[1/3] NEVER LEAVE ME│s.m

nineteen

After I left Josh's room, I decided on going down to the local football pitch.

I got dressed, cleaned up my face and left it without makeup, then put my hair in a high pony tail. I slipped on a pair of shoes before walking to the front door.

"Where are you going?" Simon asks with distaste.

"Out," I simply reply. "You wouldn't care anyways," I add, shutting the door behind me. Grabbing the football that was hidden in the hedge beside me, I head for the Uber I had called earlier, jumping in the back seat.

"Ready?" my polite male driver asks as he glances in his mirror. He shoots a smile, hinting me his age. He must've been around his 40's, and looked slightly like Leonardo DiCaprio.

"Yes," I reply back with a forced smile, plugging in my earphones and listened to my own music.

••••

"Thank you," I say before shutting the door to my Uber's car. He drives off, my earphones still attached to me. I look out at the empty field, sighing, then jog towards the goal that was farthest away.

I do some stretches before practicing famous trick shots, dribbling, and penalty shots without a goalkeeper.

Stepping into place, I run towards the ball kicking it as hard as I could. It bounced off the crossbar, coming straight back to me. I kick it again out of frustration, and it soars into the net.

After chasing the ball around for a solid couple of hours, I started to get really tired and cold. I could begin to see my heavy breath.

"Need a lift home?" I heard someone ask from behind my music. I pull out my earphones, looking at the person. My stomach twists, and I just stand there, panting.

"Maybe," I reply, breathless.

"C'mon. It's getting cold," he says, leading me to his car.

As I sit, waiting for him to start his car, I wrap my earphones around my phone so they don't tangle. "I'm really sorry for my attitude earlier," he speaks up.

"Let's just drive," I say, my heart ripping just a little more.

"Alright," he huffs, starting up the engine and then proceeding out of the lot. "So, um, do you have a date with Harry tonight?"

"I know you want to clear the tension with me so I suggest not bringing that dick into any conversation," I inform, watching the trees briskly pass by outside my window.

"Why? What's happened between you two?"

"I don't wanna talk about it," I grumble.

"Okay, maybe later," he says, dropping the subject. "Wanna go to a movie with me tonight then?"

I turn to him, suppressing a smile. "What movie?"

"I noticed they're playing Nerve again, but only for a limited time," he replies, turning on his blinker before making a sharp turn.

"I've never seen it."

"That's perfect. I haven't either."

"I'm down if you're down."

"Sounds like a date."

My heart drops, my cheeks reddening, even though I knew he meant it platonically. I avert my attention elsewhere, hiding from Simon's lurking eyes.

"Guess what, Sage."

"What, Simon."

"I love you."

I turn to him with a smile, squishing his cheeks together with my right hand. "I love you too, you dork."

••••

As I was getting ready for a night out on the town, I heard the boys shouting in disgust and laughing clamorously. My curiosity gets the best of me, my feet sliding down the stairs and into the living room.

The floor is covered in newspaper which has spots of various liquid foods and drinks.

"What's going on?" I ask with a slight chuckle as I see JJ sat on a bar stool, a mess upon his head and on his face.

"Patience test," Ethan innocently smiles, then proceeding to smack JJ with whipped cream.

"Oi, can I have a go?" I question with a smirk.

"No!" JJ shouts.

"Yes," Josh says, handing me the can of whipped cream. I spray some into my opposite hand, slamming it in Jide's face almost instantly after.

"Ow!" he squeaks, holding his cheek.

"Why are you all dressed up?" Vik asks, dumping a tube of yogurt down the back of JJ's shirt.

"I'm going out," I giddily reply with a bright smile.

"With who?" Josh asks, his voice stern. He steps over to me protectively, his chest puffed out slightly.

"Not with Harry if that's what you're thinking," I giggle, giving him a small shove backward.

"Then who?" he interrogates.

"With Simon," I answer. Everybody goes silent, all taken by surprise. "Why is that such a shock? Can't friends go out?"

"O-oh, it's not a shock! Not a shock at all!" Josh says, his voice giving away that he was lying.

"Seriously, why do you guys find it so surprising?"

"We just-" Josh starts, but clearly didn't have an excuse so Vik steps in.

"-thought that you and Simon weren't talking."

"Well, we weren't. But we are now, he's apologized for his behavior this morning and is being his sweet old self again," I respond.

"Why do you think he was angry with you?" Vik asks, followed by JJ elbowing him in the chest. Vik's face turns to a pained expression as he presses his hand against his new bruise.

"He was angry with me?" I question, kind of upset. I knew he got short with me, but I didn't do anything that could've made him so mad.

"No, Vik just-" Josh tries to cover their tracks again, but it was no use.

"He was, alright? We don't need to hide it from her," Ethan says.

I furrow my eyebrows. "Why was he mad at me? I did nothing."

"Harry kissed you, and you kissed back," Ethan sighs.

"Yeah, but why would he care about that?"

"He lik-"

"Shut up now, Ethan," Josh scolds, covering Ethan's mouth. "He just didn't want you getting hurt by a boy again."

"That's sweet of him to care but it's my decisi-"

"What's going on, lads?" I hear Simon ask as he enters the room. "And lady," he chuckles as he wraps an arm around my neck.

"Uh- JJ's doing the patience test," I reply, pointing towards his drenched and abused friend.

"Going on your channel, bro?" he asks JJ. JJ nods, smiling with his lips. I turn to Josh with a concerned look.

"So everything we've just talked about is recorded?"

"I'll delete the footage, Sage," JJ says, reassuring me. I nod slowly, feeling queasy.

"Why does it matter?" Simon chuckles again, looking down at me. "You spill who your crush is or something?"

"I don't have a crush, you dingus," I giggle as I jokingly push him away.

"Then what did you say?" he quizzes, poking at my side.

I grab his finger, look up at him and briskly grumble, "Doesn't matter," with a soft smile.