Changing With Autumn

Chapter 13

My face instantly flamed and my heart started pounding. Everything had gone silent around me, or maybe that was just me, I couldn’t be sure to tell the truth I was kinda freaking out. His voice just kept ringing in my ears and all I could think was oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. I was somewhere in that inbetween of excitement and about to pass out from a panic induced shock. If there were little versions of me in my brain, right about now they would be going haywire, screaming, running and bumping into each other.  

It took me a second or two to come back to Earth and remember what I was in the middle of doing.  I had to get myself under control enough to at least get off this court and out of the spotlight. I felt like all eyes were literally on me right now and that wasn’t helping the feeling of passing out that was creeping close by. So forcing myself to come back to my senses I shook hands with the other girl and muttered a quick “good game.” She, on the other hand, must have been either a very sore loser or seriously annoyed at my overzealous fan boy because I got a dirty look and a grunt in return. Well, it was probably a mixture of both, I’m sure the double loss was a sting to her ego but fan boy most likely set it over the top. 

I walked back over to my side of the court and made my way towards the fence to grab the spare balls and my water bottle. I made my way over with my head down and I completely avoided glancing at the crowd. It was easier to hide my embarrassment when I was facing the other side of the court but now that I was up close and personal to where I knew he was, it was taking a lot to make myself seem calm and collected. I leaned down to grab my things when I heard the shuffle of someone stopping directly in front of me outside of the fence. Breathe Willow, just breathe.  

“I don’t think she likes me.” He said above me. I could hear the humor in his voice.  

I looked over to where the other girl was grabbing her belongings and could see the frigid look she was shooting at the two of us. I looked up towards him just as he was tilting his head back down towards me. There it was. That cocky grin. I couldn’t help the little laugh that escaped my lips.  

“Well she does seem a little butt-hurt. ” I replied, sounding way more nonchalant than I actually felt. “Probably because there was some weird-o in the crowd going crazy and making her lose her concentration.” 

It was his turn to laugh, and he threw up his hands in mock surrender. “Hey, first of all, that girl had no chance even if she had all the concentration in the world. Secondly, this weird-o was getting in the spirit of the game. Lastly, that  was freaking awesome. You kicked her ass, and since when is it wrong to cheer on your girl?”  

As if I had the worst timing ever, I had just taken a drink of my water and I was in mid swallow and now about to choke and die. My head jerked up towards him with what I’m sure was a look of terror and utter confusion on my face. I had to have heard him wrong. His girl? I wasn’t his girl. We hadn’t put on any labels. I know I sure as Hell didn’t agree to any labels.  

“Wait, what? What happened to no strings?” I asked in a choked out voice as I tried desperately to clear the remaining water out of my lungs. 

“Come on Willow. I like you. You know that. I feel something for you and I can feel that there is some of that coming back at me too. Or am I wrong?” He said. 

I hesitated. He was looking at me expectantly and waiting for an answer he already knew. It was time, my two week trial period was up. Yeah I liked him, but did I really like him? Could I follow through with my quick and easy clean break? It definitely would be a lot harder with him standing right in front of me. He wanted labels, but did I want that? I got lost in my mental back and forth momentarily forgetting that he was still waiting for a response. 

“No.” I breathed out, not realizing I had been holding my breath. 

“No?” He repeated. He sounded taken aback like that was the last thing he had expected me to say. 

“No. You’re not wrong.” I peaked up at him and was greeted with his cocky grin again. 

“Let me take you out tonight.” He said, sounding hopeful but with a touch of not taking no for an answer. 

“Take me out? Like on a date?” I asked. 

“If that’s what you want it to be.” He smiled his 100 watt at me. “Or we can just call it a congratulations on your epic win dinner if that’s all you want it to be.” 

“Ok.” I said, unsure and shy. This was super confusing to me, why did I feel like this was going way too quickly?

“Sweet! I’ve got a few things I got to do, but I’ll come pick you up. Let’s say 7. Gives you time to go home, do whatever girly things you need to do and get all dolled up.” He smirked at me. 

I cringed slightly as realization hit that 7 meant my parents would be home. My parents being home meant questions being asked. Questions being asked meant that I would have to tell them that I would be going out with a boy and that meant dad mode would be activated. 

“Uh, my parents are going to be home tonight. They are going to want to know who I’m going out with tonight.” I told him, wincing slightly in dread of the possibility of him meeting my parents. 

“Hey, no worries. Parents love me. Text me the address. I’ll see you at 7.” He said, giving me his cocky grin again with a wink as he turned to head back to the parking lot.

"Oh hey Willow," he called back towards me, "I'm diggin the skirt. Especially the back." 

"Get out of here Jake!" I say, now extremely embarrassed and I can almost hear his chuckle and I see his smile and wink. 

Even though I'm contemplating his murder now I smiled to myself and returned to the sidelines to watch my teammates finish their matches. I couldn’t help but notice the questioning looks and side glances I was getting from all of the girls on my team. Probably wondering how I had managed to get the looker to come and talk to me. Hell, they probably all thought that I had paid him or something. I couldn’t really blame them, honestly that was more logical than the reality of the true story. Still, even though the reality of it all hadn’t quite sunk in I couldn’t help the little bit of the smug feeling that was visible on my face as I watched the little green jealousy monster cross the faces of the girls around me.  

So I sat there, quietly watching the matches without actually seeing anything that was happening on the courts. All the while getting lost in my own thoughts thinking about the night ahead of me. The longer I sat there deep in my thoughts the more and more the same thought replayed over and over in my head. 

This is so bad. This is going to be so bad.