Lemon Water // Paul Lahote

ninety four

Serena

It can't be Kim, right? Or any of the people close to me? It has to be someone I don't know, that way it'll hurt less if I fail. 

I was currently sitting under a tarp in the pouring rain, shivering from the water that was still able to hit us. Our game had a rain delay, but they wouldn't let us wait it out in the locker rooms, claiming it would lighten up in a few minutes. That was thirty minutes ago, and everyone was freezing. Across the field, I could hear the refs teeth chattering as they talked to make a decision on the position of the game. Their words were drowned out; however, by everyone else complaining around me.

This was waisting precious time, time was crucial at this point. I could be preparing for the inevitable, or just getting some decent sleep for crying out loud. My body was a wreck, every movement ached and I just know that if we get to play this game, I won't be able to do anything afterwards except crawl into a hole and die from exhaustion.

I watched as the refs parted, a loud whistle ringing through my ears. "Lets play! The quicker we start the quicker we finish!" One of the refs yelled, and everyone groaned. We were already soaked, and the rain hasn't lightened up one bit, yet here we are about to risk getting seriously hurt by playing this out.

"Coach, they can't be serious!" Bailey exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "Someone is going to get hurt!"

"It's not my decision. We don't want a forfeit to ruin our win streak" our coach replied, shaking his head solemnly. 

The stands were empty besides Laken and Embry, both huddled under massive umbrellas trying to stay dry. You would think there would be some fans because we've been playing so well, but not even the ones who tolerate this type of weather were here.

The games started and everything was going how we expected it to. Like crap. Every step you took you sank into the ground, your cleats filling with mud and slowing you down. On top of that, since you couldn't grip the dirt with your mud filled cleats, everyone was slipping and sliding everywhere. It looked like a bad game of tee-ball.

The rain continued to pour on us and we continued to slide around in the mud, getting covered from head to toe. The locker room showers would not be a fun thing to clean after this.

It got to the point where instead of trying to run forward to get the ball, we catapulted ourselves, sliding on our stomachs because it got us there quicker and kept us from falling and getting hurt.  By some miracle, we managed to score one time throughout the entire game, taking the win from the other team, who was just glad the game was over.

One in the locker room, everyone quickly got into the showers, turning the temperature all the way up to try and get some warmth back into them. "Serena" Birkley said, walking up to me, "Please talk to me. What's going on? What are you hiding from me? What are you both hiding from me?"

"Bailey isn't hiding anything from you, Birkley. Unless its her own new secret. I haven't talked to her in weeks" I replied, swiping mud off my body and into the trash can. 

"Bullshit, Serena. I saw you guys talking the other day. And she keeps giving me looks, as if she's pitying me. What are you hiding?" 

"Nothing, Birkley, not right now. When the time is right, I'll be able to tell you, but I can't, it's for your own safety"

"My own safety? What are those boys doing to your head? Are they hurting you? What are they making you do? You can trust me! I can help you! Please let me help you!"

"Birk, they're not doing anything to me. If you want to help me, you'll stay away from me until I come to you. It'll make everything so much easier"

"Not doing anything!" She laughed, throwing her head back, "I've seen how tired you've been lately. Are they a cult and making you go on late night missions or something? Lets not forget the spacing out during classes! Something seriously messed up is going on!"

"Birkley! Please! Drop it! I can't tell you and I won't tell you! Leave it alone! If you were a true friend you would understand!"

"True friend?" she asked, hurt flashing across her face, "You're telling me I'm not a true friend? I tell you everything! We don't keep secrets! It's rule number one!"

"Rules are meant to be broken, Birkley"

"Some true friend you are! I don't need you! We were fine without you! I wish they never found you!" She yelled, storming off into the showers with tears pouring out of her eyes. The locker room went silent, all of our teammates that were left inside with shocked expressions, looking between me and Birkley, trying to decide who to console.

Wiping the tears off my face, I grabbed my bag off the bench and ran out of the locker room, practically running Embry over. "Re Re? You're still covered in mud, why didn't you shower?" he asked, putting his hands on my shoulders to keep me from falling on my face.

"I can't be in there anymore, Embry. I've officially lost all of my friends because of this stupid wolf crap. I wish I wasn't going to turn into one!"

"You don't mean that, do you?" he asked quietly

"It would be a lot easier if I didn't. Birkley is right, I should've stayed at the old place living my miserable life instead of coming here"

"Re, you're going to be alright. Everything is going to work out, I promise. I need you here, I was miserable without you, despite not knowing who you were" he wrapped his arm around my shoulder and led me out to the truck, holding an umbrella over us so we didn't get more wet.

"I'll sit in the bed so I don't get your truck all muddy" I told him, moving to climb into the back end.

"Don't be stupid, just wrap the car blanket around you before you sit and everything will be fine" He said, still holding the umbrella for me until I was securely in the truck.

"Thanks, Em, you're the best brother I could have ever dreamed of"