Living With The Player

**CAMILLA RENÉE**

TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

RICHMOND HIGH.

While on the bus, Dylan left directions to the spot he had reserved for me.

Cute right? Well, just a little.

The only problem was getting there in this state.

Come on Camila.

As I drew closer, the cheer squads from both teams well cheered at the top of their voices, each side eagerly praising their boys.

With my heart racing, I could barely take two steps without a rethink.

If I skipped the game, I would not get a heart attack while watching but the thought of what’s going to happen to him will haunt me either way.

If I don’t, I’ll end up twitching in my seat while being paranoid all through 90 minutes.

I wanted nothing more than for the next few hours to pass by quickly, if possibly for Dylan’s team to score a few goals and give us the edge.

That might calm my nerves down.

Either way, I can’t bail on Dylan.

Tentatively, I’d lift my left foot, shoving it forward, then the right, with that I was able to follow his directives and disappear amongst the crowd of students cheering excitedly.

****

While seating alone, I kept fidgeting. Maybe if I convince myself of what this feeling was, It’d go away.

The dream is horrific, which explains this morning. For Brandon, I might just feel terrified of their team winning. He’ll never let me hear the end of that story, maybe I’m that worried and it is taking its toll.

Before I could conclude on either, Miranda slid in beside me.

I hadn’t even noticed the seat wasn’t taken.

I would’ve kept it but I wasn’t aware she’d make it beside me.

We are in the open.

“I can’t help just standing there and watching them. You’ll never know how sorry I couldn’t say anything.”

She says sadly, lowering her head.

“I took care of myself quite nicely I’m sure.”

I jabbed her slightly, trying to uplift her spirits. We both can’t be down at once.

“I understand why you couldn’t, we’ve been over this before. Don’t you dare blame yourself?”

I cautioned sternly.

“Fine. Onto more pressing matters. Before, I was curious, but after today I can see. It’s glaring why Paula hates you now. She’s been in love with Dylan since forever. Can’t stop talking about him. Invited him over countless times and suddenly, Dylan Emerton wants you. He wants you. Do you have any idea what that means!? It’s huge!?”

She beams making a girly squeaky sound, shooting both hands high in the air.

“What?! He’s not. He was just trying to get her away from me. He figured she was bullying me or something. That’s all there is to it.”

My face flushes with embarrassment. I turn my cheeks away, facing the corner of the field.

“He does. Everyone saw the way you two were on the way here. It’s obvious so do not try to deny it. The only question now is, do you like him?”

She elbows me slightly. I snapped my gaze back to her.

That wasn’t even a question, I don’t like Dylan Emerton.

He saved me. Granted he doesn’t remember, but he still did. I’m grateful to him. That’s all there is. I don’t like him? Tch. Miranda is just in over her head.

“Of course not.”

I bluntly deny nervously chuckling.

“That’s not even a question. You would never admit it. But you do.”

Her brows went straight up then down again, my cheeks were a dark shade of red now.

Ugh.

“What’s going on here?”

Paula thunders behind us.

She’s dressed in her usual cheering leading outfit.

Mini skirts and tights. Without the pompom of course.

For once I’m glad she intervened. There’s not an issue with Dylan anymore.

Beside me, Miranda jumped out of her skin, the playful demeanour falling off her features almost immediately.

“You’re friends with her?”

She asks, pointing back and forth between both of us as though I was trash or Miranda was.

“Paula, this does not want you to think. It’s not what you think….”

Miranda sprung up from her seat, trying to reach Paula probably to plead.

Paula flinches, a smirk appearing on her cheeks as she steps back.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Your mom is so dead. You’re so dead! I have been searching for the perfect excuse whereas it has been right before my eyes. Terrific!”

She clasped her palms together, her hands strutting down to her waist, resting there imminently.

“You just wait. Both of you will regret crossing me.”

She fires then struts away.

“I have to plead with her if she does something my mom is finished. I don’t care about what happened to me. I’ll gladly accept the punishment as long as my mother is kept out of this.”

Miranda is off before I could even utter one word.

As she left, my heart sunk even deeper.

I felt 100% responsible for what just happened to her.

I didn’t even have the stomach to watch the game anymore. The day is fucking messed up. First Brandon. Then this.

****

The starting whistle was blown seventy minutes ago. Dylan and I hadn’t made any eye contact whatsoever throughout the game, mostly because my eyes were kept on the scoreboard than the actual players. Aside from him, my heart was with Miranda. Paula was on the field cheering them on, I didn’t expect Miranda to return to me, but I can’t find her anywhere either.

I made a mental note to text her later. I feel so guilty.

Back to Dylan and his scoreboard.

I needed the reassurance.

I felt a little relieved as we were beating their team pretty good, even better than yesterday.

We were over two points ahead.

Brandon is a joke. A terrible joke.

I got worked up for nothing. The referee was twenty minutes away from blowing the final whistle.

I can watch peacefully now.

I tore my gaze away from the scoreboard, immediately searching for him

Found him.

Dylan was giving it his all on the field. It was like a 3D movie, I got to see all the action clearer than most people. No wonder he picked this spot. Why didn’t I watch this since?

Hold up.

What’s happening?

Just then, I noticed instead of the usual formation of spreading the players out as defence or any ready to take the ball, they were all following one person.

Brandon.

They ran behind him like an attack leaving their post unguarded.

That wasn’t the end of it.

Brandon was rushing towards Dylan.

This wasn’t soccer anymore.

It’s an attack.

I rose from my seat, but it was all too late.

It happened too quickly.

One minute my lips are parting to yell at someone as though I’m the only one that has good eyesight.

The next minute, a few players get ahead of him, Dylan halts and the puzzled look flashes through his eyes.

Brandon coming up behind him acts as though he wants to take the ball but instead his legs move for Dylan’s.

He kicks it harshly. More harshly than he would’ve if it were the ball itself.

Dylan is off the ground, tumbles over a little then lands back to the ground. His head broke his fall.

Not good.

The thud noise echoes in my head. That’s just my brain exaggerating things, but still.

It doesn’t go away.

“Dylan!”

Finding my voice, I screamed which seemed to kick start everything.

The Field turned into something else in seconds.

The entire student body is murmuring and some of them are yelling as I am.

The 3D vision doesn’t favour me anymore, I can see as blood gushed out from his head.

My heart rams against my chest.

I take the first step without thinking, pushing past everyone in my way towards him with a speed I didn’t know I possessed.

Adrenaline maybe.

When I get there, there are people gathered already, the game is halted and my vision of him is nearly gone.

Some of them have their phones out recording while others are calling for help.

I stand in the middle of the field completely confused about what to do.

******

*Author’s Note*

*This is the first part, I can’t let my word count exceed, the other part will be uploaded shortly. Apologies for the delay. The comments on the previous chapter made me teary! Please drop your thoughts!!*