Try and Catch Me: A Young Adult Fiction

by Sarah Kirchner

  I swore my heart was going to jump out of my chest. It was beating so fast it could’ve flown away. No guy has ever asked to hang out with me besides Caleb, and he didn’t count. He was my best friend.

  “Definitely!” I said, a little too eagerly. My face flushed and I tried to look away to hide it.

  “Aspen! Are you coming?” I heard Sam scream from downstairs.

  Aspen sighed at the question. “Coming!” he shouted back. “I’ll, um—”

  “See you later,” I said.

  “Yeah.” He nodded. “I’ll see you later.” Before he left, he gave me one last smile and then scurried away to my horrid sister.

  I let out a long breath as soon as he left. I felt as if I was about to throw up. Maybe I was actually going to throw up. I didn’t know anymore. Aspen made me feel so crazy. I fell back onto my bed to let myself relax.

  Once again, I’d lost him to my sister.

  Chapter 4

  Ride Home

  The sun was burning on my neck, my arms, and my legs. Every inch of me was sweating. I silently cursed myself for not wearing sunblock. Now, I would have horrible tan lines. While my shins and thighs would remain fair, my knees will glisten with a tan, as if someone purposely applied a thin coat of reddish brown paint there. Yay.

  The soccer field was crowded with every school team. Middle school was over in the corner of the large grassy field underneath the tall trees. The junior varsity teams got the smaller fields in the back, and varsity got the biggest field right near the locker rooms. Unfortunately, like the field they were on right now, it was also baked in sunlight.

  The team and I all sat in the middle of the field stretching. Shannon and Taylor were leading the stretch. My body leaned forward as I attempted to touch my toes.

  “Do you think we’ll make it far this year?” I whispered to one of my only “friends” on the team. Her name was Hanna. She wasn’t exactly the best person to be friends with. Sometimes she got a little intense during soccer, and if you ever joked around with her, she would defiantly crush you, but of all the girls on the team, she was the only one I could tolerate.

  Hanna just laughed. “Yeah, right. Since when do we win games?”

  Taylor shot her a glare because of the noise and Hanna quickly shut up her laughter.

  “I don’t know.” I shrugged and reached further for my toes. The entire bottom side of my legs burned. “We have some good sophomores on the team now.”

  “Please, we aren’t the boys’ team,” Hanna said simply.

  She was right, though. We won a decent amount of our games, but we lost most of them. Losing didn’t make us championship material.

  “I just thought it would be cool,” I whispered.

  “Don’t we all?” Hanna said. Her green eyes were staring at me. She had some sympathy for my crazy idea but not much. It just looked like she pitied me for even thinking of it.

  “Okay girls,” Shannon said and jumped up. “I’ll see you all at our game tomorrow.”

  “Good work today everyone.” Taylor beamed at all of us. She was such a faker. We knew that she hated all of our guts, but whenever we went to soccer, she acts like we were all BFFs. That was so wrong, though.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow, Hanna.” I waved goodbye to her and walked over to the bench.

  My feet were aching. They were already on fire because of the hot ground I was standing on. When I finally kicked off my cleats, it felt so amazing. My feet felt cool again and they weren’t cramped anymore.

  I slid on my sandals and slung my bag over my shoulder. It was such a long day of tests and then practice. I couldn’t wait to head home.

  “Branson!” I heard someone call and stopped walking down the dirt path. I turned around to see who it was.

  “Hey Aspen.” I waved as the tall gorgeous boy jogged toward me.

  Aspen was sweating like crazy, but somehow, that just made him much sexier. His hair was pushed back with a headband to block it out of his face. When he was playing soccer, it added more to his hotness.

  “Will you wait up for me?” He smiled. His brown eyes were sparkling. “I’ll just quickly change out of these clothes.” He pointed to his sweaty uniform. “I was hoping I could drive you home.”

  “Really?” I gaped. Was Aspen Carder seriously asking me this? “Uh, yeah I’d love that.” I nodded like crazy. “I’ll just wait here.”

