Love and Football // c.h

Calum + Erin

We had been gathered in the auditorium for some kind of talk from our school head. She stood in front of us, in the center of the room, she's a small woman maybe 5'5? she's an oldish looking woman. But she's gold, she's done everything she can to keep us all on the straight and narrow this year.

"I am proud of each and every single one of you so far this year. Give or take a few who have had me round in circles. I am still proud." Her voice echoed through the hall. "I am extremely proud of our boys football team who have been playing so well this season, and also our athletics team who are training so hard." Before the small woman could finish her sentence a roar explaoded in the auditorium.

"Dogs, dogs, dogs!" Half of the room chanted. Why everyone just called us the 'dogs' when we're the bulldogs i don't know. We were dismissed shortly after and told that our lessons for the day were over. Being the good kid i am i went straight to the library to start the essay i needed to give in as soon as possible. If i was behind with my work, i'd definitely be on the bench for the next football game.

The next game is the biggest game of the season. Not in the sense of who we're playing but there are going to be sponsors, who look for 'good talent' and offer kids in my year scholarships for their colleges and universities. A good two year scholarship that pays for all your education fee's and a perminent place on the football team. After sitting in the library for an hour and nearly finishing the essay i stuffed everything into my bag and checked my phone.

From Ashton

Luke's been in a fight.

From Ashton

Come to Luke's

- - - -

"Shit what happened?" I said running down the basement stairs. "This idiot, thought it would be clever to fight battles that aren't his own." Cleo said glaring at Luke who's lip was bust and his eye dark red. "So if someone stood there talking shit about Erin you wouldn't do anything?" He muttered putting an ice pack on his left eye. "Course i would but i wouldn't get into a fist fight with them!" Cleo said throwing her arms around.

"You need to fight your own battles." She said pointing at me. Me? "Woah what the fuck have i done! I went to assembly, and then to the library." I said putting my hands up. Cleo said nothing more to me, she just glared at me and turned back to Luke.

"Explain to me what i've done." I said turning to the others who all looked at Erin. "No way. I'm not doing it." She said shaking her head. "Fine." She muttered grabbing my arm. "Lets go." She said pulling me up the stairs and into the back yard.

"I don't understand whats going on?" I mumbled rubbing my hands over my face and taking a said on the swing chair. Erin huffed and sat beside me. "Basically someone knows i was at your house on Saturday." She mumbled playing with her fingers. "Fuck." I ran my hands through my hair pulling at it. "Stop Cal thats not even half of it." She said grabbing one of my hands that was pulling at my hair.

She entwined her fingers with mine and sighed. "Promise you wont get angry." I frowned looking at her."Just promise" She said again. I nodded and squeezed her hand. "Ben, um, he came up to Luke looking for you. He-uh, he said that he knows i was at your house and that, he knows we had sex." "What? How could he know that? That never happened." i said cutting her off. "I know, but thats not everything. He said i should go out with him and not a quiet loser boy like you." She mumbled wrapping her hand in mine tighter.

- - - -

I hadn't seen Calum since yesterday. I know i made him promise not to get angry but i knew he was going to break that promise once i'd told him what was said. He got up from the swing chair and left, he didn't answer a single phone call or text i sent him. Today it just got worse.

I stood by my locker and put all of my books from my bag into there. The hall quickly filled with kids shouting and pushing each other. I'd shut my locker feeling Cleo grab my arm and pull meto the front of the group. Calum had Ben up at the lockers by his shirt. I saw Calum use his hand to wipe his face, something dripping from it as he put it down to his side. Blood.

"Cleo we need to get him off him!" I squealed. Before anyone could do anything Calum let go of Ben dropping him to the floor and stepping away. I quickly pushed some people out ofthe way and reached for his hoodie sleeve. He turned around flinching slightly, his eyes softened and froze."We need to go Calum" I said pulling him through the group of people who were stll shouting about what had just happened. Before word could get round the school, I pulled him into the girls bathroom.

"What happened to it not being anyone business Cal!" I frowned pushing him. "So i'm going to just let him call me all those things and make up those lies about us?" He argued. "No but i mean, you could have waited till after school." I mumbled searching through my bag for something to clean his face with. "I'm sorry" He mumbled taking the wipes from my hands and cleaning the blood off his face.

"You couldn't have waited 10 more minutes for last bell to go." I groaned. "You don't know what its like for a guy." He mumbled throwing the wipes in the bin. "I let my bestfriend get beat up, i'm not going to look like a pussy and not do anything about what he said." He frowned again.

- - - -

Calum walked me home, telling me he was sorry for getting angry and breaking his promise. Although i knew he was going to get angry, breaking his promise didn't really bother me. "Erin." My mother called as soon as i opened the front door. "Hey mum." I smiled giving her a hug. "You and that boy?" She said smiling. "He seems sweet" I laughed and nodded. "He's lovely mum. But i don't think he likes me." I shrugged going up to my bedroom. "You two obviously have some kind of chemistry!" She shouded up the stairs after me.

To Calum.

You're not a loser. Even if you were you'd be my loser. x