The Loneliest Stars

Chapter 8

She was nervous sending that Outlook email meeting invite, she didn't know why but her heart hammered in her chest in an explosive staccato rhythm, that almost made her feel light-headed. She was definitely blowing this way out of proportion.

It was just a meeting. She reminded herself and then promptly forgot her own advice when she saw a tall figure out in the field, training with his football players.

Why hadn't she noticed that she had a perfect view of the football field from the science office before?

She watched him wind his arm and throw the football effortlessly, long and far into the air. It sailed in a perfect arch but the young boy he had been throwing it to came up short and it bounced off his head and onto the grass. That was a serious bit of skill and Natalia pressed her nose to the glass in an effort to get a closer look.

He gave a few instructions to the kid beside him, recalled the one that had been running to catch the ball further upfield, and made them repeat the action. Both failed miserably. One couldn't throw as far and the other still couldn't catch it.

Natalia could see the Arsenal comparison, and she could see now why he'd get grouchy over her delaying practice for him and his team. God help them, they needed all the help they could get.

"Impressive, right?" A voice said sauntering into the science office. Ella's familiar smile was plastered on her face.

"Yeah," Natalia agreed uneasily, embarrassed to have been caught effectively ogling out of the window. She hoped Ella would be polite enough not to mention it.

"He was a Heisman finalist in his senior year of college," Ella added, "And then he enlisted in the Marines."

Natalia had no idea what a Heisman was but it sounded impressive. Americans were very serious about football so she assumed it was like a Nobel Prize of some sort.

She wondered why Ella was offering up Gabe's personal history as if she was his personal Wikipedia page. They had some sort of relationship that Natalia couldn't figure out. Familiar yet at arm's length. Protective yet aloof. Also, it was none of her business she reminded herself.

Natalia peered out of the window again, he had left the throw and catch pair to their own devices and was now instructing some other team members on what looked like grappling exercises. They were hanging to his every word and it was easy to see the camaraderie and bond he had with the young boys.

"Don't mind me, I just came by to see how your new project's going," Ella finally explained her presence. Natalia sheepishly looked away from the window.

"It's going well, we're going to meet on Monday and map out our approach."

"Good, good," Ella smiled. "I also wanted to ask has...Gabe apologised to you?"

Natalia was taken aback by the question. She was smart enough to know that it was the real reason Ella had stopped by. He hadn't, but in light of their recent truce, she felt bad ratting him out. Unlike him, she was no snitch.

Her silence spoke for her before she could articulate anything. A click of her tongue signalled Ella's displeasure.

Something pricked Natalia's conscience. The slow realisation that he had in fact apologised to her. In his own way of course. The boys apologising to her in class and radically changing their behaviour was his doing. She was sure of it.

"Actually, he did," Natalia confirmed and she couldn't help the coy grin that took over her face.

Ella wanted to pry, Natalia could tell. But professionalism made her return Natalia's smile with an inquisitive stare instead. "Great, I'm glad we got that squared. Have a great day now."