When I saw Andrew, I honestly think that I drooled. He was way more handsome than I remembered and 5x more muscular than before. But I couldn't think like that. Mark was my boyfriend. The girls and I excitedly ran over and engulfed Andrew into a hug. He kissed Emily on the cheek, and I felt a small pang of jealousy rise inside of me. What had happened between them? The last time I think she had talked to Andrew, was at one of our sleepovers when I had caught her Face-timing him on my back porch. I also thought he still had a girl friend in California.
"Hey Taylor." Andrew said, waving his hand in front of my face. I must have been staring again.
"Oh sorry, Hi" I said in complete embarrassment. As on que, Mark came up behind me, wrapping a tight arm around my shoulder. He made me melt inside, and I wondered how I ever lived my life before I had an interest in boys.
The two boys fist-bumped, and all of the girls laughed. Ashley excused herself to go back to the boys who were starting a small scrimmage, and I quickly followed.
I greatly admired Ash, because she never needed boys. Taken, she did have 5 brothers, but she was more dependent, and I think that's what made her more attractive to the boys. Thats how I was used to be seen, but now that I liked Mark, I felt like everyone saw me as this needy girly girl, and I wasn't even wanted on the soccer team anymore. I wanted so badly to change people's perspective on me, and I was going to try my hardest to do so.
Just as Charlie was taking his first pick for the scrimmage, I pulled Mark aside to talk.
"Okay, this is going to probably hurt." I said.
"What's going to hurt." He responded
"I just want to be friends. Best friends, but just friends." I said.
Mark looked more hurt than I had ever seen him before, even when he broke his leg. Now I was breaking his heart too.
"Why are you doing this to me." he said, on the verge of tears, which DEFIANTLY wasn't normal for Mark.
"Look Mark. I love you, but I need to focus on soccer. Its the only thing I have going for me right now." I said. "I feel like my whole life is a huge Penalty that just keeps getting called over, and over again. I've never felt this way about someone, but I hope we can stay best friends." I said, completely mortified by my own words.
"I love you too Taylor." He said, pulling me into a hug.
And we stayed like that until someone blew the whistle that the scrimmage was over.
After practice that night, my dad took me home and we had a bonfire for some of the families in our neighbor hood. Carson, Tiffinay, and I all sat around the fire with Emily, Ashley, Ava, Alex, Mason, James, and Josh. They were the only kids that we were friends with in my neighborhood, besides Mark, who had basketball practice. His club basketball reminded me that club volleyball would be coming up soon, and I wouldn't be with my team anymore. Sure, I would be with Ashley, but Emily played at a different club and Ava swam. I definently wouldn't see the boys anymore, other than Mason, who's older sister Rebecca played on the 16's team at my club.
"Can you sing a song for us TJ?" Tiffinay asked me in a baby voice. She had always called me TJ because she of all people admired my middle name, Josphine.
I didn't think I had a great voice, but people had told me since I was five that I had talent. I shook my head, but Tiffinay wouldn't give up tht easily.
"Pleeeaaaassseee." she whined, hugging me tightly.
"Okay, Okay. What do you want me to sing?" I asked her, curling her pretty blonde hair around my finger. She had been blessed with my mothers honey blonde hair, and green eyes, while was more like Carson, who had auburn hair and blue eyes. We could be twins, except I have grey eyes, and his hair is a little lighter than mine.
"Set fire to the rain!" She squealed.
I groaned in reply, and Mason picked up a guitar and smiled at me.
"But only if you sing it with me." I said grabbing Tiffiany's hand.
We started the song, and by the end, everyone was singing along and we all clapped for each other in the end.
When I finally took out my phone, I checked the time to see that it ,was 12:15. Everyone soon left, and I showered and went up to my room. I fell asleep to the memories of the campfire.
Saturday morning, was unofically Andrews party. Emily was hosting it, but for some reason, I didn't want to go. I don't know if it was that I didn't want to see Mark, or that Andrew was still distracting me from soccer, but I lay in bed until I heard something bang into my window.
"Mark." I thought, as I rolled through my blankets onto the other side of my bead. I tied my hair quickly into a side pony tail, still in my pajamas, and unlatched the window.
"Woah princess, you look stunning." Mark said, a little heavy on the sarcasm.
"You too charming." I said, waving my finger in a circle, gesturing at his unbrushed hair and messy pajamas.
Now that we were just friends, (and I think it was going to stay that way for awhile) I could criticize him without feeling horrible guilty about it later. I still wasn't sure if I still had feelings for him, but now that we are apart, I'm not going to push it yet.
"Are you going to Em's for Andrews party?" Mark asked, while brushing his hair over to a side. I swear sometimes all that Mark thought about was his hair and Soccer, and maybe me.
"I think so," I said, looking down at my sweatpants and pajama shirt with a donut on it. "But let me change first, and I'll meet you downstairs." I said closing the curtains and changing my clothes.
I kept my hair in the side ponytail, because it wasn't that special of an occasion. I put on a silver and teal cap sleeved shirt, and khacki shorts with my silver and blue nike free runs.
I was just about to grab my phone and meet Mark downstairs, when something caught my eye, that was sitting on my desk.
Right behind my perfume and on top of my jewelry box was a picture of Mark and I at one of our more recent, soccer games. We were both glaring at each other playfully, but it broke my heart that we were only just friends now. A single tear slid down my cheek, but I quickly wiped it away and hurried out of my room before I actually could think twice about having feelings for him.
But I think that it was too late for that.
Mark and I walked to Emily's house together. We talked about silly things like Soccer or our family's, but it didn't seem right. Something had happened to Mark. Not physically, but emotionally. He seemed more distant, but closer to me that ever. Even when he was my boyfriend, I don't think that it was the same. He didn't seem like himself. He hadn't for the past few weeks. I hoped nothing was happening with him and Paisley, but I decided that wasn't worth me thinking about right now.
This was Andrew's day.
................................................................
At the party, we basically did what 13-14 year olds do at a party. We hung out, played games, and ate food like nobodys buisness. It was all fine, until Andrew pulled me aside. He dragged me by the arm and led me into Emily's backyard. I was literally about to scream, when he explained why he was pulling me away from the party.
"I thought that you could help me." Andrew whispered. I motioned for him to continue.
"Well, Emily and I have been talking for a few months, and i want to ask her out." he said, Talking with his hands.
"And how would that concern me?" I asked sarcastically.
"Because i've got something for you inexchange."
"And that would be?"
"A secret."
YOU ARE READING
Penalties
Teen Fiction"I didn't want anything to do with love. My routine was strictly eat, sleep, soccer on repeat. That's how it had been for the past 10 years of my life. But that was until I looked at Mark Larsen in a different light and suddenly my black and white w...
