The Heart of the Team

Chapter 23

It has been barley a week since the first date and Aelius and I continued to see each other just about everyday.

It was nearly noon when he knocked on my door on saturday.

I had shoved past Alexander to open it before he could and smiled to see Aelius standing there, "And what adventures shall we be going on today dear Apollo?"

He shrugged, "I'm not sure, what do you want to go do?"

"Well I was going to go down to the bookstore to try and find a new book."

"Like you need anymore." Alexander scoffed from inside.

I rolled my eyes and turned back to Aelius, "If you want to. We don't have to go if you don't."

"I'd love too."

I grinned, "I'll just go grab my wallet then."

Soon enough we were wandering through the aisles of books, pointing out some interesting titles and making jokes about others.

Aelius pulled a different scifi book off the shelf as I drifted towards the classics section.

I scanned the titles, pulling out an interesting sounding book, The Beautiful and Damned.

It was by the same man who'd written The Great Gatsby which was probably my number two for favorite books, second to the War of the Worlds of course.

"You find anything good?"

"Yeah." I said, holding up the book I'd found.

The next day we ended up at the park with a picnic packed by mom. We were sitting on a blanket eating sandwiches, as more and more clouds drifted across the sky.

"Okay Million dollar question." Aelius started.

"Shoot." I said, reaching over and grabbing a few of the flowers we had picked, starting to weave them together.

"Why do you call me Apollo?"

I looked at him for a moment, "It suits you."

He snorted, "It suits me? Come on theres gotta be more than that."

I smiled down at the flowers in my lap, "It's just like, you know, the way he's all light and good, and the Greeks always sort of romanticized him to be this powerful deity. Also ask literally anyone and they'll say you look like Apollo."

"You really think that of me?" He asked softly.

I bit my lip and turned to him, "Yeah, I, uh, yeah I do," I plopped the flower crown I had made up onto his golden blonde curls, "There, now you look even more the part, to bad they aren't laurels."

He smiled softly, with a faraway look in those cool blue eyes.

A little later on we finished putting everything back into his car and wandered away through the park for a walk.

We ended up down by the lake on the far end as the sky started to darken.

"We should go back, I wouldn't want your pretty hair to get ruined in the rain." I teased.

"Yeah, it would be a shame wouldn't it." He joked, swinging our intertwined hands as we started back up the path.

We were nearly to the car when the rain started down on us, fat heavy drops that would've soaked us instantly if it weren't for Aelius' jacket being held over our heads.

I laughed as the rain fell, ducking out from under his arms to run around in it, smiling widely, "Come on Apollo! Dance with me!" I yelled, running back and grabbing his hands.

A smile tweaked at his lips as he gave up trying to not get wet and instead joined me in doing a semi waltz around the park through the rain.

We stopped in the semi dry area under a big oak tree, both grinning and slightly out of breath.

Aelius leaned down and kissed me, just as softly as the first time, "Be my girlfriend?" He whispered, pulling away.

"Like that's even a question." I murmured, throwing my arms around his neck and kissing him again.

Two weeks had passed and school was starting up tomorrow.

All the sandlot boys and I met up at the sandlot for one last all day game before the school year officially took all our time away. The day seemed to slip away all too quickly. Too soon Squints was announcing a pizza party at his house and everyone was packing up to go home.

Benny and I ended up being the last ones there as I finished off my water and tucked my mit back into my bag.

"Hey Eliza?"

I turned just for Benny to lean in and kiss me, and for half a second my brain thought to kiss back, but I knew it was wrong, so I shoved him away, "What the hell are you doing?" I spat.

"Come on Eliza, you know its right dont you? You feel it still right? I like you, hell I'd even go as far to say I love you, and I know you feel the same so please tell me why your with that Aelius kid."

"Benny... You had your chance, and you blew it. I'm with Aelius now. I'm not trading him to sneak around with you behind Quinn's back."  Quietly I turned and started away, wiping the tears from my eyes and pretending not to hear Benny break down behind me.