Fooling Ourselves

How Things Went Down...

It was Friday night. The game was about to go into its first break. Our team was winning. Everything was going great. Everyone was happy and excited. We were recovering from our last two losses. I was slightly recovering from everything with Dylan and I was actually happy. The game spirit had me going..

I went over to my bag which was resting on a chair and took out my phone. I checked my messages and noticed I had a missed call. I redialed the unfamiliar number quickly.

"Hello?" I said when the person picked up.

"Hey Skye, it's Bryan," the voice told me.

"Oh hey, Bryan. What's up?" I asked.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go to the movies with me tomorrow. It would make a great first date, don't you think?" he sounded hopeful. I thought about it and realized I had nothing doing and Bryan wasn't a bad guy.

"So you finally claim your date," I replied teasingly.

"Yeah, sorry it took so long. The football season has been keeping me busy. So what do you say?"

"I don't see why not," I told him, "I'll text you my address and you can get me at 5:30. Deal?"

"Deal. Can't wait to see you. Bye," he sounded happy before hanging up I put my phone back in my bag and closed it. I rejoined the girls because the boys had come off the field now and we were going to cheer a bit.

I joined the girls and we started our cheer. We always kept it simple and not too extra at the games. It was the game after all. People weren't here to watch us cheer; they were here to watch the boys play. I tried to remain focused as the girls threw me on top of the pyramid. Luckily my feet obeyed me and everything went perfect.

Everything was perfect. Until someone in the crowd threw something at one of the girls holding me up. She faltered and everything fell out of place. I fell out of place and unfortunately landed the wrong way on my left hand. I let out an ear-piercing scream as tears filled my eyes and then fell over. I sat up with the help of the cheerleaders, not really noticing anyone or what they were saying at the moment. I was just in so much pain.

"How badly does it hurt?" Alicia asked me looking worried.

"Really badly," I cried holding my hand.

"Well it's bruising fast," she remarked, "Can someone get her to the hospital please?"

"Give me my sister!" my brother yelled panicking.

"No, he can't do it. He has the game. Where's Ari?" I asked trying to hide my pain.

"Parting a fight. Oh here she comes," Alicia spoke in a hurry.

"Come on Skye," Ari helped me get up and guided me through the crowd which appeared blurry to me. I made out some guys holding Jace back and James looking very angry. I think I even saw Theo and Thai talking to a furious looking Dylan but my hand hurt too much to care.

***

"My baby! Are you okay?" my mother attacked me with kisses.

"I'm fine," I stated clearly pissed off by everything that happened.

"Look what they did to my angel," my father did not sound happy at all, "I should have been there to kill the idiot."

"I'm sure Jace will take care of that," I muttered bitterly.

"Thank you, Ariana," my parents said finally noticing Ari behind me.

"No problem," Ari told them.

"Well, why don't you two go upstairs. I'll bring up some snacks and ice cream," my mother suggested.

"Yeah that sounds ok," Ari answered for me. We both went upstairs to my room and I sat down on my bed.

"I hate this. I want to punch the person who did it," I told her honestly.

"Don't worry. Dylan did lots of that for you," Ari informed me.

"Dylan?" I said surprised.

"Yeah. It was hard pulling him off that boy," she nodded, "I think he's secretly in love with you."

"Who, the boy?" I asked confused.

"No, Dylan silly," she laughed.

"Yeah right," I scoffed, not even thinking twice about it, "So who was the guy?"

"I don't know but he was with the visitors," she replied sounding bored.

"I hope Dylan doesn't get in trouble for me again," I sighed.

"What?"

"He told me to stay away from him because I'm the reason he always gets into fights and that I never stand up for him basically," I complained.

"No offence but you don't. You always take your brother's side even when he's wrong. Sometimes I have to wonder if you guys have some Flowers in the Attic shit going on," Ari threw herself on my bed.

"We do not!" I protested, "You don't think my brother is in love with me, do you?... Uggh what am I saying?! He isn't!"

"You don't sound so sure," Ari teased and I groaned annoyed with her games, "Relax I'm just kidding."

"What am I going to do with a sprained arm? I have a date tomorrow," I sighed and laid back on my bed.

"You have a what? With who? And where?" Ari attacked me with questions as she bounced on my bed with excitement.

"A date with Bryan at the movies at five-thirty tomorrow," I told her.

"Who's Bryan?" she said confused.

"The captain of the team we played some time ago. The one Dylan fought-"

"Oh him! He was gorgeous," she stated dreamily.

"Yeah well, I'm about to cancel our date," I reached for my phone in my pocket but she grabbed it from me.

"No don't! I'll be here to help you get ready. I'll do your hair really nice and you can wear that really cute dress I love and those heels and that red lipstick that you have that screams kiss me!" she was completely lost in her own world now, "And I'll do your makeup really nice and you can wear those stripper black heels."

"It's a date. I'm not selling my virginity," I told her.

"I know but you could," she winked at me.

"Shut up Ari," I laughed, "So what's up with you and James?"

"I still don't talk to him. I walk by, he walks by. He tries to talk to me, I ignore him. He gets upset and embarrassed and then he tries again at lunch," she sounded tired, "I don't care anymore. When he mans up and grows some balls then fine."

"Okay. I guess our boy lives suck," I groaned.

"Mine does but you have a date tomorrow with gorgeous so you're better than me," she assured me, "Plus you have an admirer, a dude who's obviously in love with you, a brother who is in love with you too and Thai who's always up for some fun."

"Shut up about that brother thing," I scowled.

"Just so you know, if you want to have a secret hide and sneak relationship with the gorgeous Dylan Martin, I totally support it," Ari said dreamily, "In fact, I ship it!"

"Of course you do," I rolled my eyes.

"No seriously, you two would be cute," she took up her phone and checked an incoming message.

"Whatever."

"Theo texted me. Oh my gosh! We won the game!" she jumped and did a crazy dance before looking at her phone again and letting her mouth hang open.

"What? What is it?" I frowned.

"Theo said the game just ended."

"Yeah, I got that much," I replied sarcastically.

"He said Dylan left right after. He didn't go to the locker room or anything, just marched off the field," she informed me.

"Oh my gosh! Do you think.." I trailed off not finishing my question but she nodded understanding what I had meant to say.

"He might be coming over here."