a welcome intrusion on my pity party. As I rounded the corner, there they were, my saving graces – Adeline, Noah, and the glorious chaos that ensued whenever they were within a five-foot radius of each other.

Adeline, with her fiery red hair always threatening to defy gravity, was the resident prankster. Lockers mysteriously plastered with embarrassing photos? Her handiwork. Whoopee cushions strategically placed on unsuspecting teachers' chairs? Definitely her. Yet, beneath the mischievous exterior was a fiercely loyal friend with a heart of gold.

Noah, on the other hand, was the calming force to Adeline's hurricane. With his quiet demeanour and ever-present notepad (allegedly for recording "life observations"), he was the unofficial therapist of the group, always ready with a listening ear and surprisingly insightful advice.

We were an unlikely trio, united by a shared love for bad cafeteria food and a disdain for the school's dress code (which, in Adeline's case, was a constant battle). Yet, in their company, I could actually breathe. The invisibility cloak I usually wore seemed to vanish.

"Hey, Earth to Ethan," Adeline snapped her fingers in front of my face, "Back from dreamland?"

I chuckled, shaking off the remnants of my Sienna-induced despair. "Just thinking about the upcoming game."

"Speaking of games," Noah chimed in, a mischievous glint in his eyes, "did you see the cafeteria lady trip over her own shoelaces earlier? Epic fail."

We all burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the hallway. It was moments like these, the shared laughter, the inside jokes, that made high school bearable. Sure, Sienna might have been a goddess walking the halls, but these two were my anchors, keeping me grounded.

As we shuffled towards gym class, the weight of my earlier confession settled on my chest. Maybe, just maybe, it was time to rip the band aid off. Taking a deep breath, I blurted out, "Guys, I think I have a crush on..."

Before I could finish, Adeline snorted, a single tear rolling down her cheek from laughing so hard. Noah, bless his soul, just patted my shoulder sympathetically.

"On who?" Adeline finally managed to ask, wiping her eyes.

"On...Sienna," I mumbled, feeling the heat creep up my neck.

They both stared at me for a beat, then burst into renewed laughter. It wasn't a mean-spirited laugh, but rather a comforting one, the kind that says, "Hey, we've all been there, buddy."

"Dude," Adeline wheezed, wiping tears from her eyes. "That's, like, peak high school drama. You're crushing on your brother's cheerleader girlfriend? Classic!"

Noah chimed in, his voice warm, "Forget Sienna, she's years older than you. Plus, have you seen yourself in the mirror lately? You're way too awesome to be hung up on someone who wouldn't even know you existed if you weren't related to Caleb. High school isn't just about stolen glances and awkward crushes. It's about these goofballs you're stuck with," he gestured towards Adeline and himself, "who'll laugh at your misery and then bake you cookies afterwards."

The final bell shrieked, jolting us back to reality. Gym class loomed, and the mere thought of dodgeball sent shivers down my spine. But with Adeline and Noah by my side, even dodgeball seemed a little less terrifying. As we walked towards the gym, a nervous chuckle escaped my lips. "Alright, guys, wish me luck. Maybe I'll finally manage to hit someone besides myself this time."

Adeline winked. "And maybe you'll finally confess your undying love to the water fountain instead."

We all burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the hallway. In that moment, surrounded by the comforting chaos of my friends, the weight of my crush on Sienna seemed to lift. Maybe high school wasn't that bad, after all.