As I scanned the field, intensely watching the ball get knocked around, I noticed one of our girls kneeling near the other side of the field. I squinted and noticed that it was one of our defenders, Maddie. By the way she was rocking on the ground, I could tell she wasn’t getting up anytime soon, and it didn’t seem like anyone on the field have noticed her either.
“Coach, Maddie’s down.” I noticed and point toward a fallen player.
Coach Lavester squinted. “What the hell happened? She hasn’t even touched the ball yet.!
“I’ll go in for her,” I said. It was my only chance to go in this game. Maybe I could finally show that I was a good soccer player.
Coach looked down the sideline. On the bench were Hannah, Sophia, Diana, and me.
“Sophia, you’re in,” she said, cocking her head toward the field. “Help Maddison off the field first before you get into position.” Sophia then sprinted toward the field to help Maddison.
“Another time, Branson,” Coach told me and gave me a pat on the back. I nodded and stared at the field. I should’ve known better than to expect to go in. After all, why should Coach pick the weakest player?
Maddie limped off and explained that as she was running, she twisted her leg the wrong way. She swore she heard a crack.
“Seriously, Maddie?” Coach groaned and threw down her clipboard. “Call an ambulance.” Coach waved to a person attending nearby. He nodded and had his phone to his ear in seconds.
“Ella, help her wrap it up for now. Hannah, get some ice,” Coach instructed us. Before we even moved, her head was already facing the game and her brain was wrapped up in thought.
“I think I stepped on it wrong. It’s like, my calf went one way, and then my knee went another. The next thing I knew, there was an excruciating pain shooting up my leg. I noticed that we were close to the goal, so I didn’t want to stop the game. I allowed myself to stand for as long as possible, but the pain was too much to bear. I had to sit, but I couldn’t bring myself to call a timeout anymore.” Maddison went on and on. She had that problem.
“Okay, so where should I wrap?” I asked her. In that long talk, she still somehow forgot to tell me where it was hurting her. All she said was it hurt.
“My knee.” She nodded her head. “Definitely my knee.”
I just nodded and began to wrap her red knee. The less I said, the better.
“Ow!” Maddie cried out.
“I barely even touched you!” I told her.
“My knee’s probably broken, Ella. It’s delicate,” she spat back.
“Dammit girls!” Coach yelled from behind me. “Aim for the enormous white net!” She threw her hands up and slumped onto the bench.
The second she said that, Taylor whammed the ball into the net.
“About time,” Coach murmured. “Great job, Taylor!” Coach said louder so that her star player won’t hear the previous comment.
Taylor beamed at us all on the bench. The captain scored the goal. Typical.
***
We won 2-0. The team cried. All the people watching gasped as the clock ticked down and ended the game, handing us the win. Shannon had scored the other goal. It was predicted that either she or Taylor would score a goal.
You would think that after the second goal with five minutes left, Coach Lavester would finally place me in the game. But no, I continued to warm the bench with my butt. Maddison got hauled off the field without anyone noticing; Coach didn’t want any distractions for the girls on the field. Maddie was most likely still on her way to the hospital when the game ended. I called dibs on not announcing the news to her that we won. That phone call would only last hours. Maddie would’ve wanted the play by play of the game, and I did not intend on playing news anchor for her.
“Congrats on the win!” Aspen shouted and ran right over to me when we finished high-fiving the opponents. When Aspen reached me, his arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me off the ground.
“Aspen!” I squealed in his arms. As much as I was loving this kind of hug, it was unmerited. I didn’t go in the game, thus providing no help in winning it.
“I’m sorry.” He chuckled as my cleats touched the ground. “Isn’t it just an amazing feeling? Beating your rival?” Aspen said. He wouldn’t stop smiling.
I shrugged. “I guess. I didn’t do much of a contribution to the win, though.”
“You did plenty.” Aspen continued to smile.
“You need ice cream!” Caleb shouted, who was suddenly now hovering near my arm.
