Wild

Chapter 24

Xander's POV

It was my first game and surprisingly, it went well. Cameron said I never took up any sports, I was just uninterested. Even so, my doctor said that I would be better off playing a sport, staying healthy. Those pep talks, you know?

The crowd went wild when I made that final point, claiming the title for our school. Not going to lie, I was proud. Making it through a whole night of intense football without any flashbacks and headaches felt pretty well. I honestly thought I was going to be benching the whole night because I'm the newbie, but Franklin got hurt so I had to take his place. Coach said he saw potential in me the first time we met, and I've been taking his words seriously. I trained every single day, not a care about my medical conditions. Nothing can ever stop you except yourself, and hard work gets paid off. Tonight, I've proved these two proverbs to be true.

The whole school came thundering down the bleachers, some of them taking pictures with their football boyfriends. I spotted Astrid standing on the sidelines, most probably waiting for Caleb. I sneaked up behind her, who was staring into the blank space and surprised her.

I lied about hearing her cheer for me. I didn't hear anything on the field except for my own heartbeat, thumping its way into my head, but I did see her cheering and shouting, eyes fixed on me when I turned over to the bleachers. Based on our previous conversations, I know that she takes no interest in sports. She probably came because of Caleb or because Veronica begged her to come with. I've grown quite close with these three lately.

I was dragged away by a crowd of crazed teens before I could finish our conversation, but I left her a word, hoping to see her tonight at the window. Astrid is special. She seems to be someone who I knew from the past, but that's impossible because she would've told me by now if she knew me. Even so, she understands everything I tell her, and she knows my favourites. The strangest thing we have in common is Carousels. Rounds and spins of dreams that go around our heads while we're sleeping or just about to fall asleep.

After all the camera flashes in my eyes, Cameron picked me up. The team went for victory pizza but I passed, too tired to stay up late, adding the fact that I have a pile of undone homework waiting for me. Tomorrow is Saturday and I suppose I could procrastinate until then, but I just have the urge to finish what I'm told. One day wouldn't hurt, I successfully persuaded myself. After a long, hot shower of flushing away all the things on my mind, I pulled up the window shade, only to see Astrid's room pitch black. I couldn't really blame her, it was an exhausting game even if you're just shouting and pumping fists in the bleachers.

***

I woke up groggily in the morning to Cameron's pounding on my door. I stirred, not able to recall the exact moment I slipped out of consciousness last night. When I flipped through some books and scrolled through a few social apps on my desk, my window was welcoming an inky night with corresponding stars. Now, the sun is bright out, rays of light burning my skin delicately as I rubbed my eyes, stretching. I was still on the desk, my books and phone sprawled out in front of me.

As my vision cleared, I noticed that my window stayed open all night, and I was now staring at a phone-in-hand, picture-taking Astrid.

"You drool when you sleep you know that?" She joked from the other side. My fingers simultaneously touched the corners of my lips to confirm her statement. Yup, I do drool. Must have had a good dream last night.

"Stalker," I said, rolling up a piece of already crumpled paper and aiming it at her, shot it across the distance between our windows, then watch it fall to the ground.

"Lost all of your goal power last night didn't you?" Astrid laughed, putting her hair up into a messy bun. Even without makeup, she looks familiar.