The Grey Zone

Chapter 2

(A/N: the girl in the picture is more or less how i imagine Julia to be, but you're all free to use your imagination :)  )

Chapter 2

When the door is fully open I find myself face to face with a smiling petit girl with light brown hair and mesmerizing brown eyes.

I can't help but return the smile at her as I notice her excited figure.

<< Hey Lia! >> she said while hugging me. << Hey your self>> I tell her squeezing her back.

We make our way inside and sit on the sofa. Not wanting her to ask me about my day, i hurry to speak <<So how was practice?>>

She immediately starts grinning from ear to ear, << oh it was great! I mean it was really strenuous, especially because of the heat, but we played so well and in perfect harmony, you should have seen us. I actually scored seven goals... And Me and Aiden, it was as if we could read each other's thoughts. We would know exactly what the other wanted to do and we would act accordingly. If we keep playing like this during the year, the championship is ours. >> she finally concludes her rant.

Jenni and Aiden are the two strikers of the team, and obviously Aiden is the captain. Now our dear Jennifer has a huge crush on said captain, so you'll understand when I say that I find her excitement a little suspicious.

Don't get me wrong, she really loves her sport, and is really passionate about it, but this time there was something in her voice and smile that told me that there was more to it.

<< I'm really happy for you and the team and I'm sure you'll do great this year. >> she smiles at my answer but before she has time to say anything I quickly add the rest << you seem really happy, and something tells me it has more to do with Aiden than with soccer. So tell me what did he do? >> I ask her with a smirk plastered on my face.

At the mention of Aiden's name she actually widens her eyes and blushes profusely, which only makes my smirk widen. Bingo! I knew something happened!

<<N-nothing happened>> she says with a nervous giggle. I arch my brow in a disbelieving manner.

<<I mean... nothing major, and most definitely not what you think. nothing significant>>

I roll my eyes at that <<I'm not thinking anything, but if it made you so happy it means that to you it was significant. You know you can tell me anything, I won't judge and I'm not Kathy>>

We love Kathy, she is our best friend after all, but she can be a bit drastic when it comes to boys... and she's definitely not the best adviser for the matter, at least not in that department.

I give her an encouraging smile, hoping she would open up. Jenni may seem tough, especially when you see her play, but that's just a facade, when you get to know her you realize that she actually is a very sweet and shy girl, especially when it came to guys she liked.

She bites her lip for a second and then sais <<ok fine, I'll tell you. But please don't see into it more than it is>> at that I smile and encourage her to go on <<ok you've got yourself a deal. Now spill>> I urge her.

She crosses her legs and sighs <<So as you know today we were practising as usual, everything was fine and in the norm, but towards the end of our training I tripped on my shoelace and missed the ball by this much>> she put her index next to her thumb to indicate the exact distance <<useless to say that I fell and banged my knee on a stone... it wasn't that big but it hurt like hell>>

I look at her knee and now I actually noticed a small but nasty wound circled by a black and purple bruise <<oh my goodness that looks really bad, did you get that checked? >> I ask alarmed.