They always stood perfectly in their bottle green blazers, and well pressed slacks. Not a fucking hair out of place
“Are you nervous?” Cody asked as we sat in the theatre. Goldstein were on the stage, in their formation waiting for the cue from their conductor, a woman in a pencil skirt who looked fierce, and terrifying.
“No, we’re going to win.”
“Not about this.” He hissed, I looked at him, “about Stephen.” He said, I swallowed because yeah wow, yes, I was completely terrified. My face must’ve said it. “Kennedy.”
“What if no one helps? What if it’s just me.”
“Then get a boom box and show him you care.” Cody said, I rose my eyebrow at him.
“This isn’t an eighties movie.” I said, he touched his chest.
“But it could be.” He said happily, “you could all wear horrific patterned shirts, and balloon pants and have your HEA.”
“HEA?” I asked, he grinned.
“Happily ever after.” He said, the duh clear. I rolled my eyes as Goldstein finished their first song, a song that I’m pretty certain was from Chicago. “Besides, I’ll help. Cassidy and Theo too.”
“Solid team.” I said, he laughed leaning his head on my shoulder as the orchestra began to play the opening number from Hamilton.
“They’re really milking this theatre school thing aren’t they.”
“I suppose they have to up their game.” I said, he looked at me. “Well, I know the theatre department are incredible, like they’re all over the theatre news. Maybe their triple loose is beginning to affect them.”
“Meow.” He hissed, I almost laughed as the MC stood.
“Thank you, Goldstein Academy.” He said, they all bowed and left the stage. “Please welcome…” the MC continued, the next school came onto the stage, gorgeous purple blazers, all of them very prim and proper.
I almost jumped when Otis squeezed my shoulder.
“Come on young people. Let’s go win.” He said, I smiled up at him as we stood from our seats leaving the crowd. We weaved our way through the corridors until we were in our holding room. Our instruments waiting for us.
“We’ve got five minutes, so let’s do our favourite warmup.” He said, a little titter went around us and then we began to play The Striper. It was Otis’ ice breaker, when we got first years. He’d ask for our warmup number, and he would make them all giggle childishly, ultimately relaxing them and easing them into the orchestra. He then, made us play it before competitions for the same reason. He always said we played our instruments better when we were loose, and we were the loosest after playing The Striper – no pun intended.
We walked onto the stage with an air of confidence about us, because we knew, we were the best. The MC and the judges smiled at us as we stood ready, in our pristine dark blue blazers, all of us wearing the baby blue and navy-blue ribbon that the school produced for Preston. Otis nodded to us, standing in front of us and tapping his baton.
“We got this.” He said, then he smiled. “One, two, three…”
I ran with Cassidy from the boarding house both of us wrapped up warm as the December wind was biting, I was sure my ears were going to fall off. There’d been a warning for snow, but I’d definitely believe it when I saw it. Cassidy seemed happy, even though we were shivering, he was excited almost unbearably so and then, we stopped, and I caught my breath.
“It’s going to work.” Cassidy said then he shook my arm. “It really is baby.” He said softly then kissed my cheek, taking my hand and walking me the rest of the way. I was taken back by the noise as we got closer, so I kept going forward because I needed to know, I needed to know if the school had done this for me.
The WOLVES side was as full as I expected when I approached, even though a lot of the football team was also the orchestra, those that weren’t sat in the crowd, surrounded by other kids from their school, teachers and random adults who I presumed to be parents. I took a deep breath, then turned looking behind me at the RAVENS stand.
Cassidy grabbed hold of my arm, laughing as he also looked at the home crowd.
“Shit.” I said, Cassidy nodded as I shook my head. “Oh my god.” I said.
The crowd was full. Standing room only. The orchestra was there, of course, the theatre boys – but I think it was possible they’d been threatened by Cassidy. The boys from the science and maths clubs, the hockey team, the tennis team, the boys who did art, and the boys who ran the school blog, even the boys who didn’t reside anywhere but sat in the dark corners of the school wearing black and spiky boots and reading a whole lot of yaoi. The choir wasn’t there, but that was okay, I didn’t need them here, I didn’t need Devon and his horde of bitches.
