Finding Hearts

Chapter 3

CALLUM

"Remind me again why we're here", my best friend asks as we're finding our way to our seats in the stadium. He's still wearing that black eye he got today at training, when one of the rookies hit him accidentally with the stick. Henry used all the power he got once he became my vice captain and made the rookie get fired. A shame, but I would lie if I'd say I wasn't planning on doing the same after I saw my best friend with a bleeding eye.

"Because, Henry, we're here to support Trev", I answer. I point with my fingers at our two seats and he nods, walking over there. It's exactly as I sit down that a girl comes over with a basket filled with snacks and drinks.

"Beer, Cap?", Henry asks me.

I shake my head, since I know damn well I'm in my training season. And that means no alcohol for me.

"I'll take two", Henry replies with a wink. My best friend does not give a shit about whether he comes to training with a hangover or not. He says there is no pain a pill can't fix.

The guy clearly never suffered from heartbreak.

But that will imply having to sleep with a girl more than once, and that's a no-no for Mr. Hotshot. Seventeen like me, and he fucked his way through half the girls in town.

"Hot dog?", he keeps trying. "My treat?"

"I'm fine, thanks", I say, taking out the package of gum from my back pocket and putting one in my mouth. The spearmint does its usual kick, til I get used to the flavour again. It doesn't take long, given how addicted I am to the thing.

"I'll take one", Henry orders. He quickly pays, slipping a wink there, making the girl flush, and takes his order. As soon as she's gone, he turns around to look at me. "You're boring."

"I'm not boring, I'm just careful. Something you should try too once in a while", I hiss back.

"Where would be the fun in that?", he wonders. He pops open one of the beers and lets out a pleased sigh as soon as he got his first mouthful. "So, Trev playing?", he asks me.

I nod. "Yeah, pretty big game for them. Gregory High beat their asses last time. Twenty points difference. Trevor was still after his surgery and couldn't play, team was down with their moral. Anyway, they've been dreaming of revenge ever since."

"Who else is coming?", he continues.

"You know, the usual", I reply.

"So all the Colton student body, minus Aaron's minions", he suggests.

I shrug and nod. "Pretty much."

Henry smirks, putting the bottle close to his lips again. As soon as he swallowed hard, he continues. "Any word from Julia?"

Julia would be the girl I've been seeing on-and-off, since she is the only one who agreed to my no feelings policy. Physical only. For there is only one girl I have and will ever catch feelings for, and I am more likely to become a basketball player than ever have a shot with her.

"We're meeting on Friday", I answer bored.

"Any update on-", he doesn't finish that sentence, knowing we're in public. But I know who he meant. Kate. Kate Blake. Aaron's baby sis and the only girl I've ever loved. She owns my heart and she doesn't even know I exist. Or she does know I exist and she hates me like her brother does. Which might be even worse.

For Aaron Blake might kill me, put me in a grave and do a dance at my funeral.

"Apart from her still not even speaking to me, no", I answer.