Playing For The Other Team [REMAKE]

Chapter 7

Nathan arrives just in time for the last class of the day. He steps into the classroom, plopping down into the nearest seat, which just so happened to be next to Wendy. She looks happy to see him, and the moment the class is over, she scoots her chair closer to chat.

"Hi, Nate," she says. "So glad you said yes about tonight. It's going to be fun."

"Sure," Nathan says with a smile. "What time should I come over?"

"Oh, eight should be fine." Wendy's smile is sweet and girlish, and her lips are glossy and pouty.

Nathan nods. "Your place at eight," he repeats to himself. "I'll be there."

"I'll be waiting," she says before she gets up and leaves the classroom, her hips swaying as she struts out of the room to join her friends outside.

To be honest, the last thing Nathan wants to do is to go to Wendy's party. He'd rather stay at home, but he's promised her he'll come, and Wendy is notoriously fussy about not being stood up. Whatever awaited him at her house was sure to spark some kind of gossip, and he couldn't start to imagine what it would be.

Nathan finishes copying the notes from the whiteboard and then packs up and leaves the classroom. The moment he steps out through the door, someone walks into him, making them both sway unsteadily.

"Oh." It's Jonathan. "Where did you come from?" Nathan awkwardly points to the classroom he came from, and Jonathan sighs. "Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going."

"Neither was I," Nathan says. He smiles, and it's the first genuine smile of the day. "I was hoping I'd run into you. Not like this, perhaps, but it'll do. Can I give you a ride home?"

Jonathan shrugs, and his lips curve into a slight smile. "I don't know. Can you?"

"I'd like to."

Jonathan casts a glance over his shoulder before he looks back at Nathan and nods. "Sure. Let me go and get my things, and I'll meet you outside." He steps around Nathan and continues down the corridor.

It's the perfect distraction, and Nathan finds himself grinning all the way to his locker. Oliver's there, standing with his arms crossed over his chest as he's leaned up against his and Josh's lockers.

"Waiting for someone?" Nathan asks him when he goes to grab his things.

"Got some plans," Oliver admits. "And from the looks of it, so do you. I saw you talking to Wendy before."

Nathan nods, looking through the shelf in his locker to see if he's forgotten something. "Yeah. She invited me to some get-together, and I promised I'd go," he says. "Her parents are out of town."

"That's cool, I guess. You gonna make a move or something?"

A frown spreads across Nathan's face. "She's not my type," he says. "And even if she was, it wouldn't feel right. Josh won't shut up about her." Neither of them says it, but one thing Wendy Smith is known for is swapping guys as if they're clothes.

Oliver nods slowly and flashes his friend an encouraging smile. "Good luck, Nate."

"Thank you," Nathan says, and he means it. He closes his locker and heads down the hall towards the main exit.

Jonathan's waiting in the shade of the gym when Nathan arrives. Jonathan looks tired, but he also looks relieved to see Nathan. He pushes himself off the wall he's leaned against, and they meet by Nathan's car. "I'm fine," Jonathan blurts out before Nathan has the chance to ask. "Just glad it's Friday."

They get into the car and take their usual route. The silence is heavy this time, and both of them seem to be in a bad mood.

Needing some kind of conversation to keep him distracted, Nathan asks, "Hey, how old are you?" It isn't the question he wanted to ask, but it was the first one out of his mouth.