C11 Chapter 11

Harry and I walked towards the door at the end of the hallway, which would lead us on the field. The bleachers weren’t full yet, but it was getting to it. Harry found a place at the very top, next to Luke who was already there.

Emma texted me five minutes later that she’d just left home and was going to arrive in about fifteen minutes so I should save her a seat.

“Do you want anything to eat? I’m going to get some food now because people start to arrive and then we’d have to wait a long time in line.” Harry said and stood up, looking down at me.

“Uh…some popcorn please. I’ll pay you back.”

“Nonsense.” He smiled and started walking down.

I crossed one leg over the other, rubbing my knees because it was really cold.

“Should’ve dressed with something else, you’re going to freeze your ass off.” Luke pointed out as he looked at me.

I didn’t bother to tell him that I didn’t have any clean jeans. It was none of his business anyway.

Thirty minutes later, the teams came out on the field for quick warm-ups, as did the cheerleaders. Emma and I were sharing a giant bucket of popcorn and Harry was eating his third hot dog. I kind of envied his metabolism.

The game started with a whistle and one of the students from the school radio started announcing the players through the speakers as they lined up. Noah was the last one to be announced because he was the captain of the team.

As his number was being announced he looked through the people sitting on the bleacher as if he was looking for someone.

He seemed to not find who he was looking for because his eyes drifted back to his shoes. The game started shortly after and I was actually enjoying it because the atmosphere was great; people were cheering and rising to their feet every time there was something close to a goal or an actual goal.

We ended up winning three to one; Jake scoring the last shot. Emma and I screamed until our lungs were dry. Although I wouldn’t admit it, I was proud of him. If there was one place he was completely serious, that would be the football field.

“What are we doing after this?” Emma asked Harry once we were back in the school, waiting for the boys to come out of the changing room.

“We usually go out for a drink at the pub.”

“You going?” she then asked me.

I shrugged. “Uh, I think so. I mean my parents probably wouldn’t mind me spending some time somewhere else other than my room.”

“Okay then!” Harry said, clapping his hands.

Fifteen minutes later, almost all of the boys exited the locker room, still high off victory.

“Did you see that?” Jake asked me and I nodded.

“You’re not going to let me forget your goal for the next ten years, will you?”

“Nope.” He said and crossed his arms over his chest.

Everyone on the football and cheerleading team seemed to be going to that pub after the game. Carly, Emma, Harry, Luke and I were the only ones who were going but weren’t on any of the teams.

Sean made a rude comment about the way my legs looked in the shorts as we walked, and I turned red because everyone heard it. It made me sad because I knew he was right.

There was an Irish pub one block away from our school and as soon as we got there, the place filled up. The booths were for twelve people, each made out of two semi-circle couches. There was a small coffee table in the middle, which was now occupied by everyone’s phone and wallet. Our group (Harry, Lucas, Eleanor, Noah, Liam, Emma, Jake, Zack, Carly, Jade, Luke and I) took the one closest to the bar, due to Noah and Jake’s requests. I was sat between Harry and Luke.

The waiter came over to us with a small notepad in hand, ready to take our order. Everyone seemed to already know what they wanted, and when it was finally my turn to order, I had no idea what to order.

“Aren’t you a minor?” Noah asked, probably wanting to tease once I ordered the first drink that I saw on the menu.

“We don’t serve to minors.” The waiter said and I blushed because this was so embarrassing.

“I’ll have orange juice then.” I told him and wanted nothing but to go and curl up in a black hole. Thank God no one laughed at me; that would have made me cry.

Noah also ordered two cherry flavored hookahs for our table which-great.

“You can drink from my glass, I don’t mind.” Harry said once we got our drinks. “I’m driving anyway.”

I thanked him and we swapped drinks. I saw Lucas and Noah give us curious looks.

“You trying to steal my bae?” Jake asked Harry.

“No I-“

“Because if you then we might have a problem.” Jake joked.

“I already have a bae.” Harry said.

Noah and Zack smirked, turning their heads to Lucas unnoticed, Lucas smiled fondly, and everyone else was confused.

They know something

What do they know

“And who’s your ‘bae’ exactly?” Liam asked, sipping on his drink.

“That’s a secret.”

“Is it that girl you keep talking about?” Luke asked. “The one with blue eyes and great ass?”

“Yeah.”

