Reputations

Chapter 20

Niall

The week went by without much difference. I was around Sam more at school since we were able to be seen together now. We weren't exactly wearing signs around our necks claiming each other, but it was understood that we were closer friends. People were picking up on the energy we put out with each other and the rumor that we were dating was spreading. We weren't doing anything to stop that from spreading around either. We were also still feeling it out and trying to see if Troy or Christina would try and get involved or not. They seemed to actually be leaving us alone and making better efforts to change.

Before the soccer game in the locker room a couple of people were going on about some Halloween party. I wasn't paying much attention until someone spoke directly to me. "Niall are you coming to Patrick's Halloween party?"

"I might. I don't know yet." Patrick added his opinion since it was his party.

"You should definitely come. My parents will be gone the whole weekend and my brother's friend is getting tons of beer." Troy joined in on the conversation before I could say a word.

"You aren't bringing Sam? I thought you were like officially together now?"

"I'll bring Sam if she wants to go. I don't actually know if we're officially together. Im pretty sure we are. I guess we didn't officially label anything, but we aren't...apart. If that makes sense." We both laughed a little and there was a very mixed reaction from the team. It was the first time some people had heard about us together. Some people were confused, and I didn't blame them. We were in way different leagues. They were probably more confused about me and Troy talking to each other and laughing together as if we were friends. I was confused from that too and because I realized Sam and I still hadn't defined anything. Everyone filed out of the room leaving me and Troy alone. I tensed up because the last time I was alone with him he had punched me and was in general a huge pain in the ass to deal with. I had no idea if he was going to say something rude or not.

"Why?"

"Why what?" He rolled his eyes as if I were stupid.

"Why aren't you together? You both spend all your time together. You've gone out on dates. You spend a lot of time together. What's the hold up?" I shrugged my shoulders.

"I mean we aren't really hiding anything. We go out in public. We hang out after school and on weekends and stuff. We are just also waiting to see if anything goes wrong before we get too far, I guess. We haven't got around to that conversation yet. We haven't had to have that talk. I thought it was just understood." He nodded his head and smiled. I was weirded out by us talking like we were friends. I felt like he was giving me advice.

"What you really mean is that you're waiting to see if I was serious about leaving you alone right?" I nervously rubbed the back of my neck.

"Uhm...yeah, kind of. Can you blame us?"

"No, I can't blame you for that. I promise I will not bother you and Sam. I've left you both alone. I meant what I said. You can clearly make her happier than I would ever be able to do. As long as she's happy then I should be too, right? She deserves that."

"Thanks."

"Just try not go overboard with the P.D.A. when I'm around because I do still like her. I don't want to see her with other people, but she wants to be with other people. Just don't rub it in my face. It's not my place to mess that up especially since we were never a thing to begin with. It really isn't my place to tell you what to do and what not to do. P.D.A. weirds me out from anyone, but I can't stop you. I won't do anything to interfere either way. I promise."

"That sounds good to me. We aren't super into that anyway. I don't think so at least. I'm really not sure." He patted my shoulder and then I followed him out to the field. I immediately found Sam in the crowd next to Lisa when she excitedly waved at me. We won the game and after I was still standing on the field talking to Ben. Lisa and Sam came up to us and Lisa immediately jumped into Ben's arms. She started congratulating him and kissing him as she typically did. Sam just awkwardly came up not really knowing exactly what she should do since we didn't fully have anything defined. I smiled at her because I had created the awkward tension, so I pulled her into a hug. She looked up at me and the tension had gone from awkward to both of us wanting to kiss each other. I almost did until I saw Troy out of the corner of my eye. I refrained from kissing her even though we had come so close. Lisa noticed me dismiss the opportunity to kiss her and looked at me with a confused expression. I didn't say anything I just hoped Sam didn't think anything of me not kissing her.