I smiled. That sounded perfect. Celebrating was not something that was particularly appropriate for my feelings at that moment. Pitying myself, I thought ice cream was now something I was feeling up to doing.
“That sounds—”
“She has plans with me, buddy,” Aspen interjected. I noticed his eyes had darkened.
“Look, you want to go out celebrating,” Caleb explained to him then his pointed a finger at me. “Ella here doesn’t want to do that. If you didn’t notice, she wasn’t put in once. Now if you ask me, I would feel pretty bummed about that.” His eyes didn’t show anger. He was only explaining his point and trying to act reasonable. “But hey,” he said, raising his hands up, “I’m not a soccer player, so who am I to say that?”
Aspen wasn’t taking it easily. “Look man, I don’t like fighting with you, but Ella and I already had plans.”
“Scared I’m going to whoop your ass again?” Caleb smirked. It was hard not to laugh. Caleb was the least intimidating guy, but somehow, he was able to smack a fist on the most popular kid in school.
“Caleb, please,” I whispered next to him, realizing that this wasn’t appropriate for the time being. People were starting to gather closer. They made it look like they were just wandering, but I knew from the look on their faces that they were secretly listening in. Well, they weren’t doing it that secretly.
“Get your boys to stop making a scene, Ella,” Taylor hissed as she strutted past. A few people gathered behind her and followed.
“What is your problem?” Aspen asked Caleb. I could tell Caleb was starting to get on his last nerve, and I knew it wasn’t going to end well if I didn’t say something.
“Isn’t it obvious? You,” Caleb spat back.
“Okay, if you two are going to behave like this, I’m going to head home!” I waved goodbye and began stomping away from them. They were acting like children, and I was not about to do some babysitting.
“Branson, wait!” Aspen shouted. He was quick to come after me as I felt his hand around my wrist. “Let me take you out. We can get ice cream. No celebrating. Just a date. I promise.”
His gesture was sweet. “Wearing this?” I snorted and gestured toward my ratty white uniform.
“I told you,” Aspen said with a smirk. “You look good in anything and everything.” Now his eyes were twinkling and that made me feel so much better.
“Okay.” I smiled and took his hands into mine. They were warm. The fight must’ve really got him going.
“Cool, Ella.” Caleb nodded from behind him. “I’ll just go hang out with Becca.”
I stuck my tongue out. “It’s about time you went on a date with her.” Even if Becca was a bitch, I was glad he was going after what he wanted. He rarely did that.
“Yeah.” Caleb continued to nod as he walked past me. His hand patted my back. “See you tomorrow, El.”
“Bye,” I said and then looked back at Aspen. “So, ice cream?”
“Lots and lots of ice cream.” Aspen laughed and we began down the path. “Let the pitying began.”
“About time!” I giggled and let my head fall onto his shoulder.
I was about to have my favorite things in my hand—Aspen and ice cream—and it couldn’t have felt more right.
Chapter 14
High School Musical
“Favorite animal?” Aspen asked. His smile grew as he asked these questions. He thought it was a chance to learn more about each other, and he was right.
“Butterflies.” I beamed.
“That’s an insect but we’ll pass on that.” Aspen winked. “Why are they your favorite?”
“They’re beautiful and have such pretty patterns on their wings. Also, they can fly away from their problems. They can fly anywhere they want actually.” They can fly away from Sam.
“Great points.” Aspen nodded. “Mine would be a tiger. They’re focused and aggressive and accurate.” Aspen looked off into the distance. “Great qualities.”
We were walking on the docks in town. Aspen explained that his friend owned a boat, so we could go there without getting in trouble. We were just walking, though. It was nothing illegal.
“Favorite book?” I asked. This was important to me. I may not be a star student, or a star athlete, but reading was my passion. People said I read so much I could write a book, but I sucked at writing. Reading took me out of reality, like butterflies.
Aspen’s eyes grew wide. “You read?”
My eyes narrowed. “You don’t?”
