Page 11 of Matched Up

‘And she said she liked my trainers, which was super nice.I was wearing my new Nikes.You know, the purple ones?’Megan was speaking ridiculously quickly.

I nodded.

‘So are you going to go to V-Ball with Hunter then?’

‘What?’I snapped.As soon as it came out of my mouth, I knew it was over the top.

‘Well, Zoe just said …’ Her voice tailed off.

‘I don’t care what Zoe said.You know I wouldn’t go with Hunter,’ I said, frustrated and driving more quickly than usual.

‘Jeez, sorry, I just thought –’

‘You just thought what?’I shot back.‘That because you and Niall are a couple, that everyone else should have to find someone?Like I’m not good enough on my own or I’m not good enough to find my own date?’I looked at her this time, challenging her to say something else to piss me off.

‘No, Lex, I didn’t mean …’ Her eyes welled up.

‘Whatever,’ I said, pulling into Blackport.

Niall hadn’t spoken the whole way here.Usually, our car rides were all of us taking the piss out of teachers or coaches, stomachs sore from laughing before we even got to school.And before Megan and I were friends it would just be me and Niall, inside jokes or easy silence.Not like this weird mash-up of awkward silence from Niall and Megan spewing meaningless words like she was on speed.

When we got to school, I got out first and stormed across the yard, only turning to lock the car when I heard them close the doors.My stomach dropped when I realized that soon the whole of our year would know about Megan and Nialland then there’d be nowhere to hide.Blackport kids liked nothing better than new gossip.

I kept my head down all day, avoiding Megan and Niall at break time, and at lunch I put on my PE kit and went for a run round the pitches.I ran hard, distracting myself from the now and focusing on the burning in my thighs and the cold air in my chest.I went over football drills, memorizing them so I’d be ahead of the game tomorrow night.Maybe Sadie would be so impressed that she’d play me.She’d see that I was fitter than everyone else, that I wanted it more than everyone else.She’d change her mind.

When I thought about football, it took up all the space in my head.It had been that way since I’d started at Westing FC four years ago.I knew if I was going to play for that club, I needed to be serious.There was no taking it easy.I had to put in the work.And I had.I’d done everything I possibly could so far.It just wasn’t good enough.Not yet.But I’d keep going.I needed to stay focused.

But under the winter sun, rhythmic breath, racing heart and aching muscles, I wasn’t just thinking about football.I was thinking about him.The way he moved with the ball, effortless, natural, like he’d been born on a football pitch.The sharp lines of his jaw and the way his cheekbones caught the shine of the floodlights.

‘Lex!’

I looked up but couldn’t see anything but the school golf course and groups of kids congregating on the path surrounding it.

‘Lex!’I heard again.

I turned round, running backwards, reluctant to break my pace.

It was Hunter, holding a rugby ball and shouting in my direction.He threw it towards me and I slowed down, focusing on the ball that was being fired at my face.But I must have taken my eye off it because I missed it.

‘Shit,’ I swore, and I could hear Hunter laugh from across the pitch.I picked the ball up, thinking about throwing it back but not wanting to embarrass myself with a crap pass, so I held on to it until Hunter got closer, then threw it back to him.

‘I knew you were dedicated to football, but this is taking it to a new level.Lunchtime jogs?’He widened his eyes and laughed.

‘Yeah, so?’I was out of breath and glad of the break.‘What are you doing with a rugby ball anyway, traitor?’

‘Jack of all trades,’ he said.‘So Niall and Meg are out in the open then.’He threw the ball in the air and caught it, and my insides tightened all over again.

‘You knew?’I stared at him and watched him realize that he’d said something wrong.

‘Only for a couple of days.Niall told me that night after we left Megan home …’ His voice trailed off and my heart beat even faster than it had been.

‘Nice to know where I stand when it comes to those two,’ I said.‘You know they didn’t even tell me?I just found out by accident.’

Hunter pulled a face.‘Shit.’

‘Yeah.Made me want to throw up.’

Hunter threw the ball to me.I threw it back.Hard.

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