You Know He's A Keeper When He Quotes Bruno Mars

Chapter 3

"How do I look?" Effy asked, spinning around in front of me. She was wearing this cute denim dress and huge black wedges, her hair swept aside into a messy side plait. For once, she wasn't wearing much make up. Or, that was the effect she wanted to give. I had seen her plastering herself. Foundation, powder, bronzer, blusher, eye liner, skin tone eye shadow and mascara. And she still managed to look as if she hadn't tried. I had to hand it to her; she could do anything and get away with it.

       "Gorgeous," I told her, smiling up at her.

       She squealed and clapped her hands together. She was really excited about our date tonight. She wouldn't stop talking about it.

       "That was so cute of Darren; wasn't it? Using you as a way of getting to me?" she had cooed earlier as we walked back from the football pitch, her hand pressed to her heart. 

       Beth had just huffed and rolled her eyes.

       I was a bit confused, to be honest. I mean, I kind of thought Darren was asking me out. I hadn't thought he really noticed Effy too much . . . 

       But when I said that to her, she explained to me that that was his way of playing hard to get. It's what guys do, apparently. "Trust me," she had said, "I would know."

       And we simply pushed aside the thought that a guy would actually like me over her. It was crazy of me to think in the first place; I knew that. Effy was right. She always was.

       So we left the caravan and made our way to the football pitch; Effy in her cute denim dress ready for her date, and me in my denim cut offs and sleeveless blouse that was tucked in at the ends, ready to watch her get the guy. Again.

       It had been so long since I had a date to myself. Effy would explain that it was the guy's way of asking her out, so she was always with me. She'd get dressed up and glamorous, and she'd tell me what to wear so that I never outshone her. For some reason, it never bothered me. Best friends were best friends. Guys would come and go, but us girls were for life. 

       We found Beth on the way. She was sitting outside her caravan, waiting for us. It was the first time I saw her without the posse.  She was dressed down too, like me, wearing tight baby pink shorts and a Beatles crop top. I looked down at myself. Beth honestly hadn't even tried, and yet she still looked amazing. I honestly hadn't even tried, and yet I could never pull it off the way Beth did. Not fair.

       "Wow," she said, eyeing Effy through her aviators, "you're awfully dressed up for Ronnie's date."

       "It's not my date," I explained quickly. 

       Beth looked at me, confused. "But he asked you out?"

       "He's playing hard to g-"

       "Come on already," Effy snapped, grabbing me by the wrist and pulling me after her.

       It didn't take long to get to the football pitch. The whole entertainment site was deserted as it closed one hour ago. But we could still hear the whooping and cheering coming from the pitch. It sounded like the match already started.

       We quickly found our places on a bench at the sidelines. The place was crowded with teenagers, all of them clutching their bottles of beer as if their lives depended on it. There were boys on the pitch, kicking a ball around. Half of them were topless, which I can't say I didn't mind.

       I looked around, watching all the drunk teenagers laughing and giggling and making out with each other.

       "There can't be this much teenagers in the camp site. It's not big enough," I commented to Beth.

       "Aye," she said, reminding me of her strong Glaswegian accent. "Most of these people are locals."

       "They have a midnight match every week. There's always been one when I'm here," Effy chipped in.

       I looked at her, surprised. She hadn't mentioned this to me.

       "Have you gone before?" I asked. I was starting to think this game could be a little dangerous, seeing as there were people collapsing and getting sick in the corners. Effy shook her head solemnly.

       "Course not, my parents would never have let me."

       I nodded, remembering earlier how we had to sneak out of the tiny bedroom window without waking anyone.

       "My parents have heard of the midnight match. It's got a pretty bad reputation," she continued.

       "You don't say," Beth mumbled.

       We sat there in silence for a while, still taking in our surroundings. I watched as Darren and Mystery Guy tackled other players and the wide-eyed girls standing on the sidelines cooed and giggled at them. These football players were like gods here. I could tell.

       Someone kicked the ball away and Darren looked around as he walked back to his place with Mystery Guy. I waited as his eyes met mine and a smile grew on his face.

       "Ronnie!" he called out, raising his hand to wave it at me, and I couldn't help but notice how those awe-struck girls sent me dirty looks because the hot football player was happy to see me.

       I smiled and waved back. I also couldn't help but notice Mystery Guy's reaction when Darren called out my name. His head jerked up and he looked around quickly until he saw me and relaxed. I laughed a little to myself. What was going on? Two hot guys were happy to see me?

       I suddenly heard Effy's voice in my head. No, of course not, she was saying. They're playing hard to get. They want me.

       Right, I told myself, of course.

       But I couldn't help but feel special when Darren ran up to the ball and kicked it into the goal before winking in my direction and Mystery Guy stood there, glued to the same spot he was in when he heard my name, still smiling at me softly.

--------- AUTHORS NOTE

It's not much of  a note, just letting you know that the picture is of Beth. And remember to comment and let me know what you think :)