James
“You heard the girls one as well?” Richard says to me as we walk off the field. The Grade 12 guys are taking turns carrying the trophy back to the bus. We want to get back to East Side as soon as possible so we can celebrate our win with our school.
"They did?" I say. This couldn't be more perfect. For a second, I look back at the West Side team, slowly leaving the field, a sad mood among the players and the fans. "Make sure they hold the bus for me," I say, handing Richard my soccer bag, and then run towards the West Side team.
“Don’t take long!” Richard calls after me.
I run until I'm face to face with the captain of the West Side team. He looks at me funny, wondering why a blue jersey would come up to him now. We only know each other as competition. I only know he is the captain because of the armband he wears. "Captain," I say.
“Shouldn’t you be celebrating with your team?” he says.
"I know why Henri didn't play today," I say, and he raises an eyebrow at me. "I know it would have been you that decided that. I applaud you for that. It takes a true leader to stand up for what is right."
“Thank you,” he says. “We don’t have a place for his kind on our team. Doesn’t matter how good of a player he is.”
"It will mean a lot to Mia and Arya," I say.
“You know them?” he asks.
"Arya's my girlfriend," I say sheepishly.
“Lucky guy,” he says. “I always liked her. I admire what she did for her sister. I would have rung Henri by the neck if he did that to my little sister. I might do it regardless.”
"You and me both," I say and we both smile at each other.
“Fox is it?” he asks.
“James,” I say.
“You played great today,” he says.
“You and your team played great today,” I say. “I’ve never run that much in a soccer game in my life!”
He laughs. “Grade 11?” I nod. “You’ll be a great captain next year.”
“Thank you,” I say. “And you are?”
“Pete,” he says. And then I see the hockey star himself walk up to us.
“Congrats, James,” Lexi says. “I guess you’re an okay soccer player.” He smiles.
"I'll take that as a compliment," I say.
“Not gonna lie,” Lexi says, “I was maybe hoping you’d be terrible.”
“Ha!”
“But seriously,” Lexi says, “congrats.”
“You can thank Lexi here for Henri being gone as well,” Pete says. “He was up in my face first thing Monday morning telling me that Henri had to be off the team. Which I was already going to do.”
“Thanks, Lexi,” I say. “It will mean a lot to Mia and Arya, as you know.”
“I was going to just beat him up,” Lexi says. “But I figured this would hurt him more than any punch could.” Lexi just looks at me for a second. “Take care of her, James. Arya is…” he thinks on it.
“Passionate?”
“Something like that.” Lexi smiles. “She deserves someone that will always treat her right.”
“She’s safe with me,” I say.
“I know,” Lexi says and then looks behind me. “I think your team wants you now.” And Lexi points behind me and I turn to see the bus packed up with our soccer team all shouting and cheering, the windows all opened, holding the trophy out the window.
“Come on, James!” they are yelling at me.
“Congrats,” Pete and Lexi say.
“Thanks," I say sincerely and then turn to run to the bus and join my teammates.
“Talking to the enemy, Fox?” Malcolm says jokingly as I sit down next to him, Richard and Samson sitting in front of us. Richard throws my bag in my face.
“Hey!” I say to him.
“So who wants to bet that James will run up and kiss Arya the second he gets off the bus?” Richard says.
“Shut up!” I say, slapping Richard on the back of the head.
"What?" Richard says, rubbing the spot I hit him. "We all know she's going to be waiting for you to come back."
“James is not a romantic like that,” Malcolm says. “I bet five bucks that she’s the one to initiate the kiss in front of the whole school.” I slap Malcolm on the shoulder with the back of my hand. “What? She kissed you in front of all the guys before the game. Now that both teams won the championship, she’ll probably make out with you in front of the whole school.” I turn a glare towards Malcolm. “Now that you have a girlfriend, you better get used to us making fun of you all the time.” I can get used to it. When it’s Arya that’s my girlfriend I can withstand any teasing as long as she’s mine.
"You don't do this to Samson," I say.
“Samson’s girlfriend is at another school,” Malcolm says. “And besides, your reactions are the reason we keep making fun of you.”
When we turn into the entrance of our school, all the guys put their heads out the window, screaming and hollering, holding out the trophy for everyone to see as we come in. The whole school is outside, the girls still in their soccer gear. I can see the trophy in their group. Everyone is cheering for us, crowding around the bus to congratulate us as we step off. I look for her immediately in the sea of faces, looking for her face among the sea of blue jerseys.
I see her on the other side of the road, waiting for me, smiling. I walk up to her slowly. She's so beautiful. Pete was right. I am a lucky guy. When I get to her, I drop my bag beside me, grab her face, and kiss her right there. Right for everyone to see. I can't hear anything though. It's just her, I can only feel her. It's just her here. She grabs my jersey pulling me closer to her. I break the kiss before I lose complete control.
"Congrats, superstar," I say to her smiling.
"Congrats, yourself," she says, her smile just as big as mine. "Perfect, isn't it?"
"You are," I say, brushing the hair out of her face. "You are perfect." And then I kiss her again because I can't help myself.
