Falling for Ocean Blue [BxB] ✔️

Chapter Twenty three

Cold, brown bottles stand like soldiers in the trench of my dresser, bordering a tissue box and a copy of The Alchemist. Sunlight swallows my room in a white heaven touch. It trickles into the glass, causing the white capsules to project shadows inside. My muscles groan as I stretch them, inhaling the sweet scent of morning. Carefully, I open my drawer to where my phone is sleeping with a new chip in its mouth. The blue screen chirps when I turn off flight mode. Emails from the Academy, a couple of texts from Juliette and an Instagram request. I tap it open and lose seconds of time staring at a brilliant smile. I accept it readily and am rewarded with a flood of tanned skin and beach photography. I am smiling. The red caps of brown bottles are downturned in a chorus of frightful scowls.

"You're being so obvious."

I frown at the sudden change in tone. Juliette turns so I can slip her coat over two frail shoulders.

"You need to eat more. Dame Morello can't inspect your dorm. You can ask Charlie to sneak some groceries-"

"Oh my god! Are you seriously avoiding this?" She scoffs humourlessly.

"You promised me until the end of the year." She puts her arms around my neck, pulling us into each other.

She kisses me and I cringe when I taste strawberry lipgloss.

Fray Anderson will be my medicine.

Ultraviolet sparks flood my bedroom, drinking in the shadows and brightening the atmosphere. I breathe it all in, waking my muscles as they stretch. The rest of the morning is a happy haze.

Soren offered us an early ride so he could start his soccer practice. By the time we get there, the sun has barely peaked its head over the Californian hills. There is a gaggle of teenage noise bubbling outside of the school gym when we pull up. Steven and Wolfe are hauling three jugs of something blue from Austin's pick-up truck. Soren and I haul ourselves, and four gym bags full of uniforms, out of the car. Kitty is scrolling through her phone in the back, making no moves to help.

"It's going to be legendary!" Steven throws his head into the sky and howls.

"Brandon is going to fucking freak." Wolfe says with trepidation. The dark-haired boy looks mismatched in his leather jacket and pristine khaki shorts. Coming from morning mass was his excuse when he stumbled into the parking lot with Steven on his tail. His parents are devout Catholics believing in the grace of God to win a tournament.

"Forget Brandon... Fray will murder us!"

"Nah, it's football season. What can they do without getting benched?" Raul reasons. Being the most built of the soccer clique, the bronzed boy easily carries another blue jug, barely spilling liquid as it slushes with every step.

Austin stays silent.

The entire soccer team is wrestling with jeers and laughter, falling on top of each other as they pretend to be on lookout. Soren is wearing his famous indifference, leaning against the hood of his Mercedes. He gives me a grimace when I rest on the car with him. Kitty is rolling her eyes in the backseat. She is annoyed by the diversion.

"Fuck the football fuckers!" Steven screams from inside.

Soren and I share a look.

"They insisted..."

"You're captain." I raise my highbrow but really, I'm amused by the juvenile tone of it all.

"It's tradition," Soren grins with his teeth, "Are you telling me boarding school kids are too elite to play pranks?"

"Pranks at boarding school were a little more fatal."

Soren turns to inspect my expression. He looks worried again.

"Max, come and see my genius plan!" Steven bulldozes three people with his heavy frame to bounce in front of us like a puppy. His face is flushed and his red lips climbing into an impossible grin.

"Sorry," I put my hands up in defeat, "Deniability."

Soren chuckles.

"Don't be such a baby. Come on... I put so much into this..." He whines.

I am reminded of how devilishly cute Steven can be.

I sigh and follow the burly goalkeeper into the annex gym building. The dome curves ascend into an open window structure, leaking blue sky into seven lanes of a swimming pool.

Austin is standing with his foot leaning behind him and a lazy smile. He spots me under a huge arm and his smile falters.

"What do you think?"

Wolfe, Raul and Steven stand in an ensemble with expectant expressions. Even Wolfe looks proud as he steals glances at Steven's puppy-dog smile.

I scan the ostentatious hall, eyeing the bleachers folded into two corners. The shimmering pool dances in waves, spilling onto the textured tiles. My white tennis shoes are sitting in a chlorinated puddle.

"I don't see anything?"

Steven giggles uncharacteristically, slapping a hand over his mouth trying to regain composure.

I roll my eyes.

Austin loops a slender arm around my waist throwing my weight into his side.

"Your shoes will get stained in that stuff." His lips graze the shell of my ear.

Raul and Steven giggle like hyena. Between them, they pour another jug of blue into the pool.

"They swim after practice..."

"They won't know until it's too late..."

"This is for you Baxter!" Wolfe sends a hail Mary above his head dramatically.

Austin and I scoff at the children playing.

The boy is wearing a white tee similar to my own. Except stitched in the pocket is a posy delicately embroidered. It's a tasteful substitute for the cursive name 'Chopin' stitched in black string. 

"I had the maid stitch it for me," He flashes his winning smile.

I smile back.

"Alright, R2 field in five minutes. Get a move on! We've got the last game of the season coming up and for some of us, the last chance to show colleges we deserve a scholarship." He is clapping to punctuate his authority as trails of muscular jocks run through the halls like a river.

The captain is already in his kit, his black and white band washed and stretched across his broad bicep. He smiles a toothy grin watching his team run excitedly to the field. I know how important the game is to him. He answers the call of captain as a personal mission. Sport scholarships are the only way some of his teammates can afford college. Soren works harder for those around him than he does for himself.

The estuaries dry in the school parking lot giving the Grier's a moment of farewell and best wishes.

"Good luck, Soren." Kitty embraces her eldest brother, reaching only to his mid-chest. I parrot the sentiment because she leaves nothing for me.

"The practice game starts at 5. You guys need to take the 4:30 bus to Westchester. It doesn't come by often, so don't miss it." He gives me a warning look.

"Have a good time. We'll be there."

He ruffles my curls, sending them flying into my temple.

"You're a good little brother."

*