There's Always A Plot Twist | Wattys 2023 ✓

28| The Cocoon

Meanwhile, sitting comfortably in a small corner of Preston's astro turf, Farah, Arlo, Kaizen and Amber watch the Lance and the rest of the guys on his football team play.

It's no secret that Lance is a gifted athlete, after all he didn't get three scholarship in the field without reason.

However, even after knowing him for as long as she has, Farah is never not impressed by his many talents.

She watches him play with the spark of joy burning in his eyes, like a being perfectly connected with himself and the earth, controlling every fibre of his body.

It makes her smile as she contently watches from the side-line, reminding herself why she chose to be in love with him in the first place.

Usually he'd have his hair in twists and bundle them up into a fuzzy ponytail, even leaving two at the front to mimic her own hairstyle but today he has it out in an afro, wearing a black headband that partially covers his forehead.

"Lolo's toxic trait is thinking he could play like that." Amber voices, hiding behind another pair of rose tinted sunglasses from the sunlight beaming directly onto them.

Arlo lazily tilts his head towards a snickering Kaizen, scraping up a fist full of astro turf rubber and throwing them in his general direction. "Why are you laughing? Motherfucker you have two left feet and no sense of direction."

"Any yet I can still dance circles around you dipshit."

Arlo flinches once Kaizen throws a handful back, squeezing his already swollen eyes to avoid being hit. "Kiss my ass bro."

"Or better yet, just kiss each other on the mouth." Amber teases, resting her head on Arlo whilst they sit with their backs against the fence. "There's only so much bromance I can take."

"Aw, you jealous babe?" Arlo asks, adjusting the hoodie over his head that he is using to hide his head and neck from the sun.

"You must be joking." she utters, ignoring the feeling of him peering down at her until he gently kisses her forehead.

He whispers in her ear, triggering a feeling inside her like the swelling of a heart. "I need you, you know that right."

"I know." she mutters, reluctantly rolling her body around to look into his golden eyes hidden away in his miniature fort. "I need you too."

"Whatever happened to love?" Farrah asks, still sitting on her knees on top of the shirt she had tied around her waist.

Arlo looks over Amber's head at Farrah who hasn't said more than three words to any of them for the last twenty minutes. "What was that?"

"Whatever...happened...to love?" she repeats plainly, gathering her things once the coach blows the whistle to signal the end of the match. "Love is a choice, we don't need it."

Arlo raises a brow, swivelling his head around to check if Kaizen understands where Farah's input is coming from. "Okay?"

Farah doesn't stick around, tying her shirt around her waist as she works her way across the field towards the group of players huddled together.

Amber waits for Farah to venture out of earshot before attempting to explain on her friends behalf. "Her and Lance are going through something." she explains, lifting her shades off her eyes, squinting as she watches her draw nearer to the group.

"I don't think that's what that was." Kaizen voices, knowing her exact meaning but not wanting to get into it now with his best friend and his girlfriend.

Arlo kisses his teeth, deciding to let the situation go. "How about your dad? Did you talk to him this morning?"

Amber rolls back around, lowering her eyes but not really focusing on the words of his graphic shirt design, letting her vision get blurry as she tries to avoid the conversation.