  “All right, I’ll be right out.” He locked eyes with me and winked before entering the locker room.

  My stomach was on a roller coaster, doing flips, dips, and crazy turns. I just wasn’t ready for this. A week ago, I would never have imagined waiting for Aspen Carder to change after soccer practice.

  “Ready?” Aspen said shortly. I jumped and looked up to find him in a new pair of shorts and a tee.

  “Yes.” I smiled.

  We began to walk down the path again. I could smell the cologne he was wearing. It was like mint mixed with the scent of the forest. Never knew that smell could be so killer.

  “I watched you play today,” Aspen said. His shoulder brushed mine and electricity jolted through me. “You’re really good.”

  “Not as great as you, though.” I chuckled. He laughed to himself.

  “Ah, but you can still improve. We’ll just have to practice a lot together.”

  I practically stopped walking. I stared at him with my green eyes. “I’d like that.”

  “Me too.” He smiled.

  Suddenly, I felt his hand on mine. The hair on the back of my other hand rose at the contact. We were holding hands.

  Aspen Carder and I were holding hands.

  I swore my mind was going to explode from excitement and astonishment.

  We continued to hold hands as we walked down the path. Aspen was telling me all about the crazy expectation his coach had for the soccer team. It made sense though; with their skills, they were bound to win again.

  We emerged into the parking lot, and I noticed a familiar car. It was the white Honda that I’d seen so many times before. The owner was leaning against the driver’s door.

  “Caleb!” I exclaimed and quickly dropped Aspen’s hand. “W-what are you doing here?”

  “It’s Monday,” he said, but he wasn’t looking at me at all. His blue eyes were glaring at Aspen. “I pick you up every Monday.”

  Crap. He was right.

  “You don’t need to drive me home today,” I said. “Aspen said he can drive me home.”

  “Yeah, dude. Don’t worry about it. I’ll get her home safely,” Aspen said and eyed me up and down. My cheeks were blushing like crazy. Nobody had ever checked me out like that before.

  “Are you going to go home with him?” Caleb finally looked at me, as if demanding an answer. I felt guilty, but he had to understand. He knew I had the biggest crush on Aspen, and the fact that he was actually asking me to drive home with him made me so happy. Caleb would understand. He had to. After all, he was my best friend.

  “You don’t mind, right?” I asked Caleb. I was pleading him with my eyes to let me go with Aspen. It meant so much to me, and Caleb knew that.

  “No, it’s cool,” Caleb said and shook his head. “I’ll talk to you later, Ella.” He put on a smile and swung himself into his car.

  I waved, but I doubt he saw it since he drove away the instant he got back into the car.

  ***

  “Who just dropped you off, sweetie?” Mom asked as soon as the front door slam shut. She was calling me from the kitchen. It smelled of sauce, and I only hoped she was cooking spaghetti and meatballs. Dinner was always ready for me when I came home from soccer practice, and right now, it was a good thing since I was already starving. “It didn’t look like Caleb.”

  I still felt guilty about ditching him, but it was what it was. It was in the past now. “Aspen,” I said coolly as I slipped off my sandals into the bin next to our front door.

  “Aspen? Aspen Carder?” Mom asked. She peeked her dirty blonde head out from the kitchen door. An
apron was wrapped around her waist. I smiled seeing her in it. It was the one I gave her when I was eight. The red apron was covered in hearts, rainbows, and flowers. It was the most childish apron ever, but my mom still wore it all the time.

  “Yes, Mom.” I smiled and tugged my hair out of the ponytail. It always felt nice to just let my hair breathe after a couple of hours of it being up in a suffocating hair tie.

  “I didn’t realize you two were close.” She gave me a smile and returned to her work in the kitchen. “I thought he was more of Sam’s friend.”

  I went to the kitchen and rolled my eyes at her last comment. “We aren’t. Well, maybe we are. I don’t know. He just started talking to me.” I jumped onto the counter and was happy when I saw garlic bread. That only meant that pasta was on the way shortly.

