It's Complicated

16

It's been a long road but our football team has made it to the high school playoffs. No one thought we weren't going to make it, but it's still exciting when we do. Even I'm caught up in the fever and smiling today. The hallways are lined with green, white, and black streamers tapped to the ceilings. Anyone who owns a school letterman jacket is sporting it with pride. Girls have green makeup on, and green accessories. Guys just seem louder than normal. Even the solemn and typically quiet teachers are talking more to the students and to each other.

And now that I've talked with Jimin, he's standing with me in the hall again. Finally. I didn't realize how much I missed having him with me at school.

But even if he's standing with me now, my eyes automatically glance up when I see our school's quarterback walking in our direction. I can see the lineman that he punched was back to laughing and walking in step behind Jungkook. Internally I rolled my eyes at the simpleness of boys. Either way my attention was still on him. He looked stunning and confident. Smug and poised. But it seemed I was the only one who saw his perfect smile falter when his buddies came around, joked, and laughed.

We locked eyes making me feel fidgety. I squeezed the straps of my backpack tighter and glanced down from his gaze. But by the time I looked back up he was walking to me. I glanced around nervously; Jimin just stayed where he was, doing his best to play it cool.

Jungkook nodded off to his fellow football players and stood in front of me, "Coming to the pep rally?" His smile was insatiable.

I smiled a little, "You know how boring they are."

"Definitely. But I thought maybe afterwards we could ride together to the stadium. Grab something to eat on the way." He glanced at Jimin then back to me, "Unless you had other plans."

"Um..." I looked at Jimin and he shrugged.

"You do you Y/N. Just text me later so we can meet up at the stadium," my best friend said as he took the opportunity to leave.

I frowned, knowing full well that he was sulking on the inside. I sighed a little before turning to Jungkook, "Yeah, sounds good. But-" It was just like when he had gotten into that fight, people were staring. "You could have just texted me..."

"I realized I don't care about what other people think anymore. And- ah, I'll tell you later tonight." He grinned and threw his hands up wildly as he explained, "Big announcements should have a bigger build up. You know, confetti and the school band playing in the background. And it makes you go wow! Whoa! Ahh!!!!"

"Pffft." I cracked up laughing, holding my stomach and bending over a little. "You're so crazy! Oh my God."

He laughed and put his hand on my shoulder, "Then let's go. Pep rally then food." He started walking and I fell in line at his side, "Think about what you want. I'm starving."

I smiled, feeling warm inside, "Me too."

-

Jungkook and I arrive and sit in his car before getting out. We of course are there at the stadium before everyone else. And he doesn't have much time till he has to go inside and start getting ready for the big night. But he seems content enough to just hold my hand and look at the stadium standing tall and intimidating in front of us.

He changes his hand to lace his fingers with mine, "I'm actually really nervous."

"But you're going to do great, so don't even worry."

"Y/N," he asked with uncertainty.

I turned to face him more, a little anxious, "What's wrong?"

He let out a breath through a wide smile, "I'm quitting football after today's game." He closed his eyes and started laughing, squeezing my hand harder; for support. "Wow, that feels so good to say."

"What," I asked slowly; not even sure if I heard right.

He had a new spark in his eyes that wasn't there before, a new attitude that just radiated from his entire body. "I'm quitting football. I'm quitting." He laughed again, "I can't say it enough."

"But why? I mean-" I glanced away and tried to gain my wits, "If that's what will make you happy then I'll support you as your friend and everything, but I guess-" I glanced back at him with a tilt of my head, "This seems sudden?"

He leaned back against the headrest and smiled, "I've never liked football. I've only ever been good at it, so I did it. Besides, my father pushed it on me. But I don't want to do it anymore. It's my life. I want to live it."

"Jungkook..."

He let his eyes linger on mine, taking in the moment, "I would never have gotten the courage if it wasn't for you Y/N."

I looked away so he wouldn't see me blush, "I didn't do anything."

"You did. You started it all." He shook my hand a little, getting me to turn back to face him, "It started that night in the shed. And little by little, I realized how much I was living a fake life. I don't like football, but I play it. I don't like any of my so called friends, but I keep them around. I hate the pressure my dad puts on me, but I let him do it anyways." He sighed a little, "And after hanging out with you, I just didn't want to be this 'me' anymore. This fake me."

"Wow..." I looked down at our hands still laced, "You're brave. Everyone is going to give you shit."

"It's ok, I'm ready for it," he said with a wink.

I chuckled, leaning my head back like him on the passenger seat headrest, "Was this the big announcement you were going to tell me?"

"Yeah. No confetti though."

"Too bad," I fake frowned.

He chuckled for a moment until he was happy enough just staring into my eyes. "And do you have anything to say to me?"

I know exactly what he's referring too, but I play dumb for now. "Good luck Jungkook," I smiled.

He stared for a moment longer before he smiled, "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"Then one last thing..."

"Hm?"

"Can I get a good luck kiss," he grinned. But before I could say anything he chuckled, "I'm kidding. Let's go."

As he let go of my hand and started shifting to get out of his car, I grabbed his arm and tugged him towards me. As I did, he turned his head just as I pressed my lips to his. His eyes were open for a second from the shock, but they soon closed as he kissed me back. His hand reached out towards my neck, locking me in place as he deepened the kiss; his tongue licking at my bottom lip. I tilted my head to accommodate him and followed his lead.

He pulled his tongue back into his mouth and started kissing me; peck after peck, before he pulled away. Just far enough away that his lips barely touched mine and his eyes remained closed. "I made this harder for myself... I shouldn't have kissed you." His brow creased and he let out a small sigh, "I want you to say you like me back so bad now."

"Jungkook-"

He pulled away more and smiled as we locked eyes, his confident compared to my worried ones, "If you don't know yet it's ok. No pressure." He took a big breath through his nose and let it out slowly through his mouth, "That was a great kiss though. Just what I needed."

Despite me being worried, I still laughed, "Weirdo."

He grinned, "Another one?"

I smacked his arm and opened the car door with a shake of my head and a smile on my lips, "C'mon hotshot. You got a game to win."

He laughed as he opened his door as well, "Yes ma'am!"