youngblood | a.i.

twenty one || irwin and hemmings

Friday, October 9th- 4:47 p.m.

The past week of practice passed by like any other, and I was glad to finally have a few normal days. We were rounding up to two weeks since Ashton had pulled anything on me, and I was growing more nervous something would happen.

The dynamic between Ashton and I had totally shifted within these past two weeks, and I think that scared me more than anything he could come up with. Because the longer he kept being like this, the more reasons he gave me to trust him, but I still couldn't let him in.

It didn't matter how much he made me trust him, I would never be able to fully let him in after everything he had done in the past. Everyone I ever let in hurt me, so why would I let someone who's already hurt me in to do it again?

But I guess fate had something else in store other than my avoid him at all costs.

It was the end of practice, and I was leaning down with my face to the turf, stretching my legs, when Coach's voice pulled my attention. "Okay, so I wanted to do something different this year," Coach said as we all looked up. "Last year when we put together our end-of-year slideshow, we had no photos. So this year, instead of one huge team bonding day, I want to break you off into pairs."

I felt myself cock an eyebrow at him to avoid laughing externally. The entire team looked around at each other, just as confused as I was.  "Basically, I just want you guys to work not just as a team but as a family, so I'm going to randomly pair you off to bond with one other team member," Coach explained as he stood at the front of the circle. "And all you have to bring back is a photo of you two doing whatever you do over the weekend to put in the slideshow."

I looked around the circle still slightly confused, but I forced myself to nod along as the rest of the team agreed.  "Okay, great!" Coach said more excited than we were. "Okay, I have the pairs then so I'll read them off and just listen for your name." We all sat silently listening to Coach as he called names. I leaned back down, continuing my stretches. "Young and Clifford, Wallace and Johnson, Smith and Anderson, Irwin and Hemmings, Badger and-"

"Wait," my head shot up at my name. "Which Hemmings?"

"Oh, yeah. I keep forgetting about that," Coach laughed lightly to himself. He started flipping through his papers. "Luke and Calum..."

"And Annie and Ashton," I spoke to myself as Coach repeated my same words, breaking me a little inside as he confirmed it. I slowly looked back down to the ground, not even wanting to look back up at him. So much for avoiding you.

"That's okay with you, right, Annie?" Coach asked.

He pulled my attention from where I was looking. "Oh yeah. It's fine," I replied, a fake smile on my face. "What's the worst he could do? Kill me?"

"I sure hope Irwin doesn't kill you," Coach said with a small laugh, looking over to Ashton. "You got him that goal in the last game."

I laughed to myself, looking over to see Ashton shaking his head at Coach. "If I was going to kill her, I wouldn't have had you announce we were partnered," he rolled his eyes as if that would keep him from hurting me.

"Just bring her back in one piece, please," Coach told Ashton. "I'm trusting you."

"Yeah, well, he knows I'll kill him so she should be fine," Luke spoke from the back of the circle. We all turned to face him, and I laughed to myself.

"You wouldn't kill me," Ashton replied with a smile, looking back to Luke.

"Try me," Luke said with a nod in Ashton's direction.

"I don't know-- I think we're worried about the wrong Hemmings killing Ashton," Calum spoke. We all turned to face where his voice came from. "I think Annie would do it first."

"Auni wouldn't hurt a fly," Ashton laughed from the front of the circle.

I side-eyed him from where I sat. "Hey, Luke? You remember when I was eleven and you ripped the head off my favorite teddy bear?"

"Yeah," Luke broke out into laughter from the back of the circle. "And then you chased me around the house with a kitchen knife until mom came home."

I saw as Ashton's eyes went wide and he looked back to Luke, who was still laughing uncontrollably to himself. "Yeah, but she wasn't going to hurt you," Ashton tried to defend.

"Cops sure thought I was," I whispered under my breath. Calum heard part of it, talking over me before the whole team heard.

"Okay, overall review, if Annie or Ashton aren't at practice on Monday, the other probably did us a favor," Calum spoke over me, only the smallest hint of sarcasm.

You would have been doing me a favor, Ash.

Coach continued reading off names and it only gave me more time to dread this weekend. Maybe we could just stage a photo together and pretend we did something? That would be easier for us all.

Once all the names were read off, we grabbed our stuff and headed back toward the locker room. Calum kept trying to get me to admit that I was excited to be partnered with Ashton but I just continued to roll my eyes at him. The only part I truly was excited about on the surface was maybe he would kill me.

But some part of me deep down was excited.

I was laughing at Calum as we walked into the locker room. He was really stretching to get any sign I was even the slightest bit excited. I continued to tell him I wasn't as I changed back into my sweatshirt, but he wouldn't give in.

"Calum, I will kill you if you don't stop," I finally threatened.

He held up his hands in defense. "Fine," he finally gave in. "But I want a full report of what happened on Monday."

"We'll probably just come up with an excuse rather than actually doing something," I told him as I pulled up my shorts.

"Uhuh. Yeah, right," he replied sarcastically, standing up from the bench. "Full report."

I rolled my eyes at him again, throwing all my stuff back into my bag. I shook my head as he looked at me, waiting for a yes. If I could avoid this in any way, I would.

I heard my phone buzz in my bag, so I reached in for it. I opened up the new notification, seeing a number I didn't have saved.

017-707-1994

what's the plan, angel?

I looked up from my phone, seeing Ashton smiling over at me from across the locker room. I shook my head at him before looking back down.

how did you get my number?

we've all got our secrets.
now, what's the plan?

edit a photo together and make up a good lie.

where's the fun in that?

the part where we don't have to spend time
in each other's presence.

now that hurt.

I watched as Luke started towards me from his spot on the bench, his bags in hand. I got my stuff together quickly, looking up at Ashton across the room one last time.

so do you.

"You ready to go?" Luke asked as I clicked send.

"Yeah," I said as I looked up, putting my phone away and picking up my bag.

I followed Luke as he headed for the door, looking over my shoulder back to Ashton. His hands were in his hair as he looked down at his phone. He nodded to himself, looking back up to my now empty spot. His eyes roamed for me but I turned back forward, following Luke out of the room.

Maybe I could leave the way I was starting to feel about you in there too.