Battle Scars - USWNT

Chapter 33 - Are you gay?

Mal's POV

"Go wake up Luke, he can't always be skipping breakfast" Ali said to me.

"Why don't you go?" I asked her.

"Shut up and go wake him up Mal" Ash said pushing me playfully.

"Okay, okay"

I went upstairs and knocked on his door.

...

Nothing.

Maybe I should knock again.

...

Still nothing.

"Luke?" I said, opening the door slowly.

As I stepped inside his room I couldn't help but smile at the view.

He looked so cute sleeping.

"Luke, wake up" I spoke again.

Damn, he's deeply sleeping.

I made my way towards him and, before trying to wake him up, I looked at him for a little bit. Whoever is dating him is very lucky...

I decided to stop staring because it was starting to be a bit creepy and I shook him a bit. Finally he opened his eyes slowly.

"Hey" I said softly, smiling at him.

"Hmm, am I dreaming?" he said sleepily and I let out a chuckle.

"No, you are not, Luke"

"Then why am I seeing an angel?" he asked, genuinely confused, making me blush.

Did he just call me an angel?

"Lie down with me, Mal" he said, taking my hand, trying to make me lie down beside him. What's gotten into him?

"What's taking you guys so long?" Ash shouted, her voice getting closer to the room.

Right in that moment Luke sat down on the bed and pulled me towards him, making me lie down with him. What the-

"Oh, I see why you were taking so long" Ash's voice said and I looked up, seeing her looking at us with a smirk.

Suddenly Luke quickly got off me, getting up and going to the bathroom. 

"So, what were you doing with my brother?" Ash asked me, still with that smirk and I rolled my eyes.

Luke's POV

I locked myself in the bathroom and looked at the mirror. My face was as red as a tomato.

I really thought I was dreaming, am I stupid?

Also, in my dream I had a flat chest, but in reality I don't... did Mal notice? I hope she didn't.

I don't want to leave this bathroom anytime soon.

"Okay, Luke, breath" I whispered to myself. "Don't freak out. She probably didn't notice your chest, you were covered by the blanket the whole time. It's okay"

I don't know why I'm freaking out so much, she probably didn't even notice, but this is giving me so much anxiety.

For fucks sake, I just need to get the money for the surgery already. I can't even hug someone in the morning without feeling like shit...

"Luke, you okay there?" I heard Ash ask from outside the bathroom.

"I- yeah, I- I'm getting ready to have a shower"

"Oh, okay. We'll wait for you downstairs then, don't take too long or your breakfast is going to get cold" she said and I heard them leave my room.

I guess I'll shower.

Two hours later

"So, where do you wanna go?" I asked Mal as we were leaving the house. She hasn't brought up what happened and hasn't been acting weird towards me so that calmed down my anxiety a lot.

"I don't know, do you know any cool places around here?"

"Mm, I don't go out much" I said, embarrassed.

"That's fine. That means we get to discover new places together" she said, smiling at me. Why is she so cute?

We spent a while walking and getting to know each other better. I'm so awkward at conversations but with her it hasn't been too hard, she gets how I am so it's easy talking to her.

As we were walking I noticed we were right at the park where I was last night with Alec. A weird feeling got over me, like I wasn't supposed to be here with Mal, like I was cheating on Alec...

But Mal and I are just friends, I shouldn't be feeling like this.

"Hey!" I heard Alec's voice. What? Do I hear voices now?

"Do you know him?" Mal said, pointing towards someone.

I looked to where she was pointing, seeing Alec, who was walking towards us. Shit.

"Hi, I missed you" he said, hugging me. Yeah, that's still uncomfortable.

Mal seemed to notice that I wasn't too comfortable because she quickly spoke, making Alec pull out of the hug.

"Hey, I don't think we've met, are you friends with Luke?" she said.

"You could say that" he answered and winked at me, making me blush.

Mal saw the interaction and looked at us with a weird expression that I couldn't decipher. 

"Who are you?" Alec asked without much interest.

"I'm Mallory, a friend of Luke as well" she said, more serious than usual. That's odd, is she okay?

"Cool. Anyways, I have to go, I'll text you later" Alec said, kissing me very close to my lips and continuing to walk wherever he was going.

"That was a bit rude" Mal said frowning and I looked at her confused. "He barely even acknowledged me"

"Yeah, that was rude of him. He's usually nicer than that, sorry" I told her. I don't know why Alec acted that way, he's usually very nice with me. "Maybe he was in a rush or something"

"It's him, right?" Mal said.

"What?" I looked at her confused.

"He's the one you're dating" she spoke, completely sure.

"W-what makes you say that?"

"I'm not blind. First, he hugs you and tells you he missed all cutely and then before he left he almost kissed you on the lips"

I guess Alec wasn't very discreet.

"Yeah, it's him" I said, looking at the floor timidly.

"Are you gay?" she asked me with a weird tone and I immediately looked at her. Is it me or did that sound a bit homophobic...?

"I- no" I said stuttering a bit "I'm bisexual"

"Oh" she let out a sigh of... relief?

"Why?" I asked, confused.

"Oh, I- just curious" she said, seeming a bit nervous.

Suddenly she put an arm around my shoulders, giving me a side hug.

"Just know that if he ever hurts you he's going to hear from me" she said, making me smile. I may not have any chance to date her, but at least I have her as a friend, and that's enough... I hope.