Aspen smiled. “Of course, I do! I just didn’t think you were a reader. It was always a secret I kept,” Aspen explained. “Being a bookworm, I mean.”
“Why? Are you ashamed of being one?” Everyone knew that I read. You weren’t truly seeing the real me unless I had a book strapped to my hip.
“It’s not the reputation that people want.” Aspen shrugged. “I’m the star of the soccer team. People don’t think I have time for anything else, much less reading.”
I walked toward him, bumping into his shoulder. “You could break the status quo.”
Aspen stopped walking. “Are you suggesting I go all High School Musical?” He smiled, displaying his dimple.
“It could be the start of something new.” I smiled and jumped to the middle of the dock. “Hip hop is my passion!” I screamed and threw out my hands. “I love to pop and lock and jam and break,” I sang and imitated some awful dance moves.
Aspen leaned toward me. “Is that even legal?”
“It’s just dancing. Sometimes, I find it cooler than homework,” I whispered.
Aspen broke into laughter at that point. His body dropped to the floor and he held his stomach as he rocked back and forth. I joined in on his laughter.
“I can’t believe you know High School Musical songs.” Tears were forming in my eyes. Who knew that a popular guy like Aspen knew the lines to High School Musical?
“Well, if Troy can tell his secret then I can mine.” Aspen shrugged and continued his laughing fit.
***
“Mom! Where are my pom-poms?” Sam screamed as she marched around the colonial house.
“Honey, I don’t touch your cheerleading stuff.” Mom rolled her eyes and shrugged at me. I giggled to myself.
Samantha barged into the kitchen where Mom and I were trying to hide. When Sam is mad, it was like Medusa let loose. Nobody dared look her in the eye.
“Homecoming is tomorrow,” Sam explained. “If I don’t have my pom-poms then, everything will be ruined.”
“Aren’t there extras that you can just use?” I suggested and bit into an apple.
“You want me to use extras for Homecoming? You’re actually more insane than I thought.” Sam was going crazy. No, she was past insanity and was now becoming Maleficent. I swore tiny horns were jutting out of her skull.
“How dare you suggest that, Isabella!” Mom screamed at me with a wink. I laughed.
“Do you guys think this is a joke? This isn’t.” Steam was already coming out of her ears.
Suddenly, Dad jumped into the kitchen with red and white pom-poms in his hands. They looked ridiculous with his black suit.
“We’re all in this together!” Dad sang as he tried to mimic the dance moves from High School Musical.
Mom and I immediately bent over and began screaming with laughter.
Sam wasn’t finding it as funny. Of course.
“This… isn’t… funny,” Sam snarled. She whipped the pom-poms out of our dad’s hands and left the room.
“Patrick, where did you find them?” Mom asked in between laughs.
“Somehow they got into a box in my office.” Dad shrugged with a smile. “I thought it would be funny.”
“Oh, it was father.” I wrapped an arm around him. “It truly was.”
“Will you be going to Homecoming tomorrow as well, Ella?” Mom asked.
I turned to her as she sat at the kitchen table, an apron wrapped around her waist.
“Maybe. Quinn is opting out in order to study for a test, and I don’t know what Caleb’s up to.”
“What about Aspen?” Dad asked from behind me.
“Guys, I love you, but you seriously need to stop bringing him up so much. When there’s something to tell, I’ll tell,” I told them.
“That’s fair,” Mom said, nodding along with Dad.
“Okay, now I’m going to be in my room, and no, I won’t be talking to Aspen.” I made a face at them before leaving the room.
Quinn had wanted me to call her tonight. Apparently, Becca had been trying nonstop to call her. When I got into my room, I immediately called her and on the first ring she answered, doing away with the greeting and proceeding to relay her dilemma.
“She won’t stop, Ella. I honestly think I’m going to go mental.” Quinn panicked on the phone. Her voice got very quiet after that. “Maybe we should just forgive her. We may have overreacted a little.”
