"What the hell?" Allison said. I walked up to the school. She saw me wearing my new soccer jersey that had our school's colors and logo on it. "Why are you wearing that? Number 5? Earth to Austin!"
I was ignoring her, and it was working. Tyler and Brandyn walked past me and gave me a high five, like any other basic soccer team would. "What the hell?!" Allison started shouting again.
As I turned to explain to Allison, two arms wrapped around my waist and squeezed me. "Hi Mikey," I grinned at Allison. I turned around to face him, his hands still on my waist.
"Good morning Austin," he said. "How was your night?"
"Good, until you sent me that very inappropriate picture," I crossed my arms and smiled. He awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
"Hey now, you sent a picture just like it back!"
I could feel my face heating up. "So?"
We both laughed.
"What the hell!" Allison shouted, jumping between Mikey and I. "Explain."
"I joined the soccer team because Mr. Portman thought it would be a good idea. And Mikey and I have been talking non stop since," I said and motioned at Mikey.
"Wow, not only do you eat vegetables, you do sports?" She scoffed. "You think you know a guy."
"Don't be a bitch," I laughed at her.
"So, Mikey, is Austin your new boy toy?" She said and motioned to his hands that were still on my waist.
He moved his hands away with both of us left blushing. I rolled my eyes at Allison and said goodbye to Mikey before making my way to my next class. I had to push through the groups of people to even get up to the door.
I then ran into Dove. "Oh hey, Austin, how're you doing?" She asked.
"I'm holding up I guess, what about you? How're you taking the, ya know," I motioned at Hunter who now had a bunch of girls surrounding him. They basically fawned and drooled over him.
She frowned, then smiled, "it's almost like it never happened."
"Good," I smiled and waved at her before walking off into the school.
Someone came running up behind me and pulled my shirt back. It was Allison.
"Okay for real this time, what the hell?"
•••
Allison and I walked over towards our usual lunch table to sit down and eat.
"Well what do you call all that then?" Allison asked me. She was referring to how nice I was to Dove.
"Oh come on Allison. So what if we're friends."
"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't know you were, friends," she scoffed. "Please explain how that happened?"
I started to explain to her how Jackson and I's date went and what happened with Dove and Hunter as well. "She was all that was there and we helped each other. And even before it happened, she opened up and apologized for all the mean things she's done. She has her reasons, just like we do."
Allison just sat there, contemplating what I said.
"How come you don't like Dov-" I tried asking but Viv walked over and cut me off.
"Hey guys, I'm still welcome, right?" She asked.
"Of course, Viv," we said. Allison patted at the seat next to her and Viv sat.
