ILYSB (it hurts)

[𝟹] is that my fish?

Josephine

School days came by and went and now everyone at school is preparing for the sports event being held between Trinity and Lincoln. Lincoln has been our rival since we weren't even born so the tension is there. I ignore the fact that Hero joined in the said event. Aside from him doing skateboard 24/7, he slowly adapted to the culture in Trinity. Mostly the boys accepted him with open arms since everyone seemed to follow him like lost puppies. For the girls, of course, they're drooling over the "British boy" in town. He's joined the football team, made a lot of friends, gained popularity but he is still mostly grumpy. At least to me, more than anyone else but I still give him the benefit of the doubt. He's still adapting.

The last time I saw him outside of school wiping his tears with his hand and he pretended to be okay with us at dinner at night. I knew he lied and he knows it too. He completely ignored me after that. He never looked at me again when I steal glances across the table, sitting with the same group. He ignored me whenever we invited him to dinner. He would always talk to my brother, Jonah, but never to me.

The whole school even found out we're neighbors just because Booker dropped off one of the books he borrowed from me, saw him on the porch and that's where it started. He doesn't seem too happy about it one bit. I didn't choose to be living next to him but they chose to live next to us. He seem to get angry for all the things that didn't really make sense. I'm surprised he's still had the energy to be angry every day. If it were me, I would spend it on writing on my diary or just read a book.

I would always see him shout at his aunt over something he doesn't like or glare at me but he seems to pretend with everyone else. I hated that he's pretending with people close to him. I'm thinking about his aunt more than me. He's fooling a lot of people but not me.

I pick up my math notebook and stuff it inside my backpack while all of my other classmates are already outside warming the bleachers. Trinity Tigers will play against Lincoln Sharks and our school has always been second in everything. We have never won a single game against the Sharks. I'm pretty sure we're only showing our moral support for the team but not really expecting them to win. I really didn't care much for sports but I always enjoyed watching.

Madison is waiting at the door for me, Adam and Philly already seated on the yellow painted wooden bleachers. I've always supported the Tigers but I'm not sure now with Hero being in the team. He's always been mean to me and he's making it hard for me to be nice. I'm trying my best though.

We walked a couple more until we hit the end of the seats and saw Philly waving his hand at me. His smile is infectious along with his beautiful tan skin and pearly white teeth. I can always tell it's Philly smiling just by his crooked tooth. Adam on the other hand is a head full of red hair, couple of freckles on his nose and braces. He's getting a lot of laughs for it but we always tell him he looks amazing. Madison is chewing a gum and I can't help but smile at her. I snatched the pack of gum from her hand and stuff it in my bag. She has always been prim and proper. She's always the closest to me and my first ever friend when I first came here. Technically, we're best of friends ever since we're in diapers. Her mom always makes those delicious spring rolls I never miss a chance to eat. I look at her once again and she's looking out on the field. She has long beautiful black hair, big brown eyes and thick lashes I always envy.

I focus my attention on the field while we sat beside Philly who's on the far end, Madison and me in the middle, then Adam on the other end. Both teams are doing their warm up stretches. Tigers' uniforms are yellow while the Sharks are blue. Of course.

I look at the field and spot Brooklyn waving at me. He's from Lincoln and our families has always been close. I waved back and gave him a wide smile. I always find him cute and he's always been nice to me. All we talk about is quantum physics when we hang out which I weirdly enjoy. He smiled and gave a big wave at me, his hands flailing in the air like he's drowning. Small set of dimples on the side of his mouth deepens when he smiles. He has blue eyes like mine, brown curls and he's Australian too. I've always been comfortable talking to him, maybe because I don't have to fake my accent.