tomorrow's promise

chapter five | sebastian

I'm a sweaty mess by the time I lumber off the court. My hair is plastered to my forehead, and I swear there's cartoon steam rolling out of the girl on my shoulder. Coach Brady smacks me on the shoulder. "Good hustle, Perez." gliding my hands through my wet hair, "Thanks, Coach," I responded breathlessly.

I have thirty minutes to shower and change before a mandatory meeting in the screening room to review the game tape. This will be our first of two games against, NCS, this season.

And I'm spending it talking to a girl. Despite the frigid temperatures outside, I set her down. "Why did you do that!" she seethes, pushing me backward. Which ignites a full-bellied laugh. "This isn't fucking funny, asshole" she shouts, stomping my toe now.

"Yes, it is." With my eyes locked on her, and my heart hammering wildly in my chest, I forced myself not to flinch. Not to turn away at the sight of her angered face, "I want to be friends, Veronica." Veronica stiffened. For a second only to start laughing. She laughed so hard she wheezed. And my heart skipped about three dozen beats.

"Now that's not funny, Veronica," I whispered, knowing that I was treading on some very dangerous territory right now "Don't do that." Her voice was gruff, blue eyes full of precarious heat. She shook her head and blew out a pained breath "I will break this..." she paused to gesture between us, before adding, "this warped little thing we've formed. I will fuck it up."

"Why do you think so lowly of yourself?" I pushed, refusing to back off. "No." Her Blue eyes narrowed on me, studying me with a sharpness that was entirely unnerving and exhilarating all in one breath. "Promise me, that you will try not to fuck it up."

"Sebastian, Literally fuck off-" Her words broke off when I kissed her. That's right, I'm insane. Her entire frame froze for a long moment, stiff and unmoving, and I briefly wondered if I fucked up, but then she was kissing me back, twisting our bodies around so that she was the one with her back to the door, as her lips moved against mine with an aura of expertise that was truly rattling.

I was completely fucking thrown by the girl whose hands knotted my Jersey. Her scent, so fresh and addictive, invaded my lungs, It's this scent you remember, my brain quickly recognized, and this hair. With my heart racing wilder than any drug had ever provoked, I held her in my arms.

Soaked to the skin from the rain pissing down on top of us, I felt a shiver rack through her body as she hooked her fingers into the waistband of my shorts and dragged me closer to her. "Jesus," I muttered, finding this straight-to-the-point thing attractive as hell.

"Wow." she purrs untangling herself from my grasp. "And that" she says pointing between us "Is never happening again. Got it?"

Completely ignoring that bullshit I change she subject to shit I actually care about. "What's the deal with you and Lio anyway?" I ask trying to not make this awkward. "I don't know," she quips straight to the point, crossing her arms over her chest she asks "What's with you and Tiffany "

"I don't know," I reply, with a slight grin on my face. I can see her smile start to form but it drops as soon as Tiffany makes an entrance "Seb," she squeals throwing her arms over me in an embrace. "Why aren't you on the court" concern etched over her face as she flicks strands of my hair from my face.

"Talking with this one" I point towards Veronica who's shooting daggers at Tiffany. "Hi" Tiffany says with complete disinterest, as Veronica completely ignores the gesture.

We all stood in silence for a good minute until Veronica broke the silence. "This was fun, but I have to go get the footage for the screening."

"You still haven't promised that you'd at least try, Veronica" I remind her. She lets the slightest smirk unfold as she laces her pinky with mine "I promise"