Array
(
[text] =>

Chapter 6: The Game

Finn's POV

It was the night of the Homecoming game and Heather and I were preparing for it. I had bought the school jacket just for it to show a little bit of school spirit even though I loathed my school.

As I stared at the mirror in my room, taking in my reflection, Heather broke the companionable silence that has placed itself in the room.

"Yo. What's with Oliver?" 

I looked at her through the mirror, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "What about him?"

"He's been weirdly sweet with us ever since he started sitting with us, and he also took me to a date last night! What's that about?" She asked, innocently looking up the ceiling.

"I don't know, he's just naturally sweet, I guess?" I lied before realizing it was my one chance to ask her about him. "By the way. What do you think about him?"

It has been a few days ever since Oliver asked my help on the date and he's also been busy with football but he managed to take Heather on a date last night. 

"Well. I'm starting to like him. He's a pretty sweet guy and only recently I just realized how handsome he was!" She said, raising her hands up as if to show surprise.

Handsome was an understatement. 

"Hah. Seems like he wants to date you." I suggested not-so-subtly. 

She sat up and glared at me through the mirror which made me laugh a little. 

"I mean... why?"

I gave her a look. "Are you kidding? You're pretty and kind and cool. Can you blame him?"

She gave me another look as I finished getting ready. "Well, anyway. He invited me to the party tonight after school."

My hands that were on their way to my face stopped mid-air, I turned my head around to look at her. 

"C-Congrats!" 

The reason it was such a big deal in the school is because after the Homecoming game, only the popular kids and their friends make it to the party that is usually hosted by, also, popular kids. 

"Thanks, but... you're coming with me." Heather announced which pinned me to my spot, my blood running cold.

"What? I wasn't invited, I can't come." I said with a nervous laugh, but deep inside, I was hoping I could come.

Heather stood up and joined me on the mirror, I was evidently taller than her by a few inches. 

"Oliver invited you himself. Duh." 

I looked at her in disbelief. "You're lying. You're just saying that so I'd come-"

"No, dummy. Listen." She pulled out her phone and a recording started to play.

"Heather, please do tell Finn that I invited him to the party tonight."

Heat crawled up my neck as Heather smirked at me.

"Finn, you're blushing." She teased, pinching my cheeks which caused my blush to intensify. 

"Stop it. Let's go before we're late and we miss the whole game." I said as an attempt to change the subject. Heather just smiled wider at my failed attempt before nodding in agreement.

. . .

"Glad you two can make it! My best friend already offered to sit with you guys, so you're all good." Oliver informed, pointing at a guy with black hair.

Heather nodded and she was about to walk away when Oliver gripped her arm. 

"Wait. This might be weird but can you give me some good luck?" He said before subtly winking at me.

I rolled my eyes without any humor but Oliver didn't seem to have caught it as he returned his focus back to Heather. 

I expected Heather to look at him in confusion but instead, a smile played on her lips. 

"Alright." Heather pulled something out of her pockets and she slipped something on Oliver's wrist.

I rolled my eyes again. They were doing all of these like I wasn't here with them. Heather gave him another smile before scurrying away. I started to follow her when I felt a hand grab my arm. 

"Finn, wait." Oliver said urgently.

I shook his hand off of my arm and gave him a bored look which seem to have evidently affected him a little but he eventually regained his composure.

"Listen. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I'm so grateful for all your help with Heather and all, so I just wanna say thank you. A thousand times thank you. I know it doesn't make up for all the inconvenience I've caused but I promise, I'll make it up to you." He said, giving me an unfeigned look.

My eyes softened for a little bit but I then remembered the reason why he was thanking me. 

"It's... It's alright. Don't worry about it. Now can I go?" I asked, trying to sound as urgent as possible.

His face fell and it looked like he was about to say more. "Yes... I'll see you later." He said before walking away.

I didn't know if I made the right decision to be such an ass to him. But he wasn't lying when he said he hasn't made up any of the inconveniences he's caused just for him to be with Heather. But at the same time, I agreed to setting them up together, I agreed to help him, I could've declined his offer but I didn't, so what right did I have to be hurt? What right did I have to be mad? I didn't, so now, I immediately regretted my decision.

Instead of catching up to Oliver, I joined Heather and she was already talking to Oliver's best friend. I didn't even bother talking to the guy since I knew he was popular and probably homophobic.

I sat down and not even ten seconds passed, Heather have already mentioned me which made the guy look at me.

"Finn, this is Jason, Oliver's best friend. Jason, this is Finn." 

The name sounded so familiar and so I looked up and there he was, the guy who helped me get to the nurse office the day Chad beat me up in the bathroom. I completely forgot about him since after I woke up in the nurse's office, he was gone. 

"Oh, hey Finn! I know this guy." Jason said with a charming smile, looking at me with such enthusiasm and familiarity. 