  “Is there a reason why he may have a sudden interest in you?” Okay, she was becoming way too much of a mom on this issue. Her eyes peered over to me from the stove.

  I shrugged and bit into the bread. “Maybe he finally had the guts to talk to me.”

  Mom burst out laughing and hit her hand on the marble counter.

  “Mom!”

  “I’m sorry!” she exclaimed, still chuckling. She held her stomach and continued. “It’s just, I think it’s more of the other way around.” She wiped the tears that were forming in her eyes. I lifted an eyebrow. What was that supposed to mean? “You,” she began and pointed the ladle at me, “have had a crush on him forever, but you’ve never spoken to him. I think you’ve finally grown some balls.”

  “Mom!” I exclaimed again. Did my mom seriously just say what I thought she said?

  Mom just winked at me and continued to stir the large bowl of pasta.

  ***

  “Becca, you seriously won’t believe it!” I squealed to her over the phone.

  My body was sprawled out on my mattress as I stared at my fan spinning above me. Aspen had dropped me off twenty minutes ago, and I was still in awe. It was great. Sam was still at cheerleading practice so even she couldn’t ruin the feeling I was having. A part of me still felt a little bad about Caleb. He seemed upset when he saw me and Aspen together. I mean, I get that it was a tradition that he always picked me up, but things change. Who would have ever guessed that the captain of the soccer team would ask me if I wanted a ride home? I definitely never expected it, especially when my sister was madly in love with him.

  “I can’t believe we both somehow got guys at this party.” Rebecca laughed from the other end. “And incredibly hot guys, might I add?”

  It was kind of unbelievable, I’d admit. Before that party, the only guy that I talked to besides my dad, was Caleb. Then at the party, somehow one of the most popular kids in school began talking to me. It didn’t make any sense. He must have still thought I was Sam. That was the only logical explanation for all of that, right?

  “Who is this Tristan kid even?” I asked her. Before yesterday, I had never seen him in my life. He looked like a villain of some sort with his jet-black hair, leather jacket, and jeans with chains hanging from the pockets. I wouldn’t be surprised if he rode a motorcycle.

  “He’s super sweet. He’s a senior and he’s on the lacrosse team,” she answered. I could picture her beaming from the other side of the phone. “He even gave me his number and said we should go hang out!”

  “That is awesome, Becca!” I shouted. “I am totally coming over to help you get ready when this date happens.”

  “All right.” Becca laughed. “It’s a promise.”

  “Good, now will you promise me the same?”

  “What?!” she screamed. “Did Aspen ask you out?” Becca asked, becoming frantic over the phone.

  “Nope.” I laughed. “I’m just messing with you.”

  As much as I wanted Aspen to ask me out, it’s unlikely that he would. He was starting to talk to me a little more, but it had only been three days. At school, he’d give me a tiny smile, but that was all. I understood that. Nobody ever wants to be associated with the worse twin.

  “You can’t do that to me!” Becca screamed. She was yelling quite loudly, and I could only imagine what her parents thought of her screaming. “I practically had a heart attack!”

  “Well now you know how I felt when I saw you passed out in my garage.”

  “Point taken,” she said. Her voice had finally lowered back to normal.

  After that was all settled, we said our goodbyes. We both had a very big test the next day for history. Even though we already hung up, it didn’t mean that I went right back to studying, but it made me feel slightly better knowing that I had the intentions of doing it. I had a soccer game tomorrow and I was putting that before history. Sorry Mr. Columbus, you just don’t fit into the schedule.

  Chapter 5

  You Guys Are Adorable

  I’m pretty sure I failed my history test that day but whatever. I wasn’t planning on taking that knowledge with me in life. My future consisted of me playing soccer in college and maybe taking some good English classes. I didn’t really have much planned out for me in the future.

  “Ella, you’re in!” Coach Lavester shouted.

  My eyes jumped away from the grass and stared at my coach. “Me?”

  Coach Lavester never puts me in. I was relatively good, but there were plenty of better players on the team. Maybe it had to do with the fact that we were winning 4-0. Still I was going in and I couldn’t have been more ecstatic.

