The Ache Between Us

Chapter Thirty - Iris

I told Rafael that I'd think about coming to his game, something along the lines of needing more time. It turns out I didn't need to think much about going, much as in I didn't think about it at all.

Elle and I took a day off from work just so that we could attend the game. She convinced me to wear his jersey that he had sent over to my house, and honestly, she didn't need to do much convincing.

I squealed when I saw his name in block letters on the turquoise shirt along with his number. His team logo and name were on the front, and I wore it proudly, wanting everyone to know that Rafael was mine.

Elle was so excited she shook the entire ride in the car he had sent over with Miguel riding in the front. While Elle was taking photos and vlogs of the entire trip, I was a shaking ball of nerves and anxiety.

I didn't know a single thing about soccer. I never watched him play, not even back in high school, and not when they aired them on the television. It was my way of keeping a safe distance from Rafael.

Yet here I was, at the soccer stadium with Elle holding my hand, keeping me sane as we were led to our seats by Miguel.

The stadium was fucking huge, and I know a reason it felt so giant was that there was no roof. Nope. Just clear, blue skies and the weather was calming.

The grass was clean and greener than any other grass I've ever seen, and I could see the white paint marks lined the rectangular field.

The seats were surrounded and caged the field itself, and every seat was taken. It was loud, the cheering and the screaming filling my ears.

Everyone had signs in their hands that they were shaking, their faces painted with their team's color, and a sea of people wearing a mixture of turquoise and gold jerseys for the opposing team: The Texas Vipers.

My hands were shaking, and Elle noticed as she gave me a tight squeeze, but even that did nothing.

What was I doing here?

What compelled me to come?

Yes, I was in love with Rafael, but that didn't excuse what he did to me. He couldn't just demand I show up.

He asked, and you came. Willingly.

Miguel sat on my left side, his eyes trailing from his phone screen to his IPad, then right back over to the field. I swallowed when I heard a voice on the loudspeaker.

A man announcing the teams, the game, and even though this man's voice echoed on the speakers, the stadium was jam-packed with people shouting and cheering even louder.

As if on cue, both teams exited from each side of the field, and I was so close to the field that I could see him. As if sensing me, his eyes darted over the field and to me.

The smile on his face took my breath away, and for one brief second, everything around me seized.

My heart palpitated, and the need to run down the field and into his arms was more robust than the urge to breathe.

'I'm here, idiot.' I mouthed, and I saw him laugh, earning some stares and looks from the people around him.

The game started with something called a kickoff. What that was, I don't know. Miguel proceeded to tell me how they determined a kickoff for the first period by a coin toss. The other team then gets to kickoff for the second period.

When one scores a goal, the other team gets to start the next kickoff. Miguel was trying to explain the game to me so I wouldn't be lost, but I wasn't listening to a single word he was saying. My eyes were too busy following Rafael around the field.