He Doesn't Know

Eight

Tomorrow's my first soccer game of the season and I'm extremely nervous. I keep telling myself that it's going to be okay, but with all this unsettling circumstances lately I don't feel prepared. Someone wraps their arms around me from behind and takes me out of my worries. "Thinking that hard will cause wrinkles to be on your pretty little face," Connor smoothly tells me while placing a kiss on my ear and then trails small kisses down my neck. I love this, him showing affection. I've missed this. "I have reason," I finally get words out. He stops placing kisses and moves to face me. "Tomorrow?" he asks knowing already that it was. I nod my head yes and ask, "You're coming right? Promise me." He smiles and leans down to be eye level to reply, "Wouldn't miss it love." I place a quick kiss on his lips and grab his hand. We're walking when I see the girl Fallon has been messing around with. I stop in my tracks and decide whether to say something to her. "Vera she's not worth it," Connor tells me, urging me to continue to keep walking. I sigh and do as told, but then I hear, "Oh hey did the bird poop come out?"

I look her way and she's giving me a warm smile. I glance at Connor, he just shrugs and let's go of my hand, gesturing to go talk to her. "Yeah it came out. Thank you," I reply. The smile is still on her face and it's actually starting to bother me, because I can't hate someone so nice. "How do you know Fallon?" I decide to not beat around the bush and just blurt it out. This takes her by surprise and she doesn't answer right away. "We're working on a project together right now. I don't really know him. He seems nice though. I can tell there's this girl he loves. I don't mind, because the guy I'm in love with has just moved on," she finally replies. I gasp at how truthful she is being. "A girl?" I ask, not wanting to think about how he claims to love me. What if I've been looking at this whole situation wrong? 

"Yeah, to tell the truth I thought she was you. Since the other day I saw the two of you interact, but I can see right now that you love this guy. He's your boyfriend right?" she replies. I nod, but can't seem to get any words out. "Did you guys hook up?" I can't help but ask. She laughs softly, not in a rude way though. "No I'm not like that. We've kissed a couple of times. It just feels nice to have someone kiss and hold you, but we've never done anything else," she answers. I don't know what to say, this whole time I assumed they had been hooking up. What kind of person am I? I told Fallon I knew he wasn't that kind of person to use girls and yet I threw it back all in his face and it turns out, he actually is a good person. "You are the girl, aren't you?" she asks me. I go to reply, but Connor saves me, "Come on Vera, we have to get going. You'll be late for class." I was thinking this whole time Fallon didn't know, but clearly I was the one that didn't know.

"Take big breaths in and out," Geisel tells me. The game will start soon and she sneaked down here to see me before. I do as she tells and smile at her for caring. "Oh my god Vera. Stephanie was there that night at the party. I know what Connor told us, but I still think there was more than he's letting on. I only say that, because I just realized Stephanie and her boyfriend are juniors and I remember clearly that Connor said it was sophomore's night. Go talk to her and ask her about what happened that night," Geisel whispers. I look over in the direction she's glancing and sure enough Stephanie is there, since she's a trainer it only makes sense that she'd be here. I nod to Geisel while saying, "I will, but you should get going too. Don't want to get caught." She gives me a hug and says, "Good luck champion." I go up to Stephanie and say hi to her. She gives me a warm smile and I return it. "I have an odd question to ask Stephanie," I tell her. Confusion crosses her face for a second then she asks, "Sure what is it?" I take a deep breath and just blurt it out, "What happened at the football party a few days ago?" Her face is wiped of emotion and she begins to look sad.