I wanted to cry, and if I felt like that, I could only imagine how the football team – Stephen – would feel.
“It’s going to work.” I whispered to Cassidy, he nodded grinning at me, cuddling me tight then he skipped through the crowd until he reached the rest of the theatre. I was surprised that they hadn’t come to be cheerleaders. It had been an almost weeklong debate with Cassidy, somehow, I’d won, but it was possible he just felt sorry for me.
Cody grabbed my arm. I turned to him as he passed me my saxophone.
“Come on.” He said pulling me into the crowd, standing next to the rest of our brass section because come on, this needed trumpets.
The whistle blew and the WOLVES ran onto the pitch. Their kits the same colour as their blazers. The Goldstein side went crazy cheering for them – which I would, if you know it was our schools only winning team.
The noise soon died down, and the referee said something, and our team ran on. We were quiet for a few seconds – like I’d requested they be, I didn’t want the football team going into shock. We waited until they were on the pitch, and then we exploded. Cheering and clapping. The trumpets blazing.
The football team turned to look; the shock evident as they all took in the crowd there for them. I watched for a few seconds before I began playing my saxophone. I saw as Stephen searched for the sound. His eyes landed on me and he shook his head. I stopped playing. He went to walk towards me as I went to leave the crowd.
The referee blew his whistle.
“This isn’t a teen movie; we have a game to play.” He declared; Stephen laughed shaking his head as he wiped his cheeks. I sighed. The rest of our crowd booed.
“Half time.” Stephen said pointing at me, so I nodded. He turned away from me, but I saw the smile as he ran into his goal, he fastened his gloves tight punching his hands together, then he smiled at Danny who was laughing as he stood in his position.
“Told you so.” I saw Danny say, and I laughed, Cody hugging my shoulders as I did.
Forty-five minutes into the game we were drawing, one, one, and it was exciting. My God it was exciting and I didn’t really know why. The referee blew the whistle declaring half time. The WOLVES leaving the pitch pretty quickly towards their changing room. The RAVENS didn’t leave the pitch, their coach didn’t even call them too. Instead they just gathered.
Cody took my saxophone from me, pushing me away from the crowd, so I walked out in front of them. taking a deep breath, and ensuring the King’s mask stayed firmly in place, not to be fake, no, because right now I had to be the most real Kennedy Bradford I’d ever been, but just for the confidence. I needed to be Kennedy with the King’s confidence. Shit.
Stephen emerged from where the team had gathered, walking towards me. His hands together behind his back, chewing on his lip. It was as if the entire stand took in a deep breath. They were probably trying to guess the outcome.
He’d slap me.
He’d shout at me in front of the entire school. Ultimately embarrassing the shit out of me.
He’d kiss me.
I didn’t get to four.
“Kennedy.” He said when he was close enough, he shook his head at me. “What is this? What’s going on?”
“You wouldn’t talk to me.”
“
I was hurt.” He said softly, I nodded.
“I know, I know that. I really do, I promise, and I will explain everything to you – after the match.” I said,
“After the match.” He agreed then he looked behind me. “Why the fuck do we have a crowd?” he asked, I looked over my shoulder. I smiled because my God did, I owe a whole lot of people, a damn lot of favours.
“You deserve one.” I said, Stephen frowned at me. “You’ve won every game you’ve played this season, and no one has really been here to see it.”
“You.”
“Yes.” I sighed, “yes, I’m so sorry Stephen.”
“Thank you, Kennedy.” He said letting his smile come through. “Thank you.” He nodded then went to walk away from me. I gasped. He looked back. “What?”
“You’re just… walking away.” I said, he nodded.
“What did you expect to happen, we have to keep this a secret, don’t we? We can’t let the school know that we’re…”
I cut him off, because I kissed him.
The crowd erupted behind us, and I began to laugh, Stephen laughing with me resting his head against mine.
