bound to happen | complete

chapter eighteen | gareth, mellie and ben leighton

C A R T E R M A D D O C K S

IT IS INCREDIBLY rare that Coach Swift ever has us sitting in the canteen for a meeting. I think during my seven years here it's happened a maximum of twice.

Both times were due to something very important happening, so there is no doubt that this is exactly what this is.

Our usual lunch table is where we're all sat, many similar faces sitting in their usual seats. Iwan and I included. "What do you think it is?" Iwan asks sitting closer to the table.

"Maybe he's retiring?" Harry offers up, Iwan stares at him, offering him a "are you stupid?" look.

"He's thirty, Harold. Why would he be retiring teaching teenagers rugby?" Iwan taps on the table and I just sink down in the chair.

I don't have time for these pair. Why is she ignoring me? Is she even ignoring me?

For weeks we'd offer each other smiles in the halls, I'd speak to her in groups, but never anything else, I was too nervous. Shocking, I know. Nervous a girl who is barely up to my armpit. She's at least 5'2, and I'm close to 6,5, it's not like I have a lot of reasons to be scared of her. But I am.

Although it wasn't much, I was happy with the smiles and the glances, but then a week ago it all stopped. No glances, no smiles, no nods, no conversations... nothing. It just all disappeared.

And I haven't been able to get her out of my head either. I've tried, trust me. But I haven't been able to. So much so I haven't had sex for weeks because no girl matches up to her. I haven't even seen the girl naked but I can't stop imagining it.

I close my eyes and I see her, her face, her smile, her eyes.

Her. That's all I see. That's all I want.

But I can't, I can't fucking have her, because I've known the girl all of three moths, practically kidnapped her twice, and made her sleep in my house.

I'm crazy. That's it, I've lost the plot.

"It's Harrison." Harry says and Iwan looks at him confused.

"What?"

"You called me Harold. My names Harrison." Harry explains and Iwan looks solemn.

"Oh. Well, I didn't know that. Sorry, Harrison." Iwan crises his arm over his chest and leans back into the chair.

Before they can bicker any more Coach Swift walks into the canteen. "Morning Boys!" He yells out, everyone offering a morning and a nod back. "I've got some good news for you all, you'll all be very chuffed."

Iwan jumps up out of his chair, arms in the air and spinning around to see Swift. "We're getting a new maths teacher?!"

The group erupt into laughter as I look around at the table. It's then I notice Ben isn't here.

"No, Hughes, Mrs McCallum is staying, just for you." Mr Swift puts out and Iwan groans, falling back into his chair as Coach carries on talking.

"Iwan." I whisper. He looks up at me, "Where's Ben?"

Iwan looks over the table, and comes up with the same thing I did. "No clue." He shrugs his shoulders and goes back to sulking.