My Vacant Heart

Chapter 15 - It's not how you play the game, it's how you win it

The grass was freshly mowed for the game, half the stadium showed support for one school while the half we were sat at supported our school, it was cut right down the middle, watching the cheerleaders hype up the crowd on both sides in there skimpy outfits, the smell of hot dogs, popcorn, burgers filled the air almost hiding the amount of belladonna I can smell, my stomach was in knots watching the players, bind their hands, having there laces checked and helmets supported, my friends were on their feet screaming their boyfriends names, I scanned the crowd to spot Coles whole family and tommy's with no sign of Marcus, the school band was almost finished with the beginning anthem and soon the roar of the crowd was so over bearing I had to cover my ears, as the players from both schools entered the field, flashes from cameras nearly over-took the stadiums noise as the announcer started over the P.A system " WELCOME! To the special edition of campus football as today PELLINORE high will take on the retaining champions CRYPHAL academy" the shouts and, whistles were enough to deafen anyone as I remained seated with my hands over my ears " as this special game comes with a special broadcast on official Am/Fm radio " the announcer continued through the crowd kinder died down, the cheerleaders were good at getting everyone hyped up again, watching the football teams huddle around there coaches, I saw both tommy and Cole dressed for the game, deep down I knew Cole came back to defeat the twins in another way because they couldn't beat the shit out of them physically without these pack laws being broken, watching the players crowd the field, I kinder wanted to know whose number was who as I couldn't read the small print that named all the players on the back of their shirts, as the whistle blew and the game started with a kick-off nearly across half the field, Pellinore high caught it and the game began, seen as Cole had switched out most of the werewolves, the line of defence they had to get through was ogre's, a troll and a cyclops who towered over 6ft, including Cole and a vampire, with Penelope's boyfriend Chester, watching our defence absolutely murder the Pellinore high team so we recovered the ball was satisfying, but in that moment of everyone screaming I was looking at Coles family showing their full support as he tackled the line-backer so the vampire behind him received the ball, I've never felt so out of place, so lonely with everyone in this town cheering on my alphas, I hugged my arms around myself because it had gotten colder, I could easily feel the breeze now, my friends didn't even noticed I had got up and walked to the carpark, although I was still in view of the stadium, hearing the roar of the crowd as I hear over the announcement we've scored, I open Coles boot to find his spare jacket, he had a whole bag of clothes in his police car in case he ever shifted, putting it around me out the corner of my eye I saw a football player walking up towards me, the lump in my throat came back, shutting the boot door and wrapping Coles big hoodie around me, cooper approached me quite calm and smiled " aren't you supposed to be in the game? "I quizzed him, he gripped onto the front part of the neck of thous shoulder padding players have and answered me " just the fact a young lady like you, walking into a dark carpark, on her own, its abit dangerous you know" his hair is pushed back by a head band and I see his five o clock shadow, I feel like the haze over my eyes at the party really didn't do these twins justice, as I feel like I'm staring at a sexy pirate type of guy " its fine, the only threat here is you" I tried to sound as unbothered as possible then cooper hesitated an answer " actually your boyfriends made us look like a threat " I walked pass him and he followed behind but caught up so we were walking side by side " I actually wanted to ask if you'd go dune buggy racing with me some time " cooper wondered, my eyes rolled but I was curious, about half way towards the stadium cooper continued " it's either that or find someone to go ice skating with me, I'm tired of always doing it alone " my mind went back to my dad renting out the ice skating rink in the next town because my mum looked like she flew when she skated and I learnt from her, I smiled at that memory" you ice skate?" I almost questioned back in a whisper because I didn't want to talk to the guy who knew I was off limits, we had walked into the stadium and I just stood there as cooper continued walking to his side of the stadium to join his school but when he passed me I caught his statement " Yeah I had to find a hobby to get away from the farm my family owns" that stopped me and I hated that it did, I had Coles jumper sleeve in my mouth and by my nose as I continued to inhale his scent " you guys own a farm?" I quickly asked him, cooper turned back to face me "everybody has a family business, my dad owned racehorses, now I guess there mine and treys" my mind wondered into thoughts I didn't want to mention to anybody, I love animals and I loved horses I'm glad the sudden pull on my arm brought me out of my head, as violet had latched onto me " Fuck off back to your side loser" she hissed at cooper, watching that wash off coopers back because he was still looking at me and just smiled when he turned away, she pulled onto my arm again " what are you doing lacey? I was sent over by tommy watching you two talking" violet scolded, my eyes shot to the players sitting out and she was right, there was tommy, standing out of breath, sweating just staring at me while Cole was still on the field, I faced violet " he doesn't smell like belladonna anymore" violet could see right through me and I guess your best friend always will " let's just get back" violets toned was worried as she watched my eyes wonder back to cooper on the other side, I cuddled into Coles hoody and the feeling of approaching tommy as he stood there was intimidating, violet began to step up towards our seats but a whistle caught my attention, looking over my shoulder towards tommy calling me over with just a finger, I went towards him instead and stopped at the fence putting my fingers through the fence to hold onto, tommy did the same and I just wanted to touch him, any part of him, I rubbed against his fingers with my own as I placed my forehead onto the fence, tommy bent down to speak so I could hear him over the game " you ok?" his tone was almost accusatory as he placed his forehead on the fence just above mine " yeah, I went to get a hoody" my voice was tired because I was confused and felt different in myself " Yeah I saw who walked you" tommy's tone was the same but he rubbed my fingers back with his, I could smell him and it made my mouth water, god I wish we just went home, this question raised through my throat like word vomit and I couldn't stop it " his family business is a horse farm?" watching tommy's eyes narrow at me and any trace of a smile on his face instantly disappear made me want to die right