Take My Breath | Catnipz

three

THE GRANDSTANDS looked like a post apocalyptic nightmare. I could see lost property on the bleachers; jackets, hats and even someone's headphones laid sadly on the hot concrete floor; forgotten and semi beat up.

Rubbish was sprawled across the floor like people were incapable of putting their wrappers in the bins provided. If only the wind had been the culprit of the trash filled bleachers, maybe then would I have understood its untidy nature.

People had gathered round on the field to congratulate the team on their victory—and just like always, Mara Jace was the MVP, scoring the winning point that secured their fifth win.

I watched my step and hoped to God that I'd make it out alive without tripping on a half eaten hot dog or the endless stream of confetti and bright blue pom poms that belonged to the cheerleaders. "Is it really that hard to clean up?"

"No, but are you really surprised about all this?," Ellie nudged my shoulder and smiled. "I couldn't find you when the game started," She added, followed by a deep sigh. "I'm sorry you had to sit all by yourself today. Did you enjoy the game?" She threw an arm around my shoulder and joined me on my adventure to the bottom of the stairs.

I glanced over at the huddle of people that had pushed their way through to congratulate my best friend. "I'm not surprised," I answered. "But aren't we all grown to be leaving out our trash? Besides, look at this place? It looks like a dump!"

Ellie pressed her head against my own. "Look, of all things I'd expect you to talk about, trash is not one of them—I mean look where we are," She jabbered. "Our best friend just won a match! Another one may I add. Let's skip the trash talk."

"Alright. So what do we talk about?" We reached the bottom of the stairs after what felt like ten minutes. As tiring and endless as it seemed, it all seemed to wash away at the sight of Mara Jace.

"Mara."

My brows furrowed. "What?" My head snapped in Ellie's direction. "Wh-why do we need to talk about her? I mean it's just Mara isn't it?" I didn't need a doctor to tell me how it sounded, it sounded squeaky and almost deafening—like a rat being chased on the New York subway.

My hands turned into tight fists in the pockets of Mara's jacket. "Calm down Ratatouille it's just Mara," She chuckled. "She won the game," She reiterated. Ellie looked way too happy as she tugged on my sleeve. "And this belongs to her."

I swallowed long and hard. "The rat is called Remy," I chided. "Ratatouille is the dish," I couldn't help but feel heated. "And yes this is her jacket. She lent it to me last night. I felt cold."

I have no idea what came over me. Part of me felt iffy about how I reacted. "Remy or Ratatouille it's all just the same!" Ellie threw her hands in the air.

"It really isn't." I sighed.

"Speaking of which," Ellie stops in her tracks and looks at me dead in the eye. "Where were you last night? Where did you run off too? With Mara."

I let my shoulders sink. "I was supposed to be at school but—" Ellie rolls her eyes and says, "No, just get straight to the point, Mason." She smirks.

"We went to my favourite diner across town. It's really not that serious. You should know this by now. It's not like it's a date or anything we're—"

I feel a pair of arms snake around my waist, making me jump from the sudden sensation of skin to skin contact and that familiar warmth..

"Hi." Mara rests her chin on my shoulder, hands perched on either side of me and smiles. "How did I do?" I feel my heart leap out of my chest, adamant to make a forward roll onto the ground below me and out of my body. Maybe then I'd be a heartless human being to be taken both literally and figuratively and stripped of any emotion.