“We will talk after this.” He whispered just to me, so I nodded. “I forgive you. I don’t forgive Devon, in fact I’d quite like to kick him in the balls.”
“Do it.” I said nodding, he laughed.
“Also, you are awesome for this, this, this is something else and well…” he almost smirked, I don’t think I misread that expression. I looked back out over the crowd, laughing at their catcalls, so I kissed him again.
“Go win this match.” I said, he nodded running away from me, he got halfway before he turned back to me.
“Oh, did you win the orchestra competition?” he asked, I laughed, loudly ensuring the Goldstein side heard me.
“Ha! Of course, we won. We’re the best orchestra.” I said, and the orchestra began cheering and hollering behind me. the trumpets blurring behind me. I turned, and I found Cassidy as he nodded to me blowing a kiss to me, so I did it back. Then I punched my fist up in the air and I was cheered again from the crowd, and the team behind me.
There was extra time, an extra two minutes, and currently we were three, three. The team appeared to be frozen to the bone and also sweating profusely. They were shouting things to each other, shouting words of encouragement, and we joined in as best we could.
The theatre boys started to sing, their voices traveling over the crowd, until we’d all figured out what they were singing and we joined in with them. The song getting louder, and louder. The team got quicker, tackling the WOLVES and regaining control of the ball. I smiled as I watched Stephen, he began to sing along, waving his arms as the ball got further away from him. He was amused, and then he began to jump, so I watched.
Danny had the ball, well in his possession. He hardly had any WOLVES around him and he knew it but he didn’t flag. He got to the line, he looked around for all of the second he was stood still, and then, he kicked the ball.
All noise stopped, from both sides, all the attention on the WOLVES goalkeeper. It was as if it took hours to reach the goal, the ball hurling towards the goal with no speed at all.
The goalkeeper reached out his hand, aiming high, and then, the ball dropped. Flying underneath the goalkeeper’s arm and hitting the back of the net. The team celebrated first. The gasp and then they began jumping on each other.
The crowd joined in a second later all jumping as one cheering and shouting, the trumpets loud.
I ran towards Stephen once he broke away from his celebration. He laughed as I wrapped my arms around him, us spinning around together.
“You won.” I said. “You beat the Wolves.” I said, he nodded quickly, laughing as he covered his face.
“We finally beat them.” he said then he pulled my head towards him. Kissing me with all his might. He laughed as he lowered his head shaking it, as the crowd descended onto the pitch, all celebrating with the team.
I kissed Stephen one more time, taking my coat off and giving it to him, then looked up as snow began to fall from the sky in large snowflakes. They landed on his face and his eyelashes, I brushed them off with my thumbs.
“You realise.” He whispered, I nodded. “That you just outed yourself to the entire school.” He said, I hummed.
“I did that all week, when I asked everyone to come to the football match.”
“Wait, you did this? I thought they all just wanted to watch a football match.” He said, I felt my eyes widen so he began to laugh. “I’m taking the piss.” He said softly, “why did you?”
“I needed to prove myself to you. I needed to show you I wasn’t just the King.”
“You were Kennedy.” He said, I smiled at him. “Understand me…” he said slowly, I nodded as slowly, “I have always wanted you, because you’re Kennedy.” He said, “Wanted to kiss you, wanted to be with you. Wanted to sleep with you.” He rose his eyebrow at me, I did it back.
“Don’t you want to go celebrate with the team?”
“I will be celebrating. You too, I presume.” He said happily, I laughed nodding to him. “I can’t believe you outed yourself.”
“I can’t believe I was worried.” I said softly, “it turns out a lot of the boys in this school are romantics.” I paused, “and like football. Once I gave most of them the go ahead, they were more than happy to come support our team.”
He gasped.
“So, it’s all your fault that no one ever came to our games.” He said, I gasped back at him then turned as a handful of snow hit the back of my head. I laughed as Cody grinned at me,
“You got your HEA.” He said, I nodded.