I didn’t respond right away. It was true. I missed Rebecca. I wished that we could go back to being friends. Sometimes, after a hang out with Aspen, I would feel the need to call her. It had become an instinct.
“Ella, what do you think?” Quinn pushed.
“I don’t know. Maybe.” I spun my hair around my finger. “It really makes me angry to think about her hanging out with Sam, though. I mean, she is our biggest enemy.” Sam had always tried to humiliate us in public. She would shout at Quinn and Becca for hanging out with the “second-best” twin.
“I understand that. Please, when I heard everything, I was pissed. You saw how much of a bitch I became.” I laughed just thinking about Quinn that day. Honestly, it was the first time I ever saw Quinn almost turn into a mega bitch herself.
“I think that we should talk to her,” I finally said. “Baby steps maybe.”
“That sounds reasonable. I’ll inform her that she can come over tomorrow for breakfast,” Quinn said.
“Can we do it at your house? My house is going to be crazy tomorrow, it being Homecoming and everything. I’ll bring bagels.”
“Okay, deal.”
Quinn and I hung up after that. I promised to be at her house by ten, and Becca would come at 10:30. We both agreed that if we were there together when Becca arrived, it wouldn’t be as uncomfortable. Aspen had asked me earlier today at school to hang out before the football game, but I knew I needed to mend my relationship with Becca. It had almost been a month since we stopped talking, and let me be the first to admit that it was a lonely month.
I decided I had to break the news to Aspen, so I gave him a call shortly after I hung up with Quinn to explain the situation.
“I understand,” Aspen said almost immediately. “It’s important that you make up with Becca. I know how much she means to you.” That had made my heart melt. “Do you want to just come to the game with me tomorrow?”
“Definitely.” I beamed, over the moon with his suggestion. “Can you pick me up at Quinn’s?” I asked.
“Of course,” Aspen said. “I can’t wait.”
“Same here.”
Chapter 15
Make Something
It was exactly 10:07 when I walked into Quinn’s home. She was bent over in the kitchen trying to make a pot of coffee. The smell was perfect, but what my eyes saw wasn’t.
Quinn was huddled in the corner with dark brown liquid dripping down her arms and legs. A puddle of steaming black fluid covered the floor. Behind her head, the liquid continued to splash everywhere.
Quinn wouldn’t stop screaming.
“Woah! What happened here?” I asked as I rushed to her aid. Placing the bagels on the counter, I grabbed a load of paper towels and tried to rescue her.
“The machine broke!” Quinn exclaimed, flailing her arms. Coffee was all around the crystal white kitchen. “I swear, Ella, it’s happening. Machines are finally turning on us.” Her eyes were wild as they darted around the room.
“Quinn, snap out of it.” I tried to reason with her. She was being no help to me in trying to stop the problem. “The machine’s old. It probably just broke.”
“What kind of monster deprives humans of coffee?” Quinn screeched.
I rolled my eyes. She was coffee-deprived. Quinn usually went a little nuts before her typical cup of black coffee, and so, mornings were not her best. I learned that after so many sleepovers.
Quinn jumped behind the island and hid from the coffee machine which was still spewing steaming coffee everywhere. Drops of hot liquid continued to spray me. I looked at the machine as it shook back and forth and coffee gushed out of the pot. That’s when I noticed the pile of screws next to the coffee maker.
Seriously, Quinn?
Taking a deep breath, I walked toward the devil machine and unplugged it. The coffee stopped attacking in less than a second.
“You saved us!” Quinn yelled and ran over to me for a hug.
“I didn’t realize your coffee addiction was so bad.” I raised an eyebrow. “Care to admit you have a problem?”
“Neither did I.” Quinn giggled just as the doorbell rang. Her eyes widened. “Ready?”
“I guess I’ll have to be,” I said. “Being that there’s no coffee and everything.” I laughed at Quinn’s ridiculous reaction to the coffee machine, and she punched me in the arm.
“I was scared!” she reasoned.
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