Playing For The Other Team [REMAKE]

Chapter 14

Jonathan had agreed to meet Nathan by the car once school was over. As usual, Jonathan doesn't appear with most of the students - who are all eager to get home - so Nathan doesn't worry until an unusual amount of time has passed.

If Jonathan had gotten caught up in something, he would have gotten out of that by now, Nathan thinks as he wanders back into the school building and heads towards the home economics classrooms. He finds his friend by his locker, but Jonathan isn't alone. A girl is standing before him with her hands on her hips and her brows knitted together in an angry frown.

"You're just some shithead," she hisses down at Jonathan - that doesn't appear as frightened as he is embarrassed. "You think you're all that because Bone spoke to you one time."

Nathan is close enough to overhear, but not close enough for the two students to have spotted him yet.

"It's not like anything's changed because of that. You should know better than to get in my way, I don't have time for nerds like you."

"Sorry, Angie," Jonathan mumbles. While he looks embarrassed, he doesn't seem to be very frightened of Angie despite her being almost a foot taller than him. "I thought I'd ask, that's all."

"You embarrassed me in front of my friends."

"It was an accident. Those happen." Jonathan shrugs.

Angie snorts. "Yeah, you're here, aren't you?" She crosses her arms over her chest.

A wave of anger washes over Nathan. "Hey!" He shouts, watching as the pair turn and looks his way. "Leave him alone!" They both look surprised, and Angie shoots Jonathan another sharp glare before she turns around and walks off.

Jonathan takes a moment to compose himself, and when Nathan reaches him, he acts as if nothing's happened. "Hey," he says with a smile. "I thought you were going to wait for me outside."

"Are you okay?" Nathan asks. "What was that about?"

"I'm fine," Jonathan assures him. "I'm unhurt. Well... my pride is a little scuffed, and my confidence might have been taken down a notch, but physically I'm a-okay."

While Nathan can't see any injuries and hadn't seen anything actually happen between Jonathan and Angie, he can't help but worry. "Are you sure?"

The brave facade Jonathan has put up doesn't remain intact for long. His shoulders sag as he lets out a sigh. "It sucks that you saw that," he says. "I kind of feel like I want to melt through the floor."

Nathan shakes his head, looking over to where the girl had disappeared. "Who was that anyway? She didn't hurt you, did she?"

"That's Angie. She's in my class, has been since like middle school," he explains. "Tough as nails, and it doesn't help that I had a crush on her for like forever." He shakes his head, squeezing his eyes shut as he does. "I guess you gave me the confidence I needed to try and ask her out, and if it wasn't already obvious, it didn't go very well."

"Oh," is all Nathan can think of to say. He doesn't know if that's good or bad.

"Doesn't make it less embarrassing."

"You're too good for her anyway." Nathan tries to comfort his friend, but the sudden tightness in his chest makes it difficult to sound genuine.

Jonathan smiles at him. "She likes you," he says. "I mean, who doesn't? But that's beside the point." He gives an awkward laugh and absentmindedly scratches the back of his neck.

"She's not my type," Nathan blurts out.

"What is your type?" Jonathan asks him.

Gulping, Nathan shrugs. "I like blonds."