PHOENIX - Isaac Lahey

SEVEN - Introductions

INTRODUCTIONS

"Told you not to worry, but maybe that's a lie."

- ilomilo, Billie Eilish

The first game of the season. Saying Isaac was nervous would be an understatement. The thoughts running through his head were going so fast it was almost making him dizzy.
He was putting on his lacrosse equipment while he couldn't stop thinking of the fact that his father was going to be there, watching him from the bleachers.

On the other hand, Josie would be there. She said she'd be cheering for him.

The pressure on his shoulders was crushing as he left the locker room with the rest of the team to walk to the field. Just before the whistle, his eyes saw his father's stern and sour expression from the less illuminated side of the bleachers. But then, closer to the light-post was Josie. She was smiling at him and offered a little encouraging wave his way.

He could do this.

Josie was nervous. Her fingers were tapping her thighs over her jeans and her leg was bouncing up and down uncontrollably. She really wanted Isaac to be okay in his first game of the season.
She had seen Allison and his dad sitting on one side of the bleachers so she made a beeline to the farthest open spot, Josephine wanted nothing to do with hunters.

The Striga Coven had taught her the history of the supernatural, and the Argents were the kind of monsters packs of werewolves and covens of witches told their children stories about. They were merciless and savages, they slaughtered their kind and enjoyed it.

Next to her sat down another man that flashed her a small smile. She was sure she had seen him elsewhere but she just couldn't put her finger on it.

"Hi, I don't believe I've seen you around before, and I know almost everyone in town. I'm Sheriff Stillinski." he introduced himself to the shy girl sitting next to him.

"Uh, I am new. Just moved back to town. Josie Wright" she flashed him a practiced closed-lip smile.

"Seeing your boyfriend on the field?" he asked once he noticed how her eyes were glued to the figure of the number 14 running on the field.

"Oh, no. Just an old friend." she hid her blush under the curtains of hair by the sides of her face. "Is your son playing, sir?"

"Yeah. I mean, no. He's on the team but on the bench, number 24. His best friend, though, he made it first line this year. Scott surprised us all."

"Scott McCall?" he nodded proudly, considering the boy like a second son to him.

Almost reluctantly, Josie stood up next to the Sheriff to clap when Jackson Whittemore scored. Both of them not thrilled at all by the fact that he had pushed McCall out of the way.

"Only to me." ordered Jackson after gathering half the team, including Isaac.

"But what if he's open?" questioned him Greenberg.

"Who's the captain? You or me?" he barked back.

"Jackson, c'mon, dude. I just wanna win."

"We will win." His over-confidence was causing his teammates to exchange worried glances.

"But-"

"What did I say?" Interrupted him Jackson once more in a patronizing way. "What. Did. I. Say?"

"Don't pass to McCall." answered Danny with a sigh and Jackson immediately dismissed them.

Isaac wasn't sure of what to do now. First, he didn't know Scott at all and admitted that he didn't think he'd like him. But then again, he was also afraid of Jackson, he was a bully, he had been Isaac's bully until the Lahey boy joined the team (even as a bench warmer).

Everyone cheered loudly once Scott outsmarted Jackson's plan of being a jerk and scored, even Josie jumped up clapping while the Sheriff whistled with joy.

"Pass to McCall! To McCall!" Ordered the Coach.

"Yes, sir." muttered Isaac under his breath with relief before being called to the face off.

He had his stick tightly on his grip, his body ready to catch the ball as soon as the whistle was blown. He took the ball in the net of his stick as soon as the referee blew his whistle, not making it too far before being blocked by the opposite team. His eyes immediately found Scott's figure and Isaac didn't hesitate to throw the ball his way.

Everyone was jumping and cheering, shocked that the force McCall used to score had even broken the net of the opposite team's goalkeeper.

Then Josie felt it. She felt magic, something supernatural. It made the hairs on her arms and the back of her neck stand on end. Her eyes darted away from Isaac to look for the source of the uncontrolled display of magic.

She couldn't find it, and there was even less of a chance to once the game was over. All the people ran to the field, including Josie. She was looking for Isaac among the crowd, pushing some people and apologizing for it immediately.

"Isaac!"she called for him once she saw him standing next to a man with a notorious fake smile on his face.

She was so caught up with her happiness after seeing him play so well (even if he hadn't been the star like McCall), that she didn't notice said man or the way Isaac's  head was hanging low and his back hunched over a bit.

When his eyes met hers, they widened slightly, enabling him to properly respond to the hug she had engulfed him in. Josie quickly pulled away sensing his discomfort but tried her best to keep her smile from faltering.

"Congratulations! You did great!"

"Yeah, well, he didn't score once." The comment came from the man, making the smile from her face disappear.

"Yeah, but it was his first game. And he was so fast and had great aim when passing the ball." She tried to bring up the good in the way Isaac had played, making his heart warm up a bit.

She watched me the whole time, he though, she came for me.

"I don't believe we've been introduced." spoke the man with his condescending tone. "Norman Lahey, his father."

She shook his hand sensing an off vibe coming from him, something not quite right in his eyes. "Josephine Wright."

Josie always introduced herself as such, as Josie. The fact that she didn't now made sirens go off in Isaac's head. There was no way he was going to allow her to find out the hell his father was putting him through, because no one wanted damaged goods and he didn't want her disappearing from his life again.

Meanwhile, the witch had stiffened once she recognised him. It was like he had been possesed by something really dark, nothing like the man that used to smile at her in the rare occasions their paths crossed. Cassandra used to be the one to talk with him whenever Isaac stayed over at her house, never once her mother allowing Josie to set foot in theirs.

"Ah, Josephine! It's been such a long time! I didn't know you and your mother were back in town." He faked to be pleased to see her.

"We moved back in no long ago." The three just stood there in a tense silence for a few seconds before Isaac spoke up.

"I'll go get changed." he announced.

"I'll go home, my mother is expecting me." Josie flashed a sincere smile to Isaac before erasing it when looking at his father. "It's been great to see you, sir. Goodbye, Isaac."