At the lake

Chapter 8: To die and Rot

Chanting, cheering and chattering got louder  the closer I got to the stands. There were minimal benches around the field but they were all full of students yelling and singing team songs. The first rugby game back and we were playing against our top rival Welsh University: South Wales. To say it was a passionate atmosphere was an understatement, even though it was just a friendly.

Looking back over my shoulder I noticed Jamal lingering in his car, watching me, before driving off slowly. There was a pit in my stomach but that feeling of unease was pushed down, deep.

"Hey!" A girl's voice shouted at me. I turned my head to see Lucy. "I've been calling and looking all over for you!" She exclaimed as she was pulling me by my arm further towards the noise.

The sky was darkening, as clouds rumbled in and enveloped us into grey. The air became moist as the finest rain drops sprayed down. It wasn't enough to feel like proper rain but it made everything damp and dingy. As I looked around, I realised how small this university was as university's go. The field was a full sized field but the sports buildings with the lecture halls surrounding it were limited. There was a farm just ten minutes from the field with the distant sound of sheep in the background. This really was a good town to come and hide away from reality or to die and rot.

I smiled to myself at the thought.

I blinked and checked the time on my phone. It was 4:15pm. I groaned and picked up the pace as Lucy dragged me to the rest of us. It wasn't hard to find them considering Anna was standing on her seat holding a massive banner supporting the boys.

"Someone's being...enthusiastic." I laughed at her. Anna's head snapped to me and her eyes widened in embarrassment. Awkwardly, she lowered her banner down until she dropped it completely in her lap.

"I'm just filling in for you." She retorted but the redness in her face gave away her true feelings.

I blinked a little taken aback at how personally she took it. "It was just a joke Annie chill out." I brushed it off, using Tyler's nickname for her to show her I was just teasing.

"You know you don't call me that Aliya." She said seriously. I wished everyone would stop with that; life is hard enough without being so fucking serious all the time.

"C'mon ANNIE why so serious?" I pouted my lip at her, emphasising the name 'Annie' sarcastically.

"'Liya stop being such a bitch will you? You just got here. Late by the way!" She grumbled.

I threw my hands up in defence, "woah. I was just playing man c'mon. You're my favourite remember?" I winked.

Anna side eyed me then but a smile crept up on her face. I took that as an invitation to slide over and join everyone on the bench.

"What are we chanting?" I asked, looking at Brent for the first time properly. We hadn't really spent that much time together since we came back. He and Annie over here seemed to be much closer than I remembered.

"Yes I still exist, thanks for noticing me." Brent rolled his eyes dramatically at me, his right leg crossed over his left and his right hand also clawing his left knee sassily. He looked really cute today in his oversized black skort, black biker boots, and cropped long T-shirt and leather biker jacket. Brent faked a cough to grab my attention, "can I help you?"

I blinked, realising I was gawping at him in a daze. "Sorry babe, I just thought you looked so cute today." I confessed.

Brent blushed then and waved my compliment off, going from frosty to loving like a switch had been flipped.

"Go! Fucking go! What're you waiting for grandad? GET. A. MOVE ON!" Anna stood up then and shouted at the field of lads playing rugby. She seemed pissed off so I presumed something was happening in the South Wales team's favour. She plonked back down on the bench in a huff.