This Girl

Chapter 13: If you were a potato you'd be a good potato

"Hey," Noah jogs off the field, pulling his helmet off. I stand where he asked me to, on the edge of the railing, waiting for him. I want to get angry at him, but I can't. I know I shouldn't get on his bad side. 

"Hi," I try to morph my expression into a neutral one. I think it works.

"Did you enjoy the game?" he asks, leaning over the railing, towards me, too close for comfort. I smell the stench of sweat and Gatorade. I try not to recoil.  

"Yeah, yeah," I lie. 

"Cool," he says. 

"Why didn't you pass to Alex?" I ask him, trying to sound as neutral and curious as possible.

"I saw a guy near him, so I knew the best option was to run," he shrugs, leaning in closer.

WHAT? He want me to kiss him? Isn't it to early in the relationship? What do I do? What do I do? Ahhhh! 

I breath in  heavily and make my mind up. 

I lean in and kiss him on the cheek. He opens his eyes, a depressed look on his face. 

"C'mon, lets go," he takes my hand even though there is a steel railing in between us. 

"Uh, Noah, I can't exactly come with you? There's a railing?"

"Oh, no worries," in one swift move he leans over the railing, picks me up, bridal style and lifts me over. I laugh when I plop down.

"Ok, now I can come with you," I smile and we walk off. He grabs my hand and threads his fingers through mine. As much as I want to shake it off, I know that would be mean, so I let it be. 

***

I ride in Noah's pick-up truck to the party. We talk the whole way there. Its pretty fun, we have common interests and he knows how to make me laugh., he's ditched the shy-guy personality and I find myself enjoying his company. We pull up outside the house and I jump out of the car. 

"Oh," I look up at the familiar venue. "Alex is hosting?"

"Yeah, its always at his house. He doesn't interact much with the team though, he's always hooking up with girls," Noah rolls his eyes.

"Oh," I say quietly, nodding my head. 

"C'mon, lets go," he pulls my arm. "Did I tell you have great you look tonight?" 

I look down, blushing. "Thanks."

He hooks an arm around my waist and leads me inside. I want to shrug out of his hold, but that would be rude. We walk into the house and immediately I hear the pumping party music booming through the house. I see people dancing, eating, drinking and getting drunk. Noah pulls me into the kitchen and pops a beer can open. 

"You're eighteen?" I ask him.

He laughs, looks up and then realizes I'm being serious. "Well, I am in a couple of months," he says awkwardly. 

"Oh," I nod.

"You want anything?" he gestures to the drinks around him like her owns them. I take a lemonade. 

"Thanks," we walk out of the kitchen and into the living room. I gesture around, "I'm just going to go and find my friends," I tell him. He nods, kisses me on the cheek (um... Okay?) and I walk away. 

I find Bubbles and Callum in a separate room, just talking and hanging around. Probably to escape the action and loud sounds. 

"Hey," I walk in, closing the door behind me.