Out Of Bounds

22| Soccer Superstars

My palms never got this sweaty. Every time I would wipe the sweat on my soccer shorts, more sweat replaced its' place. Rebecca and the others were warming up on Riverdale's soccer field. We needed to beat them to make it to the finals. I couldn't stop pacing around the area where our equipment and bags lay.

I knew Owen was watching our game, along with our friends. I could spot them at the bottom of the bleachers, cheering on Riverdale of course and silently cheering me on. I hated how we have to hide our relationship and friendship just because I'm from Bayview.

The other team looked ready to devour us whole as they continued practicing shooting goals. Out of all the schools in the city, they had the best goalkeeper. Once the referee blew the whistle, I looked over at Owen who was widely smiling at me with his two thumbs up.

Halfway into the game, Bayview was leading five to two, until I messed up and kicked the wrong way when I was briefly thinking about Owen watching me. I still get shy and flustered around him. His smile would always make me smile and happy. After all these years I finally understood what love was, it was enduring the pain it may give you and risking potential heartbreak for someone who made you feel wholeheartedly loved, and just for that reason, it was worth loving someone.

The ball I kicked rolled out of the sidelines and towards the bleachers. 

"Out of bounds!" Coach Fernie yelled, shooting me a warning glance. Owen and I were just like the ball. Our love for each other was going beyond the lines that were created by those who started the rivalry between Riverdale and Bayview. 

•••

After the soccer game, we managed to win by one point. All the Riverdale supporters grunted in anger and rolled their eyes as our team passed by to collect our equipment. I immediately ran to Owen after the crowd of people cleared in front of him. I didn't care who was watching, this rival was stupid, so I ran into his arms and hugged him.

He didn't hesitate. When I pulled away, his hands crept up to my cheeks as he pulled me towards his lips. At this moment everyone else didn't matter, he was here with me and for once in my life, I never doubted that someone does love me.

Love comes in many forms. Through friendship, family, unrequited lovers and perhaps even envy. I lived my life chasing after the feeling of being loved, but the self-hatred I had for myself blocked the love I was receiving. The love of my mom and Rebecca. Now I realize that they do love me and that I am loved, and that the number of people who love you shouldn't be the basis of whether or not you should love yourself. 

We slowly pulled away, as I gazed into his eyes someone yelled, "traitor!" And another, "I can't believe you would date someone from Bayview." Suddenly voices erupted from different places on the field, from the spectators to the girls on my soccer team, everyone was shocked and upset. 

"Why do we need to have a rivalry?" I shouted, I was going to stand up for something I believed in, primarily because this whole ordeal has gone on for too long. "This rivalry has been going on for years, even before our time, yet we don't know the root cause of it so why do we need to continue hating each other and creating a divide? You can't just hate somebody because people who used to go Bayview and Riverdale do."

"You're just saying that so you don't get shunned."

"Then give me three reasons as to why this rivalry should go on?" I waited, and everyone was silent. I caught Shawn's eyes in the crowd. swarmed the school. Everyone was buzzing about his breakup with Nikki. I heard it was because Shawn didn't love her the way he used to. Sometimes that's what loving somebody comes with, falling out of love.

Shawn pushed through the crowd to get to the front. He stood beside me and Owen. "She's right," he said glancing at me. "This rivalry is preventing us from getting to know people from Riverdale and vice versa. They're worth getting to know. There are some pretty amazing people at Riverdale." This time he looked at his old best friend, Owen.

Owen patted him on the back, "instead of fighting each other we need to come together and forget the past and the people who began this stupid rivalry."

"Yeah!"Curtis yelled from the crowd as he jumped up, pumping his fist in the air. People started looking at him weirdly until they all started roaring in agreement. 

"I'll see you around De Luca," Shawn smiled in his direction. 

"You're my fucking neighbour Vega, of course, you will, we have a lot of shit to catch up on," Owen yelled back before Shawn left in laughter. Owen wrapped his arm around my shoulder as we started walking to the now empty soccer field. 

"Look at my soccer superstar, being motivational and changing the lives of many hormonal stressed out teenagers."

"That's an exaggeration," I rolled my eyes. "Now, are you ready to lose?" I picked up the soccer ball from the ground.

"Yes, with dignity!" He yelled. The smile on his lips didn't fade, and neither did mine, I couldn't be happier than I am now. 

"Winner gets bragging rights as long as we're together."

"So forever then?" Owen cheekily smiled as he kicked the ball towards me. 

"You're so cheesy. It makes me want to kick this ball right at your face."

"No need to resort to violence dear Stella," he said jokingly. 

"Game on," I kicked the ball as I ran towards the net. I was ready to shoot, but Owen intercepted me and kicked the ball away from my feet. He now has the ball.

"I'm quite disappointed my soccer superstar," he said in a thick Italian accent. "I don't think being offence is right for you, not even defence. You should be the goalie."

I rolled my eyes. If I was the goalie, our team would lose because I wouldn't want to get hit with the ball so I would avoid it. "Why is that?"

He smirked, "because you're a keeper."

I tried not to smile as much, but it didn't work, "wow I'm so lucky to have a boyfriend who loves puns as much as I do."

We continued playing soccer. The scorecard was long forgotten, and so was the time. With him, everything painful disappeared and in its' place was a bountiful amount of memories I would cherish as long as I thought about my first love.

a/n This is officially my second completed book on Wattpad. WHAT???!! I am so surprised that I'm this committed. Anyways book number three centres around the lovely Natalia and Trevor is called Home Run. Go read it and vote, share, because it means a lot knowing people enjoy what I write. So thanks for the support.