  “Yes, you Branson!” she yelled. “Now get in there before I leave Callie in!”

  “Yes, Coach!” I shouted and hustled out onto the field. “You’re out, Callie,” I said to the redhead that was currently playing sweeper. She shot me a glare and then ran off the field.

  “Go, Branson!” Aspen shouted from the bleachers.

  I smiled at his presence. He stayed after his soccer practice and decided to watch me play. At that moment, he was sitting next to my parents, who were more than happy to have him with them.

  I waved at him with a huge smile on my face. It was still a little odd to me that he was hanging around me so much considering before Saturday we had only talked during soccer events.

  “Focus on the field, Ella.” Maddison sneered next to me.

  I didn’t respond to her. If I did, it would end up with her forever reminding me about how the soccer ball is the number one focus when we’re in the field. Maddison never stopped talking once you said something to her. You always had to say as little as possible around her or else she’ll go on and on until hell freezes over.

  I shook my head and tried to escape the Aspen daydream. I watched as the ball was dribbled down the center of the field by Shannon then was passed off to Taylor. Unfortunately, the ball was blocked when Taylor tried to shoot and was sent back down the field. The ball bounced down the grassy field and I watched as it came closer and closer to me. That was my chance. I could finally show Coach Lavester that I was worth something to the team.

  “Got it!” I shouted and ran toward the ball. The ball was high in the sky, and I could barely see it from the blinding sun. Thankfully I caught a glimpse of it for a second before I bounced it off my chest and landed it on the ground.

  “Ella!” Taylor called from an open space on the right side. I saw her but knew that my kick wouldn’t send it all the way to her. I pointed at her and then dribbled the ball down the center. The opposing team came at me but I dodged them. It felt so great to actually be playing again. I was now more than halfway down the field.

  “Ella!” Taylor called again. I drove my leg back and jump kicked the ball across to her. Thankfully, she was able to run on to the ball and trap it. Her tiny feet traveled the ball closer and closer to the goal. I saw the opposite team’s sweeper run to her.

  “Man on!” Everyone on the team yelled. Taylor looked up and quickly kicked the ball to the side and faked out the player. Finally, she was in the clear. Her leg swung back and jammed the ball toward the goal. The goalie jumped to catch the ball but it grazed h
er fingers and landed in the back of the net.

  Everyone on and off the field roared.

  “That’s my girl!” I heard someone say from the sideline. Everything inside me fluttered.

  I turned to smile at Aspen, but it wasn’t him who had cheered for me.

  In front of him was Caleb who was standing with a goofy grin on his face. I smiled at him and waved. He blew a kiss, which I returned.

  “Way to go, Branson!” Aspen shouted from behind Caleb.

  Both boys smiled widely at me and my heart just did somersaults, pounding so hard like there was no tomorrow.

  ***

  “You did awesome, El,” Caleb said when the game finished. I had taken my bag and trudged over to my family, Caleb, and Aspen. They all stood next to the path, waiting for me, ready to leave. Caleb was there, his arms wide open.

  “Thanks, Caleb.” I smiled and fell to his arms. He was warm and even though I was sweating like crazy, it felt nice. The game had wiped me out, even if I only played for, like, ten minutes.

  “Want to grab some ice cream?” he asked.

  I asked in jest, “Why? Are we depressed?” I took my head off his chest and looked into his eyes. He was beaming, so I couldn’t think of what could have been wrong.

  “We aren’t.” He laughed. “I figured we could celebrate with it instead.”

  “I was actually hoping we could have dinner together, sweetie,” Mom piped in. Dad was smiling like crazy next to her and nodded. “Aspen can join!”

  “I think that sounds cool.” Aspen agreed.

  Caleb turned away from me and stared at Aspen. His eyes were suddenly narrowed into deadly slits. My heart sunk.

  “Um, I guess that’s okay,” I said with a shrug. I really wanted to go out with Caleb to make up for not going home with him the other night. On the other hand, dinner with Aspen sounded great, but then again, my parents only wanted to go to dinner just because Aspen was with us.