Iris - noah schnapp

.2

i push through the crowd of people in the halls to get to my locker, I was so confident with the test I was about to take. i actually enjoy math, and I actually understand it. i would never admit it, it would make me sound like a nerd, but knowing what you're doing makes school and learning actually fun and fascinating.
i was most excited for my football game tonight. I'm one of the star players for not being a senior, and college recruiters are coming too. I know I'm going to get noticed, how could I not? im noah schnapp. It made me super nervous all day, my friends being no help at all.
they walk up to my locker before I grabbed my math books and threw me a football, which I quickly caught.
-"ready for tonight, noah ?" caleb asked me, smiling and rubbing his hands together.
-"for sure." I nodded, shoving the football in my locker and grabbing my things.
-"hey, millie and sadie were wanting to take the two of us to dinner tonight at that diner, wanna come with?" Finn offered.
-"and be a third wheel? not happening." I laugh at his suggestion.
-"well, they have another friend coming along. She'd be alone too if you didn't come." Caleb pressed his finger against my shoulder.
-"who, y/n? no way, dude. she's like.. not my type at all!" I shook my head, laughing.
-"it wouldn't be a date or anything! just to occupy your time so you're both not lonely." Finn sighed.
-"we'll see." I shut my locker and walked away from them to my next class, which was way upstairs.
when I walked in, I noticed y/n in the seat next to me. has she always been there?
i sat down, thinking about finn and calebs suggestion, maybe it wouldn't be so bad. I mean, I don't know y/n well, but I know she's not exactly a whore like every other girl in scarsdale. maybe it could be fun, I don't think she's like every girl in my classes. Maybe this could be a new opportunity to make more friends. i have a lot of friends, but caleb and finn are my main two.
i really should start talking to people more.

as we were taking the test, i knew everything and remembered exactly what to do and did them.
i was so consumed in the test, I almost didn't notice the girl beside me. her nose was bleeding randomly.. it wasn't just a drop either. It was like endlessly falling from her nose and onto her desk and paper.
I looked away when she got up and the teacher cleared her desk for her, i practically stared her down as she walked out, in a hurry.
what was all that about?
i almost felt bad, she looked so embarrassed.
she never looked back, but I could tell she knew I was looking at her.
i sigh, shaking my thoughts away and hurrying to finish this test. even though I was in no rush, I had 45 minutes.
once I was done, I walked up to the front and set it on her desk, being the first one to turn it in.
I walked back, thinking about random things to occupy my time.
i wonder what recruits will be there.
I hope ill do good like usual.
this could be my future.
if I don't succeed tonight, i won't get recruited.
my parents can still pay, but I want to earn it.
if I don't succeed, my parents will be disappointed in me again.
I don't want to let them down like I always do.
I just want to do well.
what am I saying?
I'm the captain of the football team.
I'm great.
ill do great tonight.
I will get recruited.

•••

after the last bell, I met in the hallways with the rest of the football team.
-"ready tonight, ladies?" gaten laughed.
-"of course!" caleb cheered as we all ran to the back of the school to the locker rooms to get our gear and jerseys on without our hoodies.
the game wouldn't start until 7, so we hung there and walked around the school building for a few hours before running out to the field with all the things we needed and started stretching and warming up.

{Y/Ns POV}

I got dressed different to watch the game, I knew it was going to be cold and I knew I didn't want to wear anything un comfy to sit on cold, hard bleachers.
I wore grey sweatpants, with a black long sleeve and dark green denim jacket over it. I pared it with a random pair of my many nike shoes and socks. i heard them pulling up in the gravel outside, which was my cue to hurry and walk outside.
I snuck out the door, knowing my mom wouldn't hear me over the loud tv.
I walk to sadies fancy, old fashioned car that I've always loved.
i got in the front seat that she was saving for me, and she looked me up and down.
-"you look cute." she complimented.
-"thanks!"
-"dressing up for your date afterwards?" millie joked.
-"ew, could you stop with that already? it's actually annoying, i don't even know which friend they're bringing. It's going to be awkward." I pouted.
-"you'll be just fine." sadie patted my leg before driving down the street towards the school as the sun started to set.
we saw cars pulling up to park, as we were walking down the hill to the bleachers where the student section was, we noticed they already started the game.
we sat next to each other, near the front so we could see better, and I was automatically cold.
i crossed my arms trying to keep myself warm as I watched the game going on, how are they able to play?
I'm always dramatic when it comes to the cold, I never knew why, I'm just so sensitive about it.
i watched sadie and millie cheered their boyfriends on, but I just sat and watched.
footballs actually kind of boring, there wasn't much to watch.

I noticed throughout the game that almost about everyone who made most of the touchdowns was one guy in particular. he had the #1 on his jersey but his helmet was blocking the view of his face.
as sadie and millie were conversating with me, every one on the stands stopped and looked at the field.
one of our players was down.
I couldn't tell what happened to him, he was just lying on the floor in pain as a bunch of staff ran up to him.

{NOAHS POV}

i watched as caleb had the ball in his hands as I was running backwards, ready to catch the ball he was about to throw me.
he waited too long to throw it, I waved my hand in the air before he finally threw it.
I caught it and started running, when I felt the force of another player running into me, making me fall to the ground and bend my wrist to its side, which made me yelp loudly.
it felt like I had broke it, even though I could still feel it, it was still extremely painful.
i laid on my back, holding my wrist as the referees and my coach ran up to me.
i took a moment to try to calm myself down. I was okay, I just bent it wrong.
It could've been worse.
the player that knocked me over helped me up by my other hand and I slowly started walking over to the bench, hearing applause and clapping from the stands.
as I sat down, I saw my dad in the stands.
oh god, is he mad?
he knows about the recruiters, he knows this is one of my only shots on getting a scholarship for sports.
Did i let him down? again?

-"hey, you good kid?" coach asked me about ten minutes later.
-"yeah, I'm fine now. I just bent it." I twisted my wrist around.
-"good, get ready to go out. We need you out there!" He slapped my shoulder before I took a drink of water and stood back up.

•••

once the game was over, my team huddled up in the field just to talk, but once it was over and I was getting ready to leave and find caleb who was supposed to drive, but a tap on my shoulder stopped me.
it was an older, muscular guy, wearing Oregon football jacket and sweatpants
It was a recruiter.
-"you're noah schnapp, right?" He asked with a thick accent.
I nodded, smiling, not knowing what to say.
-"I gotta say, kid, I'm impressed. With you only being a junior? youre an amazing player." he nodded.
-"wow, thank you so much!" I smiled, getting extremely excited.
-"i know this is a lot to ask, but i think you'd be a great fit for oregan. I'll talk with your principal and coach, but just think about it." He offered, making me feel like jumping up and down.
-"really? Okay!" I smiled, before he patted me on the back and walked away, leaving me star struck.
I saw my dad walk up to me, my smile slowly faded away.
-"I'm so proud of you, son!" He said, hugging me which made me confused.
-"you are? I thought you were mad."
-"i was, but I overheard the conversation between you and that recruiter. I'm so glad you've made it!" he said , hugging me again. This time I hugged him back.
-"you're finally becoming a man and leading yourself on the right track, just like your sister." He marked, making my smile fade.
I slowly pull away from him, faking a smile.
-"I'm going out to dinner with my friends, I'll be home in about an hour." I said, before walking away to go find caleb, annoyed now.
why does he always have to be such a dick?