I almost face-palmed myself because come on people.

“She plays football at another school.”

“She plays football?” Jake asked surprised.

“Yeah. And…tennis.”

“She plays for both teams.” Lucas said, obviously trying to hold down a smile.

“Well she’s more into the men department, but yeah.”

I wanted to bang my head against the table.

“Have you ever fucked?” Noah asked and I could tell he knew what was going on.

“Yeah. Gives amazing blowjobs.”

“Bet you’re better at eating her out though.” Lucas continued.

“So I’ve been told.” Harry replied.

I’m done

The conversation was interrupted by the waiter bringing us the hookahs over and placing them on the table, right in the middle, one or each couch.

My phone started vibrating in my pocket and oh God I had to stand up in front of everyone and go outside to take a call from my mother while wearing shorts.

“I need to go and answer this.” I told Luke so he could let me out of the couch. He moved his feet and I clumsily walked away from them, pressing the phone to my ear once I found the door to the back exit.

“Hello?”

“Danielle? Where are you?”

“Oh hi mum. I’m at a pub with some friends and we’ll probably be here until like, eleven. Is that okay?”

“Uh…sure. Is Jade with you?”

“Yes.”

“Okay well then take care. How are you getting home?”

“Harry will drive us home since he picked us up.” I said and turned around when I heard the door opening, just to see Noah closing it behind himself. He sat down on the stairs and pulled out a cigarette, lighting it up.

“Well then. See you at home. Bye.”

“Bye mom.”

I pressed the red end button on the screen and turned to look down at Noah, who was now smoking.

“You shouldn’t smoke that much.” I told him and crossed my arms over my chest.

“You shouldn’t wear shorts when it’s cold outside.” He observed and looked my legs up and down, making me feel self-conscious.

“So what’s going on with you and Harry?” he asked after he blew out some smoke.

“Well…uh. Nothing actually. People just assume that something’s going on. But I’m pretty sure he has something going on with Lucas.”

He laughed. “Finally someone caught on.”

“What? They do?”

“I can’t tell you anything.”

“You can’t just start with that and then leave me hanging!” I exclaimed.

My stomach growled, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten anything besides a little popcorn.

“You hungry?” he asked.

“Uh. Not really. I mean-a bit. Can I have one?” I asked, pointing to his cigarette. I’d never really tried one because I didn’t see the point, but I read that they were appetite suppressants so maybe I should give it a try.

“You want a smoke?”

I nodded.

“Have you ever even smoked before?”

“No, but I want to see how it is.”

“Here.” He said and held the cigarette out for me to take. “You can try one of these but don’t choke on it.”

I rolled my eyes and sat down next to him on the step, taking the cigarette between my fingers. I didn’t really think it through before I just took a drag, inhaled (like I knew Jake usually did) and exhaled the smoke, not even choking once.

“It’s not that bad.” I said and looked down at his palm to memorize the type so I could buy them in the future. Marlboro.

“I read that they’re good appetite suppressants.” I told him, not really sure why.

Fuck. He’s going to think I’m an idiot now.

“Why wouldn’t you use as an appetite suppressant?” he asked and handed me the cigarette once I held out my hand.

“Because not all of us have your metabolism.”

“What’s wrong with yours?”

I didn’t answer; I chose to blow the smoke out instead.

“So how many guys have you kissed?” he asked out of the blue.

“What kind of question is that?”

“You asked me if I was a top with guys, I think this is a fairly innocent question.”

“Fair enough. But you can’t laugh at me.”

“Why would I laugh?”

“Because I’ve only kissed two guys. And one of them is my gay best friend.”

“Jake?”

I nodded. “I don’t think I have another gay best friend.”

“Have you ever kissed a girl then?”

“No I haven’t Noah.”

“You should try it. It’s great.” He said and took the cigarette back, dragging one last time out of it and then stepping on it.

“So hey listen I hate to bring this up right now but when are we rehearsing our project one last time before Friday?”

He shrugged. “Your house or mine?”

“Mine, I guess.” I said. “Your house is really big and I get lost in it.”

“Rich people, right?” he scoffed and I couldn’t tell whether he was being sarcastic or not.

“You do know you drive a Bentley, right?” I asked him as we made our way back to the booth.

He didn’t answer and I sat back down in my place. He definitely didn’t hate me.