I chuckled slightly which surprised me since I was in a bad mood. "I wouldn't say he knows me. But we've been acquainted. By the way, I forgot to thank you for all your help." 

"It was nothing. Also, I had to go that day so I couldn't join you and Oliver in the nurse's office."

"Oh it's fine."

Jason gestured at the seats in front of us. As I sat down, I took his appearance in and only then I realized how good looking he was. He had wavy, raven black hair that was messily styled to the side which complemented his features just right. He had dark green eyes framed with long, lifted lashes, his lips were plump and pink and he had the body of a jock, definitely a popular kid.

I perked up and opened my mouth to start a conversation. "So--"

"So, Jason. Oliver always told stories of you the two of you. How is your friendship with him?" Heather interrupted which caused me to shut my mouth.

"Oliver and I have been friends since forever, our family's been friends even before we were born. And we've been best friends ever since." Jason explained, the smile on his face never leaving.

Heather initiated more conversations while my eyes lazily wandered around the field. The cheerleaders were warming up, lead by Bella Lee-Evans. The football players were also warming up in the corner as their coach barked at them. The crowd was noisy, as always, and some even had posters for their favorite players. 

"Finn!" 

I snapped out of reality. I looked at Heather who had snapped a finger in front of me. 

"Are you doing okay? You've been weirdly quiet all this time." Heather looked at me with so much concern.

"I'm fine. I just don't wanna butt in in your conversation." I said with a reassuring smile but like I expected, she looked like she didn't buy my bullshit.

She furrowed her brows at me. "Come on, Finn. You're here too, we don't want to leave you out." 

Pffft, okay.

"Hey, Finn. You know, Oliver's been talking to me about you a lot." Jason said which interested me all of a sudden.

"What?"

He chuckled. "Yeah, he said you're one of the nicest people he's met so far." 

And just from that, the ice wall I've slowly been building the whole time melted along with my heart. I don't know if Jason was only saying that because he wanted to include me in their conversation but deep inside, I somehow knew he was telling the truth.

"Wow. O-Okay. I-"

The crowd loudly cheered all of a sudden, preventing the two from hearing what I had to say. The reason all this time was because the game was starting. 

I didn't know what was happening so I just watched intently. 

. . .

I watched as Oliver dodges a tackle, running across the field while dodging more players, it took him a few minutes of struggling and players trying to block him before he reaches the goal and the crowd goes wild.

"Wow..." Heather trailed off as she watched the field.

The score of our side changed from 12 to 18 which fueled the crowd more. The other side of the field groaned in annoyance due to their losing team. 

"...Yeah, Oliver's pretty amazing at football, we used to play when were kids all the time." Jason reminisced, a faraway look on his face.

"Really? Then why aren't you in the team?" I asked him.

"I'd rather pursue photography than sports." He smiled before turning his attention to the field. 

Halftime started and the cheerleader started their routine along with the school band.

Bella did some complicated moves that I couldn't decipher at all. I knew nothing about football, or cheerleading or music, really. That's why I was so lost most of the time. Jason helped me with understanding some stuff which I'm grateful for while Heather just... looked at Oliver the whole time. She looked completely enticed and in love, her cheek resting on her fist. 

I know I should be happy for her that she's now finding happiness. I've always known she wanted to be in a relationship, she wanted to have someone to come home to, to cuddle, to share her secrets to... and Oliver was the perfect guy for that. 

I sighed, following Heather's eyes towards Oliver who had just looked up at us. He winked at us which I knew was meant for Heather, causing her to sit back straighter on her seat. It was my turn to rest my cheek on my fist, looking down at him wistfully, drowned in my own thoughts.

 . . .

After an intense hour. The game was neck-to-neck with the score stuck to 25 to 28. Chad ran across the field with the ball, he couldn't even make it five seconds before getting tackled. 

"I'm still so confused." I said as I clutched by my head dramatically. 

"I can explain more-"

"No. I appreciate it but I think I'm just gonna wait the game out outside." I said with a smile. I didn't even wait for a response before standing up and leaving Heather and Jason sitting there.

The cool breeze hit my skin as soon as I was out of the field. There weren't any people in sight except for the guards patrolling since it was seven in the evening. It was all silent except for the rustling of the leaves and the occasional sudden outburst from the field.

And then, I felt something graze my elbow. Panic rose in me as my life flashed before my eyes, I turned around and punched at whoever. Jason caught my fist with his hands, a flash of surprise in his green eyes.

"Whoa. Calm down, Finn."

"What the fuck, Jason?" I spit angrily at him as I retracted my hand back.

"I was just checking up on you..." He said as a red tint spread across his cheek.

My eyes softened for a moment, the anger draining out of me. And then I suddenly remember about Heather.

"You left Heather there?" I asked as I brushed past him back to the field when he stopped me.

