Page 76 of The Sky Between Us

“Who was that guy?” Sky asked from the back seat, his head hanging out the window. “Why was he so moody?”

“He is the enemy,” I said with a small smile. “He plays for Harvard and he is scared Aiden is going to beat him.”

Sky grinned, but his eyes remained confused. “Is Aiden going to beat him?”

“That’s the plan,” I sighed massaging my temple. I just hoped he would beat him on the field and not off the field.

“Will you let me know the results?” Sky asked, his eyes turning into the cute begging puppy ones I could never say no to.

“Of course,” I bent down to kiss the top of his head. “Hey, I love you.”

A beautiful smile stretched across his tiny face. “Me too!”

“GOOOOOAL!”

The crowd roared as Aiden kicked the ball into the net. My hands ached from all the clapping, but a grin couldn’t find its way to my face. I was still too anxious. Sliding my eyes to the scoreboard I saw 1-1 lighting up in minute sixty. Thirty more minutes of this painful match.

The stadium filled with anticipation, testosterone and heavy suffocating tension. It was all rolling off the players who circled each other like hunters around the prey. It was clear Harvard was utilizing every opportunity to kick the footing out from under our players. Several team members switched due to red and yellow cards, but Jake somehow remained untouched by it all. Every time someone appointed him from our team, he lifted his hands in an innocent shrug and someone else took the blame.

Aiden’s body screamed tension, as he cracked his neck before walking back to his position. His face was set in a hard smirk, but not as triumphant as I would have imagined him to be. His head was still in the game, focused on every second, not letting anything pass.

The LA Galaxy scout sat several rows under me, his black baseball hat turned backwards so that the LA logo could mock me through the game.

Just thirty more minutes and I could breathe again.

“Come on!” Sarah exclaimed next to me as she bounced in one place, her eyes following Elliot. “Make the pass!”

Arching an eyebrow, I stared at her. “Since when do you speak soccer?”

“Since forever,” she rolled her eyes. “I always liked soccer, and by soccer, I mean Cristiano Ronaldo.”

With a short laugh, I shook my head. “Me too. Or Beckham.”

“He is old. Have you not watched soccer since he played?” She mocked me, trying to ease my tension.

After a short laugh, I grimace. “I watched more soccer than I care to admit. And I like Pique as well if you need me to pick another player.”

“So international,” she went on, throwing her blonde hair over her shoulder and adjusting the waistband of her skinny jeans. I didn’t even notice she was wearing Elliot’s number on her back and twisted the shirt in a fashionable knot just above her jeans. “Are you worried Aiden might go somewhere else and not stay relatively close? Would you go with him?”

Her questions made me think of scenarios I’ve never considered, reminding me my future was still up in the air.

“I want him to follow his dreams,” I said the truth I’ve been repeating, because it was the only thing I was certain about. “With or without me, he deserves everything.”

Sarah flung her arm around my shoulders and pulled me into a half hug. When Aiden told Elliot, I decided to tell her too. She would have found out either way. We agreed not to talk about it a lot, but knowing she was aware helped me.

Giselle squealed next to me. “Oh my god!” She pointed at the field.

My eyes immediately landed on Aiden who was standing face to face with Jake. Their noses almost touching and both of their eyes throwing daggers. Even from the stands I could feel tension and anger rolling off of them. It was a question of seconds before they jumped at each other. Elliot had a hand on Aiden’s arm, squeezing him tight and trying to pull him back, as Jake’s mouth curved into a cruel smile. I used to find that sexy when I was younger, but now I knew better. Whatever was going to leave his mouth next was going to tip Aiden over. He already had too much hatred in him.

Pushing through the crowd I made my way down the stands, circling around to climb over the small fence and reach the closed off staircase that leads to the field. The crowd behind me roared, as the game stopped and both teams ganged up standing against each other. With a pounding heart, I jumped off the last few steps sprinted over to the boys.

“She is just a little whore who is going to lock you in forever with her good girl act,” Jake muttered in a low voice to Aiden, but loud enough for both teams to hear and for me to acknowledge the words.

Clashing into Aiden’s chest, I put a protective hand over him. “Don’t… don’t…”

“Hazel,” he said my name through gritted teeth. His blue eyes were darker than a stormy sky. Cold and emotionless, yet burning from anger.

“It’s not worth it,” I whispered to him, pushing him back, not taking my eyes off him. “Please… just keep playing.”

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