WANT TO KNOW A SECRET?

(24)

"Are you ok, Leo?" I asked for the third time in the last two minutes.

We were meant to leave to the stadium in five minutes and he'd locked himself in his bathroom half an hour before.

"At least talk to us, Lee..." I pleaded. Tyler had gone to get tools in the garage to break the door. "Tyler's really worried right now..."

I couldn't believe it when I heard the familiar noise of the lock. I opened the door and when I saw how miserable he looked, I pulled him into a bear hug.

"I'm so scared..." He muttered.

"I know..." I whispered in his light brown hair. "It's normal. Today is a big day for you and Nate..."

"Normal?" He lifted his head and my heart broke when his glistening sapphires met mine.

"It's normal to be anxious on the day of your first football game ever, Leo..." I reassured him. "Nate's feeling as nervous as you, you know..."

"Yeah right..." He shot back in disbelief before looking down.

"Nate's just as scared of everything as you are, Leo..." I insisted.

"She's right, Lee..." My brother, who also looked really pale, intervened. "I'm just better than you at hiding it, that's all..." He added bitterly.

"So y-you're actually scared?!" Leo exclaimed.

"Petrified..." Nathan answered. "I've thrown up twice already..." He added.

Leo studied his friend intently until he knew Nathan was telling him the truth.

"Guys, it's only a sport..." I told them. "If you change your mind, we'll make up a story about some family emergency or something..." I gave them an out, knowing that it would make the event less daunting in their mind. "But you've both worked very hard to get there so if I were you, I'd go to this game and see how it goes to make up my mind..." I added with a shrug. "What do you say?"

Both boys looked at each other for a few seconds before Leo finally said, "I think you're right, Poppy." He muttered. "One game and we'll see... Nate?" My brother nodded and they bumped their fists.

"Game it is, then..." I announced. "You have exactly..." I checked my watch. "Two minutes to be ready." I looked at them. "Do you need any help with anything?" They shook their heads. "Then go!" They started running around to collect their bags and everything they'd need for the game so I left them to it, walking past Tyler on my way out.

"Come here..." He said before pulling me to him and pressing his lips against mine in a sweet kiss. "Thanks, yet again..." He whispered against my mouth.

"What for?" I was confused.

"You have no idea of how good you are to Leo, have you?" He sounded dumbfounded, which confused me even more.

"To Leo?" I repeated incredulously, but the boys stormed out of the room just at that moment so we followed them and met Landon, Darren and Owen.

That conversation would have to wait.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rochester Junior won twenty eight to fourteen and Leo and Nate each scored one touchdown.

Nathan hadn't exaggerated when he'd talked about their near hero status.

Girls clearly older than them were wearing customized tops with the boys' photos on them: GO LEO! <3 on one side and GO NATHAN! <3 on the other. Even the cheerleaders had a special routine for each scorer in which they integrated our little heroes' names.