Knight

22

TRIGGER WARNING: use of homophobic slur

Mason Maloney

"What is wrong with you?" Pete asked, flicking me on the side of the head as I stared off into space.

I looked over at him with an unsatisfied glare, my eyes hooded and squinting at his accusatory expression. Pete raised his eyebrows and widened his eyes as if telling me to answer him. I looked by him to see Ross and Bella each staring at me with unreadable expressions.

"Nothing," I finally answered, throwing myself back to lie down on the ground.

The four of us sat on the soccer field, which was next to the football field, after having ran around the track before the football players started practice. The grass on the field could be felt through my clothes, giving me an uncomfortable itch, but I paid it no mind. I stared up at the clear, blue sky and wondered how my mind could be so clouded when there wasn't a cloud in sight.

"I kinda feel like you're lying, just saying bro," Pete said as he lay down next to me, his shoulder nearly touching mine.

I didn't respond, but I told myself I was just tired from running. I wasn't actually upset over Sam. It was the physical exhaustion that made me seem so out of it. I let out a sigh, realizing I couldn't even convince myself of that, let alone my friends.

"Get up," Bella suddenly said, standing in front of the two of us with Ross standing behind her.

Bella held out her hand to me and pulled me up with a yank. I stumbled into her slightly before catching my balance as Pete stood to his feet.

"Let's go cheer you up," Bella said with a smile, looping her arm through mine. The gesture made me smile back and I let her lead me to Ross's car where we all piled in.

It didn't take long for me to realize where we were headed. Soon enough, we arrived at Bella's house where her silver Toyota Camry sat in the driveway all alone. Bella grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the car as soon as Ross had it parked, leading me up the driveway to her front door. She led me over to the couch in her living room before walking off to the kitchen. Ross and Pete sat on either side of me as we waited for her to return.

"What are we doing?" I asked, leaning over to Ross. He smiled and shrugged.

"We noticed you were bummed out today," Ross started. "So we decided to pig out and watch some movies. You get to pick."

I grinned slightly.

"Just don't pick anything dumb," Pete said, leaning back in his seat.

Bella quickly returned with cans of soda and a bag of chips, placing them on the coffee table in front of us. She grabbed the remote before squeezing her way between Pete and me.

"I put some mozzarella sticks in the oven," she said, turning the TV on.

"Thank God," Pete said dramatically. "I'm starving."

"What else is new?" I joked to which he shot me daggers. "What? You know I'm right."

Pete's face softened and he had a look of realization.

"You know what? You are," he agreed.

"Go pick a movie, even though we all know what you're going to pick," Ross said teasingly.

"I don't know if I'm in the mood for Pride and Prejudice," I confessed with a sigh.

Bella's eyes widened as she turned to stare at me. "You have never not been in the mood to watch Pride and Prejudice."