Chemistry (L.T.)

Chapter 27

Alexia POV

The sun was out, the air was warm and it was the perfect day for a soccer game. I dragged Marie along again, much to her dismay, convincing her there were only a few good weekends left before the cold would start to creep in. 

We take our seat on the cold hard bleachers ten minutes to the start of the game.  Im wearing the Jersey Niall gave me with Horan spelled proudly across my back. Marie told me countless times before we left for the game that it reminded her too much of a high school- where the football players give there girlfriends their jersey for the game, but I thought it was a cute gesture. Plus, what better way to show the world that I was very much in the mode of Niall. And no British asshole was going to interfere with that.

The players run out on the field and a spot Niall's blonde head bobbing around on the field.  Soon everyone stands for the national anthem and then the introduction of the players begins. 

"And now to introduce our starters." The deep voice of the announcer billows overhead.

"The leading scorer so far this season...starting at number 28. Looouuuuuuisssss Tomlinson!" The crowd goes crazy and Louis runs out onto the center of the field.  Well, the crowd cheers with the exception of me.  Marie slows down her clapping when she glances over and sees that I am very much not cheering for Louis' entrance. 

She leans her head to my ear and whispers. "Oh so we aren't even cheering for him now"

I give her a look of disgust and she stops clapping.  Soon the crowd settles back down and the announcer starts again. "And starting at number nine.....Nialllllllllll Horrrannn."

I stand on my feet and scream at the top of my lungs.  Marie gives me a suspicious look, was I trying a little too hard to be the supportive girlfriend, maybe, but I might as well act the part while I was at it. 

As Niall runs to the center of the field he turns and faces the crowd.  Our eyes meet and I see a wide smile form on his face.  He then turns and joins Louis in the center of the field.  The announcer finishes announcing the rest of the team and the game begins. 

At halftime the boys are behind two to zero, with Louis not having scored a single goal.  "What's going on with Tomlinson today?" We overhear two older men, probably dedicated alumni,  discussing as we walk towards the concession stand.  "I don't know but he needs to get his act together.  He's missed three shots so far."

"Has it really been that many?" Marie asks with an eyebrow raised after the men are out of earshot. 

"I haven't been paying attention to be honest." I lie.  How could I not notice that Louis had been playing badly? I didn't have to be a soccer enthusiast to notice that.  But I was being a warm, fuzzy supportive girlfriend. And supportive girlfriends didn't pay attention or care about how other members of the team, who they may or may not have shared a moment with and chosen to leave behind, were playing.  They didn't even acknowledge their existence. 

All that mattered was Niall.  And with the way Louis was playing maybe for once Niall could step out of his shadow and score a goal.  That was what I was thinking about, the opportunities the man I was here supporting now had because a certain Englishman was playing like he was back in elementary school.

We wait in line at the concession stand.  Marie buys a pretzel and I get us a bag of popcorn to munch on for the remainder of the game. 

"Alexia!" I turn around to see Lea's warm face behind me, with Harry not far into the distance. 

"Lea and Harry its good to see you guys.  What are you guys doing here?" I ask.

"We're here to watch the game of course.  Not going so well though it seems." Leah shrugs.