Francena Nakamura never expected that, for the usage of her senior year, she'll be helping Julian Dean - star captain of the soccer team and her ex-crush - find her old pseudonym, Miss Incomplete.
Never did she expect, that in the process, she'll f...
I smile broadly at the appearance of my friends; with Graham swinging his backpack from side to side, Iris standing next to Gabriel as the boys stared at my brighten mood today. Iris knew what was going on—she picked me up.
"Okay, Jesus, Francena," Graham shook his head, letting out an exhale as he prepare himself. "Francena Nakamura, why are you so—"
"My mom left!" I announce, pumping my fist in the air, silently praising the gods for the one good thing in my life. Gabriel was a bit confused, and I expect him to be as I haven't filled in the blocks of my background story. He went along the flow though, taking this new discovery as a good thing.
"That's great, Francena," Graham smiles, walking closer as he hooks his arm around my shoulders, pulling me against his side. Gabriel shook his head.
"I have no idea what's going on here but I think I need to stick around longer to get the story,"
"Hey, look, there's something smart in that sexual-influenced brain of yours," Iris pointed out, causing Gabriel to jab his elbow into Iris' side. She roar in laughter, holding her stomach as she walks. I smile.
"Guys, game. All of you being there?" Graham announces, the sudden occurrence appear to him. I nod, just as Iris nod her head and mentioned the name of Erin making an appearance at the show as well. Gabriel, with hesitation at first, nods.
"The last time I went to a soccer game, Francena and I went to a party in order to prove that Biceps was jealous. I hope this game would be a bit different." Gabriel declares.
"Well, Biceps isn't going able to get jealous because of his girlfriend. That would be awkward," Iris announces and we all hum in agreement. Though, the slight topic of Julian made me slightly uncomfortable because of everything that went down—he's still my friend. Not to mention, literally nothing can sour my mood today.
—
"What the hell do you mean you can't play?!" Nick declares, his arms crossed as his biceps show through the thin material of his shirt. He, like Graham this morning, is wearing a letterman jacket iconically dubbed for game days. "You're the literal captain, Julian."
Tasha hooks her arms around Julian's biceps, clinging to him, "like I said, Julian is going to be with me today to help the children shelters down in the city. I've told him already, he agreed."
"I asked Julian, not you, sweetheart," Nick glares, causing Tasha to stumble back from the harsh tone. She clings to Julian closer, pulling him.
"Babe," she whimpers at Nick's harsh tone, causing Julian to step up.
"Nick, back off man, you're scaring her." Julian declares, holding out a hand to block his best friend. Isaac and Colin send each other a look, but Nick didn't budge.
"God, I didn't do shit!" Nick yells, shoving a finger in Tasha's direction. "I didn't talk to her, I don't want her answers for you; you answer your shit for yourself man, you're eighteen and petty yourself to your girlfriend's words."
"Babe,"
"Nick back the fuck off, Tasha doesn't like it when you yell," Julian straighten himself from his position. He pulls Tasha off, his chest rise as his best friend mimic his same action. "Why you always got to be such an asshole to Tasha?"
"Are we're really playing this game with me?" Nick scoffs, shaking his head as he runs his hand through his blond hair. His blue eyes landed on the petite girl before finding his way to his best friend. "You've always been so blinded with whatever Tasha say, you can't seem to listen and think everything through." Nick said through gritted teeth, Nick jabs a finger into Julian's chest. "Maybe you need to stop being your girlfriend's bitch."
That earnt a punch from Julian, as Julian aimed and hit his best friend squared in the jaw. Nick stumbles back, Isaac and Colin coming to their best friend's aid as Tasha grips on Julian, pulling her boyfriend back from starting something bigger.
Julian glares at his friends, who stood unmoved at Nick's side. Nick wipes his bleeding lip with the back of his palm as he shot daggers in Julian's direction.
"Don't you ever, ever disrespect Tasha like that ever again." Julian announces, holding out to his other friends. "Him or me?"
"Julian, don't do this—" Colin declares.
"Him or me?!"
The boys silent as none made a pull to go to Julian. He scoffs, finding his eyes dancing between his three best friends as they wash down to nothingness. "Fine," Julian grumbles, grabbing a hold of Tasha and pulling her away from the crowd. He takes her to his car and take the leave out of the parking lot. Leaving Nick, Isaac and Colin on the concrete.
Did I really witness what I really witnessed?
Did I really just witness years worth of friendship thrown to the floor? Destroyed?
That wasn't like Julian.
That wasn't like Julian at all.
I pull back, just as I watch the trio talk over the events that just happened. I slip away, finding myself so closed to the situation I was meant to stray from.
And to think, all I wanted to do was find Graham.
—
"GO GRAHAM!" I screamed, jumping to my toes as Gabriel shoot up besides me, yelling out Graham's name behind me. Iris and Erin, mimicked our actions a few moments later as Graham comes down against the timer, the ball within his hold as he dodges around the players.
The timer counting down, and seconds coming before Graham finds himself in front of the net and scored—aiming into the goal a couple of seconds left to spare. The buzzer announce the end of the game and the entire stadium cheered—our side wildly applauding and repeating Graham's name and jersey.
I ran off of the bleachers and down towards Graham, hopping into his arms as he wraps his sweaty arms around me. The team had won with a almost-tied score—8-7.
"You did great!" I cheered, smiling against my best friend as he chuckles, panting as his breath comes out in shallow breathing. I pulled apart, "you need water."
"Thanks, Francena," he said in two breath, just as I turn around to see Gabriel throwing me a water bottle in his hand. I hand it over to Graham, who thanked the both of us as he chugs down the liquid with few splashing from the corner of his lips exiting. "Can't fucking believe that Julian got sick on us."
I bite my lip, not talking. I knew the real situation. Julian had sticked through on his words and didn't attend the game. Nick took ownership of captain today, and a substitute had to come in for the missing player. Despite their argument a couple of hours earlier, Nick had covered for him and told the coach that Julian got sick and had to go home.
Nick, Isaac and Colin soon comes into view, panting as they had water bottles in their hands. Isaac and Colin cheered for Graham, while Nick's eyes are pointedly on me, in thought.
Nick points to me, and mouthed something I couldn't understand. I move forward, just as Nick drags me away from the crowd. He took a hold of my arm, pulling me to a more secluded (as secluded as you can be on an open field) area and lower his lips to my ear.
"I know you saw what happened earlier," he whispers and my eyes widen. I was about to open my mouth to explain myself, "it's okay. I understand. But I do have a question though."
"What?"
"What do you think of her now?"
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