The Little Things [Book 1]

Chapter Nine: Friendly

"Someone asked me if I was gay yesterday," Mark said as he took a drag from the cigarette Sam handed him.

"Really? Did they get to keep their teeth?" Reese replied with a snicker.

"Yea, he wasn't that offensive. And he's in the closet," Mark said and gave Reese the cigarette.

"Oh, was it Amber Eyes?" Sam guessed, making Mark roll his eyes.

"What don't you get from the phrase 'he's in the closet'?"

"It was Amber Eyes," Sam repeated, now certain. 

"Anyways, what did you tell him?" Reese intervened.

"That I was. And when he asked how I know, I told him because of you," Mark replied with a smile.

They were all sitting in Sam's room, the dark maroon color of the walls casting an ominous shadow over everything. Mark and Reese were sitting on her bed, Mark with his knees to his chest, while Reese cross-legged, while Sam lay next to them on her belly.

"You told him about me? Fuck, how much did he freak out?"

"Not as much as I expected. But then again, last time I tried to scare him off, talking about grooming didn't do the trick," Mark answered and checked his phone for the time. Reese contorted his face at his words, but he remained silent. "Hey, so my school has this soccer match tomorrow and Amber Eyes invited me to watch it".

"And you're going to go? I thought you didn't like sports..." Reese replied and put out the cigarette, since it reached the filter.

"I don't. But I don't mind watching a bunch of guys run around covered in sweat," Mark countered. "Do you want to join me?"

"Who's playing?" Sam asked back.

"Amber Eyes, the Cute Blond and um... I think Hot Lips is also playing," Mark said and stretched out his arms.

"Oh, sign me the fuck up!" Sam exclaimed and with a defeated expression Reese agreed to it too.

"Angie will probably want to come too," he said and unlocked his phone to text his girlfriend about the match.

***

"Fucking benched..." Thomas muttered once again. Rachel actually elbowed him in the ribs.

"Stop whining. I swear Leon whines less than you and his freaking bone is broken in half!" she said. Thomas glared at her.

"Are you even allowed to sit at the bench?" he asked her.

"It's a high school friendly soccer match. Yes, the principal's daughter is allowed to sit at the bench," Coach intervened and Thomas glared at him. "Come on Heissmann, cheer up. Your team players are going to have some fun. You should take it as a compliment that you don't need to play in the friendly".

That didn't seem to help much, but Thomas tried to think positively. A few minutes before the match started a player from the opposing team decided to join Rachel and Thomas.

"Heissmann benched, I didn't think I'd live the day to witness that!" Cooper said, bracing Thomas by the shoulders. "What happened? Did you sprain your ankle?" he added with an endearing tone.

"Go to hell, Cooper," Thomas said, but he smiled at the other guy, sitting up to be on the same eye-level as him.

Hal Cooper was the opposing team's goalkeeper. He and Thomas had always had a weird relationship, because on the field they were practically mortal enemies, but off the field they were fairly friendly.

"I'll be there to score against you at the real deal again," Thomas said, causing Hal to groan.

"Just don't make me eat too much grass. Two or three goals will be enough. Our team sucks this season," Hal said. His eyes briefly flickered passed Thomas and Rachel and an ironic smile split his face. "Well, if it isn't McGay!"