Somebody Else ✔

The North Eastwood Giants.

Cole.

Edited.

The North Eastwood Giants and South Eastwood Bombers had their derby on the same day every year. The game was an Eastwood institution, and as long as there had been a game, there was Finlay's playing for the Bombers.

We warmed up before the game, practicing kicking drills and I kept my eyes off the way the stands were filling up.

And when it came time to take our positions on the field, I picked at the black tap around my bicep. Vinnie's funeral had been the day before, and both teams wore black electrical tape in honour.

"You good, bro?" Tyler asked, as he jogged up to stand beside me. He was the player tasked with defending me - keeping the ball from my hands and to stop me from scoring goals.

"Yeah." I shoved him in the shoulder and he bumped me back.

Down the field I saw Axel stretching. He played the same position I did, just for the opposing team. My stomach rolled and I rested my hands on my knees, gasping for breath.

"Oi! Oi Cole!" My head snapped to the sidelines, where Jace, Alex and their families, my mum, Mr Enders, Maya, Luke and James sat. They were waving Giants scarfs, giving me the thumbs up. I laughed and retied my hair, as Tyler saluted his own family on the other side of the pitch, twenty people deep.

I spotted Izzy sitting on a picnic blanket with the girls. Under her denim jacket, she wore something that look suspiciously a lot like my Giants jumper. Even from where I stood on the field, I could see her grinning at me.

The siren rang out and the umpire thumped the ball against the ground, as the ruckmen leapt into the air to tap it. As the ball came toward us, I glanced at Tyler and smirked, digging my studs into the ground, taking off into a run before he had time to grab me.

The game was long and rough. Sever fights broke out over the course, two between Tyler and I. He had to be swapped out so another player could defend me. In the dying moments of the last quarter, we were down by four points.

The ball had found its way into my hands. I kicked before the Bomber had the chance to tackle me. I slammed into the ground, my head colliding with the grass with a dull thump. I groaned and shoved the Bomber off me, the ringing in my ears drowning out the screaming crowd.

I searched and found her sitting with her family. Her mouth was open in half a smile and half a grimace, her eyes flicking between her silent family and me. As the North Giant supporters flooded the field, Izzy turned to console her family, her red hair being kicked about by the wind.

I was fucked. I was possibly concussed and totally fucked.

**

After the game, after speeches and medals and tears and shouts, while I walked back to the change rooms, I heard someone hissing at me.

"Oi! Cole!" It was Corey and Sam, around the corner of the yellow bricked change rooms.

"Coco number two?" I asked.

"Come here." Sam waved me toward the both of them.

"Where's Izzy?" I asked as I rounded the corner.

"She's hiding," Corey chuckled.

"Oh really?"

"Here, she's over here." Sam pulled my by the hand toward the back wall of the change room, where there wa was nothing but over grown weeds.

Izzy grabbed me, kissing my nose. "I had to say congratulations, I just didn't want my family seeing."

"You gonna come to the after party?" I held her hips against me, pecking her lips. Izzy pulled away, running her hands through my hair.