"She's gonna be fine. She told me herself to check up on you." He explained which I felt like wasn't enough but I didn't want to be an ass for now. 

I crossed my arms on my chest, appraising Jason as he gave me a friendly smile. I had so much stuff on my mind at that moment. Number one was how have I never met Oliver and Jason in the two years we've been in the same school? Because if we'd met, I'm sure I'd been friends with them since they're not the horrendous side of the popular kids. Jason's smile alone could outshine the sun because of how friendly and sunny it was.

"So, Jason... This might be a random question but how have you and Oliver been friends? Can you talk about it?" I asked carefully because I didn't want to sound like I was imposing.

"Well, what I said earlier was true. Our families have been friends way before we were born, we're basically like brothers. Actually, the only reason I didn't bring Heather here is because I know Oliver has a crush on her." He explained thoroughly to which I listened attentively.

I nodded in understanding before breaking eye contact as a slight breeze rustled the trees near us.

"This might be oversharing... but meh, I don't care, it's a pretty funny story now. Oliver and I might be inseparable most of the time, but we're not perfect. There was a time where we didn't speak for six whole months! Our pride got into us and our families had to step in to mend us." He told with a hint of smile on his lips, once again, a faraway look on his face.

I squinted my eyes slightly before facing him completely. "Mind telling me what the reason was?"

Our eyes met, a slight chuckle escaping his lips. "Because of a boy." 

My eyes widened suddenly, my skin suddenly cold and my heart beating faster than it had already been. "Wait, can you explain?"

"Yeah. I was telling him I liked this guy back when we were still Freshman and lo and behold, he developed a crush on him too. So we fought over it until the guy had to move away... So that was fun." He explained with a laugh.

I was shocked, surprised, baffled, perplexed, bewildered, puzzled, bemused, surprised, my God, whatever word for it was right. But despite of what I was feeling, I still managed to give him a nod.

"Hey, you okay? You look a little paler than usual." 

"Yeah... I'm gonna be honest, I thought you two were... Never mind."

He raised his eyebrows in amusement. "Straight? Nah." 

I couldn't stop the laugh bubbling up my throat and he joined me a second later.

"Wow... I would've never seen that coming."

He had a smile on his face, causing a dimple to appear, he was about to say something when the crowd went wild from the field.

Our eyes met.

"We... Should probably head back." He suggested before gesturing me to walk.

We returned to our seats but didn't sit since there was no point, the game was finished and everyone was standing up, our school have won the Homecoming game and the whole school was cheering over the win. I was happy for the school but I didn't know how they won, I assume it was because of a touchdown? I'll just stop. 

Anyway, the football team jumped up and down from happiness below while families, friends and the cheerleaders greeted their success. I stayed behind while Jason and Heather approached Oliver... along with other fans, those crazy monsters will just cause a stampede.

I was almost knocked down from all of the bodies surging past me if I hadn't had control of myself.

It took almost five minutes for the crowd to clear and the moment it did, I saw Jason, Heather and Oliver talking. I tried to approaching them when I got knocked down again by an unknown force but it wasn't so unknown anymore when I saw that blonde-haired bitchface named Bella approaching the three.

I took a deep breath as I stabilized myself, attempting to control the seeping anger from me.

I approached the group and Bella was obviously trying to flirt with Oliver but it didn't look like he was enjoying it. 

"Excuse me. What do you think you're doing?" I questioned with extra sass as I faced Bella, raising an eyebrow at her.

She looked like she's been hit by a bus from just my statement alone. 

"Oliver. Look how he talks to me, how he disrespects me--"

"Listen. That's my best friend you're referring to and he's so much better than you will ever be." Heather snapped at her, stepping a few steps forward. The two would've been at each other's throat if not for Jason and Oliver separating them.

"Okay. That's enough. Bella, please just leave us alone and go to your friends or whatever." Oliver said calmly but I could practically feel the hatred of his words whizzing past me.

Once again, Bella looked like she's been hit by a fourteen-wheeler, her mouth open as a gasp escaped past it. 

"You would... I'm... UGH, FINE." She shrieked tremendously loud before stomping away like a kid.

"The fuck is up with that girl?" I muttered under my breath but Oliver seemed to have heard me.

"I'm so sorry about her... Are you two alright?" He asked, worry off of his face.

"Yeah... I just wanted her out of here. Sorry for that." Heather explained, her voice going soft for a moment followed by a sigh.

"It's okay. It's her fault..." Oliver reassured and before I knew it, he already had his arms around her.

Jason must've felt like we were fourth wheeling because he looped an arm around me and steered me the other way.

"Alright, they're getting too comfortable, let's leave them alone." He said with a grimace on his face before leading me away.

I giggled quietly as we left the two alone. 

I finally didn't feel alone. 

[text_hash] => ddcd6ec4
)