In the shadows, under the bleachers

Chapter 24

The next few days went by in a blur. Drew had been kicked off the team even though it was the off-season and his reputation in school had been ruined making him an outcast amongst the popular crowd, the football team, and cheerleaders but they already seem to hate him. The cocky, arrogant, and apparently "charismatic" Drew Janwalski had his reputation tarnished and trashed all in a matter of minutes. Let's just say he was not happy. He even tried several times to corner me in empty hallways and secluded areas of the school but thankfully Mark or Will would do something about it, even though I was sure I could bash his head in if I wanted.

That was weeks ago though, a few days ago I heard that he was in the hospital for some critical injuries. Either way that was in the past. Right now Naomi and I were out walking around the park eating frozen yogurt talking about Naomi's current work-in-progress book.

"So yeah that's what I'm writing," She smiled, "What about you?" She walked to a bench.

"What about me?"

"What have you been drawing?"

"Sketches."

"That's very vague Aiden," She pointed her spoon in my direction, "What type of things do you draw? Do you draw landscapes, people, animals, still life?" She asked taking a seat on a bench.

"I'm good at drawing people." I shrugged.

"Who do you draw?" Her lips curved into a grin.

I shrugged, "I don't know," I looked down at my cup, "me myself and I, I guess."

She nodded her lips pressed in a thin line, "So you're telling me that you don't draw a 6'2 blonde footballer that has blue eyes and has the personality of a golden retriever and is literal ray of sunshine that goes by the name Will Brooks?"

I cleared my throat, "First off," I pointed my spoon in her direction, "I wasn't telling you anything and yeah I draw him sometimes."

She gave me a suspicious look, "Uh-huh, Uh-huh sure." She finished her cup throwing it away in the trash next to us, "Sometimes...very convincing."

"Okay so maybe more than sometimes, but don't act like you don't write about Mark. You must've at least once am I right?"

Her face went red and she covered her face with Mark's hoodie, "Once, that's all."

Both of our phones went off at the exact same time.

"Mark?" I asked.

She nodded, "Yeah it's Mark."

Mark: When are you two coming home?

"Should we go right now?" She wondered, pushing up her glasses for what it seemed like the millionth time.

"Do you want to go right now?" I wondered.

"Sure, I guess let's go."

"I don't mean to be rude or anything but why don't you get your glasses resized or whatever?"

"What do you mean?"

"You keep having to push up your glasses so I'm just wondering why you don't get them resized so they're not such a hassle?"

She went quiet, "Never thought about it." She looked down and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

__

"We're here Mark!" I shouted in the surprisingly quiet house. "Mark you in here?" I started walking around. "Where is he?" I muttered walking upstairs.

Suddenly I heard a loud thud, "Jesus fuck," Mark exclaimed, "I'm in here!" He shouted from inside his room. I pushed the door open to see a bunch of boxes all scattered all over the floor. Mark on the other hand was sitting back on the bed.

"What are you doing?" I wondered staring at the boxes then back to Mark. All of a sudden Naomi appeared next to me which shocked me, "Hey Naomi." I smiled.

She looked up and quietly nodded before turning back to Mark who hadn't realized she was there.

"Trying to clean out my room," He replied, I nodded and he glanced to Naomi and his face instantly lit up as he smiled like an idiot, "Hey beautiful, how are you?"

She nodded before she looked down and started fidgeting with her fingers. She looked nervous. I glanced at Mark but he was solely focused on his girl friend staring at her with a look I could only describe as adoration. Who would've thought that Mark, an extroverted football player who was the life of the party would be in a relationship such a quiet and introverted girl? Opposites really do attract.

"Why are you trying to clean out your room?" Naomi asked walking into the room taking a seat next to Mark. I smiled and walked away not wanting to interrupt. I went downstairs and into the kitchen grab something to munch on when I heard my phone go off. It was Will.

"Hey," I greeted, "What happened? Aren't you supposed to be with your aunt Lucy?" I wondered. A few days ago Will was hanging out at our house when he told us. Mark had met her before so he was happy. I was also happy and wanted to meet her, "Nothing happened and I still am here with her she just wanted to meet the boy that has been making me happy so I'm going to pass her the phone okay?"

"Okay."

"Is this Aiden?" A woman asked.

"Yes." I made my way to my room closing the door behind me.

"So you're the boy that my nephew keeps on rambling about like you're his oxygen." She said.

"Stop exaggerating aunt Lucy."

I smiled and tried my best to hold in my laughter, "Is that right? Wow I didn't know he spoke so highly of me." I felt like I was on the verge of breaking down in laughter.

"Oh sweetie, he doesn't just talk highly of you, he talks about you like you're Jesus Christ himself. He practically worships the air you breath and ground you walk on. He's head over heels in love with you."

I let it out, all my laughter, "Is that right?" I tried my best to say through my hysterical laughter. It got so bad that even Mark had to check in on me.

"Aiden don't believe her," Will exclaimed, "She is a liar."

"Don't believe him sweetie, he just doesn't to be embarrassed. Spoiler alert: He is, you should see his face."

"Aunt Lucy." Will groaned.

"What? He deserves to know that you're a.... what's it's called?"

"Alright, Alright," Will groaned, "That's enough phone for you aunt Lucy."

"Will I ever be able to meet this boy in person?" I heard her asked.

"Of course you will," He said as a matter of factly, "I just have to see when."

"That's good."

"Say goodbye aunt Lucy."

"Goodbye Aiden and hopefully I'll be able to meet you in person."

"Hopefully."