• Autumn McCall 2 • Liam Dumbar

05. Gina Zhen

Autumn

"What exactly happened... between you two, I mean." Liam asked as we walked out the school, fingers laced together.

"Okay, so this one time we were leaving the school building. I was twelve so this was three years ago..."

"You knew Hayden?" He asks surprised.

"Yeah, we used to go to the same soccer club. Anyways, it was the day of the biggest game in the whole year. Girls tournament of course."

"Hey, let's go?" I asked her.

"Yeah, let me just speak to Gina." She replies with a smile. "She's got my shin pads."

"Hurry up, we gotta pick up my equipment still." I reply with the same smile and take a seat on the grass, taking my snack out.

I start playing on my phone since I had to wait for Hayden.

I got so lost in the game that I noticed that not only five minutes had passed but literally thirty minutes flew by.

Angry and confused, I stood up and furrowed my eyebrows looking for Hayden, trying to detect any sign of my best friend.

Once I noticed her nowhere, I shook my head, took a deep breath and walked towards the place where I last saw her.

The bathroom.

I made my way in, looking for Hayden when a sudden smell caught my nose.

I took a few sniffs around before detecting the burnt smell around the bathroom.

So without thinking, I dropped my bags and ran outside.

"Fire!" I shout. "Fire! In the bathroom!" I shout.

I kept shouting and shouting to the point where everyone started huddling around me and running inside to the bathroom.

I pressed on the fire alarm by the wall and water started falling from the ceiling.

I let out a relieved breath and try to find the source of the burnt smell around until I heard a familiar laughing voice.

Confused like everyone, I walked further in and spotted Hayden.

My eyes grew wide when I saw what was happening.

I saw Gina and the rest of the soccer team, holding in their laughs but what confused me the most was that Hayden was there as well.

"Did you just burn my equipment?" I whisper out in disappointment.

Once I actually started processing the situation, my eyes started welling up with tears and my throat began creating a knot.

"Oh, is Little Autumn going to cry?" Gina started teasing me, coping a baby's voice.

"Autumn..."

"Why would you do that?" I choke out, interrupting Hayden's words. "Why?"

"Someone is always on the bench." She starts. "I'm always on the bench."

"You could just ask to change! No need to burn my fucking equipment!" I exclaim.

"No, 'cause you'd always be the star of the show! I am sick and tired of you!" She shots back. "It's always the same thing! 'Oh, Autumn looks so good, she scores all the points.' I am sick of it!"

"I am sorry but I thought we were friends! I never thought about you that way! I have always supported you, what the hell?" I exclaim in distress.

"I hate you." She says.

"I hate you too." I reply in a whisper.

I turn around, blinded by my tears but accidentally bump into a body.

"You can't even walk properly!" I hear Hayden exclaim behind me.

"Shut up, at least she ain't got a flat ass like you." The person replied but I just apologized and dashed away, running home.

"Damn, that's harsh." Liam comments, letting out a low whistle.

"Yeah, I never spoke to her again because Scott threatened to kill the kid if he saw them so I never told him who Hayden actually was." I sigh out, leaning my head on his shoulder.

"You do know, if you ever refuse told tell me stuff like that I'd eventually find out and kick the person's ass, right?" Liam laughs jokingly, wrapping his arm around my shoulder with my hand still connected to his.

"I wouldn't let you." I reply.

"Oh, but I will, Angel." He stops walking. "Even if I need to find that girl whatever her name is, Gina or Fina-"

"Gina Zhen."

"Gina Zhen. I'd eventually find her and give her a good lesson." He speaks seriously, holding both my shoulders.

I just look at him, unable to reply before scoffing and getting on my tiptoes.

"I love you."