Every Story Matters

15

♡ Scarlett ♡

It was another win for Centralview High. And from what I'm gathering from the crowd's cheers, it was a good game. Granted, I may not know much about football, but I know enough to know that our team did really well. Standing under the Friday night lights for the first time gave me better insight to what happens on and off the field of a game. I was lucky enough that Austin's coach let me stand on the sidelines and capture a few pictures.

Just like last week's game, I wait for Austin on the bleachers so that he could take me to his house. Earlier during school, he asked if I wanted to come over - for an interview of course - but there was something in his tone that made me question if it was only for the interview. Maybe it was the way his eyes seemed to hold more light or maybe it was the way his movements seemed gentler, a little unsure. Whatever it was, I found it kind of cute.

I look towards the night sky and watched as the stars brightly twinkle. A slight breeze blows through, making  the locks of my curly hair shift ever so slightly. To the left of me I hear the loud sound of footsteps banging on the bleachers. When I turn my head toward the sound, I smile as I see the sight of Austin walking up the stairs. I quickly turn my head back toward the stars, a tinge of pink painting my cheeks, when I notice Austin already smiling at me.

"What're you looking at?" He asks as he takes a seat next me.

"The stars," I answer, not looking away from the sky. "They're beautiful tonight."

"Yeah...they are" he says, putting a smile on my face. I turn my head toward him only to see that he's not even looking at the sky, but at me with an unfamiliar glint in his eyes. My smile widens as I look down at my lap trying to hid my cheeks that are becoming a tinge darker.

A slight laugh escapes my lips as I shake my head at him. "You're not even looking at them," I let out looking back at him.

His embarrassed smile has me laugh again. I watch as he scratches the back of his neck and glances up at the sky. "See, I did. Beautiful just like you said," he says looking back down at me.

Half a grin makes its way onto my face as I lightly shake my head at him. He smiles, immediately making my stomach flip in all different directions. We stare at each other, enveloped in our own silence despite the dispersing crowd. His eyes ever so slightly shifts down toward my lips then back at my eyes making my heart thunderously beat against my chest.

He starts to lean forward slowly, my breathing becoming erratic; our ur faces now inches apart. A nervous laugh escapes my lips as I quickly turn my head away. "Uh...we should go," I say, turning my gaze back up to him.

His eyes flash quick disappointment until he nods his head looking down. "Yeah..." he drags out looking back up at me, smiling. "Let's go," he finishes standing up.

On the way to his car and to his was house, it was nothing but silence. And it was deafening. I wanted nothing more than to talk to him about what happened...or what would have happened. Would we have actually kissed if I didn't look away? Or would he be the one stopping it before it happened? He probably doesn't even feel anything for me. I'm not really sure what I feel for him.

Stealing a few glances his way, I notice, agitation and confusion written across his face. His knuckles around the steering wheel are pale white and his cold, blank stare is very hard to miss. If I wasn't in such a delicate situation and not in a car, I would have used this moment to take a picture and make up a story to this demeanor. There's something about the look in his eyes, though, that are completely throwing me off. It's way beyond what my brain and I can register.

✫

Pulling into the driveway of his house, we both hop out and made our way to the front door. Once we are inside, all a white fluffy blur makes a beeline straight in my direction. A small gasp escapes my lips before Austin's muscular frame shields me from whatever was coming at me.

I peak around Austin's frame to see what looks like a white wolf bouncing up and down in excitement. His white fluffy fur making him look majestic and beautiful. The dog's head snaps toward me and then starts to jump on me with his front paws. A slight laugh escapes my lips as I kneel down to his level and started to pet him. This dog has the most energy I've seen from any other dog I've met. 

By the tag hanging from the dog's collar, I take notice that his name is Sparky. "Hi Sparky," I coo.

Sparky starts to lick my cheeks with wet, sweet kisses making another laugh escape my lips. "You didn't tell me you had a dog," I say to Austin, standing back up.

"My parents took him to the vet, the night you came over," he explains, kneeling down to pet Sparky.

I nod my head and smiled at the sight of Austin and his dog. He seems so loving and caring, nothing like what I've seen before. I turn my camera - that's around my neck - on and started to capture a few pictures of them as they start to rough play on the floor. I laugh as Austin is tackled to the floor by his wolf-like pet and is being invaded by more sweet kisses.

From where he lays, Austin looks at my laughing figure smiling, standing up. "So, shall we?" He says gesturing to the dinning room, "Nancy texted me saying dinner is waiting on the table."

I nod my head and followed him to the dining room. Tonight, Nancy simply ordered a couple boxes of pizza, garlic bread sticks, pasta, and salad. Austin and I laughed and joked and even threw some croutons from the salad at each other. I was in the most beautiful house with what had to be the most narcissistic but funny and (sometimes) sweet boy I've ever met; and I couldn't have had more fun than I've had tonight.

I decide to help clear the table of all of the dirty plates and utensils for Nancy as she starts to put the leftovers into containers. But as I grab a plate, Austin's muscular arm stops me from doing so. "Let me," he says before clearing the table.

As he starts to maneuver his way into the kitchen, I couldn't help but stare at him in astonishment. Even Nancy stopped what she was doing to stare at him. She leans closer my way and whispers, "what do you think? Alien?" 

I shrug my shoulders in response. "Possibly...it's the only logical explanation."

Austin returns from the kitchen and rolls his eyes at Nancy and I's bewilderment. As he continues to clean, I continue to stare at him in wonder. As confusing and hard headed as he his, I'm now starting to see that beneath all of that there's an actual human being. And as my mind replays what we've been through so far, I couldn't help but smile at the changes he's showing.

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