Sidelines ✔️

20 • Out In The Open • 20

Chapter Twenty
• CHARLIE •

Taylor and I walked along the bottom of the bleachers just as some of the football player's come out onto the field.

We decided to come to the Friday night football game after Billy told me his school was playing against ours. Taylor persuaded me to come as she said that as things are going well between Billy and I, I should show up to support him. It wouldn't look stronge as Harry, Tommy and I were getting along. From the outside, it looked like I was supporting my stepbrother's.

Ever since our date, Billy had been texting me non-stop. Harry had been noticing, occasionally making the odd remark that he didn't get what someone would see in me. The joke was on him, though. He thought I was dating Alex Granger.

"Charlie, I think that's Billy." Taylor said, nodding in the direction of a particular player in green.

The boy turned around and I recognised him straight away. His blue eyes locked on mine and I felt myself smiling at him.

"Aren't you making it obvious that you're dating?" Taylor whispered to me.

I glanced at Taylor. Her eyes were darting back and forth between me and Billy.

"Do you even know how to be discreet?" I questioned.

Part of me wanted to tell my family who I was actually dating. We'd make progress and there was a risk of ruining that with the truth. The last thing I wanted was my Mom making everyone think I was causing problems and send me to live with my Dad just as everything was slowing starting to get better.

"You've always been so unapologetic, Charlie. Keeping secrets like this isn't you."

I glanced at Taylor and could see her looking at me hopefully. She always wanted to do the right thing.

"Who cares?" I sigh.

I didn't know what to say.

"You should."

Maybe the progress I had made with Harry and Tommy would mean they would understand me if I told them that I liked Billy and it wasn't an attempt to get under their skin.

We'd stopped near the sidelines and I was looking at Billy. He seemed to take my attention as an invitation to come over. Taylor raised her eyebrows at me as we see Billy head towards us.

"Charlie, are you sure about this?"

"I'm an unapologetic person, remember." I smiled at her.

"This isn't what I meant. I mean, talking it out and —"

She cut herself off just as Billy stopped in front of us. He smiled at Taylor and then me.

Fuck it.

I smiled at him and then leaned in to kiss him. It was small and delicate, but I felt comfortable and free. I knew there was no going back and for some reason, I didn't care.

Oops.

"Hey, guys." Taylor interrupted, grabbing my arm. "I hate to interrupt, but you've got eyes on you."

I looked up, and saw Sebastian, Harry and Tommy all looking in my direction. Sebastian gave us a cold icy glare. Harry looked like he was murdering me in his head, but then he turned to Billy with the same reaction. Tommy stared at me with sad eyes and my heart sank.

"It's good to see you," Billy said. "I'm glad you're here. I'd best go and join my team."

I think he'd seen the looks we were getting from my stepbrothers and there teammates. They all had looks to kill.

I nodded and he took off, running towards his teammates, leaving me trying to resist looking in the direction of my stepbrother's.

I turned to Taylor, who was watching me cautiously. It was like she's trying to work out if I was okay. But, I wan't sure whether I was happy or sad that they had found out?

It probably wasn't the best way for them to find out and I could I have handled it better, but I couldn't deny how good it felt to know that I finally had gotten one over on them.

"Do you think I could get a ride home with you?" I asked, Taylor.

My stepbrother's attention was constantly diverting from me to Billy. Judging by the looks on their faces, it was probably best to give them a cooling period.

"Sure, Jason's picking me up. He can drop you home." Taylor replied.

She was trying her best to smile at me, but there was worry in her eyes.

I smiled, "thanks. But do you think we could hang out at yours for a bit? I might need to let them have some space."

"Sure." Taylor smiled, but there was worry in her eyes.

Sorry this chapter is a little bit shorter, but I've had a very busy week as my stepsister came to visit me.

How do you think the brothers will react to Charlie when they see each other again?