Chapter 52 – What About Now
“What about now? / What about today? / What if you're making me all that I was meant to be? / What if our love never went away? / What if it's lost behind words we could never find? / Baby, before it's too late / What about now?” – What About Now, Daughtry
Arya
The high the school was on yesterday from the two East Side victories continues to today. Everyone is in good cheer with the two victories and that both teams will be going to EOSSA. After the championship game, James told me that Henri had not played in the final game yesterday and the reason why. I couldn’t believe it. I guess there is still hope for that school and there are decent people. No one has heard from Henri since. He hasn’t even been at school. I’m glad he didn't play in the game, but now I want to know where he is, what he's doing. I need peace of mind.
"What did the doctor say?" I ask Eleanor as she hobbles to her locker on her two crutches with her right leg in a cast. Diana, Sarah, and I are waiting at her locker before first period. Lincoln is beside her, carrying her backpack, with George and Teddy close behind.
"Broken leg," Eleanor says when she gets to her locker, placing her crutches against the lockers. "Six to eight weeks recovery time."
"I'm so sorry, Eleanor," I say.
“Don’t be,” Eleanor says as she opens her locker. “I’m just glad you guys beat those bitches yesterday.” Eleanor holds out her hand for Lincoln to give her her backpack. She bounces around on her one leg to move.
“Are you sure you don’t want a wheelchair, Eleanor?” Lincoln asks.
"No, I am fine," Eleanor says sternly.
"Always a stubborn one," George says to no one in particular.
Eleanor slams her binder, textbook, and pencil case in George's arms. "You can take these to my first class though."
“We don’t even have the same class!” George objects.
“So then you better get moving!” Eleanor says, shutting and locking her locker. She grabs her crutches and starts down the hallway and Georg
e follows behind her, rolling his eyes.
"I think he has a new job for the next six to eight weeks," Lincoln says when they are out of earshot, and we all laugh.
***
“Why don’t you come over after work?” I ask James while we stand at my locker before my Chemistry class.
“I’m sorry, Arya,” James says. “My mom is working late tonight so I have to get groceries after work.”
His life is so different from mine. He takes on more than any teenager should but acts like it's nothing. James is everything to me, all I want is more of him, but no matter what, I'm always second to his family and his work. I can't hold it against him. He has his priorities straight. I just want more of him. Is that so selfish?
“Am I bad if I don’t want to share you?” I say, coming up closer to him so there is no space between us, grabbing his shirt. “Just want to keep you all to myself?”
James laughs. "It is me that doesn't want to share you, Arya. And if that is wrong," James leans in close to me, "then I don't want to be right." And then he kisses me softly. "I have to get to class though, I will see you after." He turns and walks away and just stare at him. He's perfect.
“So I guess you got everything you wanted,” I hear a voice say behind me. I turn to see Lisa standing there. “Won the championship, everyone at the school loves you, you got James back. Just perfect, isn’t it?”
“With no help from you,” I say to her irritably. “Why do you hate me so much? What did I do to you?”
“You took him away from me!” Lisa says. “You came to this school out of nowhere and he was just entranced with you the second he laid eyes on you. It was at MY party and he looked at you like you were the only person in the room. I have liked him from the beginning! The beginning! And then his dad passed away and he changed, but I still tried. And then you come here and flip your hair and bat your eyelashes at him and he’s a new person.”
“You and James were never together,” I say. “I never took him away from you. Lisa, you are this beautiful, smart, athletic girl who could get any guy she wants. Why are you so hung up over James? You are better than this. You deserve a guy that cares for you and wants to give you everything. You shouldn’t be chasing after a guy that doesn’t have any interest.”
“He’s the only guy I’ve ever truly liked,” Lisa says. “No one is like him. He’s perfect. He has always been so kind to me. I can’t be with someone else when I have such strong feelings for him. I’m the best in all the sciences (Diana would disagree, but I’ll hold my tongue), I’m on the volleyball team, I’m the most popular girl in this school. What more can I do? What more does he want from me?”
Underneath the tough exterior is a girl that just wants to be with the boy she loves. She’s pictured it. What it would be like to be with James. She’s worked hard and done everything she can to make it a reality, but then I came in and ‘ruined’ everything for her. I feel sorry for her, but I can’t forget the destruction she has caused.
"You tried to ruin me," I say. "You tried to ruin me and my relationship with James and you almost succeeded. I am just lucky that I have great family and friends that got me through this, and that James eventually came back to me. You did a terrible thing, but I do not think you are a terrible person. I feel sorry for you. That the only way you could bring yourself up was to bring me down. I hope you can leave me and James alone now."'
“I don’t know how to get over him,” Lisa says helplessly. “I just don’t.”
“You deserve someone amazing, Lisa,” I say. “Someone that will love your passion and everything about you. That person is out there. It’s just not James.” I look at her and I see a lovesick girl, not an enemy. Queens fix each other’s crowns. “You are an amazing person, Lisa, as much as I hate to admit it. You have so much going for you. If you could just harness your potential into something good instead of trying to ruin my life, you would be something amazing, you could do amazing things. Focusing on science and sports would probably help a lot instead of one boy.”
