Teams | A Jamie Johnson FanFiction

Part 7 - The Party

Jamie's POV

I walked up to Michel's house, Boggy, Jack and Nancy beside me.

"Wow." Nancy said in awe, gazing up at the magnificent house, a balcony above the door and large glass windows facing a huge driveway. I heard footsteps running up behind us; Indira, dragging a less-than-pleased Bella down the pavement.

"No! I'm not going in, i'll just wait at the park for you to finish pleaseeeeeee." Bella pleaded, looking shy all of a sudden, like she always used to when I used to see her at school.

"Ugh, you wanted to come!" Indira said, rolling her eyes at her sister. "Besides, don't you want to see Michel?" she giggled.

"Why have you got it into your head that I like him! I don't." she buried her face in her hands obviously embarrassed. "And I didn't want to come! You made me!" she exclaimed.

At Indira's statement about Bella liking Michel, I noticed Jack flinch. They had been spending so much time together; did Jack like Michel? For some reason, I felt a pang of jealousy before getting it out of my head.

"You've got your hair down?" I said to Jack, noticing all of a sudden that she looked different today.

"10 out of 10 for observation Jamie." Indira responded, ringing the doorbell. Any liking towards me had disappeared since the incident with Harry, and I couldn't have cared less.

The large front door opened to reveal Michel. "You made it! Come in." he nodded inside and opened the door wider. We all filed in, taking in the surroundings.

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Dillon handed me a drink, but I refused by putting it down on the table without saying a word.

"What, too pathetic for an energy drink?" Dillon asked, smirking and shaking his head subtly.

"They're full of caffeine and sugar; they keep you awake." I replied.

"That's the point, duh." Dillon replied, taking a huge drink from the can. Bella stood next to me on her phone, obviously not enjoying herself, but I could tell she was listening in; I saw her look up slightly when Dillon called me pathetic.

"Here, Cave." Dillon opened the can of an energy drink and gave it to her. "Time to prove you're not just Jamie's girlfriend."

She glanced at me, contemplating her options.

"Go on then." Dillon pressed, nodding at the drink.

"No thanks." she replied with a smile, and threw the energy drink back to Dillon, who missed it.

The drink spilled all over Michel.

I couldn't help it. I just burst out laughing. I could see Bella the other side of me pursing her lips, willing herself not to laugh, but she did. In fact she doubled over in silent giggles at the sight of Michel.

"Jamie!" Jack said, annoyed, handing Michel a towel which he accepted gratefully and began to attempt to dry himself off.

"I'm so sorry!" Bella said, but this only made her laugh more, and in turn made me laugh too.

"It's fine." Michel replied but not smiling. Once he had more or less dried off, he turned to Jack. "Would you like a drink?"

"Sure." she replied, and Michel handed her one of the many energy drinks lined up in the huge fridge.

"Don't drink that Jack!" I said quickly, wondering if I was the only one who remembered that they had an important match the next day - if they won, i'd have a chance to play in the semis when my ban ended.

"I think Jack's capable of making her own decisions Jamie." Michel replied, but then turned to Jack. "There are other drinks in the fridge if you'd prefer."

"No, this is great thanks." she replied, taking a sip. I couldn't take it anymore, everyone was forgetting what was important: the match.

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I slipped away carefully, hoping no one had seen me. But as I walked down the drive, I heard a voice.

"Leaving already?" Bella's voice rang out above the music blaring from the house.

"Yeah. Everyone here seems to have forgotten we have a match tomorrow."

"I know, but you're not playing." then she paused, probably wondering if she'd said the wrong thing. "... are you going straight home?" she asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"I guess I am now too then. Dancing's not really my scene." she said, gesturing to the house. Obviously the party had evolved to a dance since I'd left. "I'd rather just go home." She strode forwards ready to leave. When she was level with me, she spoke again. "...Come on then."

So I guessed I was walking home with Bella.

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Walking next to me on the pavement, Bella was silent, obviously enjoying the peace and quiet after the noise of the party. Suddenly all thoughts of Jack and Michel drifted from my mind.

"Have you been playing football all your life?" Bella eventually asked, walking backwards to face me on the pavement.

"Yeah, my granddad was captain of the Hawkstone Youth Team back in the day."

She nodded. "What about your dad?" she asked, but she said it cautiously, as if knowing there wasn't going to be a positive answer to this.

"He never played professionally. I don't even know where he is now." this was a lie; I knew exactly where he was, but I pushed this thought from my mind.

Bella was silent for a while, but then spoke again. "My dad always wanted me and Indie to play football, but we never really got into it."

"Why?" I asked, now curious.

She just shrugged. "I mean, it definitely wasn't Indira's thing, but I enjoyed it. But the school I used to go to didn't allow girls in the team."

I stopped at this. "You used to go to a different school?"

She stopped, looking anxious all of a sudden. She did a forced laugh before continuing. "I meant at Primary school." she said, staring at the ground.

Something about that didn't add up to me, but I carried on walking.

"Look, Bella...you do know if you don't want to be on the team, you don't have to, right?" I said.

"When did you get all mature and serious?!" she laughed and then sighed. "I love being on the team, Jamie, even if i'm just on the bench for now."

This got me thinking even more deeply... if Bella was enjoying playing football so much, would she be willing to give up her space for me again?

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