From Foes To Flames

Chapter 41

Isaac

Taking the scene in the cafeteria yesterday into consideration, I am seriously debating whether to show up to practice today or just sit this one out. Don't get me wrong, I am not intimidated by that freckle bastard, but I have zero nerves for his shit today. Well, I guess I have to show up, right?

~~~~~~~

Since the last lesson of the day finally passed, I am now walking towards the locker room of the football team. I texted Toby before, asking if he would be present at today's practice, but he told me that he is caught the flue or something - a lame excuse if you ask me. But dealing with my best friends is a problem for later, right now, I have to concentrate on what lies directly before me.

I open the door of the already crowded room and make my way directly to my designated locker. I receive a few welcoming words and greeting from the guys as always, lucky me, Oscar and his worse half are nowhere to be seen. I take my duffel bag out of the locker and dress into more appropriate clothing and not a second later I am standing on the field, waiting for Coach to arrive.

Unfortunately, both Oscar and Antonio found their way on the football field, but to my surprise they are not standing next to each other. Did they fight or something? Wait, I don't actually care.

"WHY ARE YOU IMBECILES NOT RUNNING YET?!" The booming voice of Coach shrills through the hot air, alerting us of her arrival. Yeah, good to see you too.

Two hours later and drenched in sweat, we are finally free to leave. Practice today was much better then the last one, I even managed to throw the ball in a decent way. I am in desperate need of a hot shower, Coach was everything but gracious today, that is probably the reason why my muscles ache the way they do.

~~~~~~~

As I step out of the locker room, a light breeze ruffles through my hair. It feels actually kind of nice and therefore, I decide to remain on the spot a second longer. Sometimes life is actually only half bad, I conclude, plus I don't have to work today, as Ming is still not back from her visit.

I finally continue my walk towards the school's car park, where I parked my car in the morning. I am about to unlock my car, as the all to familiar voice of Oscar stops me dead in my tracks.

"Isaac." His voice is calm, maybe even a little shy. I slowly turn around towards the source of the sound, now looking straight into those blue eyes. I might appear collected on the outside, but I am raging on the inside. I don't know how to feel about that boy. He has been avoiding me since the party, which is fair, but it still kind of hurt. What is it with me pushing people away lately?

But one thing is for sure, we need to communicate sooner or later, so why not talk right now? Only if he wants to talk about us, of course.

"Oscar" I return as I realize his unsure gaze. He closes the distance between us with two big steps, but stops a second later, still meters away from me. I interpret his actions as a way of telling me that he is not opposed of talking with me and therefore, I am now the one who reduces the gap between us, which seems to work, because the boy is now smiling. Oh, how I missed that smile.

"I think we need to talk." He points out the obvious to which I just nod. "Yeah." I agree with him, while I lower my head, my eyes now directed to the floor. Under normal circumstances, we would look for a more quiet area, but everybody knows that the football team is the last practice of the day, so therefore, only my car and the familiar black car are still parked here.

I audibly breath out, before overcoming the last few inches between us. I stop in front of the boy, my eyes still not looking at him. I am scared that I will loose focus of the situation if I stare for too long. I suddenly feel the anxiety, from before, coming back and therefore, my breathing starts to become uneven. Shit, not now. Please. Should I just turn around and leave? I have never been great with sentimental confrontation.

"Would you look at me, please." First, I thought my imagination played a trick on me, but as I feel the warm hand of the boy on my left cheek, I finally meet his eyes again, shocked, but also relieved at the same time.

I suddenly feel the need to explain, so I am now the one who speaks. "I-." But my nerves cause me to stutter, shit. "At the party-." "Shit." I curse to which he just laughs warmly, his hand still connected to my face.

"Isaac." His words successfully interrupting my poor attempts of an explanation. But I don't stop there. "No, let me explain!" I am shocked at my own words, but Oscar seems to catch the hint and remains silent.

"What you witnessed at the party,-" I stop and breath for a second, before I continue. "is only half true. Me and Thomas, we kissed, okay?" I confess, his face now decorated with a pained expression, an expression I learned to hate on him.

"To be honest, the kiss wasn't even half good, we were both drunk." I laugh a little, trying to lighten up his mood, which seems to be working. "I even told him that I am a virgin-" "You are a virgin!" Oscar asks surprised. "What- no, with boys I mean." I say quickly. "Oh." He responds visibly relieved.

"Anyway, I told him that I am not ready yet, because I was not feeling it with him. Don't get me wrong, he is really great and everything, but I was-" I stop. I can't tell him that. "You were what?" Oscar asks curiously to which I just shake my head. "Forget it, I won't spill." I say quickly, in hopes of not blushing right now.

"Isaac." Oscar warns in a low voice. I just shake my head more violent this time. "Nope." I take a step back, but it is too late, the boy is already tickling the sides of my body. "Fuck. Stop." I laugh wholeheartedly, while trying to get the boy off of me, which does not work out the way I want it to. I struggle against him, which causes me to loose my balance and I would have fallen flat on my ass, if Oscar hadn't pulled me to him just in time to prevent my fall.

My body collides with his, which must have looked pretty entertaining, because the fucker is laughing now. "Shit, that was close." I say, still a little out of breath. "You're welcome, princess." I physically cringe at his words, but I decide to let it slip for now. "Asshole." I say in a playful way.

I only realize now that he is still hugging me tightly, but it actually feels pretty nice, I must say. "Hugging is pretty gay." I say to him, expecting him to let go of me, but nothing like that happens. Quite on the contrary, he even tightens the hold on me. "Okay." That is the only thing he says. "Okay?" I question his reply immediately. Oscar breathes out loudly, before speaking again. "Yeah, it actually feels pretty nice to be honest." He explains truthfully to which I just hum in response.

"Do you want me to sto-" "NO!" I interrupt him quickly, before he can even finish his sentence, making the both of us laugh. "Just-, shut up." I add abruptly.