How He Saved Her

Chapter Eight

Oliver

It's game day. 

I'm in the locker room an hour earlier trying to come up with a way to feel the most confident and yet step out of my comfort zone. I need to focus on the game and not on the scout I know is going to be sitting right above Rory once we are near the game. I claw at my jersey once it gets too hot and take it off trying to cool off. This time Rory wanted to stay at the school before the game which worked perfectly for me since I couldn't be under a wheel today. After what felt like a good hour, I hear my teammates enter the locker room. 

"Oli", I hear a shout and look up at Austin who is looking at me with the biggest smile on his face. I glare at him for his sudden excitment when I am barely trying to keep it together. He steps off to the side and I find Rory behind him. Except, she looks so much more different today. She is wearing my jersey but with a crewneck underneath as opposed to a hoodie and her hair is down past her shoulders as usual. What makes my heart skip a beat is the number 15 written on her cheek, so glittery it shines against the flouracent lights. 

"What happened?"I  ask, slipping on my jersey but not before noticing the way she looked at my bare chest for a second before turning her head away. Austin smiles at me,"She came to show you her look for you." 

I look past him to the girl beside him and she shrugs. The number on her cheek catches my eye again and I press my lips together in a thin line in order to not smile at her. 

"Go away, let me talk to her", I tell Austin who is staring at the two of us. He doesn't make a point to move and I give him a look. He steps back and further into the lockeroom. I walk past her and hope that she follows me out. 

"Hi", she says to me once we are out of the locker room and in the hallway where I can hear the crowd already. 

"Hey", I say suddenly nervous, I've never felt this way around a girl. She doesn't say anything else and I eye the number again. "You did that yourself?", I ask and she shakes her head. 

"Your mom showed up early and saw me. And then she had a cheerleader do this for me", she says nervously. 

"No, I love it", I say softly and watch as her eyes soften at the compliment. I reach out my hand and hope that she will slip it in mine. She does and I feel myself calm down. 

"Sorry if my hand is clammy, I'm so nervous for this game", I admit and she shakes her head, tightening her hold on my hand. I feel the sudden urge to take a step and put my arm around her. Only, I can't do that knowing she doesn't feel comfortable around me.

Yet, I hope. 

"You're going to do great. I've been hearing your name around the halls since freshman year, you got this", she says slowly. 

"Thank you", I tell her and a couple of girls walk past us so I add,"Babe." She glances at the girls and her eyes stay on one girl when she takes a step closer and tiptoes up to me. She still cannot reach me, so I crouch down a little and she whispers,"That girl doesn't like me." She steps back down, but I stay crouching and look behind her at the girl. She is a brunette staring right at us unabashedly. When she spots me looking at her, she grins so wide I can see all her gums. 

"She's just jealous", I whisper to the girl with my number on her cheek. 

"I don't like the attention", she admits and I nod squeezing her hand for comfort. 

"It'll die down", I glance up at the digital clock on the wall and say,"I have to go." Her hand slips out of mine and she steps back a step, readying to leave. 

"You'll do great", her voice is soft and she attempts to be louder when she points to her cheek and says,"I'm rooting for you." 

I laugh at her sudden cheesiness and wave at her. She smiles a little at me and then turns around and leaves. I watch her retreat and tell myself that if that girl can gain a little more confidence, then so can I.