Little Talks

Chapter 2

Little Talks- Chapter Two

"GOAAAAAALLLLLLL!" The announcer shouted. The crowd stood up and cheered as the captain of the school's football team scored with under five seconds left, ending the tie and winning the championship. It was the Westminster Academy's first football championship win. The team formed a circle around the captain, Alex McKnight, and lifted him up. They carried him to the sidelines, where they received the trophy. Alex held it up high and the crowd erupted in shouts of praise.

After the game, Alex's girlfriend ran up to him and kissed him. All John could do was remember as he watched the girl he was once best friends with kiss his captain. That was supposed to be him. The way she looked at Alex...She used to look at him like that. Now he didn't even think she remembered him. The Clara he knew was gone. She had changed from the last time he saw her.

"No, John, you can't move to Dublin!" Clara shouted. "I can't visit you that much when you're that far away."

"I'm sorry, but I can't do anything. My mum and dad decided to relocate to their new office in Dublin." John said.

"Can't Pierre and Diana take care of you? That way you could stay here, and nothing would change!" She suggested.

"I already asked and that's not an option. I'm so sorry, Clara."

"Am I ever going to see you again?" She asked.

"I don't know. I hope so, because I..." John stopped. He couldn't tell her. He didn't want to ruin their friendship. He and Clara had been best friends since kindergarten. It had been eleven years already. Eleven years of hiding his feelings for her. Ever since that day he brought her the first soufflé.

"You what, John?"

"Nevermind. I have to go, I'm sorry." He hugged her tightly and let her go, walking back to his house. When he got to his room, he began to cry. He didn't want to go. Why did this have to happen? It wasn't fair, he could do so much more here in London. With Clara...

That was two years ago. He hadn't seen her since that day. He didn't have any classes with her and he avoided her in the hallways. But now, seeing her with Alex, he needed to let her know he was here.

"Clara?!" John yelled. She looked over in his direction and her eyes widened.

"John?! You're back?!" She asked, looking confused.

"Yeah. I've been back for a couple months now." He confessed.

"You've...changed." She said.

"So have you. How long have you been dating Alex?"

"Since you left. I'm sorry, John. I needed someone to talk to and it kind of went from there." Clara answered.

John stood there, hurt by what she had just told him, but he didn't show it. Instead, he smiled and said, "Good for you. I'm glad you found someone." He began to walk away, but she stopped him.

"John, wait. Do you want to catch up sometime? Maybe this weekend?"

"Sure. I'd like that." He smiled. "My house?" He asked.

"Yeah, if I remember where it is." They both laughed, knowing that they had gone to his house almost every day for eleven years. She could never forget, even if she tried.

John went home that day and changed out of his football uniform. He didn't know why he still played for the school, no one ever acknowledged him. Outside of football, he was considered a 'nerd'. Basically, he was an outsider. His teammates never really talked to him. He was just a nobody. Clara was the only one who ever made him feel important. She made him forget about the hatred that came with every day of school. She was the only one that ever mattered to him, but she clearly didn't feel the same way. John felt like he had to do something special to remind her of how much he cared about her. He knew what he had to do, and he couldn't wait for the weekend.