Steal my Heart.

27

Ivy joins me and Melissa as we sit on the third bleacher. The stadium is full and there's hustle bustle everywhere. I watch people waving about the school flag. A few people from the rival school were also arguing with the Presidency students. I feel uncomfortable and awkward, dealing with crowds hasn't really been my thing.

After a few minutes, the match starts. All the players enter the ground and my gaze falls upon Alastair. He looks extremely focussed and really good. I even notice Stuart, who is busy blowing kisses to all his fans. Alastair doesn't even look at the crowd once even though so many girls are shouting his name.

I look at all the cheerleaders. Why does he need me when he has them to cheer for him?

The game starts and I have a hard time trying to understand football. I know next to nothing about sports and how the games happen. My father wasn't around to watch matches with me on television, I never had an elder brother who'd have taught me and I did not even have a boyfriend who'd have explained things to me. I'm not even interested in sports, though they seem like so much of fun.

One thing though, is very clear. Alastair is an excellent player. He flits across the field with an agility I thought only professional players possessed. He doesn't scan the crowd or laugh or smile or do anything in fact, which affects his focus on the game. Two of the four goals we scored were by him.

Ivy is standing on the seats and shouting like a mad woman. Stuart occasionally looks at all the girls and winks at them. At one point of time, he even hugged a cheerleader. I looked at Ivy, who's smile faltered before she grinned brightly again, still cheering for him.

I guess you can call that true love. After all, it's isn't really about winning the heart of the one you love. It's not about marrying them and having a happily ever after. Maybe sometimes love is letting them go ahead and fall for someone else. Maybe it is leaving them but still watching over them, caring for them silently. No one said love is easy, and no one definitely said that is is happy. Fortunate are the ones who recieve the same love they give out. The rest of them have to live with the pain, until it becomes a part of them.

Alastair scores another goal and it is half time.
"One amazing guy you've chosen Hyde." Mel whispers in my ear and I smile at her.
"I've always had good taste in men."

"This is your first crush." She frowns at me and I laugh.
"Well whatever."

After the team is considerably leading by some points and it is assured that Presidency will win the match, Alastair loosens up. He laughs and plays around. His eyes even scan the audience and he waves to the crowd. Stuart is doing a little jiggly dance by the side. He is so wierd.

When only one minute is left for the game to get over, Alastair's eyes meet mine. He is standing right near the boundary line, very close to the bleachers. And then he winks at me.

All the people in front of us and around turn back to look at me. I smile and hide my face with my hands, I'm blushing so bad. Melissa and Ivy poke my sides and I want to scream and tell everyone that I like Alastair.

The referee blows the whistle and the players criss cross across the field and Alastair kicks the ball towards Roland who scores the winning touchdown.

The audience resounds in cheers and everyone chants the name of the Presidency. All the players rush towards each other and toss Roland in the air. Some of them even take off their jerseys, one of them being Alastair.

This is the first time I'm seeing him shirtless, and well, it's a pleasant sight. Even from a distance, his abs and biceps seem to shine within the spotlights. He isn't very muscular, but lean and looks fit. I almost swoon. I'm not even lying when I say that it's the first time a shirtless guy has managed to make my jaw drop in awe. I think maybe it depends on the guy who is in front of you. And also damn female hormones.

I remember he told me to meet him after the game. I'll go to the parking lot. Ivy tells me she'll congratulate Stuart near the lockers and we say goodbye to her. Melissa accompanies me to the parking. As we pass from behind a group of girls, I overhear them talking.

"The girl Alastair winked at, is she his girlfriend or something? Didn't look like it."

"Yeah, seemed very prudish. Might be some virginity bet. She wasn't his type at all."

I don't stop to look at their faces. I don't stop to even think over it or confront them. Is this what people think of me? Is this what I am now? 'The new girl who hangs out with Alastair and is soon going to screw him?

Why did I even think that he'll even want to be my friend. He has all the friends in the world, he doesn't need a stupid girl like me. Unless he wants to use me. I thought it only happened in books. That only in the movies, the guy would like a girl from the other side to play with her. Alastair defied reality for me in every way, I never expected it to happen in this manner too.

Melissa follows me around the parking lot. She didn't hear what I did. I feel she can sense something wrong with me but she won't ask. She knows constantly asking 'what happened' annoys the hell out of me.

I drop her home and head off to mine. Throwing my phone to the side, I flop down on my bed.

•••

Dedicated to Sanskruti for being my personal fangirl.