“I got the guy.” I said then scooped up my own handful of snow and threw it back. He screamed and I began to laugh, and laugh as a snowball fight broke out around us.
♕
Chapter Twenty-one
We sat in his room, both warmed by our showers. He sat in a warm looking hoodie and his pyjama pants, I sat in his football hoodie which, he probably was never getting back and my jeans that had been on a radiator for the last hour.
We had figured that his roommates would be out longer, celebrating harder. Cassidy and Theo didn’t really have much to celebrate, and Cody would only be out with the orchestra for a drink or two. The win against the WOLVES meant more and was to be appropriately celebrated which could mean a really late one.
We’d been sat on his bed since he’d come out of his shower. Him at the pillowed end, me at the foot. His legs where folded his arms wrapped around his knees because he wanted to talk. We needed to talk.
I had just finished telling him all about Devon’s, worthy of an 80’s movie scheme, and he was now sat trying to mull it over.
“That suit cost two thousand pounds?” he said, I nodded as I chewed on my lip. “My God I’d get my money back.” he said, I laughed as I looked down, watching my fingers weaving around each other. I pulled on my fingers together.
“You should’ve told me.” he said, I went to reply, he stopped me. “I mean, he should’ve at least threatened the right person.”
“Stephen.” I said shaking my head, he shrugged.
“I heard the rumour first.” He closed his eyes. “I was sat in fucking maths and everyone was whispering around me, so I asked. Everyone was saying that you’d forgiven Devon and you were back with him. Of course, most people were also whispering their opinions.
Which were weird because everyone seemed to be Team Kennedy but hate Devon, so everyone was like, he’s so stupid but if it makes him happy.” He shook his head. “Whatever. I didn’t believe it, not really. I thought something didn’t seem right and I wasn’t having that.
I met up with Danny after class and he said he’d heard it too, and was annoyed because how dare you. I told him it wasn’t true, it wasn’t, I was sure it wasn’t I just needed to talk to you.” He sighed, “then, we rounded the corridor and there you were talking to Devon, and I thought, huh that’s unusual, and then he ki
ssed you, and…” he swallowed as he looked away from me, “and it broke my heart.”
“You ran away from me.”
“I didn’t want you to see me cry.” He said, then coughed. “I, didn’t know what to do, but I really didn’t want you to see me crying because I didn’t want you to think that I cared, as messed up as that is. I thought you don’t care about me, so I didn’t want you to think I cared about you.
I know you were outside; I knew the entire time you were there, but I just, couldn’t stop crying.”
“Stephen.” I said, he shook his head.
“Danny came back, we ordered those cinnamon rolls from Papa Johns, and he cuddled me all night. I was okay, I guess, but I didn’t want to see your stupid face.
Every time I thought about forgiving you, I just couldn’t I was too hurt and, honestly, I was disappointed in you for going back to Devon.”
“I never.”
“I know.” He said quickly, “I know, I know now.”
“How did you find out?”
“Rumours.” He whispered. “Everyone started whispering about you beating Devon up, then started whispering that Cassidy had threatened him because he’d been blackmailing you. All kinds went around, but none of them said that you were with him, or that the first one was true.
If you hadn’t, well, if you hadn’t been every male protagonist ever and somehow pulled off a huge gesture then made it oh so romantically snow – like how the fuck did you do that – I would have probably have forgiven you around Monday.”
“I didn’t make it snow.” I said, he gasped.
“Don’t ruin the illusion. You made it snow because you always have to do a dramatic kiss in the rain but it’s December and like zero degrees.”
“I made it snow.” I agreed, he smiled.
“I knew there was a logical explanation.” He nodded, “I knew it but I just hurt so bad. I couldn’t see you as anything but the bad guy and that sucked, and I know Devon is a devious bastard. I know that, so I don’t know why I didn’t trust that it wasn’t you.” He paused. “You got the whole fucking school to come and watch our football game.” He said, he sounded breathless. “I don’t think anyone has ever cared about me that much, I don’t even think my mother has ever cared about me that much.”
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