(ATLANTIS) - haylor au

chapter eight (2/2)

I only now regretting saying yes to playing because I forgot that I'd need to walk there. By the time I get there, they've all started playing already. Some of the guys from the team are there -- Zack, Trey and Big Tom. Big Tom is one of the most ferocious players on our team. He's ruthless and he does whatever it takes to win in the field. We've talked to him about this and he's getting better about being a team player though. He got held back a grade so he's not in the same grade us now. And, I don't even remember how Big Tom became Big Tom. He's a nice guy off the field, else we wouldn't just hang with him.

"Hey!" I yell, running towards them. Niall, who's the keeper, glances at me before going back into his stance as Zack kicks the ball towards him. I sit on the grass for a while, watching all of them play. Eventually, I do join them and I find myself in a team with Liam, Trey and Zack.

After a couple of hours, Liam is the first to admit he's tired. He lies on the grass as if he's about to make a snow angel. I'm all sweaty and huffing and puffing when I'm sitting down. Niall runs over to all of us on the ground with a few bottles of water.

"You all going to homecoming?" I ask, opening up the bottled-water. I glance over to see Liam getting up and his hand is out, waiting for me to give my bottle to him.

"Yep." Niall says plainly. "With Selena." He explains to Trey, Big Tom and Zack with a shrug. But, I can tell the little shit is probably so excited.

"I don't even know at this point." Liam says, looking off into the distance. "I can't just take some other girl to woo Karlie at the dance." He shakes his head and I can understand his dilemma. But I'm sure, he can again use his position in the committee to just get in without a date.

"Nah," Trey starts after taking a huge gulp of water. "You could probably go without a date. Aren't you in the committee?"

"That's what we've been saying!" Niall exclaims and smacks Liam's arm.

"Who's Karlie even going with?" Zack finally asks.

"Gigi—" Nialls answers a bit too quickly and shuts himself up before he says too much. He makes a oops face while looking over at me. "Karlie couldn't be bothered to wait for a guy to ask her, I guess." He lies.

"How about you Big Tommo?" I poke at him with my bottle and ask with a cheeky smile. "You got a date?" We're all looking at him and he looks down onto the grass. I laugh as I realise he's actually blushing. "Oh Christ, are you actually turning pink?"

Zack smirks and smacks his arm. "Come on, fatso." He says which I think is rude but I try not to roll my eyes too obviously.

I don't know if Big Tom is offended at Zack's remark and even if he is, he doesn't act like it. "Yeah, I asked out a girl." He says quietly. "She's nice to me." That's all the information he offers before asking Zack whether he's going to the dance or not. Zack's not. I doubt that any girl would want to go out with him, given his reputation.

Suddenly, through the laughs and chatting, Niall turns to me with his eyebrows cocked. "Wait, so are you going or not?"

"Yeah." I say with an air of nonchalance because I know people are going to react if I tell them I'm going with Tay. I take a long sip of water as they all look at me with expectant eyes. "What?"

"It's Taylor, guys. C'mon." Liam says and rolls his eyes. My eyes immediately dart to Trey because he had wanted to ask her first. He's looking at Liam and has his lips pressed into a straight line, nodding.

"She had already bought tickets and asked if I had someone to go with or not." I shrug. I'm not lying when I say that I've been asked to the homecoming by other girls but I didn't think I'd be going so I'd told all of them that I wasn't. "I'm sure I wasn't her first choice." I say to all of them but really, I'm just letting Trey know. I don't want there to be any kind of tension between him and I over Tay. Although, I don't think he's all that serious about her.

"You're gonna be there with the hottest girl in our grade though." Trey says, emphasising the word hottest. I only furrow my eyebrows together and shake my head. I'm trying to straight face too because Tay is not hot. She's the opposite to that.

"I'd beg to differ." Niall says, chuckling.

When I get back home, everyone's eating dinner together. That's a strange sight in itself because dad's always at work  even on the weekends. Though, mom doesn't work on weekends. I take a seat next to Connor, cautiously. "How is everyone?" I clear my throat.

"I hope your hands are clean." Mom says, indifferently. She's still mad. She still takes my plate and starts putting food onto it.

"I'll be right back." I say awkwardly and leave to wash my hands. After I come back, I get a disapproving look from my dad. "Dad, it won't happen again." I say because I know mom's told him why she's mad at me.

"Yeah, it better not." That's all he says and looks at me sternly to which I nod.

Connor starts talking to lighten up the room. He starts talking about his field trip coming up next week and I'm silently thanking him. He always knows the right thing to say with mom and dad. I guess, he didn't get that from me.

I clear my throat again and look at mom. "Mom, about my car —"

"You're not getting it back until a month later." She looks at wide eyed as if shocked at the audacity of mine to ask for it again.

"I know that mom." I'm talking patiently as I swallow my food. "There's just homecoming next Friday. And I don't want my date and I to be walking there?" My mom looks at me unsure and turns to dad, as if telepathically asking well, what do you think? "It's Taylor." I finally say. This certainly pleases mom because this is the first time tonight when she looks at me and smiles ear-to-ear.

"That's so wonderful!" She's beaming and has each of her hands on either of her cheeks. "Oh no!" She gasps. "You don't even have a proper tux yet. We have to arrange that soon." Mom says as she gets up and rushes out the room.

I cover my face with both my hands and groan. I hope my parents don't think more of this homecoming dance date than it actually is. My dad's bursting into laughter as mom enters the room on her phone. I look up when I hear her walking towards me as she incessantly chattering into her phone.

For a second, she stops and looks at me. "What dress is Taylor's dress going to be, honey?" She asks as if I'm supposed to know. "I don't know yet but Harry's tux can be mainly black, of course." She continues on her phone conversation.

After dinner, mom rushes me to ask what colour Tay will be wearing. And if Tay doesn't know, my mom could help her. I only roll my eyes as I go upstairs to take a well-deserved shower. I just realize that I forgot to ask if Connor will be going to the homecoming dance. He's a freshmen this year and it would definitely do him well if he goes to these things. Although, I only go sometimes but I'm also on the soccer team. He's not. He's more studious and shy-er.