I'm In Love With The Brown-Haired Boy//L.S//

Chapter Thirteen

"Go, Fight, win! We're strong, we're fast! We're built to last. Go fight, win!" The echoes of our voices can be heard throughout the field and into the bleachers. The air is a bit brisk tonight, as it's now fall. The leaves sway in the distance from the slight breeze that surrounds us.

It's our homecoming game, so the bleachers and surrounding area are packed with people and students. There doesn't seem to be a single open seat, causing people to have to stand. Kids are mingling, parents are watching intently at the game, staff and resource officers are spread out making sure everything goes smoothly.

"TOUCHDOWN FALCONS!" The entire bleacher section erupts in cheers as the band begins playing.

"Give me that old falcon spirit. Oh, oh, oh, old falcon spirit, it's good enough for me." The band, student section, crowd, and we cheerleaders all sing along.

I see Harry run off the field as the players switch. He high-fives a bunch of his teammates before sitting down on the bench. He's breathing heavily, and I can't help but stare as his chest moves up and down, sweat dripping from his curls and down his face. He grabs a water bottle from his side and squeezes water into his mouth.

Harry wipes the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand, his gaze scanning the field as the coach shouts out instructions. For a split second, his eyes flicker toward the cheer squad, and I swear he hesitates when they land on me. My stomach twists, but before I can even process it, he looks away, nodding at something one of his teammates says. The whistle blows, signaling the next play, and just like that, he's up and running back onto the field—focused, determined, completely in his element.

The game continues on, bringing the score to 27-14, nearing the end of the second quarter.

I can see in the distance the homecoming court already lined up as they're preparing to take the field. The girls are wearing beautiful dresses while the men are in sleek suits.

I can see Eleanor at the back, her dress a soft shade of blue that sparkles in the light. The only issue, however, is that she's alone. Everyone else has someone standing beside them, but her.

We end up scoring two more touchdowns before going into halftime. The players run off the field, but Harry doesn't make it off the field with the others. Instead, he runs over to Eleanor, holding his helmet in his right hand. He interlocks his left arm with her right and stands there as they prepare to take the field.

Of course, they're running for homecoming together—who was I kidding? I swallow hard and tear my gaze away, pretending it doesn't bother me. But my chest feels tight, like someone's squeezing the air right out of my lungs.

I start to imagine what it would be like if it were me standing beside Harry instead of Eleanor. I picture him holding my arm the way he's holding hers, kissing me in front of all these people after the announcer calls our names. The thought lingers in my mind, warm and vivid—but I know it's just that: a fantasy. A dream that could never come true.

They begin calling names as the people walk down the field and take their place. Harry and Eleanor are the last to go.

"Also running for homecoming queen is Eleanor Calder, who is being escorted by Harry Styles," the announcer reads aloud through the speaker.

While they're still walking down, they announce Harry. "And running for homecoming king as well is Harry Styles, who is of course being escorted by Eleanor Calder." The crowd erupts in cheers.

Once the two of them finish walking and take their spot on the field, the winners start to be announced.

Finally, they get down to the king and queen. "And your 2025 homecoming queen is..." There's a short pause. "Eleanor Calder." She stands for a second with a shocked look on her face, then turns to Harry before wrapping him in a giant hug. The crowd cheers, and the cheerleading squad does as well. I put my acting skills to the test and act as though I'm super excited for her, which I'm clearly not.