How it Began

|30|

"Alice?" Hal calls from across the room.

"Yeah?" She doesn't take her eyes off of the computer as she works away on the article assigned to her.

"Any chance you're going to the football game tonight?"

"Yeah of course, it's the final game of the season, pretty sure Fred and FP would be disappointed if I didn't come watch them."

"Would you be willing to write an article on it while you're there?"

"Sure, I don't mind at all."

"Great, thanks! I'd write it myself but I'm on the team so that would be a little difficult."

"But it would be impressive." Hal laughs at that and she smiles. "So you just want me to write about the events of the game, who won, who scored the most points, blah blah blah?"

He chuckles. "Yeah, maybe scratch the "blah blah blah" part though."

She smiles. "Deal."

_____

Alice scribbles away in her notebook throughout the game, keeping track of all the points scored and by whom they were scored.

"Oh my God, this is it! If they get this they win the game!" Hermione squeals.

Alice watches intently as FP bolts across the field, followed closely by one of the players from Baxter High's team. He chucks the football just as the player tackles him down.

Hal catches it and is on the run. Everybody in the stands watches nervously as he runs, the time is ticking. "Come on, Hal. You go this!" Alice mutters to herself, itching to write that Hal was the player who scored the winning point for the team.

"TOUCHDOWN!"

The crowd cheers and Alice smiles as she quickly scribbles down Hal's name on her notepad. Eager to write the article in full.

"They won!" Mary cheers.

FP waves at Alice from the field and gestures for her to come to him. She sets her notebook down and rushes over to him, jumping into his waiting arms. "Congrats!" She pecks kisses all over his face.

"Thanks, Al." He smiles wide and gives her a long victory kiss before lowering her feet back to the ground.

"Come on man!" Fred urges for FP to follow him.

"I gotta go get changed, I'll find you after?"

"I'll be by the bleachers." He nods and kisses her once more before following Fred and the rest of the team.

She walks over to the bleachers, picking up her notepad before ducking under the bleachers and sitting down.

She starts writing out pieces of her article prioritizing them in order of importance. Of course, Hal scoring the winning point is at the top.

"Al?" She hears FP calling for her. She sticks her hand out and waves him over. "You said you'd be by the bleachers not underneath them." He chuckles.

"I know, but it's just more secluded under here. Better place to work."

"Well the team is going out for celebratory milkshakes at Pop's, I'm sure they'd be fine with you coming if you want to?"

"That's nice but you should go by yourself, celebrate with them."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, babe, I'll be fine here. You and I can celebrate by ourselves later." She smiles as she leans in to kiss him.

"I look forward to it. You want me to drop you off at home?"

"No it's alright, I think I'll stay here for a little while. Keep up the momentum I have right now."

He smiles. "It's pretty hot how hard you're working." He kisses her again. "I'll see you later, Al."

"Have fun!"

After he leaves she goes back to focusing on her article. That is, until someone else comes along. She expects it to be FP or maybe Hermione but when she looks up she's pleasantly surprised to see Hal.

"Hey, what are you doing, I thought the team was going out for milkshakes?"

"They are but I just kind of want to go home, take a shower, I'm kind of exhausted."

"No doubt, you won the game."

He smiles and ducks under the bleachers to sit with her. "It was a team effort, FP would've won it had that player form Baxter High not tackled him."

"Still. I'm making sure it's known that you scored the winning point."

He laughs. "Alright." He peers over to her notepad and looks at what she's been writing down. "Took a lot of notes."

"A lot happened. I know it looks all over the place but it's organized to me."

"Hey, I'm not doubting your process." He looks up from her paper to find her staring at him. "I'm really glad you joined the paper, Alice."

"You are?"

"Of course I am! You've already been such a great edition to the paper."

"I love it," She tells him, because she honestly does. "Makes me want to own my own paper even more some day."

"I have no doubt in my mind that you will."

"Really?"

"You haven't even been a part of the paper for that long but you've already written some of the best articles. You're going to do great things, I know you will."

Her eyes flicker down to his lips as she smiles softly. He leans in a little bit just to see how she'd react. She leans in as well and before he can fully grasp what's happening they're kissing and it's even better than the kiss they shared at the party last weekend.

His hands tangle in her blonde curls and he doesn't think anything will ever feel as magical as the way her lips feel against his. He knows how wrong it is, she has a boyfriend, they're friends, but it all feels so right that he can't find it within him to care.