All It Takes

Chapter 6 // Birthday Wishes

Chapter 6 // Birthday Wishes

It's Monday, two days since the cupcake fiasco and the kiss (???). I said it doesn't really count since many countries greet and thank one another with cheek kisses, but Stella retorts that it's the US, and that it's something more. I just snap back with the fact that she's a little chicken who refuses to ask Xavier for his number.

After Physics, and I'm walking to my locker to grab Camilla's late-birthday cupcakes and leave when I see Lars. He's in the little hallway and I hear voices softly floating out. He's holding his soccer duffel and speaking to some dark haired girl. I don't notice that I'm staring until Stella taps me on the shoulder and whispers, "Boo."

"Geez, Stella!" I hiss, and she smirks and places a hand on her waist, teasing me.

"Wow, quite the creeper aren't you?" I smack her teasing hand away from my face, though I'm sort of glad she caught me, otherwise I'd be staring all day.

"Leave me alone." Trying to look intimidating, I place my arms at my waist, staring straight into her eyes.

"Alright, alright, you're lucky that I have tutoring right after school so you're off the hook. Make sure to keep your little eyes peeled off of Lars and....whoever she is." She shrugs and happily saunters off to a Statistics tutoring session. I'm tempted to yell back, but yelling into a slightly crowded hall would make me look like a petulant child and draw attention to my face.

The worst part?

Lars is my ride home now, after talking to Jillian about how it would be easier to have Lars drive me, and I have to watch every single practice. She placed Camilla in a short after school 'club', where kids could stay and do homework for an hour or so and then get picked up by their working parents. Jillian didn't mind us picking her up late, and she felt that watching sweaty boys practice was punishment enough, so she kept my pay. And I'm not arguing about that. She urged me to get a car, but my dad refused to lend me his precious little baby Audi, and said that once I left for college is when I'd get it.

So, I'm stuck waiting on the bleachers for their practice to wrap up.

I watch every practice, how Garrett is able to use his football skills and apply it to soccer as a goalie. How Xavier uses the stamina and endurance he builds up in track and is able to run for hours and not be panting after. And Lars. His long stride allows him to gracefully glide across the field, and reach the ball twice as fast as the others.

What?

I'm a people watcher when I'm not reading, my bad.

No wonder why Stella called you a creeper!

I return my attention to Finch and Violet but when Lars struts out of the bathroom, curly hair sticking to his forehead, stubble that hadn't been shaved in a while, and his jersey dark and damp with sweat, I can't help but stare. He looks up into the bleachers for me and motions for me to come down.

I slowly clomp down the slippery stairs, and Spencer Harris is waiting for me at the end. He coolly leans on the railing and head nods towards me.

Classic Spencer.

He thinks that every girl is a meek little baby who quivers in his presence. Spencer uses a girl like a tissue. Use it once and throw it away. He's managed to charm a couple of the cheerleaders and even a substitute teacher, but not even a suspension can prevent his ego from spewing crap out of his mouth.