there and then "Yeah, there dad was a horse breeder, made a lot of money with my dad when they fixed races together, then he crossed my dad and got killed for it" it's like he had to add the last bit to remind me what his family can do and will do, our time was cut short when tommy was needed back on the field, watching the rest of this game was pointless because we were up 3 touchdowns, I sat back near my friends and piper saw how uncomfortable I was " Lace what happened?" piper had observed most of what had happened " the twins have a horse farm, and he asked me if I could go ice skating with him sometime " I confided, piper said right back " tommy doesn't look the type-" I interrupted " no, I meant cooper " her eyes widen and pulled away from the game to look at me " what is he the clone of you? What if jasmine told him all this to say to you?" I shrugged and thought about that for abit because that could be true but jasmine didn't know I loved animals, nor when I learnt to ice skate "I asked tommy what their family business was and he confirmed it, it's a horse farm" it was almost like I'm trying to convince myself, with the last 30 seconds of the game in play, a fumble occurred, from what I heard trey dropped the ball when tommy smashed into the player defending him and caught his legs on the way down and by luck Gabe who was running with tommy recovered it and scored the final touchdown, pipers screams echoed through the stadium, all of Cryphal academy cheered, I'd say about 400 people all together, fireworks went off ,and all I did was just sit there, kneeling on my knees with my head in my hands, just staring across the field towards cooper who was standing there by the bench, patting his team on the back but he kept that smile up, our part of the stadium rushed the field, half the team was holding up Gabe cheering his name, including tommy and Cole, looking back at Pellinore high I saw cooper point over toward me to trey, they both stood there staring at me, I stood up and just stared back, this game meant nothing to thous twins ,the booming sound of everyone celebrating felt like it shook the stadium, I made my way down slowly and stood by the fence, the feeling of not belonging here began weighting heavy on me, I watched a town come together and cheer for something I had no interest in, I watched as cheerleaders hugged against my two alphas, and because they also were being hoisted up, it seemed to slip there mind I was there, taking in everything that they do also it soon became clear that the street party was happening in town when we won and we always did, that the mayor closed a couple of streets and a big BBQ and bar open up that stretch roads wide, watching everyone pile out the stadium, Cole was with his dad and the smiles on their faces was something I didn't want to ruin, seeing Cole receive that pat on his back made everything that happened I guess disappear, watching tommy's mum run up and hug him, and hold his face in her hands and placing their foreheads together, I've never seen him smile like that before, and seeing his little brother beau for the first time, they had a secret handshake, it felt actually wrong that I was there, I bit the inside of my mouth because if I felt something physical maybe it would stop me from hurting mentally, everyone seemed to walk into town while the loosing team went back into their building to changed I'd say the same for the winning team as well I started walking on my own, but seeing someone out the corner of my eye walking beside me, I side eyed the white button ribbed knit jumper shirt and black jeans they were wearing, but it was the necklaces when I knew who it was, I didn't make eye contact and he kept his hands in his pockets, when we came to the open street party, I watched him walk off and I straggled around till I eventually my friends sat on a big blanket in the little field in the middle of this festivity, I slumped down and rubbed my eyes, what was going on with me? I was handed a beer but didn't take it, alcohol was the last thing on my mind, and it was something I recoiled at the smell of, I closed my eyes laying there, listening to my friends, eating, cheering, talking about the game over and over, it must have been hours before I smelt Cole lay down next to me, using his hands behind his head like a pillow "You ok beautiful?" I smiled and opened one eye at him, his smell made me happy beside from the alcohol trying to overpower his natural musk, I leaned over and used his arm muscles as a pillow " I am now, I just want to go home" I disclosed to Cole, he smiled a warm smile towards me " yeah you don't do so well in crowds " my heart must of skipped a beat when he brushed his fingers down the side of my face " I said I'd stay for the round of drinks with the team, but then I'll take you home ok? my place or tommy's?" I didn't even get to answer before Cole was called over by the mayor to have a drink with, all I got was a kiss, a quick one that didn't even satisfy what I needed from my alphas, I sat up and watched Coles parents also buy a round of drinks for the boys, I felt so out of place, my head went through frame by frame of that party, me getting so drunk I could barely see, and seeing the state of both tommy and Cole, eventually I saw the other team flow into the party as the light music started, looking over all the happy faces, it felt like the crowd parted slightly just so I could get a beeline of cooper standing there with a beer talking to his friends, seeing a girl wrap her arms around coopers neck made me tilt my head, he kissed her cheek and she just look like a social butterfly as they all were laughing, she was gorgeous too I thought anyway, I don't know what came over me or what motive I had for moving but I got up and left, I wanted to walk to tommy's, but it was nearly an hour walk, the closest place was my house really about a 30 minutes' walk, so I just started walking it didn't take long before I smelt him walking behind me " Fuck off Cooper" I growled loud enough for him to hear me, but he sped up walking to catch up " god your nose is as good as they say, plus your walking alone, so I have an obligation" he also had an apologetic tone I picked up " what are you guys even doing?" I shot back, he rushed up next to me and went to grab my arm but I recoiled fast enough he just brushed passed " Look, with everything happening, it's just a little confusing" he retaliated, I didn't know if I believed him or not but he continued " were rivals with your alphas I admit that, what we didn't know was you were there's, otherwise we wouldn't of even spoke to you, but the rumour going around that party of how our brother died, we were there to settle it, tommy hit first" I watched him compose himself putting his hands back in his pockets, wearing just a plain red t-shirt and dark grey jogging bottoms with white trainers, he shrugged and continued " so can I walk you or not?" looking into his grey eyes was different, I've never seen grey eyes before and maybe that's his clans signature, then him smiling revealing his dimples made me nod my head.