***
"You need to talk to her," I say to James at his locker while he is trying to stuff all his books in it.
“Who?” James says, only half listening to me.
“Lisa,” I say. “You must talk to her.”
James slams his stubborn book into the top of his locker and then finally turns to me. “Lisa?” he says, and then he thinks about it. “What did she do to you? I told her to leave you alone.”
"She didn't do anything to me, James," I reassure him. "But she still really likes you. She needs closure from you."
"We never dated," James says.
“Please, James,” I say. “I don’t think you have ever actually told her that you are not interested in her. She needs to hear it plain as day from you. You can’t always be the good guy. Sometimes you have to tell the truth and if someone’s feelings get hurt it’s unfortunate, but you can’t just leave people in limbo.”
"I have never liked her in that way, and I have never said it either," James says. "She has no reason to think I like her."
"I know," I say. "But in her mind, she always thought she had a shot with you. She believes that I am the reason you two aren't together. You just need to set her straight. Only you can do that. You are the only one she will believe."
“Fine.” James smiles. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”
"Look who it is!" Malcolm says with a smile as he approaches James' locker along with Samson and Richard. "I guess we are going to have to get used to you hanging around here again."
"Don't act too disappointed," I say.
“Never,” Malcolm says. “I just think if you want to spend more time with me, you should meet me at my locker instead, so you don’t make your boyfriend jealous.”
“Bugger off!” James slaps Malcolm on the shoulder with the back of his hand.
“I did technically see her first,” Malcolm says.
"If we're getting technical, it was Richard that saw her first," Samson says, and Richard winks at Malcolm.
“Fine,” Malcolm concedes. “But don’t forget that she flirted back with me at that party when we first met!”
“Not flirting, Malcolm, just talking. I cut you off when I found out you were just trying to make out with me,” I joke.
“Can’t blame me for wanting to,” Malcolm says. “I’m always available if your boyfriend ever slips up.”
"You're stretching your luck, brother," James says.
“I told you we wouldn’t stop bothering you now that you have a girlfriend,” Malcolm says. “Your reactions are always the best. Almost as funny as Richard.”
“Hey!” Richard says.
“I think this is my cue to leave,” I say. “I will see you guys later.”
James
When she walks away, I slap Malcolm on the side of the head. “Hey!” Malcolm rubs wear I hit him. “I was only joking.”
I know he is only joking, but it still bothers me inside. I see enough guys staring at her, commenting on her, flirting with her when she doesn’t even realize it. I get enough of it from strangers; I don’t need to get it from my best friend as well. Will I always be bothered by the fact that Malcolm flirted with Arya first? She never did anything with him, so there is no reason to be jealous. They are friends, close friends now. They always joke around with each other now.
Malcolm has always been my best friend, but I see the way he looks at her when he thinks no one is paying attention. I think he will always be hung up on the girl that rejected him. I think he will always be curious about her. What she feels like, what she tastes like. And now he has to see his best friend with her all the time. Is there a part of Malcolm that hates me? I was the one that took him away from her at that party. He threatened Lincoln that night for stepping in, thinking that he was taking her for himself, but he never said anything to me.
After their second interaction, he thought she was crazy and wanted to stay as far away from her as possible, and now th
at he has gotten to know her, he likes her. But is it only friendship? A part of me thinks that it's impossible for Malcolm to just be friends with a girl. He has never been just friends with a girl, and definitely not one as beautiful as Arya. I've never talked to him about this. But maybe it's time to man up.
“Do you guys mind if I talk to Malcolm alone?” I say to Richard and Samson and they both nod.
“See you later!” Richard says as they walk away.
“I told you I was only joking, James,” Malcolm says. “Why are you going all serious on me?”
"I'm only going to ask you this once, Malcolm, and then I will never ask it again," I say and take a deep breath. I look him straight in the eyes, so I read his face and see if they match his words. "Do you really think that you can be just friends with Arya?"
"She's your girl, James," Malcolm says.
"That's not what I asked," I say.
"Honestly?" Malcolm says, taking his time to think over what he's going to say next. "I think you are the luckiest bastard at this school to be with her. And initially, whenever I saw you guys together, I was kicking myself for having treated her that way at the party when I first met her. I thought that if I hadn't been so forceful with her then maybe it would be me that she was with and not my best friend. That I would be the lucky bastard with the girl that all the other guys just drool over."
"You never said this," I say.
“What was I going to say, James?” Malcolm says. “I’m attracted to your girlfriend? I think you should step aside so I can have her because I saw her first?”
“Well, no,” I start.
“But in time I realized that she was never mine to have.” Malcolm says. “She’s meant to be with you, and you are meant to be with her. So to answer your question, I am fully capable of being just friends with Arya because I know she is with the best guy for her.”
“When did you make this realization?” I ask.
“When you guys broke up,” Malcolm says. “It was like watching a vase break in two and no one was trying to put it back together, just leaving it on the ground. That’s why I talked to her James. I wasn’t trying any moves or anything, I saw two people a part that needed to be together. There is no other guy that can make that girl smile like you can. She doesn’t deserve anyone but you. She only wants you.”
East Side Academy Page 36