I watched Williams jog over and ignored Jax's elbow. It seemed, though, he wasn't about to let me ignore it.
"You should do something about that," he said.
"How many times do I have to tell you, it's none of my business?"
Jax scoffed. "I saw the way you two looked at each other when she came running on after you got taken out."
"You make me sound like the damsel in distress and she my gallant knight."
"Nothing wrong with the guy being the damsel now and then." Jax shrugged.
I looked at him. "You have a very strange notion of the world, brother."
"Jesus boys, line up like you're not a bunch of three-year-olds with no idea what a straight line is," Lily laughed and started directing us about.
I spared a quick glance for Fleur; the only way I'd been able to disentangle myself from her was to plead team photo duties. Thankfully, it had stopped whatever was about to occur between Williams and Lily, too.
"Come on, come on. Smile!" Cass said, pulling faces.
We took a couple of serious and a couple of fun shots and were ready to do the whole trophy thing.
"Lily, get in there!" Cass suddenly yelled.
The whole team agreed and Brickwell jumped up from kneeling in the front row to grab her.
"No, no, I don't-"
"Shut up and look pretty," Lucas said.
"She doesn't need much help with that," Gerald laughed.
Lily blushed and took a place in the middle of the team. I imagine her tiny frame looked almost lost among us. Cass snapped away. As the boys stood up, I grabbed Lily's waist and hoisted her up. The rest of the team followed suit, holding her up, and Lily laughed as we cheered for her.
"Okay, okay. You big burly boys have me at your mercy," she squealed. "Now, put me down and go get your damn trophy."
The team lowered her until I was the only one holding her. She gently touched the side of my face, staring into my eyes as she smiled. I wondered what on earth was going through her mind. Having her that close to me, I sure as hell knew what was going through mine.
"There they are," she said, more to herself than me.
"There what are?" I asked.
She blinked and her cheeks flushed. "Nothing. Just the way your eyes change colour. Just..." She cleared her throat. "Anyway, go get your trophy." She leant up and kissed my cheek before pushing away from me.
"Aye aye, Assistant Coach," I chuckled, saluting her.
"Don't you tease me," she said, looking stern.
I sobered. "Never."
A look passed over her face too quickly for me to recognise. I nodded to her and went to join the team.
We were given our trophy and had more pictures with it, and Coach and Lily, who was picked up sideways by the boys in the front row and laid across their knees.
Then, we were left to our own devices. A few of the boys jogged around the pitch, singing, as they carried the trophy around, others were celebrating with friends and family. The referee was nowhere in sight, but someone else was. I walked over to him.
"I think you and I have unfinished business, Anders."
He grinned. "Do you think Lily would be pleased to see us fighting over her like your aunt's dogs over a scrap of meat?"
YOU ARE READING
Prejudice: an austen reimagined novel | 2
Teen Fiction"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a boy with a rich family must be in want of a future wife." Austin can't get Lily out of his head, but she's made it very clear how she feels about him. But how she feels about him is all based on prejudi...
