You & I

#10

Harry's POV

"Fifteen more!" Coach barks across the field. Grass tickles the tip of my nose as I push up off the lacrosse field. Practice is grueling because of our game at the end of the week, and the pressure at the end of the week is bringing out the worse in our 300 hundred pound coach.

"Keep up, Harry." Brody pants next to me, rushing up and down on the field. I would roll my eyes, but I can't find an ounce of strength to manage it without my hands giving out from under me. I wonder where Brody gets the stamina to stroke his ego after 100 hundred push ups and counting. My arms burn as I force my last five push ups, then I collapse in a panting heap. The grass feels cool against my sweaty skin that makes my jersey stick to my body in all the wrong places.

"Out of shape much?" Brody pants, flexing his arms obnoxiously. Brody's arrogance is a norm for practice, I'm not exactly sure why I'm finding it more annoying today than usually though.

"Oh, shut up." I groan, wiping my sweaty brow. My mouth muscles don't have the strength to form a better insult.

"You mad bro? Or nah?" Brody smirks, kissing his muscular arms.

What a dick. In the back of my mind a small voice questions why are we friends. The thought makes me sit up in alarm. Brody is my best friend, my best friend, I shouldn't be thinking those thoughts.

"After practice you want to hangout?" I suggest, trying to amend my horrible feelings.

"Sure." Brody shrugs, lowering his arms.

"I'll just have to cancel on Rory." Despite feeling like a dog's favorite chew toy, I was at full attention at the mention of Rory.

"Rory?" I ask.

"Yeah, she's been waiting for under the bleachers, but since this came up I'll just cancel." Brody waves off. The way his wrist casually flicks away the idea of Rory feels like he's slapping my sweaty face.

"No, you can't just blow her off." I protest.

"Harry, it's fine. Her feelings won't get hurt." Yes, yes they will. Brody would know that if he had any actual feelings for Rory. I glance up at the darkening sky, practice is running into over time. She's been waiting under those metal bleachers for hours to spend time with her boyfriend, and Brody is just going to abandoned her under those bleachers.

"No."

"No?" Brody spits out the word like its the first time someone said it to him.

"No. I can't hangout." I state, standing up to my feet. I can't do that to Rory. I can't be the reason she'll be disappointed, I can't be the reason why Brody hurts her. I can see it now, the sunset casting a thin shadow over her round face as it falls over an insensitive text from Brody. The image burned in my head so hot a headache starts to set in.

"I... I just remembered I can't," I start, struggling to conjure up a solid alibi. "I... Got to go shopping with my sister." I say the first thought that comes to mind.

"Shopping? With your sister?" Brody questions like that is the stupidest thing he's ever heard.

"Yeah..." I mumble, scratching my head.

"Which sister? Sally is at college, Mabel just got license, right? And Rachel is like ten, why does she need to go shopping?"

"Stella, Maci, and Reagan." I correct my sisters' names with a glare. Brody comes over my house practically every Friday night since fifth grade, you'd think he'd know my sisters' names. But I have to give him credit for remembering Maci just passed her driving test.

"I have to take Reagan shopping for-"

"Let me guess, girl stuff like tampons and Barbies?" Brody interrupts me, his ignorance making my headache sharpen like a knife.

"Actually I'm buying her fireworks and beer." I lie in a flat voice.

"Really?" Brody asks, his brows knitting together in alarm.

"For a school project." I lie, not the least bit surprised that he believed it.

"When's the next time you're free?" I ask, trying to make up for my abrupt backing out. Just as Brody opens his mouth I cut him off just as he did with me earlier.

"And not when you have plans with Rory. When you actually have nothing to do, Brody." I correct, making Brody shut his mouth. That's a rarity.

"Probably Thursday." Brody answers.

"Awesome. I'll bring beer." I promise, starting to walk away.

"Harry! Where are you going?! Practice isn't over yet, son!" Coach bellows after me.

"Bathroom!" I shout my excuse right back at him. I rush all the way back towards the school with my hoodie in hand, and duck under the shiny bleachers. Rory wobbles on tiptoes and watches the practice between a crack.

"Rory." I call her attention out of breath. I ran all the way up here, the guys on the team must be assuming I have the shits. She stumbles around with a surprised look on her face, I'm not the one Rory wanted to come up here. She wanted Brody, her boyfriend, the guy who would stand her up if anything better came along.

"It's getting cold. Here." I toss her my navy blue team hoodie. Before she has a chance to decline, and stiff out the cold because she'll think she's a burden I dash away back to the field.